Login Register Sign up for the GRM e-newsletter

Login to post Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » setting crossweight question
  • kevlarcorolla

    May 8, 2011 7:34 p.m. kevlarcorolla Reader

    I was wondering how beneficial it would/could be to set up a road race car to work on a left corner biased track configuration.The car is a EK civic so its already left turn biased,should we set-up for a 50% crossweight or let it ride a bit?.If so what kind of cross weight % would be a good baseline to start?. The right handers are short and none lead onto a straight section of any lenght so giving up a little in cornering power in these shouldn't hurt too much.

    Look forward to hearing your thoughts,thanks.

  • SVreX

    May 8, 2011 7:48 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

    If the track you are running on favors the left handers, by all means set it up accordingly. But that might be more about the suspension setup than the corner weights- I don't know a thing about Hondas.

    Set the car up for the track you are running.

  • kevlarcorolla

    May 8, 2011 8:29 p.m. kevlarcorolla Reader

    Ok let me add,the rules don't allow aftermarket adjustable sway bars nor mods to adjust the camber.So setting up the chassis has some limitations,coilovers are allowed so that opens up some possibilities with crossweight tuning. I've never played with setting things other than 50-50 so I don't know the results of less than ideal percentages nor how far off ideal is workable.

  • May 8, 2011 8:38 p.m. ncjay Reader

    Tire temperatures should be your guide. Set the car up to get all the tires working as equally as possible. Don't be scared to try things.

  • SVreX

    May 8, 2011 8:42 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

    What he said.

    ...assuming you get enough passes to make the adjustments.

    More rules?

  • kevlarcorolla

    May 8, 2011 9:02 p.m. kevlarcorolla Reader

    I'm not new at this,I know "how" to set the car up-the question is only related to the cross weights and how big an impact they have when using less than ideal values. Example is a 48% crossweight too far off or....

  • SVreX

    May 8, 2011 9:07 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

    Good. So you know how to read the tire temps, right?

    Try it.

  • SVreX

    May 8, 2011 9:09 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

    Here's your article:

    GRM article on setting weights

  • jimbbski

    May 8, 2011 10:12 p.m. jimbbski Reader

    kevlarcorolla wrote:

    Ok let me add,the rules don't allow aftermarket adjustable sway bars nor mods to adjust the camber.So setting up the chassis has some limitations,coilovers are allowed so that opens up some possibilities with crossweight tuning. I've never played with setting things other than 50-50 so I don't know the results of less than ideal percentages nor how far off ideal is workable.

    You can bias the sway bar to some degree by preloading it to help in left hand turns. I would also try to reduce LF weight if understeer is a problem as it is with most FWD cars. Can I assume that you have adjusted camber within the limits of the factory settings or adjustments available? I don't know Honda's so I'm not sure if any model has adjustable camber built into the stock suspension.

  • RedS13Coupe

    May 8, 2011 11:24 p.m. RedS13Coupe Reader

    kevlarcorolla wrote:

    I'm not new at this,I know "how" to set the car up-the question is only related to the cross weights and how big an impact they have when using less than ideal values. Example is a 48% crossweight too far off or....

    48 is pretty extreme.

    Work in tenths, or a couple of tenths of a percent at a time. Least that is what we do with the miata.

  • kevlarcorolla

    May 9, 2011 5:04 p.m. kevlarcorolla Reader

    In reply to RedS13Coupe:

    Thank you,I just needed a baseline to start from.

    Thanks for the sarcasm SVreX,there's lots of other forums I'm sure you'd be great on.

  • corytate

    May 9, 2011 6:46 p.m. corytate Reader

    I wish I could remember exactly how we set up the Cup Car for a non-road course, you could probably meet right in the middle between left only and 50/50 and do pretty well. As said above, play with the bar a little bit and see how it does you. Probably going to turn into a trial and error type deal sadly

  • SVreX

    May 9, 2011 10:19 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

    kevlarcorolla wrote:

    In reply to RedS13Coupe:

    Thank you,I just needed a baseline to start from.

    Thanks for the sarcasm SVreX,there's lots of other forums I'm sure you'd be great on.

    I wasn't being sarcastic. The article link I posted was a fairly in depth answer to your question. I see no reason to consider it sarcasm. Sorry if it wasn't helpful.

  • steverife

    May 10, 2011 8:55 a.m. steverife New Reader

    From that article, how the heck do you "disconnect" the shocks?

  • kevlarcorolla

    May 10, 2011 4:07 p.m. kevlarcorolla Reader

    SVreX wrote:

    Good. So you know how to read the tire temps, right?

    Try it.

    Not sarcasm eh?.

  • unevolved

    May 10, 2011 4:24 p.m. unevolved Dork

    I didn't see that as sarcastic. Most people seriously undervalue tire temperatures in regards to alignment specs. It can be taken too far, yes, but it can get you some good ballpark information.

  • SVreX

    May 10, 2011 5:48 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

    kevlarcorolla wrote:

    SVreX wrote:

    Good. So you know how to read the tire temps, right?

    Try it.

    Not sarcasm eh?.

    Nope.

    It was a direct response to your statement that you are not new at this, and a recognition that not everyone knows how to read tire temps. Since you never actually said you knew how, I asked.

    "Good", as in, that is a good thing. I'm glad to hear it, etc. etc.

    "So you know how to read the tire temps", as in, a recognition that you are not new at this, and tire temps should be your guide.

    "Try it", as in, go ahead and try the 48%, read the tire temps, and adjust from there.

    I don't believe in tenths. When I have a question as broad as yours, I start with broader parameters. It's much easier to know if my idea will have an impact if I go way too far the other direction. If I get opposite handling problems, I know I can start tweaking with tenths.

    But if you'd rather believe someone is taking shots at you, there isn't much I can do to change your mind. Try to enjoy it. It will be pretty easy to find demons under every rock if that's what you expect to find.

    You won't prove to me that I was being sarcastic if I already know I wasn't.

    You gonna tune your suspension, or argue about your hurt feelings?

    I believe I already apologized for this.

  • DILYSI Dave

    May 10, 2011 5:50 p.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

    In a RWD, I'm more inclined to go with the 50-50 thing. In a FWD, I'm more interested in getting the front weights as close as possible to each other, within reason. IIRC, I was able to take about 100# off of my heavy corner and still keep crossweights in the 48-52 range.

 
Tire Rack- Revolutionizing Tire Buying

You'll need to log in to post.