F430 Suspension Setup.

[Pugsey]

Anyone able to recommend where to go for this? I've been told that The F430 is very sensitive to setup so would like to get it checked. Not actually aware of any probs. with mine although doesn't seem as rock solid stable over 130 or so as my 997GT3 was. Nothing nasty just a tad 'nervous'. Are Ferrari main dealers to be trusted with this - mine would be the Egham crew.

Thanks guys.

Edited by Pugsey on Friday 21st September 11:34

[dazren]

On a related note, I was told by 456mgt a few years ago that the handling of his 360 was very susceptible to tyre pressure changes. worth bearing in mind.

[Pugsey]

dazren said:

On a related note, I was told by 456mgt a few years ago that the handling of his 360 was very susceptible to tyre pressure changes. worth bearing in mind.

Good thinking. Very ashamed to say haven't check them other than to check that they haven't got flat bits at the bottom! May turn out to be a simple - and cheap! - fix.

[Mr_C]

Is the standard F430 suspension height adjustable?

IMO they're far too high at the front as standard.

[ninja_eli]

I didn't like the way my 430 looked as the ride height is set way too high from the factory. I also didn't like the understeer that the 430 can suffer from when really pushing on, it's not like the 360 but it certainly is set up for understeer, and can be somewhat frustrating after a while of getting used to. Soooo, I took it to Scuderia Systems. Had the ride height lowered, but crucially the geo set up was done. I explained to Manu and Ajay exactly how I wanted the car to handle, and they had the settings applied to acheive that result. The car has lost most of that tendency to understeer and is very manageable. I am really impressed with the way it handles.

It is sitting lower, but I do not scrape the car on all but the worst road surfaces, and even then only slight scraps. I can't say I've noticed much of a drop in comfort to bother me. There is less body roll, and it feels very solid at high speed. I should say it felt pretty good before the geo, but much improved since. At 170 odd, it feels solid. Steering feels a little sharper now, but what impresses me everytime I drive it is how long it hangs on for in the corners! (famous last words etc! lol)

Very impressed with the 430, after the dissappointment of the 360! I've got some photos of the ride height before and after if you want to see then, just let me know.

[Pugsey]

ninja_eli said:

I didn't like the way my 430 looked as the ride height is set way too high from the factory. I also didn't like the understeer that the 430 can suffer from when really pushing on, it's not like the 360 but it certainly is set up for understeer, and can be somewhat frustrating after a while of getting used to. Soooo, I took it to Scuderia Systems. Had the ride height lowered, but crucially the geo set up was done. I explained to Manu and Ajay exactly how I wanted the car to handle, and they had the settings applied to acheive that result. The car has lost most of that tendency to understeer and is very manageable. I am really impressed with the way it handles.

It is sitting lower, but I do not scrape the car on all but the worst road surfaces, and even then only slight scraps. I can't say I've noticed much of a drop in comfort to bother me. There is less body roll, and it feels very solid at high speed. I should say it felt pretty good before the geo, but much improved since. At 170 odd, it feels solid. Steering feels a little sharper now, but what impresses me everytime I drive it is how long it hangs on for in the corners! (famous last words etc! lol)

Very impressed with the 430, after the dissappointment of the 360! I've got some photos of the ride height before and after if you want to see then, just let me know.

Thanks - sounds ideal. I'll give them a shout. Only thing that bothers me was that one of my previous cars was a - standard - 997GT3 and that was so low at the front the only way I could get it on and off my drive, which only has a slight ramp, was in reverse! It didn't 'do' multi stories or quite a few speed humps either. Frankly it could put you off going away in it as you could literally get stuck! One thing that has amazed me about the Fezza is that, although I'd perceive it as a notch or two up the supercar rung from the Porker, it'll go anywhere and I haven't really grounded it yet. I'm not bothered about the occassion graze at high speed on bad roads but how do you get on with the day to day type things I've described above?

Cheers

Pugs.

Edited by Pugsey on Friday 21st September 16:47

[ninja_eli]

Pugsey said:

Thanks - sounds ideal. I'll give them a shout. Only thing that bothers me was that one of my previous cars was a - standard - 997GT3 and that was so low at the front the only way I could get it on and off my drive, which only has a slight ramp, was in reverse! It didn't 'do' multi stories or quite a few speed humps either. Frankly it could put you off going away in it as you could literally get stuck! One thing that has amazed me about the Fezza is that, although I'd perceive it as a notch or two up the supercar rung from the Porker, it'll go anywhere and I haven't really grounded it yet. I'm not bothered about the occassion graze at high speed on bad roads but how do you get on with the day to day type things I've described above?

Cheers

Pugs.

Edited by Pugsey on Friday 21st September 16:47

Hi there,

For day to day stuff: I use multi stories and I sometimes have to negotiate speed bumps. My car sometimes goes with me to work, to shopping, etc etc. I also drive on and off steep driveways (my own drive is somewhat steep too- mate's GT3RS used to hang one wheel in the air coming off my drive). Another mate's driveway is slightly steep (to look at), but the main problem with it is that it dips very low before raising again at the road, leaving a bit of an awkward shape (sort of like a V between his drive and the road). The way round it, for me, is to steer the car in at an angle with wheels full lock when entering and exiting his drive. I should point out that his Gallardo with suspension lifting also has a problem with it if he doesn't full lock too. His 996TT scrapes EVERYTIME he enters/exits his drive (the chin spoiler is very low on that car). 430's front bumper is a "fortunate" shape.

Other than that, I've had nothing I would call a problem.

Pics of it before lowering (looks awful imo):



Now lowered (it's settled a little bit more since):


edited to fix images!

Edited by ninja_eli on Friday 21st September 17:27

[Murcielago_Boy]

Pugsey said:

Anyone able to recommend where to go for this? I've been told that The F430 is very sensitive to setup so would like to get it checked. Not actually aware of any probs. with mine although doesn't seem as rock solid stable over 130 or so as my 997GT3 was. Nothing nasty just a tad 'nervous'. Are Ferrari main dealers to be trusted with this - mine would be the Egham crew.

Thanks guys.

Edited by Pugsey on Friday 21st September 11:34

Ninja is right in recommendation.
Main dealers are NOT to be trusted... the 430 we bought had it's geo, tyre pressures and balancing all over the place and then had to be sorted afterward.

[Murcielago_Boy]

Pugsey said:

Anyone able to recommend where to go for this? I've been told that The F430 is very sensitive to setup so would like to get it checked. Not actually aware of any probs. with mine although doesn't seem as rock solid stable over 130 or so as my 997GT3 was. Nothing nasty just a tad 'nervous'. Are Ferrari main dealers to be trusted with this - mine would be the Egham crew.

Thanks guys.

Edited by Pugsey on Friday 21st September 11:34

]


Sorry pugsey - realised you'd actually mentioned this problem before on another post where I didn't reply.
Basically, if the geo is out I found two things:
- front end understeers (doesn't feel like it's going to grip)
- back end starts to skit about under throttle on the way out of a corner as if the suspension is much stiffer than it actually is. (esp in more aggressive diff setting from race mode).
According to "those in the know" no modern Ferrari should be directionally nervous at high speed (unlike say a 996 GT3 -esp GT3s that have had track setups). If the geo is out, the car feels nervous and it should feel planted. err... basically the 430 is actually a beautifully balanced car once the understeer has been dialed out a touch. It's NOT a naturally nervous car like the 360 (from MY limited experience).

Edited by Murcielago_Boy on Friday 21st September 17:47

[fieldl]

There is only one guy I trust fully when it comes to geometry work.
Chris Franklin at Center of Gravity - http://www.centergravity.co.uk/
He is based in Atherstone in Warwickshire and is a complete genius. He can also explain everything he does and is more than happy for you to be a bit involved. He isn't expensive and uses some pretty swish kit.

[Mr_C]

ninja eli, that looks fantastic!

such an improvement.

[Pugsey]

Brilliant. Thanks all. Off through (bits of!) France, Germany, Switzerland and France (again) in a couple of weeks but won't have time to sort 'till I get back. I'll def. use your recommendations and can confirm the car currently displays characteristics described by MBoy. Full throttle - especially in Sport or Race - even in a straight line sounds great but for the wrong reasons as you can hear the rear wheels struggling for grip (not spin more like 'bounce'). Exactly - as you say - as if the rear is too stiff. 130 plus and she's not rock solid - not bad enough to make you back off but not brilliant and I would expect mid engined to be more stable than rear engined (eg my 997GT3). I let you have an update when sorted! Thanks again.

Edited by Pugsey on Saturday 22 September 10:18