Lower Front X-Brace Increase Understeer on Stock Setup ?
#1
Thread Starter
Lower Front X-Brace Increase Understeer on Stock Setup ?
I've had a Spoon lower front X-brace on my car for a while, and I've always found my car to understeer more than the typical case of oversteer that many ap1's experience. My car is a MY02, with stock suspension, staggared ap2 wheels and tires. I took off the X-brace to install a Mugen oil pan and I seem to think my car handles better without the X-brace, very subtle difference. Is there a chance that an X-brace would increase understeer on a setup like mine ?. If so I'll avoid them altogether, the oil spilling on it during oil changes isn't worth having the bar if it increases understeer. Thanks for reading, any opinions or advice would be great.
#2
Ive got an 02 as well and have yet to experience understeer lol, from what Ive read stiffening anything up on a stock tire setup will induce understeer, unless you alter your alignment to makeup for it (minimize rear -camber and increase neg camber in the front etc.)
#3
Thread Starter
Ive got an 02 as well and have yet to experience understeer lol, from what Ive read stiffening anything up on a stock tire setup will induce understeer, unless you alter your alignment to makeup for it (minimize rear -camber and increase neg camber in the front etc.)
#4
If you're using stock AP2 size tires on your AP1, that's probably why you're getting understeer. AP1 uses 205f/225r. AP2 is 215f/245r, so a larger stagger on the rear. You basically added more rear grip causing the understeer.
#5
Registered User
-Connor
#6
Originally Posted by spdracerut' timestamp='1328771329' post='21398165
If you're using stock AP2 size tires on your AP1, that's probably why you're getting understeer. AP1 uses 205f/225r. AP2 is 215f/245r, so a larger stagger on the rear. You basically added more rear grip causing the understeer.
-Connor
He was using the same tires when running without the xbrace as when running with the xbrace. The tires remained constant. The only thing that changed was removing the xbrace.
#7
Registered User
Originally Posted by Chugs' timestamp='1328791555' post='21398499
[quote name='spdracerut' timestamp='1328771329' post='21398165']
If you're using stock AP2 size tires on your AP1, that's probably why you're getting understeer. AP1 uses 205f/225r. AP2 is 215f/245r, so a larger stagger on the rear. You basically added more rear grip causing the understeer.
If you're using stock AP2 size tires on your AP1, that's probably why you're getting understeer. AP1 uses 205f/225r. AP2 is 215f/245r, so a larger stagger on the rear. You basically added more rear grip causing the understeer.
-Connor
He was using the same tires when running without the xbrace as when running with the xbrace. The tires remained constant. The only thing that changed was removing the xbrace.
[/quote]
I'm not saying the X-brace didn't affect it that much, but it could also be a placebo effect..
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#8
try adding lowering springs, im running 225s all the way around with aftermarket sway bars, strut bar and lowering springs and my car handles pretty nice, back end slides out when wanted to but also hugs when wanted to, just keep in mind that everyones car handles different so this is just my opinion
#9
Thread Starter
Yeah the tire sizes have remained constant for longer than the x-brace was used, so the x-brace was the only change. BTW, I was actually using the CR tire size on the rear - so up to 255mm .
I had one person suggest that with reduced flex on the front end it would affect camber during cornering, not sure how accurate that was.
Thanks for all of the replies on this.
I had one person suggest that with reduced flex on the front end it would affect camber during cornering, not sure how accurate that was.
Thanks for all of the replies on this.
#10
A 205f/225r split is 47.7%/52.3% split. 215/255 is a split of 45.7%/54.3%. All things remaining equal, the percentage of tire width got reduced off the front and increased in the rear shifting the handling balance towards understeer.
Seeing how removing the brace only made a "subtle" difference, that implies the handling balance was not significantly changed towards the typical AP1 oversteer.
As for this situation, I noticed somethign similar on my old car with a strut tower brace. It was a sublte difference that seemd like the car understeered a bit more. I think the primary difference is during turn-in and not actualy steady state cornering. Because the car chassis is stiffer, the weight transfers faster to the outside tires causing it to go into understeer more quickly.
Seeing how removing the brace only made a "subtle" difference, that implies the handling balance was not significantly changed towards the typical AP1 oversteer.
As for this situation, I noticed somethign similar on my old car with a strut tower brace. It was a sublte difference that seemd like the car understeered a bit more. I think the primary difference is during turn-in and not actualy steady state cornering. Because the car chassis is stiffer, the weight transfers faster to the outside tires causing it to go into understeer more quickly.