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Evo442
12-23-2005, 06:12 PM
Well, there seems to be plenty of evo drivers out there running coilovers at the track. I'm trying to learn more about suspension setups etc, and would be curious to hear how other Evo's are set up for the track... So for those of you who do not have "non-disclosure agreements" - how are your cars set up?

Me: whiteline bump steer correction kit, polyurethane bushings (rear), Progress 25mm rear swaybar (full stiff), Ohlin R/T coilovers, 8k front, 10k rear.

Front: -2.7 neg camber, 1/16 toe out.
rear: -0.5 neg camber, zero toe.

Not corner weighted yet.

evoracerx
12-23-2005, 06:22 PM
I have the Ohlins R/T with the 25mm rear sway bar, and a helical front LSD from TRE. I am running 8kg in the front 7 kg in the rear. I may run a 9 kg in the front though. The problem I had with stiffer springs in the rear was that I had too much dive in the front.

vtluu
12-23-2005, 06:23 PM
I'll vary the adjustable settings--dampers and swaybar--according to track layout and conditions. I'm running the Hotchkis swaybar, Ohlins R/T coilovers (9 kg/mm or 500 lbs/in front, 10/550 rear), WORKS camber plates and rear pillowball mounts. Also drilled new holes in the front swaybar and moved the endlinks in (stiffer) by about 1/2". Tires are 275/40-17 Kumho V700 Victoracers; 5mm spacers in front.

Alignment is -3 camber in front, -1.3 in rear, straight toe all around. (Caster is "whatever" since I can't adjust it.)

Typical settings are middle setting on the rear swaybar, 8 notches from full-stiff on the front dampers, 6 on the rear. Tire pressures set to 34 psi hot all around. I took some pyrometers last time I had the Evo at TH and this alignment/pressure setting seemed to give fairly good tire temps all around. Could use a bit more negative camber in front but my camber plates are maxed out.

I don't like the tail too twitchy so I rarely run the rear swaybar full-stiff; understeer hasn't really been much of a problem and the car turns in fairly nicely, but I have a tendency to trail-brake which will mask some of the push tendency.

earlyapex
12-23-2005, 07:23 PM
Congrats on getting coilovers David!

Here is my setup, keep in mind it's pretty damn ghetto right now as far as the actual coilovers, but hey my lap times ain't bad so whatever. ( I have a new setup coming soon. 8) )

Apexi N1 Damper ExV Coilovers
8 kg/mm Front (448lb)
6 kg/mm rear (335lb)

Whiteline rear sway bar 25mm (set on #3 out of 4, 4 being stiffest)
Energy Suspension rear arm bushings
Toyo 255/40/17 RA1 tires

Front: -2.8 camber , zero toe
Rear: -1.3 camber , zero toe

I run the dampening at the track about:
Front: 15 (32 being max dampening)
Rear: 20 (32 being max dampening)

The car is not corner balanced, and actually my right side is lower than my left side. Told you it was Ghetto. :D

SouthernCrane
12-23-2005, 08:00 PM
The car is not corner balanced, and actually my right side is lower than my left side. Told you it was Ghetto. :D

Does it level out when you get in the car?




also, just a general question, why do some coilover companies have the higher spring rate in the rear and others in the front for the Evo kits? from my very little knowledge of suspension setups, i would thing you would want the higher rate rear to lessen the under steer that evos normally have?

earlyapex
12-23-2005, 08:29 PM
from my very little knowledge of suspension setups, i would thing you would want the higher rate rear to lessen the under steer that evos normally have?

And you would be correct. Remember though that spring rates are only part of the equation. Different schools of thought output different ideas.

vtluu
12-23-2005, 08:39 PM
also, just a general question, why do some coilover companies have the higher spring rate in the rear and others in the front for the Evo kits? from my very little knowledge of suspension setups, i would thing you would want the higher rate rear to lessen the under steer that evos normally have?
That's what my understanding is. The intuitive thing is to put heavier springs in the front because there's more weight in the front, but by putting softer springs in front you get slightly better compliance, more grip and less understeer.

That's the theory anyway. All I know is that's what Navid does, and he ain't slow. :lol:

Evo442
12-23-2005, 09:54 PM
Congrats on getting coilovers David!


Thanks Bryan! Thought it would be a good investment. Quite an improvement over my previous setup. Looking forward to more seat time next year! :D

Evo442
12-23-2005, 10:09 PM
Thanks for the input....


Tam - have you noticed any difference with the front spacers? Apparently the Cyber-evo guys were really into the front spacers - wider track and supposed to really get the rear end to rotate.


Bryan - how does your car tend to handle with that setup? Does it tend to understeer or is it fairly neutral? I feel like with those settings my 03 evo would understeer a fair bit. I guess you do have and LSD which probably helps with understeer tho'...

vtluu
12-23-2005, 10:28 PM
Tam - have you noticed any difference with the front spacers?
Yeah, my tires no longer rub on my springs. :lol: (Well they touch just a little bit once in a while but not enough to matter.)

Also, it's important to distinguish between transitional and steady-state oversteer and understeer. Transitional handling behaviour would be like in something like a slalom when you're changing steering--when you quickly apply a change in steering, does it understeer or oversteer? Steady-state would be like in a long sweeper--when you apply more throttle, does the front end push or does the tail come out? It's possible to have a setup that behaves one way in one case, and differently in the other.