Handles like a semi

[Batgirl]

Ok, I love my car as long as I am going in a straight line. I put some performance tires on her recently which has helped with slipping off of the line, but I still don't like how she corners. What do you guys recommend? I know there is the standard strut bars, but what would you do in total to fix the problem?

Thanks,
Batgirl

 

[L2RTSiAWD]

Sway bars will help alot in that dept. also you still want a good set of shocks/springs or coilovers.

Later,

 

[Ludachris]

Check this page:
http://www.dsmtuners.com/tuning-guide/2gturbo/suspension.php
for a simplified list of what you need.

and this page:
http://www.dsmtuners.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=3
to see who makes those parts for your car.

 

[GSTspeedracer]

I don't remember you posting your mod's?

Our car's (2G's) really are Dump Trucks, I'm in the mist of changing my suspension right now....

Adjustable Shocks ( Koni )
Race Springs ( H&R Race Springs )
Camber Kits ( Specialty Products )
Strut tower braces front and rear ( Extreme )
Sway bars front and rear ( Rm Racing rear and RRe front )
poly mounts ( full kit VERY $$$$$, LABOR.......I can't do this one)
poly motor mounts ( Extreme )
and the fattest stickiest tire that will fit under it......

Thats my list of things, some will vary depending on what you want.

Basically everything.....

 

[Batgirl]

Here is that list of my mods: Injen CIA, Tenabe Cat-back, Enkei Shutoko wheels, Toyo Proxes T1-S tires, Katskin custom leather interior, silver flake dash paint, Sparco shift knob, Wheelskin, Alpine deck/system, graphics kit, racing pedals

Obviously, I need to work on the hood and lay off the cosmetic now.

I am looking at springs, strut and sway bars mostly, but I wanted to see how other people have dealt with this problem.

I laughed about our cars being tanks - so true!

 

[GSTspeedracer]

I've seen a lot of people go the route of Coil overs....
I heard these are very noisy but full adjutalbilitly, no question there.
I thought it'd be a little cheaper to go springs and struts but in the end it's really not.
It starts with strut tower bars, though.

 

[Tevenor]

I am running the following:

Ground Control Coilovers
Ground Control upper shock mounts
Hypercoil 550lb front springs
Eibach 450lb front springs
RM Swaybars
Koni Yellow sport shocks
Front and Rear strut tower bars.

I run 235/40/17 tires on the street on Kosei K1's and when I race autocross or road race, I run 245/45/16 Kuhmo Victoracers on 16x8 GAB super sports.

Here is the run down of 2G suspension. They are both good and bad.

First the good:
We have unequal length control arms front and rear. This means we get more negative camber as that corner loads. This is good for cornering as it resists tire roll.

Now the bad:
The front suspension play is horrible. The bushings are crap and there is no shock travel. I mean < 2" on a stock suspension. That is why lowered 2G's tend to hit the bumpstops in the front long before the rear.

There is also a huge amount of understeer. This was designed as a safety feature for the standard US driver since an understeer skid tends to be much safer and easier to control than an oversteer snap. This doesn't help those of us that want the handling.

Now for the rundown:

The coilovers are the way to go. This gets rid of some of the nasty stock suspension crap as well as give you the ability to swap spring rates to tune your ride. Remember that suspensions need tuning just like an engine does. GC makes good quality fairly inexpensive stuff.

The 2 best 'cheap' shocks are the Koni Yellows and the Tokico Illuminas. The Yellows are more aggressive and valved stiffer so are better for racing but the Illuminas have a softer valved setup and make for a smoother riding street shock. Koni's are a little more than the illuminas.

The RM Swaybars are good things but they differ between FWD and AWD. On the AWD they make the handling much more nuetral and solves a lot of the understeer. On FWD a little more tuning is needed but the swaybars are still good.

Strut towers help stop chassis flex at the shock towers. You will feel the most difference by adding the front when you do a quick turn in, you will feel a slightly quicker reaction. The rear strut tower brace will help solidify the rear and drop a touch more understeer.


In general 2G's can be made to be excellent handling cars. Take for example Dennis Grant's, Fedja's, Scott Belcastro, my own, a few others that have autocross cars. But you can't throw parts at it and be done. Same goes for engines.