need some advice with setup...

[highoctane]

First time taking this s14 out and the car is still tail happy just like my daily s14 with minor suspension work. I just can't seem to keep the rear end implanted, it can break loose on and off throttle. The turn in is great and very responsive, I just can't put any power down at all.

Setup is as follow:
Stock ka with intake and exhaust-255/40 azenis all around
spl KTS coilover
nismo brace
tension rod
f+r braces
progress front sway with adjustment at mid point/stock rear
full ES bushing kit
aluminum subframe and diff bushings

Alignment: F: -2.5camber, 6.7 caster, 0 toe
R: -1.5 camber, close to 1/16 toe

I pretty sure it is not my driving style since I drove a friend IS350 and that thing is more planted for a big heavy car in compared to my. I soften up the rear to max but still doesn't help too much. I was thinking about moving the front sway to the max stiffness either that or disconnect the rear. Any input would be appreciated.

[jmauld]

I'd start by getting rid of the poly bushings.

[jmauld]

What kind of tires are you using?

[98koukile]

I can't even break the rear loose with 452s I'm shocked you're even having a problem... I don't have poly bushings though

[highoctane]

I'm using Azenis rt615 255/40 all around on 17x9. I'll play around with the sway today to see if it help. If not, i'll swap out the upright for the z32 upright that i have laying around somewhere that still have the stock bushing to see what it can do. But gotta get a lower mount for my back coil thought for that to work.

I'm surprise myself how easy it is to break loose, it feel like a drift car instead of grip...lol

[Def]

Get rid of poly bushings. Suspension bind in the rear will make it seem like your springrate is way higher whenever the suspension needs to move.

[highoctane]

Yeah I'm going to swap out the upright with my other s14. But I'm thinking about keeping the rlca and traction rod with poly bushings in it. What do you guys think or should I swap it all out?

Thanks for the help!

[a_ahmed]

If you're going all out just do it. Go spherical everywhere be a man... hahahaha.....

I have to sell my polyurethane left overs heh...

[highoctane]

If you're going all out just do it. Go spherical everywhere be a man... hahahaha.....

I have to sell my polyurethane left overs heh...

I would love to go spherical, but I just don't have the budget right now. Maybe once school is over with I can really step up with some koni along with spherical.

[ecugrad]

Unless this is a RACE car, sphericals are way overkill IMHO.

[Longfellow]

Do the grease fitting mod to your poly bushings. Theres a right up in the forum on how to do it. Its not as nice as sphericals but its better than nothing and should help out quite a bit.

[Def]

Unless this is a RACE car, sphericals are way overkill IMHO.

Everybody has accepted that spherical rod ends are the way to go on multi-link arms - I don't see how it should be any different on the spindle side.

Besides, you can go sphericals in the spindle for about the same price as a couple of SPL arms.


Poly builds up friction FAST, even after greasing... I've got them in my front LCAs, but I try to stay away from poly as much as possible.

[ecugrad]

Never said sphericals were not better. They are.

My point is, that if this is a street car that sees a few track days a year, why go to that extent? Hell stock rubber in good condition does the job pretty good in my estimation.

Of course I'm just a simpleton who has non-adjustable shocks too, so take that for what its worth.

[a_ahmed]

Well I guess you got a point. But, if you're building a car up, build it up right kinda mentality. If you're going to make the car faster do it right, and if you're goign to make the car competitive, if the rules permit it, do it. And it does cost money to go fast... Honestly cheapening out doesn't pay out. Like right now, irrelavent to this topic but.. I bought three made in china things... clutch kit and flywheel from XTD... NRG slim hub and megan racing v2 shifter. The clutch kit sucks period. The NRG slim hub was good but i think when my mechanic was trying to take it off by force it bent a lil so its loose a lil (wont come off but has lame movement now) and the short shifter is absolute garbage after 3 days of use!

You get what you pay for... have to weigh in the balance your goals and ambitions, pros and cons, etc... but you're right. No point unless you'll really use it.. but then that's kind of common-sense...

It's like turbocharging a v8 in a 240 with which you just go groceries with your grandma... kind of a waste.

[Def]

Never said sphericals were not better. They are.

My point is, that if this is a street car that sees a few track days a year, why go to that extent? Hell stock rubber in good condition does the job pretty good in my estimation.

Of course I'm just a simpleton who has non-adjustable shocks too, so take that for what its worth.

Eh, I'll disagree with that stance. I think you get a lot more "bang for the buck" than lots of things people do to their car like a Nismo Power Brace, lighter driveshaft, ghetto fiberglass "aero" etc.

Sure, they cost money, but a track car period is a lot of money, and lots of it is spent in unproductive ways. Hell, the general consensus around most HPDEs I go to are that R-comps are something you've "got" to have in advanced groups. What's the point of increasing your tire budget by many multiples over some street tires just for a little bit of speed on the track? Because they're fun right? Same thing with most go-fast mods I guess...