GC/illumina setup for FWD

[kdrkmstp]

I had a chance to do some research and talk to lotta people on board and even ground control. This is what I've came to decide.

They recommended me to setup w/ 450 in front with 525 in rear for my tokico illuminas, to get rid of some of the understeer and etc. The thing I'm worried is that 525 might be bit too much for the illuminas to last for long time.

Other setup is just get 450 all around and get a rear sway bar to help get rid of understeer.

What do you think is a good way to go about this.

Thanks.

 

[GSTwkd]

I have GCs with 5-way tokico but mine are 500 in the front and 250 in the back. And I know my car handles like a champ and doesn't beat me up I set my shocks to #3 in the front and #2 in the back cause the front is heavier and I dont want to scrape my fmic , being one of many reasons why I think it should be that way. In the summer I'll change it up to 4 in the front and 3 in the back. Anyways, a couple people here on the forums have been in my car and they've said it handles. Enjoy

 

[kdrkmstp]

If the front suspension is stiffer than the back, doesn't that mean you'll have understeer. Especially if you have a FWD which is already set to have understeer...
Correct me if I'm wrong
thanks.

 

[GSTwkd]

Well the front of the car is alot heavier than the back, of course because of the motor, so thats the reason for the heavier spring up there. The back of our cars is that much lighter. I think the better thing to do would be getting better sway bars. If you drive your car alot on the street than those stiffer springs are going to beat you up everytime your out. I have been in fwds with stiffer springs back there and to tell you the truth I really thought my car handled better cause of the softer spring in the back not bouncing the car around the turns with every little bump or pothole. I could be wrong, but thats just my opinion and experience. Good luck!

 

[kdrkmstp]

Now that you explain it that way, I'll call GC again and talk to them and see what they say bout the whole engine weight and etc. But that makes sense to me as well. But I think would like little stiffer than 250 in the back... Maybe 500 and 450 in the back. I really don't mind that much bout driving on the road, I would rather set it up so it would be awesome when I race. Thanks for your input.

 

[GSTwkd]

I hear ya. If my car was more for race than I would go stiffer too in the back. But again, sway bars do make a vast improvement. Cool man, good luck.

 

[Spidey]

Originally posted by kdrkmstp
Now that you explain it that way, I'll call GC again and talk to them and see what they say bout the whole engine weight and etc. But that makes sense to me as well. But I think would like little stiffer than 250 in the back... Maybe 500 and 450 in the back. I really don't mind that much bout driving on the road, I would rather set it up so it would be awesome when I race. Thanks for your input.

Please keep us updated, I already have Illuminas and GCs are definately one of my future options.

 

[jtmcinder]

450/525 is pretty serious. That might be a good autoX set-up for a wrong-wheel drive, but it's going to be nasty on the street. And there is no way that Illuminas can handle 525 rears. Maybe they won't be destroyed, but you will be much too underdamped in rebound for it to handle very well. I'd do some rethinking before actually doing this.

- Jtoby

 

[kdrkmstp]

would 500 front w/ 450 in the rear be good setup for auto cross and road race??? Would this setup help get rid of significant amount of understeer??? Are those spring rates too much for illuminas to handle???

 

[jtmcinder]

I currently run 500/450, but I have AWD and Konis (plus RMDSM front and rear swaybars).

I would not ask Illuminas to try to control anything above 400 front and 350 rear. They just don't have the rebound damping for it. They might not actually blow, but the car won't handle as well as when the shocks are better matched to the springs.

You are correct that you want a bit more rear weight transfer with wrong-wheel drive. But you haven't yet mentioned swaybars (have you?). This is another way to move weight transfer around. And you can use a really big rear bar, because there's no problem with picking up the inside rear (since it isn't powered). If you're committed to the Tokikos, I'd get something like 350/250 or 400/300 and install only the rear bar from RMDSM, maybe after redrilling the ends to make it more stiff. (You won't be lowering the car that much with Tokikos, anyway).

- Jtoby

ps. did the GC people really suggest 450/525 knowing that you have Illuminas? Or did the brand of shocks not come up?

 

[kdrkmstp]

I did mention it to him that I have illuminas. I told him about what heard about the diff of koni travel distan. and illuminas and etc. I also asked him if the illuminas could handle it and he said he wasn't 100% sure or something like that. I can't quite remember.

Also I did mention sway bars, and another option he told me was 450 all around with sway bar in the rear.

I wish I would've gotten koni's to begin with, this blows....

 

[GSTwkd]

I cant complain about my illuminas. Like I said, i have 500/250 and the front have been fine. 3 years and still riding great, atleast for now. Get sway bars....