Advice needed from Westfield handling expert
Discussion
I would be grateful to anyone who would like to comment on some simple adjustments to my Westfield seight for up-coming trackday.
Brief current description: 4.6 litre seight, 250 bhp, oversize wheels and Toyo Proxes t1-r tyres - front 225/45/16, rear 245/45/16. Due to limited wheel arch clearance rear ride height is 45mm higher than front(measured from chassis to ground). Front camber and toe set as recommended on this site some months ago. Car empty weight 718kgs, nearly 50/50 distribution. No anti roll bars. Only adjustments now possible are tyre pressures and shock absorbers (22 clicks available).
Any suggestions most welcome.
Brief current description: 4.6 litre seight, 250 bhp, oversize wheels and Toyo Proxes t1-r tyres - front 225/45/16, rear 245/45/16. Due to limited wheel arch clearance rear ride height is 45mm higher than front(measured from chassis to ground). Front camber and toe set as recommended on this site some months ago. Car empty weight 718kgs, nearly 50/50 distribution. No anti roll bars. Only adjustments now possible are tyre pressures and shock absorbers (22 clicks available).
Any suggestions most welcome.
I used to run my westie at no more than 21psi all round.Mine was a Zetec car,but the weight difference shouldn't make much difference.Try that first and check tyre temps after a spirited drive.As for shock settings,depends what shocks you have.I had rose jointed Avo's on mine and found that about 5 clicks from off on the front and 3 on the rear.You will notice the difference if you have it too hard.Mine were quite sensitive,that even 2 clicks was enough to find it crashing hard on the suspension.Spax shocks are very stiff anyway,maybe even try 4 front and 2 rear.Just a base to work from and adjust as needed.
RobinM
Get yourelf on www.wscc.co.uk (The Westfield Club Boardroom) where you'll get a far more qualified and experienced answer than on here.
Get yourelf on www.wscc.co.uk (The Westfield Club Boardroom) where you'll get a far more qualified and experienced answer than on here.
I feel rather bad for not being able to help as I had a more or less identical car and I took it on track. However I just tracked it as it was and didn't touch a thing except set the toe in to zero on Justin's advice and set the tyre pressures to about 20psi.
I did have a front anti roll bar though and it certainly cornered flatter than my last xflow car which didn't have one.
Possibly the only thing I could add although it may well be teaching you how to suck eggs would be how to drive the thing on track. Neither of these issues manifested themselves on the road. I found that initially the car understeered quite a bit. I sorted this not by adjusting anything (I wouldn't know where to start frankly and the builder seemed to know what he was doing) but by braking later and turning in on the brakes which got the front end to bite. The other thing that I had to learn was not to change down to soon as the back would simply lock up throwing the car sideways. I found that by braking deep in a higher gear and heel and toeing down to the gear I wanted late on I could all but eliminated rear end lock up. With the engine you have you'll be helped greatly by the fact that you will have so much torque that even if you go in a gear too high you'll simply be able to drive out anyway. Take plenty of fuel and ensure your brake fluid is fresh. Like I say, you probably know these things anyway but I felt I ought to chip in
The only problem I had with the engine on the track is that my 4.6 has it's rocker breather directly connected to the pancake filter. On the road this was fine but on the track this chucked quite a bit of oil up in to the filter. I disconnected the hose to the filter and directed it to a catch tank with a breather and it solved the problem.
Have fun... although it's impossible for you not to because you'll be driving past more or less anything else on track
Mark
I did have a front anti roll bar though and it certainly cornered flatter than my last xflow car which didn't have one.
Possibly the only thing I could add although it may well be teaching you how to suck eggs would be how to drive the thing on track. Neither of these issues manifested themselves on the road. I found that initially the car understeered quite a bit. I sorted this not by adjusting anything (I wouldn't know where to start frankly and the builder seemed to know what he was doing) but by braking later and turning in on the brakes which got the front end to bite. The other thing that I had to learn was not to change down to soon as the back would simply lock up throwing the car sideways. I found that by braking deep in a higher gear and heel and toeing down to the gear I wanted late on I could all but eliminated rear end lock up. With the engine you have you'll be helped greatly by the fact that you will have so much torque that even if you go in a gear too high you'll simply be able to drive out anyway. Take plenty of fuel and ensure your brake fluid is fresh. Like I say, you probably know these things anyway but I felt I ought to chip in
The only problem I had with the engine on the track is that my 4.6 has it's rocker breather directly connected to the pancake filter. On the road this was fine but on the track this chucked quite a bit of oil up in to the filter. I disconnected the hose to the filter and directed it to a catch tank with a breather and it solved the problem.
Have fun... although it's impossible for you not to because you'll be driving past more or less anything else on track
Mark
First thing Id do is find a way to reduce the high rear ride height without rubbing the tyres, whether that be with wider arches, stiffer springs/dampers or narrower tyres. Although slightly different as its a live axle, getting the rideheight on my Locost correct was the single biggest factor in making it handle well on track. Initially I ran it higher at the back and I had very little rear end grip, especially under power. Dropping the rear by 10mm and making it almost level made a huge difference, so I can only imagine that a 45mm difference is going to be having quite an adverse effect on yours.
Many thanks for all those comments.
Trackday now complete. Set pressures at 21psi, 10 clicks on front Avos and 4 on rear (probably should have had at least 10 rear also). Handling was huge fun; virtually no understeer anywhere, rear end quite lively under braking and on turn-in, a lot to do with rear ride height I'm sure. Constant throttle was necessary into the apex to keep the rear planted and then controllable oversteer available on exit. Will fit additional spacers to rear arches and then lower rear by 45mm and hopefully end up with a good balance.
Just sneeked through the 101dbs limit at 98!! Only problem was high engine oil temp after only a few laps (up to 110 and rising). Am now looking at additional cooling, maybe by fitting some sort of Laminova oil to water cooler. Anyone got any ideas?
Have posted on the WSCC site as well but I've always been impressed with response from here. Thanks again.
Trackday now complete. Set pressures at 21psi, 10 clicks on front Avos and 4 on rear (probably should have had at least 10 rear also). Handling was huge fun; virtually no understeer anywhere, rear end quite lively under braking and on turn-in, a lot to do with rear ride height I'm sure. Constant throttle was necessary into the apex to keep the rear planted and then controllable oversteer available on exit. Will fit additional spacers to rear arches and then lower rear by 45mm and hopefully end up with a good balance.
Just sneeked through the 101dbs limit at 98!! Only problem was high engine oil temp after only a few laps (up to 110 and rising). Am now looking at additional cooling, maybe by fitting some sort of Laminova oil to water cooler. Anyone got any ideas?
Have posted on the WSCC site as well but I've always been impressed with response from here. Thanks again.
Edited by robinm on Thursday 9th August 09:37
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