Suspension

[patric2391]

So right now I am just getting into modding cars with performance upgrades and suspension. But my main question is with suspension. I know the zx2 has independant suspension. I have read some of the suspension stickys. Especially the sticky with the different types of suspension. My question is with our independant suspension why it bad to mod your car to much to where it changes to more of a non-independant suspension. If there is some sticky that I missed with this in it sorry guys.

[Alwayssideways]

Im wondering if you are confusing independent rear suspension with "over modding" and creating under steer or over steer. Which can be done if you "over mod" some people favor one or the other . Some like it right in the middle. Giggity

[patric2391]

Yeah I will prolly like it in the middle since right now it is my dd. But over modding causes to stiff of a ride due to it being less independant. I will prolly like oversteer as well, eventually. I like it when the rear tends to slide a bit. My stock suspension did all the time, before new tires. But, yes, I might be confusing it.

[zxtwou2]

i know exactly what you are saying. people like to put the biggest rear sway bar on their car they can find, which makes the suspension much less independent. unfortunately, with soft spring rates, a stiff bar will not be that great. it's like too much of a good thing. the best way to make a McStrut car handle is to make the suspension move as little as possible, since it doesn't gain camber on movement. a band-aid for that is a big sway bar to make both sides move a whole bunch in the same direction when turning. it upsets the balance of the car and you end up doing spins with little to no warning. a little suspension movement is good, but like i said...make it move as little as possible because McPherson strut setups really aren't that great a geometry.

our setup is a single control arm front and quadralink rear. the best way to help the suspension, is adjusting or changing the dampening rates. you want a very high rate (stiff) rebound and somewhat firm compression with a fairly high spring rate. rebound is the key with shocks. some of the best setups in autocross are actually on stock cars where shock replacement is completely open. find a 94 Miata R with good shocks, and it will sit almost an inch and a half lower at the end of the course than it did at the start line....because of that rebound stiffness.

[patric2391]

Thanks zxtwo yeah that pretty much answered my question. Thanks a lot. I can't really wait until I can afford to start messing with the suspension. As of right now it's a 19mm rsb