Good Balance and Alignment makes me faster
10-11-2009, 11:18 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Good Balance and Alignment makes me faster
Finally got the GTS sorted!!! Woo hooo!!!!
Mechanic put in a used control arm and was able to adjust the rear camber and toe! Evidently the passenger side rear control arm was bent when I got the car.
So, GTS has been corner balanced, alignment set to camber -1.2 F -.8 R with front and rear toe just negative of zero. Running Dunlop Direnza Sport Star Spec 235/18F 275/18R. Middle rebound ajustment Koni Reds front and rear, Devek Front Bar, Ott Steroids rear and 55 rear brake bias valve.
At the limit the car breaks loose both front and rear at the same time when slightly accelerating to the limit. That means it easily goes into a 4 wheel drift on turn in and can be easily steered through corner with the throttle. More importantly that means I can enter with, carry, and exit with more speed through the corners. How much? Well got FTD by 3 seconds today!!! That was over cars that were typically beating me by 2 to 3 seconds when I was complaining about understeer.
One of the features of the course today was a 540 around about a two car length diameter circle. Where the car would have just pushed around before I was able to maintain a very fast 4 wheel drift from turn in through the 540 and exiting. No, not a two wheel rear tires spinning drift king drift with front tires opposite locked, a nice 4 wheel drift maintaining a 10-15 degree slip angle both front and rear. LOADS of FUN!!!
Oh yeah, both the front and rear rotors matched the Iris Blue by the end of the day.
Mechanic put in a used control arm and was able to adjust the rear camber and toe! Evidently the passenger side rear control arm was bent when I got the car.
So, GTS has been corner balanced, alignment set to camber -1.2 F -.8 R with front and rear toe just negative of zero. Running Dunlop Direnza Sport Star Spec 235/18F 275/18R. Middle rebound ajustment Koni Reds front and rear, Devek Front Bar, Ott Steroids rear and 55 rear brake bias valve.
At the limit the car breaks loose both front and rear at the same time when slightly accelerating to the limit. That means it easily goes into a 4 wheel drift on turn in and can be easily steered through corner with the throttle. More importantly that means I can enter with, carry, and exit with more speed through the corners. How much? Well got FTD by 3 seconds today!!! That was over cars that were typically beating me by 2 to 3 seconds when I was complaining about understeer.
One of the features of the course today was a 540 around about a two car length diameter circle. Where the car would have just pushed around before I was able to maintain a very fast 4 wheel drift from turn in through the 540 and exiting. No, not a two wheel rear tires spinning drift king drift with front tires opposite locked, a nice 4 wheel drift maintaining a 10-15 degree slip angle both front and rear. LOADS of FUN!!!
Oh yeah, both the front and rear rotors matched the Iris Blue by the end of the day.
Last edited by RKD in OKC; 10-12-2009 at 06:15 AM.
10-11-2009, 11:32 PM
#3
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Put a straight edge on the thin wide camber adjustment bar. Towards the mounting point there was a slight gap between the straight edge and the control arm. The other side did not have the gap at all. Without the straight edge it was not noticeable. Camber adjustments could not be brought into spec like the other side, and the wheel looked about 1/2 inch closer in on the control arm than the other side.
10-12-2009, 12:05 AM
#4
Chronic Tool Dropper
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Glad you found the problem and also found a good replacement arm.
That bent rear arm is a too-common result of flat-bedding with the rear tie-downs looped around the flat blades of the rear arms. It must just be too much work loopimg the straps around the tube section and back. There's a case for buying and installing a set of Carl's rear hooks, or fabricating your own pieces. Same case for a bit of coaching the tow-truck driver if you ever need to have the car transportted for any reason.
That bent rear arm is a too-common result of flat-bedding with the rear tie-downs looped around the flat blades of the rear arms. It must just be too much work loopimg the straps around the tube section and back. There's a case for buying and installing a set of Carl's rear hooks, or fabricating your own pieces. Same case for a bit of coaching the tow-truck driver if you ever need to have the car transportted for any reason.
10-12-2009, 12:23 AM
#6
Rennlist Member
I have one that is bent as well, from my first hit in a WCGT race back in 02. Ive been able to align the car, and all it really did was stand the tire up as to reduce camber. there was still adjustment avaliable to give 0 toe and 2 degrees camber. Its visually bent. Im thinking of replacing it during the transfer of stuff on the Holbert donor car.
10-12-2009, 06:12 AM
#7
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
There may have been more on the arm that was messed up, but the bent blade was all that was measurable besides that it wouldn't align.
It's convenient living near Oklahoma Foreign for used parts.
It's convenient living near Oklahoma Foreign for used parts.
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10-12-2009, 09:41 AM
#8
Nordschleife Master
Anyways, I've seen a number of 928s with the lower control arm bent. I'm surprised that the small deflection you describe couldn't be adjusted-out. Another thing that happens is the camber adjusters themselves break up or get frozen.
I put in these bits and think they're very cool. Stiffened up the rear in corners and provide a perfect tie-down spot for transporting and on a chassis dyno. Also adds a bit of bling. Nice job Carl.
10-12-2009, 07:24 PM
#9
Chronic Tool Dropper
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Glen--
I was thinking about the front tube, the one that attaches to the tub pivots forward of the rear wheel and gous back to the hub carrier. The front-to-back part of the control arm that the lateral blade section attaches to. That tube section sees compression during accelleration, and a little bit of torque transfer under braking. Except for the cast crossmember with no attachments, it looks like this is the best place to loop a strap.
I was thinking about the front tube, the one that attaches to the tub pivots forward of the rear wheel and gous back to the hub carrier. The front-to-back part of the control arm that the lateral blade section attaches to. That tube section sees compression during accelleration, and a little bit of torque transfer under braking. Except for the cast crossmember with no attachments, it looks like this is the best place to loop a strap.
10-12-2009, 09:36 PM
#10
Rennlist Member
When I couldn't get my camber adjusted on the left rear, I installed a new bushing on the rear arm - the bushing in the blade, and was able to get the camber adjusted to spec. Others have had the same success.
10-12-2009, 09:41 PM
#11
Nordschleife Master
