FWD - How to Reduce Understeer

[TheRock0720]

I was wondering what I could do, in terms of alignment specs, to reduce understeer as much as possible.

Not sure of my current alignment specs, will find out soon and post results.

The car is basically stock, minus the fact that I have a 19mm rear sway bar in the rear.

Can anyone provide me with some good alignment specs that's helped with getting understeer to a more neutral steer?

This car will be my daily driver, so I want to try and maintain a good tread wear, but I do love to drive spiritedly. So finding the most I can go before really affecting tread wear would be fantastic.

I reach out here because most have experience and input with this.

Any other tips might as well help, too.

Cheers.

 

[JDT]

You should look into this thread, it looks like it will give you the most improvement. http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/handling-tech/439049-fender-braces-fixed-floppy-front-end.html

 

[TheRock0720]

You should look into this thread, it looks like it will give you the most improvement. http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/handling-tech/439049-fender-braces-fixed-floppy-front-end.html

I actually contacted greengoblin the other day to order a set of these. Defiantly on my to-do list!

Still need to do an alignment haha..

 

[jtmcinder]

The key to keep in mind as you read up on understeer is that the "standard rules" do not apply until you get the body roll under control. Thus, while the standard rules say that you should be upping the rear springs and bar, on a 2G you just want to increase total roll stiffness, any way you can. This is why increasing the front springs can actually reduce understeer in a 2G; the benefits of upping total roll stiffness outweigh the costs of increasing front weight transfer. This is useful to know when the car is a DD, because going above above 350 in the rear will start to make the ride very rough unless you have uber-fancy shocks.

As to the fender braces, these will only have large benefits when you have relatively high springrates; then they could well be wonderful. But please don't take that post about gaining 9 seconds on a 1:40 lap seriously. That kind of gain doesn't happen when the driver knows what he or she is doing.

 

[93laser1g]

im pretty sure an adjustable camber kit would help negative camber = less understeer.

 

[jtmcinder]

The downside of addressing understeer via front camber in a FWD is the launch. With an open front diff, corner exit will also become terrible, as the inside front will have no grip at all. Upping the roll stiffness is the best approach. If you really want to deal with it via geometry, then you want more caster, not more camber, because caster only adds camber to the outside-front wheel.