Tail Happy.

From what I have heard improved suspension components such as chassis braces/swaybars/strut braces all add toghether to make the car more tail happy. I am a good driver but have minimal track experience and would prefer to learn the limits of my car via understeer than potentialy catastrophic oversteer. Does anybody have any advice as how to add all of these necassary components without having to constantley worry about spinning out? My preference is to make my car handle as well as possible with my stock bilstiens with swift sport springs. Also how can I get some negative camber with my stock suspension besides getting camber bolts which according to the techs at my work wont give me any negative camber?

I did my first track days with a bone stock LGT. I learned quickly that brakes were the weak point of the car and upgraded those first. After that tires and more camber up front with camber bolts. I left the car like that for a year and then did sway bars front and rear to reduce some of the roll. Then modding spiraled out of control but I kept the car's balance neutral because that is what I prefer as a driver. One of the key adjustable mods for determing suspension balance are springrate and sway bars. I am running larger bars both front and rear and my rear springs are only slightly stiffer than the fronts taking into account the multi-link rear end (STI pink springs).

 

If you are overdriving the car and go off track, whether you understeer off or oversteer off, it's bad either way. I give the following advice to a lot of people. Don't worry about what the car can do so much. Pay attention to your driving, use smooth inputs, drive as slow as you feel comfortable, and listen to your instructor. Seat time and gaining confidence in your skills and car will make you a faster driver.

 

Camber bolts gave me about .5 extra degrees of camber. YMMV

Ok thanks, the only reason I am asking which is pretty damn stupid is I was just playing GT5 prolugue without traction, and stability control and couldnt keep the damn car on the road even though it was the modded s2k and m3 stupid concern but really want to track my car and really want to not crash it aswell. What do you find is the best balance between everyday performance and tire wear as far as camber is concerned thanks. P.S your avatar pic is one of the best looking lgt pics I have ever seen.

I ran -1.5 degrees camber full time for awhile and now run -1.9. I drive spiritedly on the street but not too crazy. For me the tire wear was pretty even. Rotating tires front and back can help keep the wear even too. Check your tire pressures and adjust them accordingly for street and track use. Track days are a lot of fun and usually instructors are very helpful and understanding when a person is starting out in a track environment.

 

S2k's and M3's are extremely tail happy. I wish our cars handled as good as those though

 

Thanks for the compliment on the pic. I'll let the photographer know

I've been able to swing the tail a bit with trailing throttle - that's pretty common for most AWD vehicles, as it basically makes the AWD unable to do its job, and the car shifts its weight forward. The key thing I've learned is to lose the old habit of letting off the gas when feeling that happen, because it will only make things worse... you need to stay into the gas (not too much, of course). I've been practicing that in the rain and snow here in MA... it's important to break that terrible habit.

 

Slower != safer!

I applaud your responsibility and honesty! You don't see it very much these days....a lot of first timers want to spend 10k on their motor, 1k on their suspension, get hoosiers, and stock brakes. Then guess what....they suck at driving and never learn anything!

 

So yes, run a track day as stock as possible.....except brakes. You will need a decent set of pads and fluid.

 

That said, the stock suspension on the LGT is pretty terrible. Front and rear mild swaybars and an alignment is a good starting point and still easily controllable. But you will learn a lot managing your grip on the stock suspension.

 

Tires are important....I would not recommend r-comps. Just get a good set of street tires that can manage heat well.

 

Don't really worry about braces IMO. Spend that money on track days or brakes.

 

- Anderw

You can run your car in an autocross and get a feel for it at its limits without fear of crashing. I ran mine in 2 autocrosses stock. It is much cheaper than a track day and it will push the suspension to the limit and beyond if you go fast enough.

 

My car never had oversteer with the stock setup. I now have Perrin 22 mm front and rear anti-sway bars and endlinks, lighter wheels and summer tires. The car was completely differerent in the next autocross and even had oversteer when I pushed it too hard in a turn. An autocross is a safe place to learn how the car drives after the modifications.

Auto-x is a great idea.

 

- Andrew

Also get SS Brake lines, I did SS Lines, fluid and HPS pads and it makes a WORLD of difference, all the other Subarus at the track had terrible brake fade and I told them i didn't know the meaning of fade, mine worked fine :-)

Well is tracking my car stock harmfull the the frame of the car?

No, it won't hurt the frame of the car. You'll definitely want at least pads and a fluid upgrade, though I also recommend stainless lines, at least for the front.

 

Your car understeers like a pig, so don't worry about it oversteering :-) Try heading to one of the Audi track events. They tend to be less hectic than something like NASA, and you'll get more track time.

 

Warren