Discussion
Having had my Chimaera for quite some time, this weekend was the first time I have really driven it hard, and I have to say, it wasn’t great, handling was not good, under steer going into corners, and then a little over steer coming out. I was out with 2 friends, one in an S2000, and one in a Boxter, both were finding the going a good deal easier than me.
I really can’t see that anything else I get for the money will have anything like “soul” of my TVR, and I REALLY don’t want to change it, so is there a relatively inexpensive way of improving the handling, or is this just something I have to learn to live with ?
At present, my set up is pretty stock.
And advice greatly received…
I really can’t see that anything else I get for the money will have anything like “soul” of my TVR, and I REALLY don’t want to change it, so is there a relatively inexpensive way of improving the handling, or is this just something I have to learn to live with ?
At present, my set up is pretty stock.
And advice greatly received…
Have a browse on the forums for handling improvements.
In summary you can make a big difference quite cheaply start with drop links, then some fresh coil over dampers/springs, correct tracking & set up will alone make a world of difference with some fresh rubber if your are old & hardened. Also higher spec brake pads/dics help.
I have friends with an S2000 & Elise etc & I have no trouble in the handling stakes on fast roads/twisties with a big power advantge. My car is pretty standard except for some selected upgrades as above - usually they try to hang on to my tails.
Just bear in mind its older technology chassis dept but you shouldn't be trailing behind the cars you listed - just the reverse
In summary you can make a big difference quite cheaply start with drop links, then some fresh coil over dampers/springs, correct tracking & set up will alone make a world of difference with some fresh rubber if your are old & hardened. Also higher spec brake pads/dics help.
I have friends with an S2000 & Elise etc & I have no trouble in the handling stakes on fast roads/twisties with a big power advantge. My car is pretty standard except for some selected upgrades as above - usually they try to hang on to my tails.
Just bear in mind its older technology chassis dept but you shouldn't be trailing behind the cars you listed - just the reverse
Have a browse on the forums for handling improvements.
In summary you can make a big difference quite cheaply start with drop links, then some fresh coil over dampers/springs, correct tracking & set up will alone make a world of difference with some fresh rubber if your are old & hardened. Also higher spec brake pads/dics help.
I have friends with an S2000 & Elise etc & I have no trouble in the handling stakes on fast roads/twisties with a big power advantge. My car is pretty standard except for some selected upgrades as above - usually they try to hang on to my tails.
Just bear in mind its older technology chassis dept but you shouldn't be trailing behind the cars you listed - just the reverse
In summary you can make a big difference quite cheaply start with drop links, then some fresh coil over dampers/springs, correct tracking & set up will alone make a world of difference with some fresh rubber if your are old & hardened. Also higher spec brake pads/dics help.
I have friends with an S2000 & Elise etc & I have no trouble in the handling stakes on fast roads/twisties with a big power advantge. My car is pretty standard except for some selected upgrades as above - usually they try to hang on to my tails.
Just bear in mind its older technology chassis dept but you shouldn't be trailing behind the cars you listed - just the reverse
Depending on budget some Gaz Gold Pro's or Nitrons would be an immediate improvement (other makes are available).
I swapped the Chimaera from Standard to AVO's and when they leaked on to GGP's and the handling different was remarkable - easily minutes quicker on a cross country route I use regularly. The Cerbera has Nitrons, and they again are another step up - I've not got anywhere near to full potential of these on the sametest track road.
As I say there are numerous other makes out there - just my experience above.
I swapped the Chimaera from Standard to AVO's and when they leaked on to GGP's and the handling different was remarkable - easily minutes quicker on a cross country route I use regularly. The Cerbera has Nitrons, and they again are another step up - I've not got anywhere near to full potential of these on the same
As I say there are numerous other makes out there - just my experience above.
I thought I would have the same "problem" with my Chim after owning it for over 4 years,and entering into a trackday. I knew there would be others Chims there,and I thought I would be left for dead. Mine is more or less how it came out of Blackpool.I didn't fair too badly on the day, considering the others had ,track tyres, uprated springs etc etc etc . I think once you get on the path of upgrading ,you can go on&on&on. Where do you stop,there will always be something else you see or hear someone talk about that you fancy doing to your car.I reckon once you get to know your car the way your driving it,and your skills get better ,youll be able to beat your mates in their S2000 & Boxters.Only my opinion
Get a 4 wheel alignment check done too - I recently had that done and the improvements were quite dramatic, I'm hoping it'll stop the uneven front tyre wear too!
If the car's pretty much stock do you know when the rubber bushes were last done? Again that's a relatively cheap thing to have done (or do yourself) and old rubber does get tired, especially if a car sits for a long time between rides.
If you do upgrade the shocks & coil overs I'd suggest doing the bushes at the same time, poly bushes will last longer and i doubt you'd feel the slightly increased harshness they introduce..
If the car's pretty much stock do you know when the rubber bushes were last done? Again that's a relatively cheap thing to have done (or do yourself) and old rubber does get tired, especially if a car sits for a long time between rides.
If you do upgrade the shocks & coil overs I'd suggest doing the bushes at the same time, poly bushes will last longer and i doubt you'd feel the slightly increased harshness they introduce..
I need to get mine done again on the laser thingy again!!.. I've had it done 4 times now by TVR specilists but I'm still not happy with the outcome... It's pulling left now and can get a tad unsettled over 90 MPH... and prefers to turn left more than it does right???!!!???
does anyone know a good place within say 50 miles.. I'm in Leeds / Bradford area
does anyone know a good place within say 50 miles.. I'm in Leeds / Bradford area
I had the original bilstein's on my 450 replaced a couple of years ago now with Gaz Gold Pro's. The car was at TVR Power for it's annual service and MOT and they noticed a slight weep on a couple of the shocks, nothing to fail an MOT but something to take notice of going forward. I had wanted the engine breathed on a little (read new heads, trumpets, plenum etc) but Dom persuaded me to have the GGP's fitted and let him set them up for "fast road use". He also fitted a new ECU and mapped it properly, clearly something else the car needed.
It was an excellent decision
the car was transformed and still handles brilliantly today. The set up is a little firm for some people (a passenger or two may have noticed 
) but the way I can point the car into a corner and line it up on the exit on the throttle is marvellous.
It was an excellent decision
the car was transformed and still handles brilliantly today. The set up is a little firm for some people (a passenger or two may have noticed ) but the way I can point the car into a corner and line it up on the exit on the throttle is marvellous.TVR Beaver said:
I need to get mine done again on the laser thingy again!!.. I've had it done 4 times now by TVR specilists but I'm still not happy with the outcome... It's pulling left now and can get a tad unsettled over 90 MPH... and prefers to turn left more than it does right???!!!???
does anyone know a good place within say 50 miles.. I'm in Leeds / Bradford area
I will let you know going tomorrow for mine doingdoes anyone know a good place within say 50 miles.. I'm in Leeds / Bradford area
Thanks for all the advice guys.
Tyres are fairly new, I have Dunlops on the front and Bridgestones on the rear, still a fair amount of tread left on both, so not really looking to bin them off just yet.
I think I will try the alignment route first, and then maybe look at drop links, I don't drive it that hard often, but was a little surprised at how it faired.
Tyres are fairly new, I have Dunlops on the front and Bridgestones on the rear, still a fair amount of tread left on both, so not really looking to bin them off just yet.
I think I will try the alignment route first, and then maybe look at drop links, I don't drive it that hard often, but was a little surprised at how it faired.
R11chard said:
I have Dunlops on the front and Bridgestones on the rear, still a fair amount of tread left on both, so not really looking to bin them off just yet.
I have this combination and it too gives me under steer then in to a little over steer - maybe there is a link. Luckily my fronts now could do with being replaced. On SO3's I always found the handling very neutral.
If you really want good handling then ideally you need the following;
4 wheel alignment
Correct ride height
Good quality adjustable dampers
New springs, at least standard + 20%
Good quality drop links
Optional Polybush all round including ARB
Decent tyres
If I were to go for a quick fix I would change the tyres for a set of Toyo R1Rs, far superior grip in the wet and dry with the trade off of shorter life, you can't have everything!
4 wheel alignment
Correct ride height
Good quality adjustable dampers
New springs, at least standard + 20%
Good quality drop links
Optional Polybush all round including ARB
Decent tyres
If I were to go for a quick fix I would change the tyres for a set of Toyo R1Rs, far superior grip in the wet and dry with the trade off of shorter life, you can't have everything!
The best upgrade I ever did was the rose jointed drop links all round. Corners way better than before. As an example I was hooning with another TVR , same model and engine roughly the same age and mileage. The only difference was the drop links. The guy driving the other car was an experienced rally driver and really knew his onions whereas I would struggle to even call myself an average driver. In the corners I was pulling away from him at a significant rate - when we stopped for a breather he told me he was trying every trick in the book and couldnt keep up as his car kept trying to fall off the road in the corners.
I suspect there were other factors at play , possibly my suspension wasnt so worn but even so it does make a big difference.
I have now added Gaz Golds which were ok ish but notfantastic until I added some new springs, now its brilliant.
ETA: just realised you have Dunlops, presumably SP9000's on the front. I have the same but with FK452s on the back and have found the Dunlops can edge towards understeer when cold but I seem to have managed to dial it out (mostly) with damper adjustments. They are a different beast when hot, I did a track day and once they were hot the dunlops were actually rather good but you wont get them hot on the road no matter how hard you try.
I suspect there were other factors at play , possibly my suspension wasnt so worn but even so it does make a big difference.
I have now added Gaz Golds which were ok ish but notfantastic until I added some new springs, now its brilliant.
ETA: just realised you have Dunlops, presumably SP9000's on the front. I have the same but with FK452s on the back and have found the Dunlops can edge towards understeer when cold but I seem to have managed to dial it out (mostly) with damper adjustments. They are a different beast when hot, I did a track day and once they were hot the dunlops were actually rather good but you wont get them hot on the road no matter how hard you try.
Edited by Dodsy on Tuesday 30th April 18:16
Four wheel alignment will turn the unpredictable into the better handling, without doing any of the rest. Of course all of Phazed's list will help, but if it was my car I would try the four wheel alignment first, at a TVR specialist, and get him to check the car over. £100 ish might be all you need to make you happy.
Being Frank, our cars are old now, as an example my friends Westfield had one rear bush go weak and it was nearly causing him to crash out on track, everybush is new, just a naff bush, so subtle it only showed itself at extreme corner forces!
Point being, if you want to be sure and def get consistent handling Phazed list is long ok but fact amundo! Like a new engine, big increase in all round performance. I'd do the lot, just choose your own order of importance.
If the new bushes/ shocks etc are upto the job you have a brand new handling set up, last years!
It's on my wish list.
Point being, if you want to be sure and def get consistent handling Phazed list is long ok but fact amundo! Like a new engine, big increase in all round performance. I'd do the lot, just choose your own order of importance.
If the new bushes/ shocks etc are upto the job you have a brand new handling set up, last years!
It's on my wish list.
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