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Springs without lowering

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Maybe it's just me but before you put all this money into suspension, I think you should upgrade the wheels and tires first. Then at least the brake pads.

The P-Zero Nero tires suck on the track. Ask me how I know.

In general I agree with you, but she does need new shocks so I am using an opportunity to upgrade to better parts. Brake pads are updated (Hawk HPS 5.0).

But how do you know about tires?
 
1,289
1,113
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Philly Metro Area
But how do you know about tires?

My very first track day with my '14 was at New Jersey Motorsports Park-Lightning on a hot July day. I had upgraded my pads and fluid (stock base calipers at that time) but kept my 18x8 wheels with the 235/50-18 P-Zero Nero's.

Driver error certainly contributed to my problem but the tires did not help since they were pretty greasy by noontime. They were squirrely but I didn't get the hint. This track day had paced laps so I wasn't even pushing it but on the 3rd session going into Turn 5 (a blind uphill curve with negative camber on the downside) I didn't have a good line into the turn (too wide). Instead of letting it track out on the left side runout, I tried to stay in the turn and spun out on the other side.

I see you're in the Bay Area so temps may be toasty for those tires. And I hope those aren't 8-9 year old tires that came with the car in 2011!
 
My very first track day with my '14 was at New Jersey Motorsports Park-Lightning on a hot July day. I had upgraded my pads and fluid (stock base calipers at that time) but kept my 18x8 wheels with the 235/50-18 P-Zero Nero's.

Driver error certainly contributed to my problem but the tires did not help since they were pretty greasy by noontime. They were squirrely but I didn't get the hint. This track day had paced laps so I wasn't even pushing it but on the 3rd session going into Turn 5 (a blind uphill curve with negative camber on the downside) I didn't have a good line into the turn (too wide). Instead of letting it track out on the left side runout, I tried to stay in the turn and spun out on the other side.

I see you're in the Bay Area so temps may be toasty for those tires. And I hope those aren't 8-9 year old tires that came with the car in 2011!
Good story to learn on, thank you. I don’t think she is that technically to push car, but I’ll have to watch.

Now thinking more about this (and taking her car for a drive), I am thinking of replacing springs with boss oem (good lesson on how suspension looks/works for her) and waiting to see how serous she is about tracking the car. Current springs are way to soft but I think shocks can survive some more.

Tires are about 3 years old and have about 10-15K on them, so they are not bad, but they are not track tires for sure ;)
 
2,198
1,065
Bay Area
Man, why didn’t you ask for springs a couple months ago? I had stock Boss springs I couldn’t give away. They ended up in my recycling bin. Hope you find a set that isn’t too pricey
 
First at all, thanks everyone for help.

I ended up installing Boss springs (thanks Joe) and keeping the rest of the components as is for now (planing to install Boss sway bars and shocks/struts in the future). Boss springs in uncompressed form are much smaller (see photo of the front, forgot to snap one of the back), but car is riding 1/2" higher in the front and about the same on the back, comparing to EOM (somewhat surprised).

I am taking my daughter to Thunderhill on Sep 15th, so will update on handling.

Vadim
 

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