SiR Shizzle

Hi guys,

I've done bit of a search but am getting a bit confused.

I did my first airfield/track day in my 1999 s2000 last friday. My car is pretty much stock apart from koni adjustable shocks and stock springs on the rear and eibach springs and stock shocks on the front. I also run Bridgestone RE002 adrenaline on stock 16s.

Although immensely fun and no real complaints, I found the car to be very easy to provoke oversteer and although I never span, I came pretty close and two of my mates who had a go in it managed to spin spectacularly (I put this down to me being more used to car). I then had a go in their stripped e36 323i which only had m3 wheels, federal semi slicks and upgraded shocks and springs and it was like chalk and cheese. Although my S was generally quicker, that beemer was like shit to a blanket and I had nothing but confidence in it.

I'm off to the 'ring in 4 weeks with the same mates, and as it stands I think I'd prefer to be driving the e36 round...

I don't believe I'll crash the S, I know my car's limits and I've been round the ring before in previous cars, but bearing in mind I have no time for any more track action to test any changes is there anything I can do as a quick fix that might make the car a bit more stable?

I don't want to go bolting on braces if it's just going to make it more snappy, I'm thinking more like Geometry changes - but I can't find any recommended settings for such things on a 1999 and don't want to apply something that may work on a later model.

Or am I just missing the obvious and should go and get semi - slicks?

Its worth noting that my s is also my daily and I do 300+miles a week in her, so I don't want to make the ride unbearable.

Any advice would be helpful,

Dave

lovegroova

The geo settings in the FAQ will do fine. https://www.s2ki.com/...ost__p__5798519

For a stabler rear end, apply rear toe towards the maximum settings. 20' to 30' each side.

Also, soften the suspension settings on the rear if you had them set high.

RobAp1

Running a mix 'n match of springs and dampers probably won't be helping your situation here. As LG said, adding some rear toe in and backing off the rear dampers will help the car track a bit straighter and reduce the tendency to step out.

Out of interest, what tyre pressures were you running? I had RE002's on my 16's and found 35psi hot to be a good pressure for trackday'ing. Lower than this and they have a tendency to overheat and the grip plummets. I overheated mine at Anglesey on a hot day and I was struggling so much for grip that I had an mx5 all over my tail

SiR Shizzle

Thanks Guys,

I was running 32 psi. I'm not sure what they actually should've been or actually what they should be for daily use.

I didn't find any deterioration in grip, but I was only doing short 10-15min stints.

The mix of shocks isn't ideal - the Konis were on the rear when I bought it, but I fitted the eibachs to the front recently and was waiting for them to settle before fitting the rears as I wasn't sure what it would do to the rake of the car (i.e. i was a bit concerned the back would look too low).

I'll go and get the geometry looked at first.

When I used to have an ep3 the advice was to baffle the sump if you had sticky tyres - is that a good idea with the s2000 even with semi slicks?

Dave

lovegroova

I run my RE002s at 32psi and they have been fine on track. I've recently run a lot less rear toe which has made the car a lot more slidey (especially in very tight turns). It was a lot more stable with more rear toe (but when it did let go it was very snappy).


Baffles are never a bad idea if you're tracking it and a better idea with semi slicks.

Chuck S

The S2000 is infamous for this behavior. Was really only true of the very early cars like you have. Handling was tamed/improved on a biennial basis with wheel and suspension changes and finally with stability assist. Despite these improvements the car's reputation is still tainted.

Leaving suspension changes alone for now: More tire (traction) on the rear will help but I'm not sure what you can do with 16" wheels. A set of OEM 2004+ 17" wheels will really help and fit in the wheel wells without buggering. Going with the CR tire sizes (215 front 255 rear) will further reduce oversteer with consequent improvements in handling.

Find the Speed Academy series on their ASS2000 car which they turned into a very high performance track car. Easy to get the car set up for better handling -- you just need a (very big) checkbook. They put at least $25,000 ...

-- Chuck

Andy_F

You're at a bit of an impasse really.

Mine is a '02 on stock suspension, stock alignment and Re002's and my experiences sound exactly the same as yours.

If you're after an immediate bolt on improvement you won't do much better than a grippier set of tyres, but then possibly run into the need for a baffled sump. I can only go on what I've read on here about that, but I ran an S15 with heavy suspension mods, Federal RSR's and stock oil setup around the 'ring to a quite quick time with no problems. That said, I don't want to blow up my S so won't be fitting sticky tyres before a baffled sump.

If I were you, I'd adjust my driving slightly to compromise. Sure it won't be as fast, but smooth weight transition and backing off the pace a touch is probably your safest, and undoubtedly your cheapest bet.

Fun > predictability?

SiR Shizzle

Cheers guys,

Yeah - I certainly don't want to mash my daily into a barrier, I was just looking for a quick way to up the grip+safety rather than going for an improvement on pace.

Even on the track day on friday I wasn't ragging it down the straights or even timing myself and I won't at the ring - there's simply no point in pushing my motor (which is at 153k miles). I was just shocked at how planted my mate's e36 was by comparison and wanted to get closer to that.

All being said and done, if the answer is 'you'll never make more grip' then I'll still happily go out in it on track again and again - I absolutely loved it.

I might look into some bigger wheels too, shame the crazy high offset limits you to stock 17s. £600 for a 2nd hand set of s2000 wheels is a bit expensive, esp if i'm only going to be using them for track tyres.

BTW the track day was at Dalton Barracks, Abingdon and I can thoroughly recommend it. I've been a few times in a few different cars and they have just changed the track layout and it's sooo much better.
£130 open pit all day.

lovegroova

If it helps, here's me going around Abingdon (video taken from another S2000). As you can see my car is very stable:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siF8xf-MefU[/media]

tozerman

I agree 100% with this, 35psi hot is in my experience 29psi cold, very good grip with this pressure, if you wanted be be a bit safer then running the front at 30psi gives the car very slight understeer, but 29psi all round is definitely better.

I am going to the ring 21/22 May