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

[fatoni]

Originally Posted by Malt

Correct me if I'm wrong, but both of those tire sizes seem way too narrow for a 9" wide rim.

a lot of people disagree with me but i dont think so. 225mm is the closest tire width to 9". i was told that a tire is going to be fastest on a rim that is roughly the width or wider than the carcass and not the tread.

i dont see any performance downsides to a 9" rim over an 8" rim except for maybe a couple of ounces in weight but thats nowhere near close to the gains from lower tire temps and lower tire pressures and less rolling onto sidewall

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by normancw

I'm getting AP Sprint brakes and RS3s on RPF1 rims. However if it rains, I'd like to use the Pilot Super Sports on my stock rims. I know that the stock rims will fit with 10mm spacers. Is it OK to track with 10mm spacers?

Spacers are fine. I'd recommend you get extended studs and open ended lug nuts, to ensure the lug nuts have enough turns to be secure.

Originally Posted by johnnie

Hi guys,

My goal is to have a bit faster cornering but to maintain the fun factor by still being hable to kick the tail at sane speeds, keep in mind my baseline is a eurospec gt86.

Im going with 17x9 ET42 rims, not ideal i know, but its my cosmetic tradeoff. I already have camber bolts for the front too.

Everything else im undecided and needed your advice.

Im thinking of getting eibach prokit springs and either slightly stretched 225/45/17 or 235/40/17 tires. Nothing too sticky, probably falkens or hankooks.

Is thiis a good setup for my goals? Roughly what should be my alignment specs? Should i get stiffer front or rear swaybars?

Cheers guys, awesome thread!

A 225 is a bit stretched, but it can be doable; we did it for a bit. Would I recommend it? No. Remember, not all 225 are equal, Brand A will be a different width from brand B, which is difficult from Brand C

Alignment will be determined by pyrometer, but starting with camber bolts, and aligning based on wear is a good start.

[Cornerman]

Mike, tell me more about what you found using 225s on 9" wheels. I've been thinking about trying that on my 17" rpf1s using Rivals or NT01s based on what the Miata guys have learned. I know that they are using smaller wheels, but the aspect ratio is the same. If anyone else has any experience with this I'd like your input.

Oh, and thanks for the great thread. Lots of useful info!

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Cornerman

Mike, tell me more about what you found using 225s on 9" wheels. I've been thinking about trying that on my 17" rpf1s using Rivals or NT01s based on what the Miata guys have learned. I know that they are using smaller wheels, but the aspect ratio is the same. If anyone else has any experience with this I'd like your input.

Oh, and thanks for the great thread. Lots of useful info!

Oh we only REALLY did it because we still had 225 tires left, and only had the 17x9 available at the time.

The Rivals (which we were using at the time) run wider than the norm, so the 225 didn't look stretched on the 9" rim. I wouldn't recommend it though. You really should be running something 235 to 275 on a 9" rim, with 245 and 255 being the sweet spot in terms of fitment.

In terms of grip, a wider rim will always have more contact patch with the same size/model tire, as long as you're not horribly stretching the tire, and running an *appropriate* amount of camber. Is it worth the extra rim weight from the width? It depends on the particular car.

I still believe 225 on a 8" is generally the fastest overall, on a NA car.

[Cornerman]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I still believe 225 on a 8" is generally the fastest overall, on a NA car.

If you were buying Rivals for a set of 17x9s, would you pick the 225s or the 245s? Unfortunately I don't think they offer a 235.

I've been running PSS 215s on 8" wheels and I really love the direct steering response that the wider wheel provides. This combo is going to become my rain set and I am looking for something stickier to put on the 9 inchers. I have read that Emilio Cervantes and Andy Hollis say that the 225 is works best on a 9" rim for road course use.

As for wheel weight, I think my 9" wheels are at least as light as my 8" RPF1s.

Just trying to get all the information I can before spending my hard earned cash.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Cornerman

If you were buying Rivals for a set of 17x9s, would you pick the 225s or the 245s? Unfortunately I don't think they offer a 235.

I've been running PSS 215s on 8" wheels and I really love the direct steering response that the wider wheel provides. This combo is going to become my rain set and I am looking for something stickier to put on the 9 inchers. I have read that Emilio Cervantes and Andy Hollis say that the 225 is works best on a 9" rim for road course use.

As for wheel weight, I think my 9" wheels are at least as light as my 8" RPF1s.

Just trying to get all the information I can before spending my hard earned cash.

I wouldn't recommend Rivals at all. If you're looking for strictly a dry performance tire, get the RS3. It comes in 235, 245, and 255, as well as 225.

What wheels do you have? Are you FI? 245 will be fine, and is a nice middleground. I wouldn't recommend 225, unless the tires are a larger limiting factor than the nut behind the wheel.

[Cornerman]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I wouldn't recommend Rivals at all. If you're looking for strictly a dry performance tire, get the RS3. It comes in 235, 245, and 255, as well as 225.

What wheels do you have? Are you FI? 245 will be fine, and is a nice middleground. I wouldn't recommend 225, unless the tires are a larger limiting factor than the nut behind the wheel.

RPF1s

My car is NA, and yes it is nut limited!

[IAmNotTheDriftKing]

Do you have any suggestions for coilovers for somewhere around the 1500 dollar price range. I was thinking KW V1s or Bilstein PSS B14. The car is a daily driver for part of the year along with the bimonthly autocross and one or two track days a year.

[Racecomp Engineering]

KW V1, Bilstein PSS, or RCE T0 would be my recommendation.

The Bilsteins use a progressive spring, so you may not like that for auto-x.

RCE T0 and KW V1 are similar (KW makes our RCE T0 kit). Our RCE T0 is slightly firmer and more performance oriented. Both ride well and hold up to the elements better than most options out there.

- Andy

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Cornerman

RPF1s

My car is NA, and yes it is nut limited!

Try a 245 RS3 for dry tires

If you're willing to sacrifice a tiny bit of feel and straightline for more cornering grip, go 255.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by normancw

@Racecomp Engineering
@CSG Mike

I've ordered RCE Tarmac 2 with the 4000/400 springs (thanks Mike for all your help). I will set them at the highest ride height. What compression and rebound settings would you recommend for street? What settings for tracking?

Thanks!

Myles has recommendations...I'm getting with him soon to write up a guide. In the meantime call PM or email! (I don't have them off the top of my head).

- Andy

[Malt]

Originally Posted by normancw

@Racecomp Engineering
@CSG Mike

I've ordered RCE Tarmac 2 with the 4000/400 springs (thanks Mike for all your help). I will set them at the highest ride height. What compression and rebound settings would you recommend for street? What settings for tracking?

Thanks!

The settings they used are in there Facebook page in their timeline

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by normancw

I couldn't find it in the timeline. On this page? https://www.facebook.com/RacecompGTworx?filter=1

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...ze=1152%2C2048

These are track settings but daily drivable. You can knock everything down a few notches for a comfier street ride. I'm working on a nice little pdf to put up on the website.

- Andy

[finch1750]

I have searched and cant seem to find a diffinitive answer.

For camber bolts the options seem to be an aftermarket 16mm bolt in the upper hole or an 14mm oem crash bolt also in the upper hole.

What about a 14mm aftermarket bolt in the lower hole combined with the crash bolt in the upper hole? I was thinking set the crash bolts to max negative and then fine tune with the lower camber bolts that are lobed and easier to adjust.

My reasoning is from talking to people it seems between -2 and -2.5 is good in the front and about a degree less in the rear, which you cannot obtain with only camber adjustment in the top holes without camber plates (and Im not ready to fork over cash for those while still on stock struts).