*Coilovers & Sway Bars - How they alter handling characteristics. LET'S DISCUSS.*

[fc3s_johnny]

I was hoping that this could be a discussion thread that could help myself as well as others trying to decide how they'd like to modify the suspension of their cars. Let's also try and keep terms and explanations practical and understandable, for those of us who aren't technical gurus. Let's keep alignment out of this. We all know it can make large differences on its own.

Our cars have a tendency to oversteer at the limit, everyone knows this. My question is if anyone could shed some light on how coilovers, mainly their spring rates, and sway bars alter the handling characteristics, since they are perhaps the two most common and effective suspension mods. It would be great if you guys could provide answers from general theory as well as real life experience with your car.

Things i'd like to gather information on:

-How varying sway bar sizes effect handling (upsizing just front, upsizing just rear, running a standard front-stiffer-than-rear setup, running a stiffer rear bar)

-How coilover's spring rates effect handling (how will, let's say, 8k/6k, 8k,8k, or 6k,8k setups handle differently?)

-How the two will work in conjunction to develop different setups for different people who want cars that react differently. (Stock-feeling, drift specific, grip specific, etc.)

I'm looking forward to what we can come up with, thanks!

[Captain Snooze]

Originally Posted by fc3s_johnny

Our cars have a tendency to oversteer at the limit, everyone knows this.

Disagree.
1/ Everyone does not know this.
2/ One can induce over steer at speed.
3/ On a constant throttle the car does not over steer.

[ft_sjo]

This has all been covered in other threads substantially.

[Captain Snooze]

Originally Posted by ft_sjo

This has all been covered in other threads substantially.

This x 40.2 gazillion.

[diss7]

Put your rotor in your frs. Let's talk about that.

[Dimman]

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45554

Go here.

Read.

Ask questions.

Repeat.

[7thgear]

Originally Posted by fc3s_johnny

I'm looking forward to what we can come up with, thanks!

THe information you seek is neither secret or poorly researched. The vast majority of the science behind vehicle dynamics has been researched and published in many forms for the better part of the last 30 years.

here is a very good start for you

http://www.miata.net/sport/Physics/

if you read that and can understand it, then you'll be able to easily answer your own questions.

but i'll give you a hint

spring rates affect the rate at which weight transfer occurs and it's balance within the vehicle.

if you have specific questions, please post in the thread that Dimman quoted and you shall get an answer

but if you post general questions that basically say "i know nothing, teach me everything", you're not going to get a warm reception, cuz it's simply annoying.

[fc3s_johnny]

Alright, sorry guys. And thanks for pointing me in a better direction.