24 replies to this topic

[Denthrax]

Couple of weeks ago I changed to stiffer spring rates on my Gas Gold kit. I had 425F/475R but changed them to 500F/600R. Last weekend I had my first trackday with these new springs on a very wet track. I was a a bit shocked to say the least. I couldn't get my R888 to warm up and I was battling with loads of understeer and locking front wheels when braking. I was told this was due to the stiff setup on the front. In dry conditions they would be ideal, but in rain they are sh*te. The car was already a handfull in rainy conditions, but this made it worse I must say, I didn't play with the damping setting on my Gaz that day. Maybe lowering the front dampening will resolve this a bit? Any thoughts or experiences?

[techieboy]

I've read somewhere advice to disconnect your front anti-roll bar in the wet to counter it. Might have been BTCC cars. :dunno:

[Denthrax]

Hmm that's something i would never thought of. Does upgrading to an adjustable ARB help? For example the elise-shop/parts ARB where you can fiddle with the settings. As now i just have the stock ARB.

[chris_uk]

You always have a soft setup in rainy conditions. just softening the front shocks should of been enough.

Edited by chris_uk, 27 February 2012 - 02:56 PM.

[SteveA]

ARB's only really play a big part in steady state corners, the springs will stop them doing anything on corner entry. I'm not sure adjusting damper setting will help either as the springs are effectively underdamping your setup. A more effective route would be to get the valving on the Gaz's shocks uprated and go back to the original springs, this will give you the ability to adjust for conditions with a few clicks.

Edited by SteveA, 27 February 2012 - 03:01 PM.

[VIX]

What was the problem with the original set-up?

[chris_uk]

You mean the billys?

[VIX]

No, the Gaz Golds with 425F/475R.

[Mike (Cliffie)]

888 are a beggar to warm up in the wet and are not suited for wet conditions. I run 450/550 on my Gaz and have fount that a dedicated wet tyre such as the T1R is better for a wet day. If you cannot work with wet and dry tyres then the 425/475 will be better in the wet and you can just back off the damping all round to offer more tyre bite. Whatever you do, make the front two clicks harder than the rear.

[TheRealVXed]

I think you are oversprung... I'd put the original springs back on. (425/475). I think I have 475/550 and i wouldn't go any harder unless I only ever drove in the dry. Plus you were on R888 in the rain on a ridiculously hard set up so I wouldn't be at all suprised at the amount of skittishness. General rule of thumb, understeer = too stiff at the front, oversteer = too stiff at the rear (caviat that there are loads of other factors too) You could also have tried lowering the tyre pressures.

[TheRealVXed]

Whatever you do, make the front two clicks harder than the rear.

I thought this was the other way round

[Denthrax]

The 425F/475R setup was chosen in the past as a fast road/track setup, but as my car only goes to track on a trailer these days I'd thought to give some stiffer springs a try. Mainly because I noticed the car still had some massive body roll on some tracks.

888 are a beggar to warm up in the wet and are not suited for wet conditions. I run 450/550 on my Gaz and have fount that a dedicated wet tyre such as the T1R is better for a wet day.

If you cannot work with wet and dry tyres then the 425/475 will be better in the wet and you can just back off the damping all round to offer more tyre bite.

Whatever you do, make the front two clicks harder than the rear.

My R888 set was almost brand new. In the past I've found new R888 to be an ideal wet tyre (once you get them warm that is).

You could also have tried lowering the tyre pressures.

I went as low as 18psi on the fronts.

[SteveA]

Mainly because I noticed the car still had some massive body roll on some tracks.

If only there were some sort of device you could buy that reduced body roll, a bar of some sort perhaps?

[Sammy]

Mainly because I noticed the car still had some massive body roll on some tracks.

If only there were some sort of device you could buy that reduced body roll, a bar of some sort perhaps?

A bar?

[siztenboots]

imho , its a fundamental part of the way a VX or Lotus works is the roll , adding rear ARB doesn't work in those I've seen on track.

[kipper]

imho , its a fundamental part of the way a VX or Lotus works is the roll , adding rear ARB doesn't work in those I've seen on track.

Steve A might have a comment or two about that....well and me

[SteveA]

As Dave says, It seems to work fine for me Steve.

Edited by SteveA, 28 February 2012 - 09:31 AM.

[siztenboots]

which is why I said imho , suffice to say I'm in the opposite camp.

[SteveA]

I think you need to drive one mate, could change your ho

[kipper]

As Dave says, It seems to work fine for me Steve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI_gB46srHs&context=C3511e3eADOEgsToPDskJHixBYrC0JAGafU1FfILna

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Oh, happy days Steve...it seems like you might have had the same instructor as me at one time, as the approach to the hirpin looks very familure