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ctrlaltdelboy
19-05-2006, 10:04 AM
Darren,

Can you offer any views on how they might impact the ride/handling of my Targa please? Also, what else might be needed to complete any chassis upgrade?

if you are looking to improve the handling of the car, then presumably you are talking about for on-track performance?

the 'problem' that you are looking to overcome is the excessive weight transference that occurs when throwing a car set up for the street around a circuit, and the destabilising effect that this has on the car's ability to stay stuck to the track; be this through sheer lateral G causing bodyroll and loss of traction to the inside tyres, or changes caused by braking and accelerating, each of which take grip away from the rear tyres (oversteer) or the front tyres (understeer) respectively.

if you are looking to 'cure' this, I would always recommend beefing up the swaybars to start off with - stock bars are hollow 0.72" front and 0.67" rear - Dali do some solid 1" versions (http://www.daliracing.com/v666-5/catalog/index_browse_part.cfm?focus=454) which are 220% and 314% stiffer respectively (http://www.daliracing.com/v666-5/catalog/suspension/more_sway_race1.cfm?swaybar=race), with a choice of mounting holes to further customise the stiffness of each bar as your preference dictates (choice of 3 mounting positions on the front bar and 4 on the rear).

next up there is the Type-R Front Frame Stabilizer Bar Set (http://www.daliracing.com/v666-5/catalog/index_browse_part.cfm?focus=1033) and maybe a beefier strut bar (http://www.daliracing.com/v666-5/catalog/index_browse_part.cfm?focus=743).

of course a lower ride height will help on-track handling, but will also compromise your on-street negotiation of speed humps and driveways & sharp inclines (e.g. many car parks).

feedback on the Teins specifically may be had from Kevin, Mo or Ivor, all of whom have or have had Tein suspension on their NSXs.

before embarking on any mods such as these, please remember the reasons that you bought the car in the first place and bear in mind that your on-the-road enjoyment of the car WILL be compromised if you modify the handling for improved track performance.

if you still want to go down this road, then be assured that these mods will make much greater improvements to laptimes than mods which increase power, and they'll cost you a lot less to boot :D

also remember to get on-track instruction in your car before you start to ensure that you are actually able to use your car to the limit of it's existing ability and that you know where the car's current limits actually lie - then when you begin to improve the car's performance you will have the satisfaction of actually seeing/feeling it happen and to be able to enjoy the benefit of every extra tenth you find as you find it.

finally, gen yourself up on the physics that are in play with this particular topic - understanding is everything with this subject, if you don't understand the theory of what you are attempting to do (bending the laws of physics :D ) then you'll not enjoy it or reap the benefit of it anywhere nar as much - read this (http://autopedia.com/stuttgart-west/Physics/StuttPhysics01.html) as a starter, also there are some good books out there on the subject too (Skip Barber (http://www.skipbarber.com/) is good).

finally,

simonprelude
19-05-2006, 11:21 AM
Some good advice there from Darren :)

sportyking
19-05-2006, 02:09 PM
I couldn't agree more.

I wasted a shed load of money on Aragosta suspension for my S2000.
It transformed the handling to another dimension but the also the character of the car, and it was only fun when driven at 10 tenths, which is about 1% of the time for most road cars.

Minch
19-05-2006, 04:27 PM
I'm currently looking to upgrade the suspension set up on mine. The one thing I have made absolutely clear is that this IS a road car and NOT a track car! According to Plans Motorsport (who specialise in mid-engined car set-ups) they have developed a Nitron Suspension set up which is far better than standard but is still quite comfortable. This was developed using 3-way adjustable suspension but now that it has been honed it will be available as a cheaper 1-way adjustable unit. I'm going to give it some thought before I order it but just thought it might throw another idea into the ring!

modarr
19-05-2006, 06:22 PM
My car has Type R suspension that's even stiffer than the usual 2002 Type R suspension. I have ridden in Kevin's car with Teins. The Teins are more comfortable (probably due to lower unsprung weight).
Both suspensions kits give crap ride on local roads, my ride quality is particularly poor. However, on faster roads the ride is very good and on motorways, almost as good as standard.
IMHO race type suspension reacts very poorly to slow speed, high displacement vertical movement but very well to high speed, low displacment movement.

Don't do it if you want a road car.

Mo

Nick Graves
21-05-2006, 06:48 PM
Remember that what's good for the ride, is invariably good for the handling.

One criticism of Japanese coilovers is that they are developed for Japanese tracks and or roads.

Since we don't have roads in the UK any more, you will inevitable be disappointed by the ride. And therefore the handling.

Nitrons are thought of more favourably on some S2Ks, if that's any help.