Winter mods

[Dean#4AI]

No you aren't

Strano's bars are, in theory, really close to the same size / stiffness as the OEM boss sway bars. Going to a square setup really only requires a slight increase in front or decrease in rear stiffness. Tightening up the front bar (full stiff) and leaving the rear bar on full soft (pretty much OEM stiffness) works very well with the remaining Boss setup.

You may have some additional tuning with the Steeda springs depending on their front to rear rate differences. If it retains the OEM rate differences, then this same setup would work with a square setup.

I haven't talked to sam about the stiffness of each bar, but the rear bar that he sells (and we run) is 3mm smaller OD than stock. Stiffness is a function of OD to the 4th power, so the 22mm bar he sells is noticeably less stiff than stock (although I am not taking wall thicknesses into account). With the rear bar set on full soft (longest lever arm hole), the car will be very tight with a square setup.

I run the rear bar at the shortest lever arm hole setting (loosest) with the square setup and the car is pretty much perfect. On one track here I switch to the middle hole.

Is that with the 7/8" or 1" rear bar?

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

I haven't talked to sam about the stiffness of each bar, but the rear bar that he sells (and we run) is 3mm smaller OD than stock. Stiffness is a function of OD to the 4th power, so the 22mm bar he sells is noticeably less stiff than stock (although I am not taking wall thicknesses into account). With the rear bar set on full soft (longest lever arm hole), the car will be very tight with a square setup.

I run the rear bar at the shortest lever arm hole setting (loosest) with the square setup and the car is pretty much perfect. On one track here I switch to the middle hole.

Is that with the 7/8" or 1" rear bar?

7/8" = 22mm is what I ordered. There weren't options (as far as I know) when I ordered the bar in July last year.

1 inch = 25.4mm would be somewhere between the B302 and 302LS factory bars--so I could see running the 1" bar at full soft, as it would be very close to stock.

 

[BossJockey]

No you aren't

Strano's bars are, in theory, really close to the same size / stiffness as the OEM boss sway bars. Going to a square setup really only requires a slight increase in front or decrease in rear stiffness. Tightening up the front bar (full stiff) and leaving the rear bar on full soft (pretty much OEM stiffness) works very well with the remaining Boss setup.

You may have some additional tuning with the Steeda springs depending on their front to rear rate differences. If it retains the OEM rate differences, then this same setup would work with a square setup.

I haven't talked to sam about the stiffness of each bar, but the rear bar that he sells (and we run) is 3mm smaller OD than stock. Stiffness is a function of OD to the 4th power, so the 22mm bar he sells is noticeably less stiff than stock (although I am not taking wall thicknesses into account). With the rear bar set on full soft (longest lever arm hole), the car will be very tight with a square setup.

I run the rear bar at the shortest lever arm hole setting (loosest) with the square setup and the car is pretty much perfect. On one track here I switch to the middle hole.

Just to clarify it a little more, are you guys feeling looseness(before changing bars) at corner entry, mid corner, or corner exit?

 

[cloud9]

No you aren't

Strano's bars are, in theory, really close to the same size / stiffness as the OEM boss sway bars. Going to a square setup really only requires a slight increase in front or decrease in rear stiffness. Tightening up the front bar (full stiff) and leaving the rear bar on full soft (pretty much OEM stiffness) works very well with the remaining Boss setup.

You may have some additional tuning with the Steeda springs depending on their front to rear rate differences. If it retains the OEM rate differences, then this same setup would work with a square setup.

I haven't talked to sam about the stiffness of each bar, but the rear bar that he sells (and we run) is 3mm smaller OD than stock. Stiffness is a function of OD to the 4th power, so the 22mm bar he sells is noticeably less stiff than stock (although I am not taking wall thicknesses into account). With the rear bar set on full soft (longest lever arm hole), the car will be very tight with a square setup.

I run the rear bar at the shortest lever arm hole setting (loosest) with the square setup and the car is pretty much perfect. On one track here I switch to the middle hole.

Just to clarify it a little more, are you guys feeling looseness(before changing bars) at corner entry, mid corner, or corner exit?

The one and only day I ran square on the stock suspension, I was feeling it mostly at corner entry and mid corner. Corner exit was fine.

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Same as Gary. Square w/ a stock bar = oversteer on entry and steady state during high-speed corners. Kind of scary tbh.

 

[2012YellowBoss]

I don't have the same experience level as you guys but I feel something different then you felt with my square slick setup. I felt a little understeer going in and a small tendency to oversteer exiting, if that even makes sense ??? Plus it was only right turns, the lefts felt better on the exit, same at Homestead last week where I would only feel oversteer exiting the few right turns on that track.

I was running -.2 toe each side so we toed in 1/4 turn (don't know how much in degrees that is) and it made both the entry and exit feel a little better. I think the oversteer exiting, again not too much, was from rolling the left front tire.

My plan for now is to max out the camber and go -.05 for a total of -.1 toe or zero it out, not sure until I see the numbers from our quick track adjustment. I still ended up cording the LF tire with -.4 total toeout and -2.2 camber. So much to learn too little space in my skull :-\

 

[JScheier]

Is that with the 7/8" or 1" rear bar?

1" rear bar

 

[CaliMR]

What more do you guys think I should do before I start tracking my Boss?

I have the tranny scoop and 302S grill, and the brake ducts are in a box to install when I get access to a lift and dot4 I'll pump in before I go.

Turkey basters and a catch can? Anything else that is essential for this car?

I'm not doing the shifter yet, waiting to see if the 1st gear issue clears up first so they can't blame the shifter (it is getting better). Not looking for wheels/tires/sways etc yet, that will be next winter, more just stuff to keep from damaging the car. I run about the same times as the lower half of the spec guys (my e30 is built to spec rules) so I am into the sort-of-fast level I would say.

 

[302BOB]

Hurry with those winter mods, boys!!!! Spring starts tomorrow!!!!!

 

[cloud9]

What more do you guys think I should do before I start tracking my Boss?

I have the tranny scoop and 302S grill, and the brake ducts are in a box to install when I get access to a lift and dot4 I'll pump in before I go.

Turkey basters and a catch can? Anything else that is essential for this car?

I'm not doing the shifter yet, waiting to see if the 1st gear issue clears up first so they can't blame the shifter (it is getting better). Not looking for wheels/tires/sways etc yet, that will be next winter, more just stuff to keep from damaging the car. I run about the same times as the lower half of the spec guys (my e30 is built to spec rules) so I am into the sort-of-fast level I would say.

Get the hoses on and fresh DOT4 and let it rip. You can adjust from there. The car is track ready from the factory except pads and fluid, although even the factory stuff is up to "light" track duty if you're not pushing too hard.

 

[cloud9]

Hurry with those winter mods, boys!!!! Spring starts tomorrow!!!!!

I'm done ;D .....well except the shifter that's on backorder, but I consider that a spring mod.

 

[CaliMR]

Hoses as in the ducts? Those are waiting until I have a place to pick up the car. I can always just baby the brakes a bit, I have to do it on the spec car too.

 

[cloud9]

Hoses as in the ducts?

Yep

 

[VoodooBoss]

Hoses as in the ducts? Those are waiting until I have a place to pick up the car. I can always just baby the brakes a bit, I have to do it on the spec car too.

Do you have a date/track picked out? I cancelled my day at TH on Sunday so will have to wait until April to officially test TK. Track Masters opened up LS for June 16th this afternoon and I'll be signing up in a few minutes. Since you have the brake ducts I'd try and get them on before your first track day. I started a thread that's buried in the tech section with tips on how to install them. I wasn't the first so I used tips from others and compiled them in one thread. Give yourself plenty of time to install them.

 

[CaliMR]

I saw that thread, my kit came with the panels. I don't really want to do it on jack stands since it is pretty involved, which is the main thing holding me back. Trying to convince my friend to sell his wheel lift and get a frame lift ;D

I'll probably take her to THill first, since it is the track I know the best and has more room for oopses than Infineon. I've never run LS so I rather not take it there until I know the track. Looks like all our private THill days this year are going to be weekdays, so not sure how many I will be able to do. We have one the 5th but it is a Thursday and I'm probably not going to be able make it which is why I didn't invite you. Next one is a Monday in May, if I can work out going I will let you know the date and approximate cost. Depends how many people go.

 

[VoodooBoss]

I saw that thread, my kit came with the panels. I don't really want to do it on jack stands since it is pretty involved, which is the main thing holding me back. Trying to convince my friend to sell his wheel lift and get a frame lift ;D

I'll probably take her to THill first, since it is the track I know the best and has more room for oopses than Infineon. I've never run LS so I rather not take it there until I know the track. Looks like all our private THill days this year are going to be weekdays, so not sure how many I will be able to do. We have one the 5th but it is a Thursday and I'm probably not going to be able make it which is why I didn't invite you. Next one is a Monday in May, if I can work out going I will let you know the date and approximate cost. Depends how many people go.

I'm looking for a date in May to replace yesterday so keep me in mind. I'm confirmed for June 16th at LS and April 29th at TH with NorCal Shelby.

I did my brake ducts on jack stands and no issues other than my back getting sore.

 

[CaliMR]

Maybe I can do it while my GF is in town, she has small hands.

If you can do weekdays, I'll let you know once I am sure that I can go. It is a lot cheaper doing it one weekdays, only $3k for the whole day with corner workers. Considering the time you get on track, it isn't a bad deal if you get at least 10 people total. I'm probably going to do the private ones in the Boss and club events in the E30. Took the E30 out today just to keep everything lubed, I kept thinking I was in 6th instead of 2nd... it has 1/3 the hp of the Boss ;D

 

[808Boss]

Gary,

Thanks for the link to bob white decals.

Bob white ended making up the decals on the 1/4 side windows as well. Out of curiosity, Are the FORD letters in the blue oval on your FORD RACING decal White or transparent?

 

[cloud9]

Looks good Jeff! Mine are white but I got those from a different place off ebay. I would have to find the order on my work computer.

 

[VoodooBoss]

Looking good! I've had the windshield decal on my mod list since before I purchased my car. After seeing it on Gary's and Jeff's cars I have have to order one. I was thinking of going more stealth and ordering the decal in Navy blue. You both purchased your windshield decals from Bob White?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/220969095742?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649