Tire conundrum

[blacksheep-1]

Historically, we don't run them...I'm not saying they never do but our stuff is amazingly basic. I'd mess with driver time, sway bars, camber and tire pressure first time out.
Build a tire chart like Grant mentioned and you can get guessing what the pressure might be out of the way at every track you run at. That right there is a huge plus in the "inconsistency" dept.
Overall, I don't see squat as a terrible thing, the more weight on the rear the more forward bite you usually get.

 

[F.D. Sako]

Black boss what are your thoughts on the LCA brackets and LCAs. You said you don't run the brackets? Why is thet

If their rear ride height is not low enough to alter the geometry, then they don't need to run a relocation bracket.

 

[jpt3]

...I think you mean @blacksheep-1

Thank you for the correction.

 

[Grant 302]

Thank you for the correction.

No problemo, Jake! It's easy to get forum names mixed up.

 

[blacksheep-1]

If their rear ride height is not low enough to alter the geometry, then they don't need to run a relocation bracket.

Correct, although it is sometimes hard to tell....

 

[Mad Hatter]

Re: Tire conundrum

Correct, although it is sometimes hard to tell....

I love these three wheel pics! You have me wondering now about my LCA......

 

[jpt3]

I started seriously looking for the sway bars since it's getting closer to track time in the NE. Does anyone know where you can buy just a front ford racing bar? I hate to spend $400 and just not use the rear bar.

If you have to buy both does anyone have an alternative to the ford racing you'd recommend. From my research the other closed seemed to be white lines which is 33mm as opposed to 35mm. Most are tubular instead of solid steel.

 

[Fabman]

Tire conundrum

I started seriously looking for the sway bars since it's getting closer to track time in the NE. Does anyone know where you can buy just a front ford racing bar? I hate to spend $400 and just not use the rear bar.

If you have to buy both does anyone have an alternative to the ford racing you'd recommend. From my research the other closed seemed to be white lines which is 33mm as opposed to 35mm. Most are tubular instead of solid steel.

Steeda has a 35mm front bar.


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[jpt3]

But it's tubular. Isn't it better to get solid?


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[Fabman]

But it's tubular. Isn't it better to get solid?


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Tubular is lighter. What matters is the rate of the bar. I believe the steeda and ford racing bars are the same rate. (Correct me if I am wrong people)


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[jpt3]

Tubular is lighter. What matters is the rate of the bar. I believe the steeda and ford racing bars are the same rate. (Correct me if I am wrong people)


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I would love to know this answer. From reading the descriptions the spring rate wasn't disclosed.

 

[Fabman]

Tire conundrum

I would love to know this answer. From reading the descriptions the spring rate wasn't disclosed.

Rarely is...same with spring rates.
With the exception of coilover springs, most vendors don't disclose the rates making it a real guessing game.


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[jpt3]

Rarely is...same with spring rates.
With the exception of coilover springs, most vendors don't disclose the rates making it a real guessing game.


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I guess maybe a better question is what is it about the ford racing that makes it so great? Solid construction? The rate of the spring? Etc. if I have to buy the ford racing and not use rear I can but that bothers me.

 

[Fabman]

I guess maybe a better question is what is it about the ford racing that makes it so great? Solid construction? The rate of the spring? Etc. if I have to buy the ford racing and not use rear I can but that bothers me.

Steeda, BMR, FRPP, Eibach and others make a 35mm hollow front bar for these cars (35mm =1 3/8")
I would bet at least some of them are the same bar re branded or a copy of the original FRPP bar.
I wouldn't hesitate to use any of them myself.

 

[blacksheep-1]

It's been my experience that the Ford "blue" bar on the middle setting is a good way to start, go with something bigger than an 18mm rear bar..just for starters, then work your way down. We've also used Hotchkiss bars here and there, but I'm not sure which ones.
All of this is a package deal, don't think you're going to make a radical change in one department and leave the springs and shocks alone, and expect a huge improvement, you might actually go backwards for awhile. One thing that showed up at Homestead was how good Penske coil overs actually were, they were on Preston's winning car and he had little tire issues, the other two cars, Big Al and Nicole's car had significant issues, especially Nicoles'.
Preston also had the lowest air pressures of the 3 BTW.

 

[Grant 302]

You can get the Strano front bar separately. This is one I know of that has openly published spring rates.

 

[jpt3]

It's been my experience that the Ford "blue" bar on the middle setting is a good way to start, go with something bigger than an 18mm rear bar..just for starters, then work your way down. We've also used Hotchkiss bars here and there, but I'm not sure which ones.
All of this is a package deal, don't think you're going to make a radical change in one department and leave the springs and shocks alone, and expect a huge improvement, you might actually go backwards for awhile. One thing that showed up at Homestead was how good Penske coil overs actually were, they were on Preston's winning car and he had little tire issues, the other two cars, Big Al and Nicole's car had significant issues, especially Nicoles'.
Preston also had the lowest air pressures of the 3 BTW.

I guess I was understanding that it's best to go smaller rear sway than bigger. Maybe it is best just to do the ford racing one then. Interesting about tires too

 

[2012-Boss]

I guess I was understanding that it's best to go smaller rear sway than bigger. Maybe it is best just to do the ford racing one then. Interesting about tires too

Your spring rates are really soft at 200 lb/in front and 175 lb/in rear. Most of the discussion in this thread with regard to a smaller rear bar is with a much higher rear spring rate around 350.

I assume your car is a GT. If so, keep the rear OEM bar, which is 24mm. Buy a 35mm adjustable front bar and set it to full stiff if you are running a square setup and in the middle if staggered. Go to the track and run a couple of sessions. Re-adjust the front bar if you don't like the cars balance.

As mentioned before, Strano, Eibach, Steeda, and BMR all make a decent front tubular bar. I personally run the Strano bar. I believe the FRPP are rebranded Eibach bars. You want tubular vs solid. A solid bar is no stiffer than a hollow bar in a given diameter, it just weighs more.

You might consider the Maximum Motorsports springs for your car. They will work with your Koni dampers and are a fair bit stiffer than your current springs without being as low as the H&R race springs.

 

[Fabman]

It's been my experience that the Ford "blue" bar on the middle setting is a good way to start, go with something bigger than an 18mm rear bar..just for starters, then work your way down. We've also used Hotchkiss bars here and there, but I'm not sure which ones.
All of this is a package deal, don't think you're going to make a radical change in one department and leave the springs and shocks alone, and expect a huge improvement, you might actually go backwards for awhile. One thing that showed up at Homestead was how good Penske coil overs actually were, they were on Preston's winning car and he had little tire issues, the other two cars, Big Al and Nicole's car had significant issues, especially Nicoles'.
Preston also had the lowest air pressures of the 3 BTW.

That's where I am. Ford blue bar/ middle hole, 18mm bar rear. Car really came together once I landed here.


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[Fabman]

Your spring rates are really soft at 200 lb/in front and 175 lb/in rear. Most of the discussion in this thread with regard to a smaller rear bar is with a much higher rear spring rate around 350.

I assume your car is a GT. If so, keep the rear OEM bar, which is 24mm. Buy a 35mm adjustable front bar and set it to full stiff if you are running a square setup and in the middle if staggered. Go to the track and run a couple of sessions. Re-adjust the front bar if you don't like the cars balance.

As mentioned before, Strano, Eibach, Steeda, and BMR all make a decent front tubular bar. I personally run the Strano bar. I believe the FRPP are rebranded Eibach bars. You want tubular vs solid. A solid bar is no stiffer than a hollow bar in a given diameter, it just weighs more.

You might consider the Maximum Motorsports springs for your car. They will work with your Koni dampers and are a fair bit stiffer than your current springs without being as low as the H&R race springs.

^^^This^^^


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