Results of todays rolling road tune up..
Discussion
Terminator said:The traps at Zolder are sand, allegedly. Bring your bucket and spade next year.
johno said:The gravel traps probably !
I'm not digging you out ! You can get yourself out you lazy bugger !
I'll wave as I go past though, after all we are mates
Have a good New Year Colin as I'm off home now...see you for lunch next week ?
spnracing said: The current provisional calendar is;
Thruxton 30th March
Rockingham 12-13th April
Brands Hatch 17-18th May
Lydden Hill 31st May
Mallory Park 15th June
Croix en Ternois19-20th July
Silverstone 16th August
Pembrey 24-25th August
Cadwell Park 7th September
Oulton Park 27th September
and I generally have some tickets left over - drop me an email. But you have to promise not to laugh hysterically when I stuff the thing into the armco. Again.
Have to check which ones I can make as will be doing all the BSB rounds again next year except Knockhill. I will definitely come along though.
Terminator said:The traps at Zolder are sand, allegedly. Bring your bucket and spade next year.
johno said:The gravel traps probably !
As it happens, I researched this over the last couple of years. The one at the end of the pit straight was full of rocks the size of your fist. On the other hand, the ones in the chicanes are full of pea gravel. There are a couple left I've still got to check out in 2003!
Hope this helps!
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)
spnracing said:
johno said: If you look at some of the shots of my car at Zolder this year I couldn't believe how much it still appears to be rolling like a barge !
I had 350/600 on the race car and reduced the rates (and the lap times).
A stiffer spring will take more force to compress but on a fast corner the car will still roll. The way to stop that is to fit a shorter spring - and maybe then a stiffer damper setting.
But then you really do get into bone rattling territory. My S rolled like a barge - but it was a good laugh. Looking back it could probably have done with a new set of springs too.
How does fitting a shorter spring reduce roll?
400 / 300 is a perfectly good occasional track rate for an S. What car are you comparing to SPN? Is it a FWD with strut type front suspension? if so then you will have to run softer springs that given here for the S since your wheel rate will be higher for any given spring rate .. the S uses inclined front and rear spring / dampers so the effective wheel rate is always less than the spring rate figures would suggest.
greenv8s said: As it happens, I researched this over the last couple of years. The one at the end of the pit straight was full of rocks the size of your fist. On the other hand, the ones in the chicanes are full of pea gravel.
I first did my 'research' there in 1982 and up to 1995, there was more sand than gravel. Last 'off' I had there must have been in 1997 but I can't remember the material in the traps then as I had my eyes shut
Last year, I was banned from the circuit as I was in the wrong type of vehicle; this year should see me return in the red rocket
- you've been warned! 
As it happens, I researched this over the last couple of years. The one at the end of the pit straight was full of rocks the size of your fist. On the other hand, the ones in the chicanes are full of pea gravel. There are a couple left I've still got to check out in 2003!
Hope this helps!
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)
Ah, so that's what the new front shovel is for.
S series seem to handle pretty well with higher spring rates. Paceracing's S2 looked (before the rebuild) awesome with it's lowered and stiffened suspension, and I know it went well.
The point to bear in mind is that the stiffer the suspension is set up the quicker you will knacker the bushes and other other components.
I wish I knew what my old S3 set up was when I had it as it handled better than the V8.
Cheers,
JSG.
The point to bear in mind is that the stiffer the suspension is set up the quicker you will knacker the bushes and other other components.
I wish I knew what my old S3 set up was when I had it as it handled better than the V8.
Cheers,
JSG.
Thanks for the comments about how my S2 looks lowered JSG!
If you want a setup for track days, sprinting, etc.. and you want to be able to drive the car on the road at weekends in relative comfort, then I think the optimum spring rates for the S2 seem to be about 500Lbs rear, 600Lbs front. They need to be carefully controlled using very high quality dampers, in order to prevent bending suspension mounts, and the bushes will take a hammering, but i've switched to solid nylon bushes to tighten things up a bit, which reduces the possibility of bush problems anyway. Bear in mind that this setup will not be to everyones taste, and I went for it because it was the very best compromise for what I perceive a proper sportscar to handle like. I also have a burning passion to beat the Lotus Elise at it's own game with my TVR S2 which, I think I have achieved, so as I say suspension settings are very subjective to the requirements of the individual driver.
Jas.
If you want a setup for track days, sprinting, etc.. and you want to be able to drive the car on the road at weekends in relative comfort, then I think the optimum spring rates for the S2 seem to be about 500Lbs rear, 600Lbs front. They need to be carefully controlled using very high quality dampers, in order to prevent bending suspension mounts, and the bushes will take a hammering, but i've switched to solid nylon bushes to tighten things up a bit, which reduces the possibility of bush problems anyway. Bear in mind that this setup will not be to everyones taste, and I went for it because it was the very best compromise for what I perceive a proper sportscar to handle like. I also have a burning passion to beat the Lotus Elise at it's own game with my TVR S2 which, I think I have achieved, so as I say suspension settings are very subjective to the requirements of the individual driver.
Jas.
Paceracing said: Thanks for the comments about how my S2 looks lowered JSG!
If you want a setup for track days, sprinting, etc.. and you want to be able to drive the car on the road at weekends in relative comfort, then I think the optimum spring rates for the S2 seem to be about 500Lbs rear, 600Lbs front. They need to be carefully controlled using very high quality dampers, in order to prevent bending suspension mounts, and the bushes will take a hammering, but i've switched to solid nylon bushes to tighten things up a bit, which reduces the possibility of bush problems anyway. Bear in mind that this setup will not be to everyones taste, and I went for it because it was the very best compromise for what I perceive a proper sportscar to handle like. I also have a burning passion to beat the Lotus Elise at it's own game with my TVR S2 which, I think I have achieved, so as I say suspension settings are very subjective to the requirements of the individual driver.
Jas.
One thing to look out for with nylon bushes is the chassis mounts being hammered oval. (I know you know this Jason, but other may not.) Also this is the time of year for those of us with rock hard suspension to check the state of the outboard weld on the rear trailing arms, and check for bending at the outboard end of the lower front wishbone. These cars do handle extremely well with a harder setup, but there is a price to pay.
Cheers,
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)
joospeed said:
How does fitting a shorter spring reduce roll?
400 / 300 is a perfectly good occasional track rate for an S. What car are you comparing to SPN? Is it a FWD with strut type front suspension? if so then you will have to run softer springs that given here for the S since your wheel rate will be higher for any given spring rate .. the S uses inclined front and rear spring / dampers so the effective wheel rate is always less than the spring rate figures would suggest.
Ah yes - I'd forgotten that the springs on the S were mounted at a silly angle.
Re. shorter springs - surely if the car is lower the roll centre is lower - so there's less roll.
spnracing said:
joospeed said:
How does fitting a shorter spring reduce roll?
400 / 300 is a perfectly good occasional track rate for an S. What car are you comparing to SPN? Is it a FWD with strut type front suspension? if so then you will have to run softer springs that given here for the S since your wheel rate will be higher for any given spring rate .. the S uses inclined front and rear spring / dampers so the effective wheel rate is always less than the spring rate figures would suggest.
Ah yes - I'd forgotten that the springs on the S were mounted at a silly angle.
Re. shorter springs - surely if the car is lower the roll centre is lower - so there's less roll.
The angle thing is common to all twin wishbone cars, nothing special about the S from that point of view. Also it's curious to note that as you lower the car, the geometry of the unequal twin wishbone suspension lowers the roll center more than the CoG lowers, so body roll gets (slightly) worse. Not a huge effect, but it is opposite to the intuitive feeling that lowering the car should reduce roll. (It reduces weight transfer, but not body roll.)
Cheers,
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)
Interesting point Peter as the pictures of my car going through the first left handed at Zolder make it look like its handling like a barge, although it felt very routed.
The car at the time was running 1 1.5 inches lower than standard and the weight transfer was reduced as described, although the rolling of the body looks hilarious !
The car at the time was running 1 1.5 inches lower than standard and the weight transfer was reduced as described, although the rolling of the body looks hilarious !
Gassing Station | S Series | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff