CSG and RCE tag-team suspension Q&A thread! Ask us anything!

[Dimman]

@ZDan

Wheel rate formula? Does this cover the strut not being exactly 1 (assuming that it's leverage is 1)?

(leverage)^2 * ((lower pivot to instant center distance)/(tire center to instant center distance))^2

Since strut and LCA angles affect instant center location, is this sufficient?

[7thgear]

Originally Posted by wootwoot

Anyone?

you either make the lower control arm longer or the upper control arm shorter

personally i believe that if you can, extending the lower arm is better because you are increasing your track width while adjusting your camber.

[Turbowned]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

@CSG Mike and Andy from RCE will be here to answer any suspension/chassis/brakes questions you may have to the best of our abilities!

We don't always agree but usually do and can give an east coast vs. west coast experienced opinion on a whole bunch of stuff.

So ask away!

- Andy


Mods, maybe a sticky for this thread?

I think a detailed coilover guide would be super-helpful to get all of us to decide between the myriad of options for different suspension components. When I looked for coilovers for my MR2 all we had were BC (OK), D2/F2 (junk), Koni/Ground Control (best performance for the money), and Toda Fightex (expensive and hard to find). There's too many options for this platform; this is overwhelming!

I will be using my BRZ for primarily road use with limited track and auto-x use. I will put approx. 10k per year on the car. I want to improve it's cornering ability without sacrificing ride comfort. If anything, I'd like to improve ride comfort over the stock dampers! The roads in New England are terrible; buncha broke-ass towns that can't budget to fix their streets.

I've had fairly hardcore suspension setups before and they're nice for auto-x but terrible for street duty. I would like camber adjustment at least for the front. Tire wear is not a concern as I'm running staggered directional tires with low treadwear and plan to replace them annually or bi-annually. The car will not be driven in winter. The car will have over 300bhp in the future, if that makes any difference.

Currently I'm runnng Eibach Sportline springs on stock dampers, and to say that it's over-sprung and under-damped is an understatement. I've heard good things about KW and not a whole lot about anything else. I'd be interested in knowing the differences between the KW Variant 3 and Clubsport systems, and what advantages the KW-based RCE coilovers offer.

One other quick question: poly bushings or spherical bushings for a mostly-street car, and why? I'm assuming poly is better but I could be wrong?
Thanks guys!!! :happy0180:

[7thgear]

Originally Posted by Turbowned

I think a detailed coilover guide would be super-helpful to get all of us to decide between the myriad of options for different suspension components.

a detailed guide is not required

read these two articles from start to finish. You will then udnerstand the theory behind what makes a good suspension and what makes a bad suspension.

1st this:
http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets23.html

then this:
http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets18.html


i cannot stress enough the importance of reading these two articles, and not just reading them but comprehending what you're reading.

because if you can, then the rest of your suspension journey will be much clearer.

[Turbowned]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

a detailed guide is not required

read these two articles from start to finish. You will then udnerstand the theory behind what makes a good suspension and what makes a bad suspension.

1st this:
http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets23.html

then this:
http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets18.html


i cannot stress enough the importance of reading these two articles, and not just reading them but comprehending what you're reading.

because if you can, then the rest of your suspension journey will be much clearer.

Reading? This is America gawddammit! Who reads anyways? j/k

[7thgear]

It’s a sad state of affairs that you would even make such a joke.. which is becoming increasingly mainstream.

[solidONE]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

It’s a sad state of affairs that you would even make such a joke.. which is becoming increasingly mainstream.

Funny cause of the troof in it. Now let's go free the fuck out of the middle east by dropping bombs on it!

[Dimman]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

a detailed guide is not required

read these two articles from start to finish. You will then udnerstand the theory behind what makes a good suspension and what makes a bad suspension.

1st this:
http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets23.html

then this:
http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets18.html


i cannot stress enough the importance of reading these two articles, and not just reading them but comprehending what you're reading.

because if you can, then the rest of your suspension journey will be much clearer.

That is a fantastic site.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Turbowned

I think a detailed coilover guide would be super-helpful to get all of us to decide between the myriad of options for different suspension components. When I looked for coilovers for my MR2 all we had were BC (OK), D2/F2 (junk), Koni/Ground Control (best performance for the money), and Toda Fightex (expensive and hard to find). There's too many options for this platform; this is overwhelming!

I will be using my BRZ for primarily road use with limited track and auto-x use. I will put approx. 10k per year on the car. I want to improve it's cornering ability without sacrificing ride comfort. If anything, I'd like to improve ride comfort over the stock dampers! The roads in New England are terrible; buncha broke-ass towns that can't budget to fix their streets.

I've had fairly hardcore suspension setups before and they're nice for auto-x but terrible for street duty. I would like camber adjustment at least for the front. Tire wear is not a concern as I'm running staggered directional tires with low treadwear and plan to replace them annually or bi-annually. The car will not be driven in winter. The car will have over 300bhp in the future, if that makes any difference.

Currently I'm runnng Eibach Sportline springs on stock dampers, and to say that it's over-sprung and under-damped is an understatement. I've heard good things about KW and not a whole lot about anything else. I'd be interested in knowing the differences between the KW Variant 3 and Clubsport systems, and what advantages the KW-based RCE coilovers offer.

One other quick question: poly bushings or spherical bushings for a mostly-street car, and why? I'm assuming poly is better but I could be wrong?
Thanks guys!!! :happy0180:

What kind of suspension were you running?

[Turbowned]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

What kind of suspension were you running?

Ground Control with Koni dampers and Cusco camber plates. Thought they would've been softer; in fact the guy who sold them to me said they were too soft for his setup. I didn't mean "hardcore" in the sense of quintuple-adjustable Motons if that's what you were thinking

[Figo]

@CSG Mike

Would u plz give me some advices on my staggered setup? I build it for street and DD, track on more than twice a year, but I drive crazy on the street. I want a tail happy car that can allow me to slide at some corner at 20mph. I go staggered only for look.

I order a set of 18X8.5 +43 and 18X9.5 +38 rims with 225/40 and 245/40 tires(May go 235/40 front for my next set). Do you think I can still build a tail-happy fr-s?

I planned to do -2.5 camber front and -1.5 rear by top mount, LCA, and swift lowing spring. Do you think these are good camber? Maybe a stiffer sway bar will also be recommended?

ALso, how about sticky UHP 225 tire on the front, and regular ALL SEASON 245 tire on the back?

Thanks

[7thgear]

if you want big tires and wheels and low grip then just buy crappy tires and overinflate them

done.

[448hpsti]

Originally Posted by Figo

@CSG Mike

Would u plz give me some advices on my staggered setup? I build it for street and DD, track on more than twice a year, but I drive crazy on the street. I want a tail happy car that can allow me to slide at some corner at 20mph. I go staggered only for look.

I order a set of 18X8.5 +43 and 18X9.5 +38 rims with 225/40 and 245/40 tires(May go 235/40 front for my next set). Do you think I can still build a tail-happy fr-s?

I planned to do -2.5 camber front and -1.5 rear by top mount, LCA, and swift lowing spring. Do you think these are good camber? Maybe a stiffer sway bar will also be recommended?

ALso, how about sticky UHP 225 tire on the front, and regular ALL SEASON 245 tire on the back?

Thanks

if you wanna slide around, why go with such wide rubber?

[Figo]

For the look of rims.

Originally Posted by 448hpsti

if you wanna slide around, why go with such wide rubber?