I just installed a sway setup on my EG and could not get any grip on the rear. I put on groung control coilovers and illuminas, The sway bar is 22mm w/ the asr brace, and Falken tires. Also put on a upper rear bar. I had to unbolt the sway to get any kind of traction on the rear. Needless to say I came in last autocrossing all weekend. Will this setup work eventually or did I just spend money and time to get a lower race time. I think maybe going lower, softening the shocks, and maybe a camber kit. Any Ideas????

 

Id bet a small amount of money that it was you, and no the setup.


Unless you messed with your toe settings. But with what you listed, the nu behind the wheel is the problem

 

Sticky "T" key, slammed_93?

Do you have a front sway bar? Also, how old are those Azenis (assuming that's what they are)? They really start to get slick when they're nearing the end of their lives.

 

Uh, no ding dong, Ive been driving the car for 2 years and am getting less traction than before. I realize that I need to do some adjusting w/ everything that I have and just thought I might get some REAL suggestions.

 

I dont have a front sway bar and the front is sitting about a half an inch lower than the rear. The tires are new as of 4 races. I have the rear pressure at 24psi and have no rollover. I started the day racing at 26psi (rear). Also the rear inside tire ends up about 8inches off the ground on turns. My thinking is that the outside tire may have a slight angle to it enough to decrease the traction of the one tire that remains on the groung during turns. Does this sound right or am I just thinking outside the box?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by threesixes &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I dont have a front sway bar and the front is sitting about a half an inch lower than the rear.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well, there ya go, ding dong! Going from no sway bars at all to a 22mm rear bar is going to result in oversteer. And on top of that, the front is lower than the rear. Given what you've said, it sounds like your car is behaving like any other Civic would.

 

Raise the rear air pressure to induce some understeer as well....and may I add it's not wise to call people you asked for help "ding dongs"....

 

i don't see the problem with the setup

you stiffened the rear relative to the front

naturally you aren't going to get more rear end grip.

 

ding dong=slammed_93_hatch

 

From what Im hearing is lower the rear, and with a sway I wont get more rear end grip. So is a sway the wrong way to go for autocrossing? I need as much grip everywhere I can get it. I got the setup via "everyone" saying the rear needs to be stiff and the front soft. I take it that "they" were talking about something else.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by threesixes &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ding dong=slammed_93_hatch

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really how do you figure?

I would be willing to bet that your driving style had adapted to what the setup you had before. Now you changed your setup and your driving style should change also.

Perfect example is that you don't drive a SSC 1999 civic SI like you would drive a 1999 World challenge TC civic SI. You have to change your driving style.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EK4civichatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Raise the rear air pressure to induce some understeer as well.....</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't know street tires, but with RA1's hoosier's and every other DOT racing tire i have dealt with, raising the rear pressure REDUCES rear grip.


The real answer to threesixes question is this though. Your setup, with the extremely limited information you gave, WILL NOT give the conditions you speak up. Unless you are doing some funky things while turning in.

Maybe you trial brake, or lift the throttle , both of those things could have been fine with the previous setup but now that you added a rear sway you can't do it, or do it as much as you want.

Although you think I am a ding dong so your probably not going to listen, and thats your own problem

 

So what is your suggestion on keeping rear grip w/ a sway setup? Could I adjust shocks, lowering or raising springs? or something else I need to purchase?

 

What's the rear tire wear like on the side you feel is the issue ? If the outer edge is worn, then dial in more camber [lower your perch or use adjustable upper arms]. Hell, I've got 4 degrees back there and the grip is . What kind of spring rates have you got front/rear ? Alternative is to install the stock front bar and see what happens. Then you only have to disconnect one side to get a quick back to back comparison as to its overall effect.

 

what about your alignment setup? what's the numbers?

 

no i think hes suggesting you jsut learn how to drive the new setup, you will be faster after you figure it out. fwd is easy, the rear starts sliding, STAND ON THE GAS. what you have is considered to be a pretty ideal way to have your car for autoX, you jsut need to fix the nut behind the wheel

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slammed_93_hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I don't know street tires, but with RA1's hoosier's and every other DOT racing tire i have dealt with, raising the rear pressure REDUCES rear grip.
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Yeah it might be different for the RA1s. But on my Azenis I run 42 front 38 rear and when I need to dial in some rear rotation I drop it down 2 lbs in the rear.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by threesixes &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So what is your suggestion on keeping rear grip w/ a sway setup? Could I adjust shocks, lowering or raising springs? or something else I need to purchase? </TD></TR></TABLE>

hard to answer you w/o spring rate (front and rear) and alignment info (toe and camber; front and rear)