Hi guys!

I'm from Italy (Milan) and I have a R56 S with some modification.

This is my set-up:

Power:
- Milltek Exhaust (Full)
- Alta air filter (panel)
Handling:
- Ireland Eng. camber plates (adjustable)
- H&R coilovers (red)
- Alta rear sway bar (19mm)
- JCW upper stress bar
Braking:
- (front)AP racing formula brake kit (with custom Tar-Ox ergal-discs) + Ferodo Ds3000 pads
- (rear) EBC slotted discs + original pads
- Stainless brakes line + Castrol SRF oil

Even if I have used the best components (I hope ) in the market I have some problems on my car concerning handling during cornering and hard braking.

I premise that I use the car a lot for track days and in the last period often on Monza Circuit.

The car in cornering have some understeer even if I have 2,5° of negative camber on the front, 1,5° negative on the rear and the sway bar in the middle position!!! I use also Toyo R888 semi-slick tyres!!! We try to work on other paramenters but the car seems not to respond positively at any other set-up. The rear is still "heavy" and don't help to create a positive (necessary) oversteer.

Any suggestion???

The second problems is during hard braking. The car do not mantain the "line" and goes right and left. During this situation is very difficult shifting gears because the steering need two hands!!!

For this broblem my tuner suggest me to buy Alta "positive steering..." I'm now waiting to receive this items.

What do yuo think about??? Any other suggestion???


Thanks! (and sorry for my terrible english )

 

A pic form Monza!

 

Hi Andrea,

Nice car! I would suggest having your alignment re-checked, specifically the rear toe setting. You may have a toe out condition that's causing the instability under braking. Is the understeer worse than the car was stock? Again, check your alignment and make sure the front isn't toed in. If everything's in spec you can stiffen up the rear sway bar a notch, or back out the rear camber a bit. It's important to make your changes one at a time and test each independently. Good luck!

P.S. - How do you like the Ferodo 3000's?

 

Thanks for the answer TM3!

I have already tried different toe settings at the rear but with no result. The only changes occours when the tyres are very hot and the back slide as I want. The understeer is nearly absent (compared to original) but also during wide curves at high speed is present. I will prefer to have more oversteer than understeer!

I'll try to stiffer the rear bar!

P.S. the Ds3000 are noisy but excellent if you like a bit and resistance like a Porsche (only on track!)

 

The issue is most likely the coilovers you chose. H&R uses very odd spring rates in their coilovers; very stiff up front and very soft in rear. This makes for a greatly understeering setup. I would put money on your lap times going down if you put the stock dampers and springs back on. Ironically, H&R's lowering springs [on stock dampers, or even better on Koni Yellow's] are much better suited to performance handling, even if they do increase low-speed understeer slightly on street tires, they are excellent on the racetrack with R-compound tires.

My ultimate suggestion is to get a set of coilovers better suited for track work. Cross is currently the best coilover out that's under $2500/set. They have R56 coilovers models out already; Jan of RMW has them at a fantastic price, not to mention he's wonderful to work with!

Regarding toe, you should start with zero toe rear and just a bit of toe-in up front. From there you can tune to your preference. It sounds like your camber is about right, perhaps reduce the front camber to -2.0.

That's my $0.02,
Cheers,
Ryan

 

[quote=Ryephile;2080933]The issue is most likely the coilovers you chose. H&R uses very odd spring rates in their coilovers; very stiff up front and very soft in rear. This makes for a greatly understeering setup. ]

The H&R's you speak of...are these the coilovers that are only height adjustable? I assume that you don't recommend these for moderate lowering and exclusive street use?

You'd rather just go with springs?

- GP

 

Search "meb" and read up on his experiences with standard H&R coilovers. He's a very honorable enthusiast and I trust his experience. The H&R RSS coilovers may offer better mild street performance or very fast tracks, however my money would go for a set of Cross coilovers, or Swift-spring equipped BC's when they become available for the R56. For most of us that don't want to spend $1500 or more on coilovers, simply a set of lowering springs, while they do make monsterous potholes slightly less comfortable, are a unilateral improvement in looks and handling with no major ride sacrifices.

Another comment for the OP: The instability under braking is likely due to the front control arm rear bushings deflecting. They are very flimsy rubber, especially on the R56. A set of ALTA PSRS or Bavarian Auto polyurethane solid offset bushings will work wonders in making the R56 a more stable machine.

Cheers,
Ryan

 

Thanks for the answers!

I forgot to mention my Alta rear control arm! With them the rear is now very "hard" and the bushing is near absent.

I have chose different coilovers (but not Cross coil), I do trackdays from different time and I think that H&R coil are the best street/track set-up on the market also better than Bilstein PSS10!

I'll try to work on toe and rear bar to obtain a little friendly oversteer that I'm looking for during trackdays!

Challenge cars have front camber -3.0°/-3.5° and rear -1.5° so I think is not good to reduce front camber to -2.0°....don't you?

 

LOL, that's because the ALTA rear control arms don't have any bushings!

What coilovers did you switch to, and how has the handling changed versus the H&R reds? The H&R's are definitely the lower end in terms of track performance; they're much better suited for show/cruise action.

My front camber suggestion was assuming you have stiffer anti-roll bars. If your car has lots of body roll then of course you'll want more front camber to get good patch in the corners.