improving handling

[kawazakske]

Before gaining more power by a supercharger, I've allready upgraded brakes and exhaust. Now I've just bought the adjustable yellow Koni dampers. What else can I do to improve the handling as well by streetuse as on trackdays.
Because of the streetuse, lowering is not an option. Swaybars ? Subframe connectors ?
Thanks for the advise

 

[Marc S]

The Koni's are a good choice, I have them also. Unless your roads are really bad, lowering should not be an issue. My car has never bottomed out and some of the roads where I live are very rough. I have H&R road race springs on mine and really like them. They are fairly stiff and they lowered my car about 1.5". The springs almost eliminated all of the understeer that these cars have engineered into them. That's because the H&R spring rates are higher for the rears springs than for the front springs. If you choose to keep the stock springs you can balance the understeer by changing the sway bar diameters/rates. I still run the stock sway bars on my car. I have Competition Engineering's race LCA's, they are a little noisier than stock due to the rod ends. The stock LCA's should me changed on any car with modifications IMO. I also have FRPP strut tower brace. I won my class at every auto-X event I attended this year, so I believe my setup works good for me. I do not believe you need sub-frame connectors, the S197 is a sturdy platform.

 

[walter]

I have the Roush Stage 2 suspension which lowers the car about an inch, J&M LCAs, GT500 strut insulators, and a Fays 2 Watts link. I can tell you the car is neutral and much more easy to control at the limit (which is easy to reach on stock tires...).

Marc. What Auto-X class are you running in?

 

[GreyDiesel]

Marc S summed it up very well. I would second that you should not worry about lowering. The stock S197 is very high. Lowering adds a lot of control and balance, and your still going to be higher than some stock vehicles on the road.

Plus, your lowering springs are going to be tighter, and that will give even more control and balance. They will also remove WOT squat and brake dive.

You can go with a conservative set of springs, like Steeda, or Roush 1", or FRPP 1". 1" of lowering will not come anywhere close to causeing bottoming out.

Other than springs, yeah, swaybars. Hotchkis, Steeda, or Roush all make thick rear swaybars that are going to make a huge difference in how the cars looses grip at 10/10ths. i.e. make it oversteer or neutral as opposed to understeer. The stock car comes with a thick front swaybar already (to ensure understeer at all costs), so you dont need to mess with that one unless you really want to.

 

[Marc S]

large sedan, it is not a SCCA class just a local club of about 300 cars in various classes. I run with Camaros, M5's, A6 and S4's.

 

[walter]

Sweet I guess they go by size not doors?

 

[kawazakske]

Thanks,
considering your advizes i ordered today :
Steeda aluminium driveshaft
Steeda swaybars
Steeda LCA 's
Edelbrock supercharger

Together with the Koni's , Baer extremeplus brakes en Borla exhaust it will have to deal with it cause the wallet is empty

 

[kawazakske]

About the springs: I have to consider it because over here we've got lots of speedbumps , I'll try to contact some guys over here who have lowered their cars and see what they 'll tell me .

 

[GreyDiesel]

congrats man.

I am envious, but happy for you, so I'll put the green happy face.

You should post some vids once you get it all done so we can all live vicariously.

 

[kawazakske]

congrats man.

I am envious, but happy for you, so I'll put the green happy face.

You should post some vids once you get it all done so we can all live vicariously.

Thanks, it will take a while to get them because the guy who's shipping the parts has to fill up his container , (but he made a nice price for me so )
I'll surely let you know when it 's fixed

 

[Blu-Steel]

Sounds like you have a good plan. I have a ROUSH Stage 3 and I really love the handling and the lowered stance. I have had no issues with bottoming out since it is only about 1 - 1 1/2" lower than stock, although I do keep my nose off of curbs when I park.
You'll really love the way your car handles when you get it set up. Anyway you go, ROUSH, Steeda, FRP, Eibach...it will be much better than stock!