whitetiger777

Hey, what about H&R springs. Anyone have any experience with those? I remember I had them on my Miata nd they were pretty good. Plus aren't they a progressive spring?

whitetiger777

Ok, so just to clarify I am more concerned with handleing, and reducing body roll, it seems that lowering the car is just a by product of trying to do this.

RED MX5

While lowering the car lowers the CG it also lowers the roll center, and that increases the roll couple. IOW, you won't get less body roll through lowering.

Anti-sway bars are the surest way to reduce roll, though stiffer springs and shocks will also (obviously) reduce total roll.

If you are still running the OEM tires I don't think you'll benefit from reduced roll. What exactly is it that you want to accomplish or change?

whitetiger777

Basicaly I'm looking to improve cornering and the overall solid feel to the car. As of right now the car already feels like the most solid car I've ever ouned, no shimmys or shakes. But, what I'm interested in is cornering. I have the ability to drive 10 min and it puts me out in the middle of fields where there is nobod by me. These roads also tend to be very twisty, which I love. I just want to solidify the car so i can take turns harder, I also want to stiffen up the susspention so under hard acceleration the frount tires hold onto there traction better(no lean back).
I'm not to concerned with appearace to much I feel the car looks fine at the current ride hight, but I have seen some cars that to me are just to low and look stupid.

Hockey

You and I have the stiffest (re: largest sway bars) of the OEM setups for the S2K. Each year after MY00 got a little softer, to help dial out the oversteer. I would suggest a couple things.

-Add an X-brace to the front undercarriage. It'll smooth out uneven road surfaces and give you that "planted" feel.

-Check your tire wear. If you have S02s still and they are wearing down, you'll find that they lose their grip (even though you aren't to the wear bars).

-Consider 225s in the front. Many auto-X ers do this size.

-Consider a Comptech adjustible front sway bar. This is about the only one I know of that is heavier than our OEM one and you have a couple stting options.

-When cornering, remember slow in / fast out.

dmz

I had the Eibach prokit/Koni yellow on my old E36 M3 and they worked great on that car. When I had the Konis at full soft the ride was better than stock. When I set it full stiff the car handled great on AutoX and you can definately feel the difference. I would definately recomend it. Unfortunately I don't have this setup on my S as I am running Koni yellow and Comptech adjustable springs right now.

Project22a

Hockey, I was wondering; what settings do you have your Konis at?

Hockey

I started with the fronts at mid way, and the rears a half turn down from the middle. Kept it that way for a while with no complaints. Then a couple weeks ago I decided to give them all a half turn more firm. I can tell the difference, especially on the drive I just took from Vegas to San Diego and back last weekend. Shoulda softened them up before such a long drive but forgot. I run the rear slightly softer than the fronts at whatever level I choose from fellow owners recommendations.

I also run a Euro alignment to help the rear hold the road.

RED MX5

OK, that helps. Given what you're said I am certain that you'll be happier with the car in the long run if you leave it at stock ride height, at least for now.

Before I make any other suggestions let me extract the goals you gave in your post:

• I want to solidify the car so I can take turns harder.
• I want to stiffen upthe suspension so under hard acceleration the front tires hold onto their traction better.

When you say "turn harder" I take it to mean that you want to be able to corner at higher speeds (or in other words, generate higher cornering forces). Am I understanding you correctly?

You indicate that you want "the front tires hold onto their traction better." Do you find that your front tires are sliding before the rear tires?

Sorry to be asking so many questions, but I want to make sure any advice I offer is properly directed.

Do you have any autocross or track experience? Is your AP1 completely stock? What brand and size of tires are on the car?

Until I have a better idea of where you are and where you want to go with the car I'll stick to offering up a few general observations.

Your car is a first generation AP1, and if it is totally stock and in good repair, and is running OEM S02's, then it will oversteer or understeer at your command. If the front tires are constantly washing out, either something is wrong with the car or you're doing something to make it happen. Before you start modifying things it's a good idea to make sure that the real problem isn't something that could be fixed with a change in driving style.

As for grip (cornering force), an AP1 in good condition on S02's and a good surface will exceed 0.9g, but only if the driver doesn't push the nose or wag the tail.

Are the roads you drive on bumpy, very bumpy, or smooth?

I'll try not to ask so many questions next time.

whitetiger777

Actualy I try not to get any sliding on either frount or rear tires. (i.e. not realy interested in drifting) I've heard that if you can hear the tires then you are actualy taking the corner slower. The statment about the stiffer rear is because under acceleration the wait tends to shift to the rear. I just was to make sure when accelerating out of a corner that proper grip is retained on the frount tires.
When refering to cornering harder, yes I am refering to taking corners at higher speeds. I would like the ability to enter and exit a corner with improved stability. Unfortunatly, yes I'm sure this could also be improved by somesort of training. All I've learned is from my father who also likes to drive hard ever so offten, and my guessing at where the line should be.
My car is completly stock at the moment. I might try and autocross it if I ever get the time, or I just so happen to hear of one soon enough. The wheels are stock AP1, but the tires look like all season raidials. I bought the car used about 3 weeks ago from a honda dealer, so that is what came on the car.
As for the feel of the car, I took it out for a hard drive yesterday and to me it actualy felt like the rear was light around corners. Almost as if it was the rear end that wanted to wash out on me. I've heard that S2K's spin out rather easily, but can this be fixed with suspention, or adding weight to the back or even, god forbid, a functional wing?