Driving in the Rain with an Open Diff
03-24-2007, 04:19 PM
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Driving in the Rain with an Open Diff
Just did a DE yesterday and for the first two sessions I was doing really well. However aafter lunch it started to drizzle and I could not control the car as I had hoped. I was getting a lot of wheel spin and the rear was just out of control. I drive a 951 Non S and have an Open Diff. I was wondering if a LSD or something like a Quaife Diff would help me control the car a lot betterin the rain?
I also run the Bridgestone S03 but I just cannot understand how different the car felt in the slight rain.
I also run the Bridgestone S03 but I just cannot understand how different the car felt in the slight rain.
03-24-2007, 08:12 PM
#2
Race Car
Just the opposite. A limited slip or locked differential will make the car more unwieldy in the rain, especially in tight corners.
Soft (street) suspensions, narrow tires and AWD rule in the wet. Some (especially older) Turbos are much harder to drive in the rain because of their unique torque-curve characteristics. Rain is also harder on cars with more modifications (whether it's more hp, a stiffened-up suspension, or more-aggressive alignment settings).
There are a handful of tricks you can use to minimize these things, but if you're in your first year of DE-ing, then I suspect you were just getting a pop quiz in whether you were driving your car at its potential or relying on tires and torque to mask driving-line and brake-and-throttle areas where you still might have some ground to cover.
I think rain is great for DE's in that it demonstrates very clearly how important the driving line and smooth throttle and braking points are (compared to sticky tires and torquey motors). Rain rewards a smart-aggressive approach, which is harder to learn -- as opposed to the just-plain-aggressive style that most of us learn in street driving.
Soft (street) suspensions, narrow tires and AWD rule in the wet. Some (especially older) Turbos are much harder to drive in the rain because of their unique torque-curve characteristics. Rain is also harder on cars with more modifications (whether it's more hp, a stiffened-up suspension, or more-aggressive alignment settings).
There are a handful of tricks you can use to minimize these things, but if you're in your first year of DE-ing, then I suspect you were just getting a pop quiz in whether you were driving your car at its potential or relying on tires and torque to mask driving-line and brake-and-throttle areas where you still might have some ground to cover.
I think rain is great for DE's in that it demonstrates very clearly how important the driving line and smooth throttle and braking points are (compared to sticky tires and torquey motors). Rain rewards a smart-aggressive approach, which is harder to learn -- as opposed to the just-plain-aggressive style that most of us learn in street driving.
03-24-2007, 09:17 PM
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Thanks for you response, you are absolutely right about the torque curve with the 951! This is my second year of Drivers Ed. I was actually allowed to Solo after the good runs I had put in last week and I was trying to follow the line very closely. What are the "handful of tricks" you would recommend?
I have set up the car so far with trying to make the front stiffer, so for now the front is about 50% stiffer than stock and I have left the rear alone for now because I like the slight understeer.. Do you think upgrading to larger rear swaybar would help in the rain?
Thanks
I have set up the car so far with trying to make the front stiffer, so for now the front is about 50% stiffer than stock and I have left the rear alone for now because I like the slight understeer.. Do you think upgrading to larger rear swaybar would help in the rain?
Thanks
03-24-2007, 09:42 PM
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Originally Posted by dr pepper
Thanks for you response, you are absolutely right about the torque curve with the 951! This is my second year of Drivers Ed. I was actually allowed to Solo after the good runs I had put in last week and I was trying to follow the line very closely. What are the "handful of tricks" you would recommend?
I have set up the car so far with trying to make the front stiffer, so for now the front is about 50% stiffer than stock and I have left the rear alone for now because I like the slight understeer.. Do you think upgrading to larger rear swaybar would help in the rain?
Thanks
I have set up the car so far with trying to make the front stiffer, so for now the front is about 50% stiffer than stock and I have left the rear alone for now because I like the slight understeer.. Do you think upgrading to larger rear swaybar would help in the rain?
Thanks
I am in nearly the same boat. I am in need of a solid and balanced car to get seat time and improve driving skills.
I am going with 350lb front spring with 29mm rear torsion bar.
Here is a recomended spring rate to torsion bar sizing
(provided by Jason at Paragon Products)
lbs front spring / rear torsion bar size
400 / 30
350 / 29
300 / 28
250 / 27
200 / 26
150 / 25
i believe your stock non s will have 125lb front with 24.5mm torsion bar
