S13 Suspension Advice - Drifting forum

OrionRS · 10-08-2008, 13:20

I was messing about with my coilovers yesterday and decided to set it really low. I took it out last night and it now handles crap. Now for the rear I know i need adjustable camber arms as the camber is right out. But I got a lot of understeer? The camber looks ok at the front. What could I do to prevent this?
The car is too low now, I will put it back to how it was for time being.

Vova · 10-08-2008, 13:27

It might be because excessive lowering causes dynamic positive camber because the control arm changes its static position on a lowered car and pushes the wheel out during cornering creating positive camber. However this effect should be limited on coilovers as they keep body roll to a minimum.

When lowering, not only does camber change but also Toe and castor (the castor to a lesser extent), so you Toe might be quite out of alignment.

But how much have you lowered from stock?

OrionRS · 10-08-2008, 13:40

I will get a picture shortly.
The pic in my sig shows how it sat when I first fitted coilovers. It handled fine then.
TBH its too low for me. I knew it would put the geometry out but what could be done to solve it.

OrionRS · 10-08-2008, 18:09

Here is how it is looking...

Vova · 11-08-2008, 09:22

Well if you know how, you can check your alignment yourself, search the internet for DIY alignment to get a idea of how with strings and all. Or you can rob a bank and go a to a lignment place.

However, just raise it a bit and it'll most likely be fine.

Mach 0.185 · 11-08-2008, 12:49

Don't forget that if your camber has changed, the tyres may now be running on the edge of the tread, if you catch my .......drift......so you will have less grip until the tyres bed in to the new camber. Only when the tyres bed in will you really know whether the cornering / handling is better or worse.

OrionRS · 11-08-2008, 15:12

Maybe that would explain why the rear is twitchy (hops about on a straight line) but what about the understeer on the front?

**James** · 11-08-2008, 15:20

Your toe settings will be out front and rear because you've lowered it. The camber won't make all that much difference to how it's driving, but the toe setting will make the car very twitchy and weird if it's miles out. If you've lowered the car more then about 50-60mm, your standard rear toe rods won't have enough adjustment to be able to compensate. Toe is easy enough to get set, most tyre and exhaust places will be able to do a quick check for fairly cheap.

OrionRS · 11-08-2008, 15:26

Cheers.

For now I will just put it back up to sensible height.
As you say, it is very twitchy.
It must have put the front out by alot as on opposite lock it just slid. Didnt, grip at all.

RyanH · 11-08-2008, 16:04

I had that problem when I had serious amounts of rear toe-in. I'm guessing it meant the back had serious amounts of grip, more so than the front.

OrionRS · 11-08-2008, 18:00

Well I was having a bit of a play (donut) with opposite lock it just slid. Trying to push car forward as opposed to steering it.

10-08-2008, 13:20	#1 (permalink)
OrionRS dorifto kingu! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: S E London/Kent Posts: 1,649	S13 Suspension Advice I was messing about with my coilovers yesterday and decided to set it really low. I took it out last night and it now handles crap. Now for the rear I know i need adjustable camber arms as the camber is right out. But I got a lot of understeer? The camber looks ok at the front. What could I do to prevent this? The car is too low now, I will put it back to how it was for time being.

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10-08-2008, 13:27	#2 (permalink)
Vova touge runner Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Netherlands, in Maastricht Posts: 195	It might be because excessive lowering causes dynamic positive camber because the control arm changes its static position on a lowered car and pushes the wheel out during cornering creating positive camber. However this effect should be limited on coilovers as they keep body roll to a minimum. When lowering, not only does camber change but also Toe and castor (the castor to a lesser extent), so you Toe might be quite out of alignment. But how much have you lowered from stock?

10-08-2008, 13:40	#3 (permalink)
OrionRS dorifto kingu! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: S E London/Kent Posts: 1,649	I will get a picture shortly. The pic in my sig shows how it sat when I first fitted coilovers. It handled fine then. TBH its too low for me. I knew it would put the geometry out but what could be done to solve it.

10-08-2008, 18:09	#4 (permalink)
OrionRS dorifto kingu! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: S E London/Kent Posts: 1,649	Here is how it is looking...

11-08-2008, 09:22	#5 (permalink)
Vova touge runner Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Netherlands, in Maastricht Posts: 195	Well if you know how, you can check your alignment yourself, search the internet for DIY alignment to get a idea of how with strings and all. Or you can rob a bank and go a to a lignment place. However, just raise it a bit and it'll most likely be fine.

11-08-2008, 12:49	#6 (permalink)
Mach 0.185 gripper Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 17	Don't forget that if your camber has changed, the tyres may now be running on the edge of the tread, if you catch my .......drift......so you will have less grip until the tyres bed in to the new camber. Only when the tyres bed in will you really know whether the cornering / handling is better or worse.

11-08-2008, 15:12	#7 (permalink)
OrionRS dorifto kingu! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: S E London/Kent Posts: 1,649	Maybe that would explain why the rear is twitchy (hops about on a straight line) but what about the understeer on the front?

11-08-2008, 15:20	#8 (permalink)
James Lights out! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Birmingham UK Posts: 7,769	Your toe settings will be out front and rear because you've lowered it. The camber won't make all that much difference to how it's driving, but the toe setting will make the car very twitchy and weird if it's miles out. If you've lowered the car more then about 50-60mm, your standard rear toe rods won't have enough adjustment to be able to compensate. Toe is easy enough to get set, most tyre and exhaust places will be able to do a quick check for fairly cheap.

11-08-2008, 15:26	#9 (permalink)
OrionRS dorifto kingu! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: S E London/Kent Posts: 1,649	Cheers. For now I will just put it back up to sensible height. As you say, it is very twitchy. It must have put the front out by alot as on opposite lock it just slid. Didnt, grip at all.

11-08-2008, 16:04	#10 (permalink)
RyanH spl dori master Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Orpington / Bromley Posts: 403	I had that problem when I had serious amounts of rear toe-in. I'm guessing it meant the back had serious amounts of grip, more so than the front.

11-08-2008, 18:00	#11 (permalink)
OrionRS dorifto kingu! Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: S E London/Kent Posts: 1,649	Well I was having a bit of a play (donut) with opposite lock it just slid. Trying to push car forward as opposed to steering it.