heavy85
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Posts posted by heavy85
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Make sure the little rubber bumper is in place on the steering rack reaction arm. Mine accidentally didnt get put back in and it felt horrible like you describe without it.
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I go back to the stock LS1 wires just work - no need for blingy wires ...
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Die grinder with a long bit. Welds are hard and flap wheels arent going to take much off. They are ok once you are very close but if you can still see the weld you need a die grinder with a metal bit IME.
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Are you using the coated version of the headers? If not that's your solution. I run coated headers with the stock ls1 wires and have had zero issues over 5 years and 40+ track (road course) days. A couple of the wires are just barely clear of the headers - like a mm or two, and the one that actually touches the header I wrapped in very thin insulated foil (also from the Camaro parts car). These wires are the original wires with the metal boot that came with the '02 Camaro parts car that had 40k miles when I got it and I'm still using the same 11 year old oem wires and they still look new.
Cameron
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Looking at your photo, how much camber front and rear? In the photo of the car in your driveway, the rear of the car looks kind of high. Can you lower ride height and add negative camber in the back?
Ha - If you are referencing my avatar pic ... thats many years ago when I first brought it home.
Can independently adjust camber. Been this way with both Rivals and RS-3s at various camber settings. I'm still leaning towards too much caster. Its also off throttle. Maybe need to play with shocks which I tend to ignore.
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No more beta motorsports.
Really? What happened?
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Sideways - could be (most likely) an influence but there's something in the set-up thats off and exagerating it. For years I struggled with the front end pushing on slow turns like I described (most certainly over drive was a contributor) but now Its moved to almost uncontrollable tail happiness. I agree that driver is a huge contributor but I've been doing this long enough in this car to want to keep optimizing the set-up in addition to keep learning the nut behind the wheel.
More I think about it, first I remember this was after I added that last degree of caster. Forgot about that. Maybe I need to take some caster back out.
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Ran an autox today with the droop limiters and new rear control arms. Nothing fell off so thats good. Seemed very smooth to apply power so definitely liked that. I drove like ass so its hard to say much else.
I continue to struggle with the back end wanting to lead between turn in and mid corner going into slower corners. There are no corners like that a Dragon so its not an issue there but most tracks have a turn or two like that and Autox have plenty. No rear swaybar and plenty of rear toe in so not sure whats causing it.
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So I think the cabin is influencing the numbers. When I checked above and below the pic right behind the Z emblem I should be at 1.5" lift. When measured both together its only ~0.7-0.8". Moved and tested delta pressure right behind the vent in the pic above and got only <0.1" lift.
Still unfortunately havent measured any downforce
When I stopped to make the last change a cop pulled up and checked my license. Guy I shouldnt have stopped near a railroad track at night but that put an end to my testing for the night. Was hoping to check the splitter but oh well.
Jon - I tried 280Z vents, then just open hole, , then open hole with trip strip at leading edge, and now these louvers and to be honest seat of the pants didnt change although I never measured it precisely with the pressure gauges.
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rsicard - many years ago I used to travel to Tucson about once a month. Now maybe once every other year. Unfortunately it's a long ways from Illinois.
This may get addictive.
So sealed up the gaps to the hood and retested. Went from +0.75 down to +0.5 " so it was a contributor but not the main one. Then I moved it here and got +0.8" so confirmed its coming from the engine bay.
Move the top side to here and got +0.5" (note I later rotated it 90 deg so it wasnt into the airflow but didnt take another pic - either way the result didnt change)
Then finally here and got +0.5" as well
Interesting that 0.5" seems to be the popular choice. I'm holding the gauge on the steering wheel so this is all referenced to the center of the steering wheel with the windows down.
Not sure what all this means yet. There's a thousand areas to test it's going to be hard to focus with limited time.
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We have these nice ducts built into the front frame horns, the ones that feed the fresh air vents by your feet. Seems like if one were clever enough you could find an aero purpose for those.
Im not clever enough - any ideas how we can use those to an advantage?
Cameron
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I only had time for a quick test but plan is to eventually measure all over. The pressure could be from the engine bay or possibly from the small gap between the hood and the front vertical filler plate? There is no seal as its just a close fit to the hood so mayby squeezing through there? Will tape it up tight and try again. The neg pressure above the hood is quite interesting I think - hood vent in front of the rad support anyone?
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The upper bolt goes through a doubler plate welded to the inside of the tower used for the welded strut tower braces. It aint goin anywhere.
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Test results at ~60 mph:
I was a bit shocked at +0.75 " water
I was equally shocked at -1" water
Net 1.75" water of lift
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Can you show your front droop limiter pics?
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Jon - I may be dense but dont understand what you are trying to do. Isnt the fill through the cap? As stated you want to fill at the high point and the pressure relief needs to be before the rad. Think about it - the pressure is from both expansion AND restriction through the radiaor. The inlet to the water pump will therefore be at a lower pressure and the cap wont work as intended. Plus the mess issues already discussed if it does open. Why not just keep it like normal with a remote, higher fill/cap and put a splice in the upper hose where you can both connect the steam vent and have a bleeder valve? Thats what most including myself seem to do I dont see why lowering the radiator would make a difference? Some engines are a bitch but I've never had any issues at all the air pockets when filling the LS. Just fill and go with no drama.
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My take on modified stock control arms.
Got some 500 lb springs for the front and going to move the 425's to the rear. Front droop limiters installed. I'm debating splurging on some new A6's
It's going to be a long offseason .... -
Does anyone have experience using that Moog steering tie rod as TC pivot? I remember there was someone who sold TC rods that used them but dont know how they hold up. Seems like a good idea.
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You have the big washer on backwards. Both nuts fit as you would expect if assembled correctly.
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I used the '02 Camaro boot from the donor just bent it to fit the tunnel and secured with self tapping sheetmetal screws.
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So control arms are almost done. Plan is to:
- Lower the splitter as its effective at higher speeds but is just too high.
- Finish modified stock arms w/ toe link and heims
- Swap from 3.7 to 3.56 diff as Im on the limiter at the finish and should be able to eliminate at least one 3-4 shift
- Install droop limiters on the front
- MAYBE up spring rates
Need to figure out tires in case I cant find 275/35-15 A6's.
Next round of questions. The first Dragon next year is in March. This means much cooler temps maybe in the 40s or 50's. Other than trying to preserve tire temps any other considerations? Also when I swap gears I'll have the diff out. Should I keep the OBX gear type or go back to the Nissan clutch type? I've been happy with the OBX but I havent played with R-comps ... ever before these last couple events.
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Thanks Cary. Earlier you said "Hillclimbs are probably the most fun thing I have done in a car" and I can fully attest to that. I've spent somewhere north of 40 days competing on variety of midwest track plus autox plus a couple years of w-w karts but nothing compares to a fast hill run.
Quick side story. My first event I was thinking maybe break 2 min. Was still on street tires and ended up mid 121s but happy and hooked. Second event switched to the R6's and finally broke the 2 min mark on the last run on Sunday with a 119.4. That felt sooo good. I couldnt believe the feeling at the top if the hill. Now this last event and my third hill climb on same R6 tires. Third run on Saturday I broke into 117 sec almost two seconds faster than ever before. When I reached the top I seriously was scared to death and seriously contemplated putting in on ths trailer for the weekend. I've never felt anything like that driving a car before. I got over it and went three or four more laps in the 117s and each one scared me just about the same but what a rush. Ended up spinning at the top of third gear over a crest trying to break into the 116s. Luckily stayed on pavement and only damage was no longer round tires. These are all 500 miles from home but am actually contemplated running all three events next year despite the distance because its that good.
Back to car set-up ......
The class I run 'SU' which requires DOT tires otherwise I would be on Avons. I'll have to ask if there is another class I could run on the more readily available slicks but I'm still on a rollbar instead of cage so that may limit classing.
Im still on 425/350 springs and do bottom the exhaust ina couple spots. Seems like I may want to go higher but was worried it would make the car less predictable?
Seat is all the way back and battery is in the front of the hatch - could move it to the back I guess. With just enough fuel Im at about 51/49 weight distribution and just under 2700 lb.
Its been on the list for a while but still dont have droop limiters. The fronts have helper springs and at full droop othe main springs are a good 1 to 1.5 inches slack. Should I get on this already?
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Back from the past.
So I've been to three of these now and am over 4 seconds faster than the discussion above.
http://www.dragonhillclimb.com/records/ (I'm fifth overall all time)
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ8AulTJH7g <- 117.3 sec run
Now am starting the 6 month off season and planning for the next Dragon hill climb at the end of march. This surface is very abrasive yet I'm struggling for forward traction. My rear tires wear fast and look like cheese gratered on what feels like .1 grit sandpaper asphault. I'm also spinning the tires all the way through third gear at the launch and elsewhere. Do not have nearly as much problem on other tracks. So question is how to maximize forward traction without other unmanagable compromises? As discusses in another thread Im making heim joint rear control arms to help stiffen the rear and reduce friction but what else should I be doing to be better out of the hole? Overall the car turns in well, generally puts down power OK outside of here with these tires, but tends to chase the rear mid corner. I'm confortable where it's at but always looking to go faster.
Second question is I run used Hoosiers. Last year I ran 275 R15 R6 since I couldnt find any A6's used. I'm still not able to find A6's for next year in that size to fit my 15x10 rims. Other potential option is 245 R17 R6 to fit my street tire 17x9 rims which John Berget has available. So 275/15 R6 or 245/17 A6 if thats the only options available?
Last general question, for a bumpy humpy track like a hill where you are going back and forth across the crown and dealing with old asphault is a big spring / little bar or a soft spring / big bar setup better and why?
Cameron
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Thanks for all the info. Change of plans - after more searching I came across Cary's pic of his modified stock arm.
http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/62776-yet-another-rear-control-arm-design/page-5
I'm still curious about comments to lower the inner pivot. Seems that would be the same as lowering the rear of the car? I would have though it would be better to raise the rear roll center on a lowered car and therefore would want to raise the inner pivots? Whats the thinking here?
Thanks
Cameron
It's going to be a long offseason ....
Too much scrub radius.
in Brakes, Wheels, Suspension and Chassis
Posted
It prevents what you are feeling. Seriously been there done that. Like you I thought with poly bushings etc its not needed. Yep sure is. From memory I think it prevents the rack from rotating fore/aft.