Road race suspension on very cheap for 24 hour Lemons

24hrlemons

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Ok, I am on a team and we're racing a '98 V6 5 speed stocker in the Lemons series. We added a 6 point roll bar and have it prepped out for racing (stripped) We took it to a track day and flogged it.

We had a blast, but the car needs work on handling. This will be a track only car.

Under braking going into turns, the rear raises up a LOT and rear end gets very light and starts to come around. You can keep that under control but then after letting off the brake it starts serious understeer. You can apply throttle to try to loosen the back up but w/o a v8 and open rear diff this isn't really working well.

Our tires, well we're a lemon's team so they were what was on the car. 245 40 or 45 16" on back, 205 50's on front. The fronts were worn about 2/3 and looking hard so we swapped them to the back, trying to stick the front better. Now the rear was really loose and spun a lot coming out of corners, which was fun but not fast. We are going to relocate the battery.

Questions:

To keep rear end from rising up so much, I was considering adding a suspension travel limit strap like from a 4x4. Does that make sense?

I'm going to try getting some v8 springs and then cutting them down a bit, we can't put $$ in the car with new hopup parts, have read posts on subject. If I drop it 1.5" or so, any ideas on how much I should move the struts? I'd like to make some plates for the struts, but that looks complicated, although we have a guy on the team who has a business that could probably make them (G).

I was going to look at making a version of the Max Motosp. panhard bar for rear.

I think I need increase rear bar, I'm guessing a GT rear is bigger than the v6?

Should we get 17" tires and wheels, or stick to the 16 stockers? those are not part of the build budget for this series as they are safety item.

TIA,

Scott
 

ReplicaR

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LOL. Be prepared to have your car crushed before you even start. Spending limit is 500 dollars, and suspension is not part of it.
 
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24hrlemons

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Uh, yea, that's the whole deal. This is not my first Lemons race team... We're on track, the car was flood damanged and interior was a mess, the check engine light was on, etc. so after selling off some stuff we're ok on the $ limit, now back to my question, to make it handle better, would a travel limiting strap help keep the back end down under braking make sense, it does to me. I can make one from nylon webbing. I can also made the panhard bar. B ut I'm thinking we need to camber the front wheels out to help with the understeer (and get decent tires).
 

mikey94gt

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You could limit the rear suspension travel with a strap, but your better off finding better shocks that limit front to rear weight transfer. (junk yard!) also, if you put the V8 springs in, it also may help. I would look for donations that are in the form of lowering springs or tires, personally. Just dont lower the stock suspension below about 1.5 inches under stock, or it messes up your instant center and center of gravity.

OR you can do the nascar trick, where they build wedges and put them in the springs to make them stiffer.

Making a panhard bar and torque arm setup is a great idea!!! Rear suspension always sucks on Mustangs.

For suspension tuning, make bigger holes in either CC plates or the body and move them as far back and twoards the engine as possible (in) and that will give you max caster/camber.
 
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24hrlemons

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Thanks your advice makes sense, esp the setup of the front suspension. will have to redrill the strut tower and move them as much as I can, and will measure to lower the car not more than 1.5". I'm ordering some 3/4" rod ends to make a panhard bar in my shop...should be fun! :notworthy:

Would 17" tires/rims be worth getting over 16"? We could just get lower profile 16" tires and the overall dia we lose will just help provide a lower gear ratio for acceleration.
 

mikey94gt

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The lower rolling resistance of the 16" wheels would be much better than the 17's, esp with the under powered V6 under hood. since you are asking, you already know it takes less power to turn a smaller tire. Besides, 16" tires are cheaper compared to 17" tires. I would ask around and see if you can get some used race tires, they will hold up better. I think Miatas use 16" wheels? dont quote me, but someone in the spec classes run them.

The panhard bar build sounds like fun!!! the longer the bar itself, the more effective it is, by the way. Check out steeda and MM for reference.
 

ReplicaR

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Spec Miata tire is a 15. I would recommend to do a CMC sized tire (245/50R16). Very common size, and for the car it will be probably the best size/weight ratio. A stripped V6 should be very light. Remove all the weight you possibly can. I'd probably even toss bumper bumper support, although I've seen a bit of body contact in those races. Anything and everything that does not serve any purpose must be removed.

My whole deal is that you have to remember that there is a 500 dollar spending limit, and you have to mod carefully. Frankly, I would get Bullitt/Ford C springs somewhere, and run those. They look stock, and will not cost you a lot. Panhard bar, while that would be sweet, might get you penalized, which is not a good thing in an endurance race.
 

blackpony

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i have a set of stock front and rear v-8 springs from my 95 if interested id let go for almost nothing the fronts have already had 1/2 coil clipped lowered by about inch or so rears havent been touched i have pics of when they were on the car... pm if interested...
 

Jetsetter

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I vote for making the Panhard too. One can probably be fabricated pretty easy if you skip drilling the frame rails and weld bars like crazy. Use some bolts for the pivot points. While you're down there some SFC's will probably help your cause, assuming you're allowed to fabricate.
 

blackpony

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yea id do the panhard and if they say anything about it alls you have to do is un bolt it......
 

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