building an s2000
10-21-2006, 08:28 PM
#11
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remember, all mods are improvements to the car. so you cant really go backwards with times.
That's not entirely true. There are plety of mods that you can make that will make the car slower. Not only that, but the mods that would make a pro driver quicker, will probably make you slower as the car will be less stable amd sharper in it's responses.
For someone who does no classify themself a top (track) driver, I'd say the best mods would be the ones that make the car more stable. This might make the car slower in ultimate terms, but more than likely quicker for your 'average' driver.
Stable cars are easier to drive than unstable cars and therefore people will have an easier time of getting close to the car's limit. IMHO, for the 'average' driver there's no point extending the limits of the S2000 ... that is unless you make the car more stable/secure. Making the car more stable/secure at the expense of ultimate performance would be still worthwile doing for most people.
Now how to make the car more stable/secure? Couple suggestions bellow ...
1. Get a good alignment, with more camber at the back than front, and with a fair bit of toe-in at the back.
2. Get a stiffer sway bar for the front (and softer for the back if still needed).
3. Get wider wheels, and put even wider tyres at the back.
4. Always get rhe best/grippiest tyre that you can for the rear of the car.
5. Go with all new suspension (ie. new shocks, sprints, swaybars). Easiest thing is probably to get all this from the current more S2000, but I've never been in the new one so I can't say how stable/secure it is, but I've read a lot about that being the case. If you go totaly custom way, then you should get a profession people to tune the suspension for you ... some of them can do the tuning on the track for you. Fiddling with it yourself you have more of a chance of making it worse than better. That is unless you can get the settings of someone else who has gone through all this. Rober Lane Honda did so 5 or so years ago as they had a S2000 in the GTP. I rode shotgun in that car and that was awesome ... though, I think that also had a different LSD.
6. As the last sentence mentioned - a different LSD ... not sure which one, nor what settings, but LSD has a lot to do with cars stability/security.
That's not entirely true. There are plety of mods that you can make that will make the car slower. Not only that, but the mods that would make a pro driver quicker, will probably make you slower as the car will be less stable amd sharper in it's responses.
For someone who does no classify themself a top (track) driver, I'd say the best mods would be the ones that make the car more stable. This might make the car slower in ultimate terms, but more than likely quicker for your 'average' driver.
Stable cars are easier to drive than unstable cars and therefore people will have an easier time of getting close to the car's limit. IMHO, for the 'average' driver there's no point extending the limits of the S2000 ... that is unless you make the car more stable/secure. Making the car more stable/secure at the expense of ultimate performance would be still worthwile doing for most people.
Now how to make the car more stable/secure? Couple suggestions bellow ...
1. Get a good alignment, with more camber at the back than front, and with a fair bit of toe-in at the back.
2. Get a stiffer sway bar for the front (and softer for the back if still needed).
3. Get wider wheels, and put even wider tyres at the back.
4. Always get rhe best/grippiest tyre that you can for the rear of the car.
5. Go with all new suspension (ie. new shocks, sprints, swaybars). Easiest thing is probably to get all this from the current more S2000, but I've never been in the new one so I can't say how stable/secure it is, but I've read a lot about that being the case. If you go totaly custom way, then you should get a profession people to tune the suspension for you ... some of them can do the tuning on the track for you. Fiddling with it yourself you have more of a chance of making it worse than better. That is unless you can get the settings of someone else who has gone through all this. Rober Lane Honda did so 5 or so years ago as they had a S2000 in the GTP. I rode shotgun in that car and that was awesome ... though, I think that also had a different LSD.
6. As the last sentence mentioned - a different LSD ... not sure which one, nor what settings, but LSD has a lot to do with cars stability/security.
10-21-2006, 09:44 PM
#12
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Originally Posted by dabenzu,Oct 22 2006, 02:27 PM
lets bring the thread back to its original intentions!
i have a box stock 00 and am about to track a car for the first time. i want to track it stock so i can then get some ideas of what i want it to do. then i,ll ask what is recommended by you guys.
i have a box stock 00 and am about to track a car for the first time. i want to track it stock so i can then get some ideas of what i want it to do. then i,ll ask what is recommended by you guys.
pechs2k, this is a good theme for an ongoing thread. You have come up with an original idea that is worthy of further development.
I'll put some more thought into it and try to come up with some some helpful guidelines and then put them into a logical sequence that a newcomer could follow. The question about suspension mods will be one of them, but not the first.
10-21-2006, 10:10 PM
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1. Get a good alignment, with more camber at the back than front, and with a fair bit of toe-in at the back.
can camber settings and adjusting toe-in be achieved through any wheel aligner, if not where to go? if there is a member who uses specific coil overs brands, have altered the ride height and changed the degree of camber and toe-in etc please post the settings. if not ill call our friends at Robert Lane, im not sure that will apply to us, but we'll get an idea.
2. Get a stiffer sway bar for the front (and softer for the back if still needed).
what brand has good reviews? been tested, anyone with first hand experience of a particular sway bar, please post and give us some reasons as to why its good.
3. Get wider wheels, and put even wider tyres at the back.
4. Always get rhe best/grippiest tyre that you can for the rear of the car.
we can discuss specific rim offsets, rim diametre's and tyre width recommended for street/track in our next question.
5. Go with all new suspension (ie. new shocks, sprints, swaybars)
it sounds like your recommending the OEM setup. this is great, but you wont be able to achieve an altered ride height.
LSD has a lot to do with cars stability/security.
interesting point, can we get some more information?
10-21-2006, 10:32 PM
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Originally Posted by RedRover,Oct 21 2006, 09:44 PM
Good move dabenzu
pechs2k, this is a good theme for an ongoing thread. You have come up with an original idea that is worthy of further development.
I'll put some more thought into it and try to come up with some some helpful guidelines and then put them into a logical sequence that a newcomer could follow. The question about suspension mods will be one of them, but not the first.
pechs2k, this is a good theme for an ongoing thread. You have come up with an original idea that is worthy of further development.
I'll put some more thought into it and try to come up with some some helpful guidelines and then put them into a logical sequence that a newcomer could follow. The question about suspension mods will be one of them, but not the first.
this is just the beginning, a information sourcing exercise in order to obtain facts on the pros and cons of aftermarket products.
A guideline is perfect. maybe even create catergories, ill leave that with you to determine once we have all the information, facts and conclusions.
10-21-2006, 10:40 PM
#16
I would start with some race rubber, an X-brace and front anti-roll bar. Then see what you think of the handling. From there you would be wise to look at some coilovers with loads of adjustability.
Or, you can get really serious and purchase some adjustable A arms and really play with the set up.
On the coilovers, I would buy secondhand and have them rebuilt. Much cheaper and you'll get exactly what you want.
Or, you can get really serious and purchase some adjustable A arms and really play with the set up.
On the coilovers, I would buy secondhand and have them rebuilt. Much cheaper and you'll get exactly what you want.
10-21-2006, 10:59 PM
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Originally Posted by AusS2000,Oct 21 2006, 10:40 PM
I would start with some race rubber, an X-brace and front anti-roll bar. Then see what you think of the handling. From there you would be wise to look at some coilovers with loads of adjustability.
Or, you can get really serious and purchase some adjustable A arms and really play with the set up.
On the coilovers, I would buy secondhand and have them rebuilt. Much cheaper and you'll get exactly what you want.
Or, you can get really serious and purchase some adjustable A arms and really play with the set up.
On the coilovers, I would buy secondhand and have them rebuilt. Much cheaper and you'll get exactly what you want.
http://www.ozebiz.com.au/racetech/theory/align.html
with that in mind, wouldnt a toe in setting be ideal for the rear of the car and toe out for the front for enhanced cornering?
on the coilovers, what brand to use and who does top job rebuilds?