Jim Swarthout baited the list with:
> What happens to your TR-6 when you "put it" into a corner? What happens
> at the threshold when the tires begin to slide? Does it over-steer,
> under-steer, or is it neutral...how do "you" know how to set-up your
> suspension?
As the NASCAR good-ol-boys say: "Its under-steer if the front of the car
hits the wall first, and over-steer if the rear of the car hits the wall
first".
For my style of driving, I tune my sway bars to give mild under-steer on a
trailing or constant throttle, but then to transition to mild over-steer
when throttle is applied. When I first experienced "steering with the
throttle", it was a real rush and contributed to significantly better lap
times. YMMV.
Tuning of sway bars is achieved by a) changing the stiffness of the bar by
using thicker or thinner material, and b) by adjusting the amount of torque
needed to twist the bar. Stock and cheaper bars do not allow any
adjustment, but more expensive systems allow you to alter this by
increasing/decreasing the distance from the end-link to the roll-axis of the
bar.
It is also critical to set up the corner-weights on the car. A car's
cornering on a clean, uniform surface (and warm tires) should be totally
predictable. Setting the corner weights helps remove any asymmetry between
turning left or right.
Happy and safe holidays to all. Many thanks for your great advice and
camaraderie throughout the year!
Shane Ingate in Maryland
|