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

[timurrrr]

Originally Posted by Scargod

Today I found this and wondered what the .7" meant. Does it mean it gets you back to a stock or neutral travel position if the car is dropped .7"?
Whiteline® (12-21) BRZ/FR-S/86 Rear 3-Point Adjustable Sway Bar (.70" Drop)

The sway bar doesn't affect ride height.
Assuming this is the product listing you're looking at, this is probably just a bad title entered.
Here's another listing from the same shop with a more descriptive title ("... Sway Bar with Links (.70" Drop)").

As you lower the car, ideally the roll bar shouldn't change its position at ride height, meaning that you need some kind of a combination of different length of end links (longer front, shorter rear) or relocated mounting bracket for the end link (front only on our cars).
It looks like that kit implies that if you lower the car by 0.70" from stock, the sway bar will be in its best position.

[gpvecchi]

Thanks for suggestions, I ordered shorter end links for the rear sway bar (up to -27 mm shorter, this should be fine for 32 mm lowering).
Now, I have doubts for the front ones: HKS Hipermax kit includes 210 mm end links to replace the 245 mm stock ones. But the bracket of the end link on the strut is lower than stock one, approssimatively it's 25 mm from the yoke upper bolt, against the 55 mm of stock strut.
So it is correct for stock height, but, as I lowered 31 mm shouldn't be better to put the stock endlinks back?

Edit: I have just to check the clearance in static conditions, right?

[oldlostcory]

Trying to get some input on spring rates for fortune auto 500's? I will be autocrossing about 15 times this summer and then driving it to work and other events 2-3 times a week. Currently running 17x9 rpf1's and 245s on rce yellows and white line rear lcas.

I emailed Fortune Auto and they recommended either 7k front 8k rear or 8k front and 9k rear.

[Jdmjunkie]

Originally Posted by oldlostcory

Trying to get some input on spring rates for fortune auto 500's? I will be autocrossing about 15 times this summer and then driving it to work and other events 2-3 times a week. Currently running 17x9 rpf1's and 245s on rce yellows and white line rear lcas.

I emailed Fortune Auto and they recommended either 7k front 8k rear or 8k front and 9k rear.

Spring rate is going to come down to how sticky of tires you want to run.

[oldlostcory]

Originally Posted by Jdmjunkie

Spring rate is going to come down to how sticky of tires you want to run.

I am running Direzza Z3's, switching to A052's probably once these are spent. So only 200TW tires.

[Muffled]

How much real-world merit is there to corner balancing a car driven by an amateur?

My 2013 BRZ is my only car and does everything - daily driver, road tripper, back road companion. I hope to attend around 4 track days/driving schools this year and maybe a few more autocross events, to have fun and develop my skills. I have virtually zero track experience.

I bought Bilstein B14 coilovers to install this spring. I wanted to lower the car because it looks pretty, rather than significantly change how it drives. I chose the Bilsteins because they were track tested, affordable, and didn't have super stiff springs compared to other coilovers. Damping is non-adjustable, and they use a progressive spring (ride height adjustments also change spring preload).

Tires are 245/17 Hankook V12 Evos (came with the car). I will probably move to something in the high-200 to low-300TW category once they're due for replacement.

The question: How much of a benefit can I expect to notice if I paid extra for a corner balance come alignment time? I am a big dude (250+lbs), but not very experienced.

[Takumi788]

Originally Posted by Muffled

How much real-world merit is there to corner balancing a car driven by an amateur?

My 2013 BRZ is my only car and does everything - daily driver, road tripper, back road companion. I hope to attend around 4 track days/driving schools this year and maybe a few more autocross events, to have fun and develop my skills. I have virtually zero track experience.

I bought Bilstein B14 coilovers to install this spring. I wanted to lower the car because it looks pretty, rather than significantly change how it drives. I chose the Bilsteins because they were track tested, affordable, and didn't have super stiff springs compared to other coilovers. Damping is non-adjustable, and they use a progressive spring (ride height adjustments also change spring preload).

Tires are 245/17 Hankook V12 Evos (came with the car). I will probably move to something in the high-200 to low-300TW category once they're due for replacement.

The question: How much of a benefit can I expect to notice if I paid extra for a corner balance come alignment time? I am a big dude (250+lbs), but not very experienced.

Corner balancing is part of the coilover installation process. Installing coilovers without corner balancing is like a carpenter making a table without measuring the legs. Is it going to make a huge difference? Depends on how off your car is. Maybe. Maybe not. But you just made a relatively hearty investment in purchasing coilovers. A few extra dollars to finish the install is marginal in comparison.

[Ohio Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by Takumi788

Corner balancing is part of the coilover installation process... Is it going to make a huge difference? Depends on how off your car is. Maybe. Maybe not.

I'm far from an expert, but what's the difference between coilovers set to the same height left/right vs. stock suspension as the car came from the factory? In both cases the car will have the same ride height left and right but will probably be cross-weight unbalanced.
Judging by how unbalanced most stock cars are (Savage Geese corner weighs the cars he tests, as an illustrative example) I doubt that slapping on coilovers will make corner balance any worse.

[Takumi788]

Originally Posted by Ohio Enthusiast

I'm far from an expert, but what's the difference between coilovers set to the same height left/right vs. stock suspension as the car came from the factory? In both cases the car will have the same ride height left and right but will probably be cross-weight unbalanced.
Judging by how unbalanced most stock cars are (Savage Geese corner weighs the cars he tests, as an illustrative example) I doubt that slapping on coilovers will make corner balance any worse.

Exactly that. If you cant count on a manufacture to corner balance properly, just measuring the stock spring/strut setup isn't enough to maximize the performance of your suspension. Sounds like more of a reason to corner balance to me. Not to mention the benefit of being able to dial the balance in to how you like the car to feel.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Muffled

The question: How much of a benefit can I expect to notice if I paid extra for a corner balance come alignment time? I am a big dude (250+lbs), but not very experienced.

I do recommend corner-balancing for a even an occasional track/autocross car, but at the very least you should carefully set ride heights. By that I mean actually take measurements. I frequently see people just kinda eyeball ride heights and that does not work. Find flat/level ground and measure from the same spot at each corner.

The factory car isn't really even left to right, and rarely corner balanced with someone in the driver's seat. But it's less noticeable with softer springs.

- Andrew

[Ohio Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

But it's less noticeable with softer springs.

Ah, that is as very good point and answers my question about the difference between non corner balanced stock vs non corner balanced coilovers.

[Lucky21]

Will rigid collars affect my ride quality?

[Compelica]

I'm on coilovers with camber plates, which my current camber setting is adjusted via the plates. I intend to have camber adjusted via camber bolts instead (SPC 81260) to revert back to stock SAI, but how do I know when I am at the right strut angle position? I suppose when my camber settings are as per OEM specification at that given angle without other factors influencing camber, I would be at the OEM strut angle?

Also, given that the strut will be more upright previously, would I possibly have camber clearance issues, as I am targeting -2.25 degs for the fronts with stock wheels (225/45s), and about 15mm lowered. I have 5mm spacers installed, but I'm not sure if I should have 10mm spacers in hand just in case.

Thanks!

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Lucky21

Will rigid collars affect my ride quality?

Probably a little bit.

Originally Posted by Compelica

I'm on coilovers with camber plates, which my current camber setting is adjusted via the plates. I intend to have camber adjusted via camber bolts instead (SPC 81260) to revert back to stock SAI, but how do I know when I am at the right strut angle position? I suppose when my camber settings are as per OEM specification at that given angle without other factors influencing camber, I would be at the OEM strut angle?

Also, given that the strut will be more upright previously, would I possibly have camber clearance issues, as I am targeting -2.25 degs for the fronts with stock wheels (225/45s), and about 15mm lowered. I have 5mm spacers installed, but I'm not sure if I should have 10mm spacers in hand just in case.

Thanks!

Depending on which camber plates, there's usually a middle 0 position that is similar to stock angle. I wouldn't expect clearance issues with 225s and -2.25 degrees camber on stock wheels but I would look closely.

- Andrew