Best Suspension Setup

  1. Established Member Joined: Nov 2006 Scunthorpe\Doncaster Posts: 1121 Fiesta ST & Saxo VTS
    #1
    Hi Guys,

    Wondered if the track guys amung us could help me i have adjustable rate dampers and was wondering whats the best setup for cornering to minamize over and under steer? I mean should i have the rear ones harder or softer than the front ones or is it best to keep them at the same rate?

    Cheers
  2. Saxperience Addict Joined: Nov 2006 A farm shed in Aylesbury Posts: 14916 Corolla AE86 Peugeot 205 B18C (in bits)
    #2
    Most people make the mistake of setting the dampers to an overly hard setting.

    You are best off doing a track day. Start off with the softest setting and adjust a click at a time until it gets crashy and more skittish then set it back a few notches.

    Understeer and oversteer is tuned by the spring rates. Harder springs at the front move the grip towards the rear of the car increasing understeer characteristics. Visa versa, upgrade the torsion bar at the rear and it has the opposite effect.

    As an example we converted the rear of a Peugeot 205 to use verticle coilovers instead of torsion bars. The original spring ratings we used (as the rear is extremely light) were 280Ib front / 130Ib rear. Around the track it felt extremely planted at the rear but TBH a bit dull and lifeless. Changed the rear springs to 180Ib to reduce the grip on the back and liven it up.