Chimaera Handling - Whats it really like?

[nickd01]

I've had my 1998 450 for 9 months now, and am a bit more confident with it.

Obviously at this time of year, with greasy roads and general wet-ness I've been taking it easy but I've noticed a few things:

- It easily looses it's line if the road is bumpy; especially if I'm on the inside lane of a motorway and it's all gouged up by lorries. Even on back-roads I do feel like I'm being pushed around a lot.
- The suspension seems very "crashy" and noisy.
- When going around a corner at a "reasonble" pace I feel it's being bumped all over the place and not very planted.

Now, I've come from a flippin' Ford Focus so it's going to be very different and I realise these are "harder" cars to drive but does anyone else often think their Chimaera is harder work than it should be? I just don't have as much confidence in it at the moment.

What are the easy/cheap things to check ? Before heading down the expensive new dampers route?

Thanks

[Ricardo Bertone]

Bushes, top and bottom ball joints, track rod ends, anti-roll bars links and bushes, alignment, etc.

If all the above are okay then a set of Nitrons/Springs would probably transform it.

Ricardo

Edited by Ricardo Bertone on Thursday 28th December 18:12

[Don]

Watch out for cold but dry weather for a few weeks followed by a mild drizzle. Not enough rain to wash the crap/salt away. Just enough to moisten it. Winter and early spring can provide quite a bit of this...

Then you'll find out how your Chimaera handles! Remember to keep spare underwear in the boot!

[spend]

4 wheels in the correct geometrical alignment would be the first thing to check. A reputable specialist prob has nmore nouse to set up the car to your preference & advise on any upgrades to suit you.

Dave

[e2djh]

I felt the same with mine. After some consideration i had Nitrons fitted - although it is not cheap, it has transformed the car. I'm near M4 Junction 10 - i'd be happy to give you a spin if you are not too far away - ping me a PM.
cheers
David

[jasandjules]

My old 4l held the road a bit like a boat... Quite often it was a matter of gently increasing the speed into the corners (only useful for driving the same roads over and over) to see how she got on.

The new 5.0 appears to be almost rock solid. I can feel her (not as much as the Elise she replaced, but not bad at all) gripping and she hasn't even felt like she won't hold a corner so far (except out in greasy/icy weather the other week, so we will forgive her that). Have to admit I don't know what suspension set up she has, but I am pretty sure they can be well set-up to handle nicely.

[the gazman]

You have to remember that it's only in recent years that anybody looked at developing kits specific to the Chim, Ohlins took a car to Sweden and put it on the shaker rig, I gave a car to Guglielmi with loads of springs and asked him to suggest what would work best with what valving, it was generally found that the problem was with the rear shock valving and spring rates and vast improvements were initiated.

Its also fair to say that geo has a major part to play in getting a Chim to handle and the various experts you hear about on these forums have developed set-ups that make the cars much more stable, the likes of Euphoria, Topcats, Guglielmi and others could definately improve your car without changing shocks and springs but I would always get a report on the suspension before I started doing geo, even your car is coming up for 9 years old and the shocks will be getting tired.

[seasider]

the gazman said:

Its also fair to say that geo has a major part to play in getting a Chim to handle and the various experts you hear about on these forums have developed set-ups that make the cars much more stable, the likes of Euphoria, Topcats, Guglielmi and others

Hi Derek

By "others" do you mean Jools


Del

[the gazman]

seasider said:

the gazman said:

Its also fair to say that geo has a major part to play in getting a Chim to handle and the various experts you hear about on these forums have developed set-ups that make the cars much more stable, the likes of Euphoria, Topcats, Guglielmi and others

Hi Derek
By "others" do you mean Jools
Del

Del
You are a tinker.
If he was past the Watford Gap I would mention Joo but this guy is in London, so as there are people just as capable as Joo within easy reach I see no need to send him all the way to Chesterfield.

[tigerfish]

Hi All,

Very interested in this forum. Scared the pants off me Wed after Xmas. Lost the back-end
on greasy road. I have Dunlop SP Sports 9000, is this OK or are there any better?

I have a 450, 2001 since Oct so still learning . Do I also need to look at some of the suggestions on this forum?

Thanks

[pupp]

Doesn't this rather depend what's meant by 'handle'?

I think mine handles fine in that it sticks well, turns in quickly and holds a tight line. However, compared to the daily drive, it's as nervous as a kitten (which I like), tramlines like a, errr, tram, and bump steers. That's all a function of the set-up I run and is a trade of response/stability that I like. Doubt it would suit everyone.

They are pretty adjustable and can be set up how you like... if you know what you like. And not many folk really do. Joints and bushes do wear for the fun of it and that certainly won't help crispness.

Single best thing I did was ditch the rear ARB. Can actually feel what's going on now

[seasider]

the gazman said:

Del
You are a tinker.

Sometimes the extra miles can pay dividends I found this when it came to engine work

Have heard good thing about your set up as well Del but not having driven one i cant pass judgement myself.

Having an old Julian set up i can say its marvellous, also no praise is needed for the God Gugg's I will never forget those few laps being driven by him in my car

[the gazman]

Its quite intersting to hear all the comments and people like Pupp who have fitted shocks and springs and still feel the car is tramlining etc.

I have done loads of playing up at Ian's place in Middlewich and to date have never found a car that was anywhere near right on the geo, there are new data sheets from Neil Anderson that TVR now recomend for road cars and these will give a safe road ride with no tramlining and from there you can make the car more pointy but still stable on motorways.You just need to talk to an expert.

[the gazman]

tigerfish said:

Hi All,

Very interested in this forum. Scared the pants off me Wed after Xmas. Lost the back-end
on greasy road. I have Dunlop SP Sports 9000, is this OK or are there any better?

I have a 450, 2001 since Oct so still learning . Do I also need to look at some of the suggestions on this forum?

Thanks

I run the SP9000 on my Chim on a recomendation from Gugi and IMHO they are a good all round tyre but if I was a trackday star I'd probably run a softer tyre like Toyo etc.
I keep saying it and will continue to say that if you want stability and good handling, get your geo checked at least once a year.

[pupp]

the gazman said:

Its quite intersting to hear all the comments and people like Pupp who have fitted shocks and springs and still feel the car is tramlining etc.

I can be quite definite on why mine tramlines... it's entirely due to the geometery and tyres I run. I run significant toe-out on the front by choice (after a lot of playing) and 205/50 15 R888s. I don't see this as a 'problem', it's just a consequence of the 'pointy' way the car is set and in no way reflects on the shocks/springs which I'm very pleased with. I could adjust it out by reverting to more conventionally adopted (for road) toe-in up front and tyres with higher sidewalls.

[GreenV8S]

pupp said:

I run significant toe-out on the front by choice (after a lot of playing)

[pupp]

GreenV8S said:

pupp said:

I run significant toe-out on the front by choice (after a lot of playing)

Not as bad as you might imagine Pete, but it takes a bit of hanging onto on bumpy b roads at medium speeds (gets better the faster you go)

[trackcar]

I can't understand why anyone would want a lot of toe out on a powerful rwd car, what exactly are you trying to address by doing this? ie what handling trait is the toe-out compensating for?

[shadowninja]

Chimaeras with standard suspension handle very well. You know when it'll break away. It's very predictable.

trackcar said:

I can't understand why anyone would want a lot of toe out on a powerful rwd car, what exactly are you trying to address by doing this? ie what handling trait is the toe-out compensating for?

you mean getting the back end out? probably life elsewhere is a bit boring and they fancy a rush. most of the things I do involve a rush of some sort.

[spend]

trackcar said:

I can't understand why anyone would want a lot of toe out on a powerful rwd car, what exactly are you trying to address by doing this? ie what handling trait is the toe-out compensating for?

Driving backwards more often than forwards?????? :-)