Z-man

Andy:
I suggest you leave the fronts soft. Firmer up front will yeild more understeer, which will take away from the handling experience. At most, I'd go up to the 'medium' settings.

-Z.

AndyK

Funny you mention understeer Z--I noticed that my car has way more understeer than before! Could be the bad ball joint was causing the car to over-steer more, but I have to turn the wheel a lot more now.

Wouldn't want MORE understeer by making the shocks stiffer. Full soft for me!

Marc Gelefsky

I should get me some Koni yellows in the front, have em in the back.
Think my fronts are about shot, replaced them a long time ago!

That is if I ever get my car back from the body shop!

Fishey

Bahhhh nooo!!! understand physics....

Take rear FULL stiff........

Front start at full stiff... till you dial out the understeer... (on my car it was around 1/2 turn (not much)

(all stock suspention other then the koni's)

AndyK

You should Marc! Gotta balance your suspension out with 4 new struts/shocks!

Any word on when the body shop will be done with the Turbo??

Marc Gelefsky

They *say* I can pick it up today!
I am Turbo starved!

Though I did take the 911 for a long ride Sunday to get my Porsche fix, was driving through Chester, NJ and there was a car show, mostly old American but some sweet Austin Healey's, Morgans, Jags and lots of Porsches around. The girlfriend looked in the shops and I drooled over the cars

AndyK

I wouldn't pick it up in the rain...although the more it sits at a body shop, the more dust and over-spray the car sees.

Marc Gelefsky

The rain is not ideal, but Andy, I dont care if it snows! I want my car back!


It was painted the end of last week, they are just buffing it out and whatever...
If there is any problems after I get the car I can bring it back, the shop is nice to deal with in that respect.

AndyK

Turns out it's supposed to clear up later...so it's a go??

Marc Gelefsky

I hope so, I have to call them at noon.

Of course, as soon as I get the car back I need to drop it off at my mechanic for an Oil change it's overdue for and some other fixes

AndyK

I wish there was a way to bring your car to a mechanic on Monday, have him fix EVERYTHING that's wrong with the car, and have it back to you by Friday! Shocks, mounts, belts, oil, sway bar bushings, leaks, window motors, wiper chatter, clock bulb, AFS, injectors...etc!

Sure, it would cost you $5k. But then you wouldn't have your wife or significant other calling your car a "POS that constantly needs fixing"!

Marc Gelefsky

I guess there are some benefit's to being single!

But I wont be single that much longer so I better enjoy it!

Z-man

Fishey: there are other things that can be done to dial out the understeer, like a thicker rear sway bar, firmer springs...etc. I think we are both over-simplifying the physics of it all.

I do not think that Andy does any track driving with his car, just the occasional autocross. So body lean issues and leaving the front shocks at full soft shoudn't be a problem for him. Plus the car will be more compliant on public (read: rough & bumpy) roads.

So, for him to start full stiff up front isn't the ideal starting point.

-Z-man.

AndyK

Right, Z. Body roll isn't fun, but at the same time, I don't need a bone jarring ride to the local Starbucks! Stock springs are fine at this point.

I have to figure out how to get another valve cover bolt--one of mine is stripped. Any ideas?

Sami951

Regarding setting shocks to full stiff; I've been a firm believer in that shocks should be set according to springs, +/- some for fine tuning... full stiff with stock springs / torsion bars can't possibly work too well. All you gain is a very harsh ride.

My rear shocks are set to full stiff as the PO's effort to compensate for 250# front springs... end result is that on a cobblestone road, I end up riding on bump stops because the rear can't recover from the constant pounding fast enough. One of my forth-coming winter "projects" is definately taking the shocks out and re-adjusting them to something more suitable.