Evening guys,

I would of posted this in the suspension section, but looking for UK advice as I'm sure I'll end up buying some parts in the UK to help with my problem.

I've basically come from a background of BMW M3's (one stripped and caged for the track), Z4's, few kit cars etc. I've only had my S2000 for a week now, took it for its first proper drive tonight. I love it, the only downside is the backend feels very soft and I don't feel I can throw it onto a corner with much confidence. Front on the other hand turns in very well, really tight and flat feel, but the rear end wallows and seems to lag behind.

Car is a 2005 with 38k miles on the clock, just serviced by Honda. I know the facelift models are softer, but I wasn't expecting it to be this bad on the limit, which is now much lower than I'm used to. I've check tyres pressures and the Continental Contact Sports have only done 1000 miles.

Any advice? I was looking to fit Eibach springs over the winter with a geometry check, but i suspect this won't be enough. I would rather avoid coilovers for now, been there done that. Not opposed to a decent set of shocks to match the Eibachs if available i.e. Bilstein B6 or B8's.

What about a thicker rear anti roll bar? Will a pre-facelift fit? Lower Strut Brace? What would help give me more confidence to push on?

 

You need stiffer sidewall tyres. CSCs are too squidgy and make the back feel disconnected.

 

I have them on the front too, so you think it would balance things up. Also had them on my road going M3 and never had a problem.

So perhaps new rear tyres and Eibach springs would sort things out?

What tyre works well on the S2000 in standard sizes? Car is only used in the summer and in the dry, might do the odd track day.

 

id get the geo checked, and make sure the rear roll bar is actually connected.
my geo was way out and the roll bar disconnected,
sorted them out and its a great handler
edit
mine is an 01, so would be stiffer anyway.

 

Bridgestones work well, hot Hondas need a stiff sidewall especially if you want the compliance bushes to do their job.

RE050A MZ are the stock tyre - can also fit RE050A, S001 or the RE002 (if you can find them). Will suit dry, hard use more than the current tyres.

BMWs seems to get away with the softer sidewalled tyres.

Im currently on Goodyear F1AS2s which are great in wet and cold but in the dry Ive had to turn the Konis up to compensate, they still need more steering lock to get the front to turn in compared to the RE050A fronts and S001 rears I had before.

My car is a 2000 model and is on poly bushes, konis and Wheels in motion geometry so is sensitive to tyres. I had T1Rs on it about 5 years ago and they were awful when driving it hard so I can understand your concerns.

Passive rear wheel steering is another potential cause. Personally I like it as it allows you to steer the rear wheels to some effect with the throttle and balance it with the steering wheel. Some people dont get on with it though and have used aftermarket rear toe arm to reduce/eliminate the effect. Its worth making sure it isnt this (Personally i think if you are giving the the rear toe compliance via the bushes (designed to work with Bridgestones) then the worse thing you can do is add extra compliance via tyres. Compliance not just from sidewall stiffness but also the internal slip angle

 

Not quite correct on the Bridgestones. For 17" wheels you need RE050MZ, not RE050a.

But get a geo first, as it's the cheapest thing to do.

The rear wallow is probably related to rear wheel steer. Actually, the absolute cheapest thing to do is to drive the car a bit more and let yourself get used to it. Making changes after just one drive seems a bit premature to me.

 

I had exactly the same issues as the OP when I bought my MY05 4 years ago - I test drove an MY08 and loved it, but my car was 'soggy' and after explaining it to Tony at WiM amongst other experts, I came to the conclussion the root cause was the rebound damping, not the springs.

The obvious answer was to change the OEM kit for after-market coilovers. I went for BC racing based on the good feedback they get, but mainly the low cost, and they've made a huge difference. More feel of where the limit is, especially in the wet, and it 'recovers' itself quicker over bumps and undulations.

Other inexpensive mods I can recommend are:
Front and rear lower braces - no need to go for big brands IMO, ebay specials are fine (the uprated rear brace is pretty much regarded as a must have). These improve the rigidity, steering feel and 'seat of your pants' feel quite a bit.
MY99 - MY01 (I think I've got the dates right) ARB's - they can be swapped straight over, as long as you've got the right bushes.

Things not to do:
Whiteline adjustable drop links - they do the job, but they don't last well.

Of course, if money is no option, the big name coilovers and uprated ARB's are better, but you can make a difference without breaking the bank.

On the subject of tyres, I'm not in the Bridgestone camp and never have been. The stiff sidewalls are good, but in my opinion, they don't give anywhere as much feel and feedback as they should. I sacrifice a bit of rigidity for the sake of feedback - I figure it's OK for the rear to slide as long as I can feel it doing it.........

Hope this helps.
Cheers,
FB

 

For a soft rear end I recommend squat thrusts. And lots of them.

 

Try a 00-03 or 08-... And see if you prefer it. I found the rear on the 04 - 07 cars to be too soft for my liking

 

Rear Wheel Steer has been mentioned a few times, how do I eliminate this, alignment check?

Also, what about this rear brace by Ultra Racing. Will it make a difference, direct bolt on?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultra-Raci...item1c27224056