Another complicated question. The simple answer is whatever keeps the contact patch consistant and body roll at a minimum will (usually) provide "better" handling: i.e. more grip and better feel. Some examples: suspension geometry that minimizes camber change (relative to the road surface) under cornering and keeps the roll center higher relative to the car's center of gravity, shock valving and spring rates that keep the tires in contact with rough road surfaces, tires with stiff enough sidewalls and suspension bushings that are firm enough to respond quickly to steering inputs and to provide decent feedback through the steering wheel... I could go on and on and I really don't know THAT much about suspension tuning. There are books on this stuff and if you are REALLY serious about it, your local library and google would be a couple good places to start.

You can get a lot of good information here on s2ki but you can also get a lot of misleading and incorrect info. The trick is telling one from the other.

 

Simplest answer Tires. Not necesarily wider either. Race-Compound Tires or even high end sumer only tires is the most cost effective way to increase the peak cornering force. (Until it rains )

But is this for DD? Or track duty? Or Autocross?

 

If you want a physics lesson on handling, buy "Race Car Vehicle Dynamics" by Milliken.

RCVD

As far as handling goes, there are a LOT of factors that impact ultimate cornering, acceleration, and braking performance. A car that has very high limits won't necessarily be easy to drive. A car with very low handling limits may be an absolute peach and could be described as having "awesome" handling.

 

I've checked that out from the library before. It's extremely comprehensive. It's also extremely dense and challenging to read (and that's coming from an engineer). But yeah, it's also the top level reference available. The pro race teams *may* have more info, but they don't publish.

 

Probably a book easier for the amature would be something from Carroll Smith...like "Prepare to Win" or "Tune to Win".

 

Very good thread! One actually worth reading haha.
Wouldn't a new suspension be helpful in that it lowers the center of gravity of the car? (assuming the new suspension lowers the car)

I think there are limits that you hit with this kind of stuff though. From my experience from Gran Turismo (I know, worst experience ever), lower doesn't always mean better, because then you gotta get stiffer shocks, and your car bounces everywhere because you have *no* suspension essentially. I think the best way to go is to lower the car a reasonable amount, and get some sticky ass tires (after a driver's course).

Also, does a widebody kit really do THAT much for a car? Let's say you get a widebody kit, worth like 8 grand after all is said and done, and your car is like 3 inches wider, is it really worth it to go through the corners that little bit faster? I would put that money into the engine and go through the corners slower and haul ass on the straights!

 

Even only taking 2 semesters of Physics in high school so far, I can tell you that the way you stated your question is broad enough to be covered in a 200 page book.

SO many factors.

 

Lowering the CG, increasing the track, or reducing the mass, will each increase grip, assuming of course that all else is equal (and of course, it never is). LOL, it would be nice if it were that simple, but it never is.

B.Money, if you want the grip of a Vette or Elise, a set of Pilot Sport Cups will get you in the ballpark. They are the hardest R compound tire you can buy, but you'll still go through front tires in 5,000 miles and rear tires in half that. You will also be unable to drive the car in the rain, but if you're willing to pay the price(s) you can get the grip right up there easily enough. However, in addition to the frequent tire replacement and dismal wet weather performance you'll have other issues to deal with as well. The inside rear tire will unload and spin during hard cornering and to keep it planted you'll have to move some of the roll resistance from the back to the front. A stiffer (adjustable) FSB will help, but you may also have to find a softer RSB or remove the RSB altogether. OR, you could install a more positive acting LSD (like I've done) to keep the unloaded tire from spinning.

LOL, I hate to say this after saying others were oversimplifying the issue, but the truth of the matter is that it's just a matter of how much you're willing to spend.

Arian_ma, a widebody kit is only useful if it is needed to cover the tires, and tires large enough to need a widebody kit will also require a slew of other mods to work properly, so basically, by itself, a widebody kit is somewhere betwteen "show only" and totally useless.

Stiffer and lower is not always better (unless the racing surface is as smooth as glass).

 

It all comes down to the tires. They have the ultimate say in how hard a car will corner. Whatever you do to the suspension, the ride height, camber, sway bars, springs, etc, you are doing it to make sure that as much of the tires are in contact with the ground as possible. The more tire you have on the ground and the less weight they have to throw around, the better the grip.

 

hmm so I havent put my new wheels and tires on my car yet, but I should expect a little more grip? I ran stock ap1 wheel/tires now I have 225/255 re-01's.