Increasing track

[AkumaNoZeta]

How much does increasing track width actually improve handling? Let's say you widened the track with on both the front and back by 6 inches. Would the difference be like instead of taking a corner at 60 you can take it at 80 or is it more of a tenth of a second off track time kind of difference?

[AkumaNoZeta]

I'd like a response to this. I don't know if it would be worth it to prepare for a widebody or just go with a MSA airdam (with mods of course) and say its done.

[johnc]

We can't give you a specific number about how track width improves handling or gives you some percent increase in corner speed.

 

Track width is one of the three variables the are part of the lateral load transfer equation. The other two are vehicle weight and center of gravity height.

 

Increasing track width is a simple way to increase grip. There are negative affects, mostly related to steering (scrub radius, feedback) and you have to adjust other aspects of the suspension (spring, damping, alignment) to make full use of a track width change.

 

On the S30 its better to have about a 1.5% wider front track then the rear. This helps the front stick better and helps turn in.

[260DET]

Yeh a bit more track on the front of a S30 can help turn in. Mine was done using wider hubs from another Datsun model, a 70's 240K sedan from memory. Which may not have been sold in the US?

[Flexicoker]

Expanding on what Johnc said, there is no concrete answer. Its completely dependant on tires, and the the racetrack you're going to be on. As the load on a tire increases, its friction coefficient goes down. its still going to produce more lateral force, but its not going to do it as efficiently. So, the more weight transfer you have, the less overall grip you will have. Because of that, wider is better. Being wider, however, also means you're going to be driving a different line around a corner. If you're on a big, wide racetrack, then a wider car is probably better (all other things held constant), but if you're autocrossing, you might end up slower by widening the track.

[AkumaNoZeta]

I've been planning on using flares for the function of having a wider track because I want to be able to corner as hard as possible but I think the Zs look best stock bodied with a simple air dam and since I want to have this as my daily it does have to be pleasing to the eye. But if the cornering power from the wider track makes a big enough improvement I wouldn't as much about the looks anymore.

 

If the handling only gets a little better with the wider track, something unnoticable or barely noticable then I wouldn't do it.