537
06-16-2004, 11:38 AM
Hey everybody,
In the last article, (http://forums.yellowworld.org/showthread.php?t=16847) we touched upon getting familiar with your car and its strengths and weaknesses. Every vehicle has them, yet not everybody familiarizes themselves with them. In my humble opinion, in order to be a good driver, you need to be aware of what your vehicle can and can't do. We went over a few exercises and tests, and with the completion of such, obtained a firmer grasp of the vehicles different components, how well they match up to an individual's driving style, and how poorly they can behave in some instances.
This article will be focusing on improving on some of these shortcomings. In particular, we will be focusing on improving a vehicle's handling, brakes, and driver vision. Without further babbling, let's begin! As always, any feedback is more than welcome.
Part II. Stage I modifications -- Improving Handling & Brakes & Vision
a. Handling
In the first article, you conducted a series of turns and simulations of street driving. Unless you drive a million dollar vehicle, you more than likely noticed a bit of body roll (and if you're observant enough, a bit of tire sidewall and chassis flex) during your exercise. This can be contributed to the 'soft' settings of your vehicle as manufactured straight from the factory. These soft settings grant you a very plush, cushiony ride on the street, and offer vast amounts of driver comfort for those long hours in traffic. The only problem is that they also contribute to poor vehicle composure in regards to turns and sudden movements, and can outright be terrifying during emergency maneuvers. Here are some things you can improve on a vehicle:
Tires
Wheels
Chassis Reinforcement
Suspension
Factory tires have always been a compromisation point when it comes to automotive manufacturers to reduce production costs. Brand new and shiny, the majority of these OEM tires truly suck ass. They have large amounts of sidewall flex, can't grip the road worth a lick when pushed, and generally they look unattractive. The main improvements to consider are compound, sidewall flex/aspect ratio, and speed rating. Generally speaking, the stickier the compound, the more traction you will get under stress. This does come at a price, as sticky compounds tend to wear out a bit faster than materials that are not as grippy. In regards to sidewall flex, typically a tire with a smaller aspect ratio will exhibit less give and more rigidity, which contributes to increased steering response and turn in. Speed rating is a letter assigned to the tire to rate its speed limits.
Aftermarket wheels are a tricky thing to improve upon. Steer (no pun intended) away from huge, chromed, spinning variants as they are strictly for show and have no place on a vehicle in regards to improving handling. The characteristics you might wish to retain in a performance oriented wheel are for it to be lightweight and wide enough to fit the tire of your choice. The reason behind this is a term labelled unsprung weight. Huge, chromed, or spinning wheels are all unnecessary weight that is unsprung, meaning they are not supported by the vehicles suspension. Reducing unsprung weight will allow your suspension to react quicker to bumps and imperfections on the road, and that is always a good thing. Another reason to shop for lighter wheels is to grant your brakes more leverage while under heavy use, and allow your engine to overcome their rotational inertial momentum/rolling resistance much easier than it would with a heavier wheel.
Reducing chassis flex contributes to allowing the vehicle to delegate its functions properly, i.e. suspension/accelerating/braking, etc. Through steering and acclerator/brake inputs, the vehicle's chassis is asked to transfer weight and power back and forth from one wheel to another. By installing a sturdy tower brace and or underbody cross brace, you are adding rigidity and flex resistance to the vehicle. An additional benefit granted from this modification is an alteration of handling characteristics. In an understeering car (where the front end of the car feels as if it is plowing towards the outside through a turn), adding rigidity to the rear will help it rotate more readily and make it a more neutral handling vehicle. Vice versa, in an oversteering vehicle, adding rigidity to the front end will help add neutrality.
Modifying suspension takes quite a bit of research on the vehicle's handling profile. The main things you can change are shocks/struts/springs, anti-sway bars, and suspension bushings. When tackling a project like this, keep in mind these components work in unison and simply upgrading your springs without upgrading your shocks/struts are typically a bad idea. For street vehicles, ideally you will want to upgrade to a shock/strut and spring set specifically designed for the vehicle for a Stage I modification. Installing a quality anti-sway bar (typically rear on an understeering vehicle, front for an oversteering vehicle) will make the vehicle handle even more neutral. Suspension bushing kits are a very affordable item to purchase, but they are the least enjoyable to install. Usually only around the price range of $100 or less, they often take in excess of 5 hours to install, and require patience, physical strength, and a lot of pain killers. With that being said, this is the most loved modification to one's suspension that many tuners attest to; its cost effectiveness is a mere bonus.
b. Brakes
Upgrading your brakes, much like getting familiar with them, is an absolute necessity prior to any power adding modifications. They are your saviors, and it is my formal recommendation that you pay the most attention to your brake system's health throughout the life of your vehicle. Just like a vehicle's handling characteristics are determined by separate components, so is the same for a vehicle's brakes. These can be broken down into the modules below, each of which can be improved upon independently and/or simultaneously. In my opinion one thing to remember, however, is that both rear and front brakes should be paid equal attention to. There are differing schools of thought on this, though. Anyhow, the components:
Fluid
Hydraulic Lines
Calipers
Pad Material
Rotors
Brake fade, a term used all the time in track/circuit racing, is the state of your brakes when its hydraulic fluid has reached a gaseous state (or your pads are turning to vapor!). This seriously hampers your brake system's ability to scrub off speed and stop the vehicle. Although the term is used more often in racing, this condition can occur in street vehicles and cause accidents on public highways as well.
High quality brake fluid resists water absorption and also maintains a high boiling point. Look for something with a boiling point of over 550F degrees. Bleed your brakes at least once every oil change, and make sure the brake fluid is in good condition.
The majority of OEM hydraulic lines are quite simply put -- rubbery, soft, and weak. A simple upgrade to these are stainless steel braided variants with a clear plastic coating. Make sure they are DOT approved.
On many vehicles, brake calipers are single piston models. An upgrade to these are dual and quad piston calipers, which apply more braking force and consistency.
Brake pad material. This is a tricky one that is the single highest factor in stopping distance, and will depend heavily on the type of driving/racing you will do. On vehicles that run circuit races and track races where brake pads can be brought up to appropriate operating temparatures, a high temperature compound will be required to fend off brake fade and provide uniform heating characteristics. On more conservative and/or drag racing applications, a low temperature range high friction material will be needed. Keep in mind, the higher friction rating a certain pad material has, the more noise and heat it will generate.
Rotor construction/diameter can be upgraded to improve upon its ability to prevent brake fade. The features to look for are a combination of vented, slotted, and cross-drilled. The single reason to upgrade the diameter (provided your wheels are large enough to fit the entire rotor/brake caliper assembly) is to improve on heat dissipation and further fending off of brake fade.
c. Vision
Although there is not much you can do to improve vision, except for installing wide angle rear and side view mirrors, brighter headlights, and maintaining proper driving position, this is one of the most important areas of improvement. Believe it or not, most accidents on the road and on track can be attributed to poor vision and misjudgement of distances.
That about does it for the second article. Hope you have gained some insight on how to start your journey to automotive enlightenment, and remember to be safe! As always, if you have any feedback, please provide it!
next up: Part III. Stage II modifications - Improving power!
In the last article, (http://forums.yellowworld.org/showthread.php?t=16847) we touched upon getting familiar with your car and its strengths and weaknesses. Every vehicle has them, yet not everybody familiarizes themselves with them. In my humble opinion, in order to be a good driver, you need to be aware of what your vehicle can and can't do. We went over a few exercises and tests, and with the completion of such, obtained a firmer grasp of the vehicles different components, how well they match up to an individual's driving style, and how poorly they can behave in some instances.
This article will be focusing on improving on some of these shortcomings. In particular, we will be focusing on improving a vehicle's handling, brakes, and driver vision. Without further babbling, let's begin! As always, any feedback is more than welcome.
Part II. Stage I modifications -- Improving Handling & Brakes & Vision
a. Handling
In the first article, you conducted a series of turns and simulations of street driving. Unless you drive a million dollar vehicle, you more than likely noticed a bit of body roll (and if you're observant enough, a bit of tire sidewall and chassis flex) during your exercise. This can be contributed to the 'soft' settings of your vehicle as manufactured straight from the factory. These soft settings grant you a very plush, cushiony ride on the street, and offer vast amounts of driver comfort for those long hours in traffic. The only problem is that they also contribute to poor vehicle composure in regards to turns and sudden movements, and can outright be terrifying during emergency maneuvers. Here are some things you can improve on a vehicle:
Tires
Wheels
Chassis Reinforcement
Suspension
Factory tires have always been a compromisation point when it comes to automotive manufacturers to reduce production costs. Brand new and shiny, the majority of these OEM tires truly suck ass. They have large amounts of sidewall flex, can't grip the road worth a lick when pushed, and generally they look unattractive. The main improvements to consider are compound, sidewall flex/aspect ratio, and speed rating. Generally speaking, the stickier the compound, the more traction you will get under stress. This does come at a price, as sticky compounds tend to wear out a bit faster than materials that are not as grippy. In regards to sidewall flex, typically a tire with a smaller aspect ratio will exhibit less give and more rigidity, which contributes to increased steering response and turn in. Speed rating is a letter assigned to the tire to rate its speed limits.
Aftermarket wheels are a tricky thing to improve upon. Steer (no pun intended) away from huge, chromed, spinning variants as they are strictly for show and have no place on a vehicle in regards to improving handling. The characteristics you might wish to retain in a performance oriented wheel are for it to be lightweight and wide enough to fit the tire of your choice. The reason behind this is a term labelled unsprung weight. Huge, chromed, or spinning wheels are all unnecessary weight that is unsprung, meaning they are not supported by the vehicles suspension. Reducing unsprung weight will allow your suspension to react quicker to bumps and imperfections on the road, and that is always a good thing. Another reason to shop for lighter wheels is to grant your brakes more leverage while under heavy use, and allow your engine to overcome their rotational inertial momentum/rolling resistance much easier than it would with a heavier wheel.
Reducing chassis flex contributes to allowing the vehicle to delegate its functions properly, i.e. suspension/accelerating/braking, etc. Through steering and acclerator/brake inputs, the vehicle's chassis is asked to transfer weight and power back and forth from one wheel to another. By installing a sturdy tower brace and or underbody cross brace, you are adding rigidity and flex resistance to the vehicle. An additional benefit granted from this modification is an alteration of handling characteristics. In an understeering car (where the front end of the car feels as if it is plowing towards the outside through a turn), adding rigidity to the rear will help it rotate more readily and make it a more neutral handling vehicle. Vice versa, in an oversteering vehicle, adding rigidity to the front end will help add neutrality.
Modifying suspension takes quite a bit of research on the vehicle's handling profile. The main things you can change are shocks/struts/springs, anti-sway bars, and suspension bushings. When tackling a project like this, keep in mind these components work in unison and simply upgrading your springs without upgrading your shocks/struts are typically a bad idea. For street vehicles, ideally you will want to upgrade to a shock/strut and spring set specifically designed for the vehicle for a Stage I modification. Installing a quality anti-sway bar (typically rear on an understeering vehicle, front for an oversteering vehicle) will make the vehicle handle even more neutral. Suspension bushing kits are a very affordable item to purchase, but they are the least enjoyable to install. Usually only around the price range of $100 or less, they often take in excess of 5 hours to install, and require patience, physical strength, and a lot of pain killers. With that being said, this is the most loved modification to one's suspension that many tuners attest to; its cost effectiveness is a mere bonus.
b. Brakes
Upgrading your brakes, much like getting familiar with them, is an absolute necessity prior to any power adding modifications. They are your saviors, and it is my formal recommendation that you pay the most attention to your brake system's health throughout the life of your vehicle. Just like a vehicle's handling characteristics are determined by separate components, so is the same for a vehicle's brakes. These can be broken down into the modules below, each of which can be improved upon independently and/or simultaneously. In my opinion one thing to remember, however, is that both rear and front brakes should be paid equal attention to. There are differing schools of thought on this, though. Anyhow, the components:
Fluid
Hydraulic Lines
Calipers
Pad Material
Rotors
Brake fade, a term used all the time in track/circuit racing, is the state of your brakes when its hydraulic fluid has reached a gaseous state (or your pads are turning to vapor!). This seriously hampers your brake system's ability to scrub off speed and stop the vehicle. Although the term is used more often in racing, this condition can occur in street vehicles and cause accidents on public highways as well.
High quality brake fluid resists water absorption and also maintains a high boiling point. Look for something with a boiling point of over 550F degrees. Bleed your brakes at least once every oil change, and make sure the brake fluid is in good condition.
The majority of OEM hydraulic lines are quite simply put -- rubbery, soft, and weak. A simple upgrade to these are stainless steel braided variants with a clear plastic coating. Make sure they are DOT approved.
On many vehicles, brake calipers are single piston models. An upgrade to these are dual and quad piston calipers, which apply more braking force and consistency.
Brake pad material. This is a tricky one that is the single highest factor in stopping distance, and will depend heavily on the type of driving/racing you will do. On vehicles that run circuit races and track races where brake pads can be brought up to appropriate operating temparatures, a high temperature compound will be required to fend off brake fade and provide uniform heating characteristics. On more conservative and/or drag racing applications, a low temperature range high friction material will be needed. Keep in mind, the higher friction rating a certain pad material has, the more noise and heat it will generate.
Rotor construction/diameter can be upgraded to improve upon its ability to prevent brake fade. The features to look for are a combination of vented, slotted, and cross-drilled. The single reason to upgrade the diameter (provided your wheels are large enough to fit the entire rotor/brake caliper assembly) is to improve on heat dissipation and further fending off of brake fade.
c. Vision
Although there is not much you can do to improve vision, except for installing wide angle rear and side view mirrors, brighter headlights, and maintaining proper driving position, this is one of the most important areas of improvement. Believe it or not, most accidents on the road and on track can be attributed to poor vision and misjudgement of distances.
That about does it for the second article. Hope you have gained some insight on how to start your journey to automotive enlightenment, and remember to be safe! As always, if you have any feedback, please provide it!
next up: Part III. Stage II modifications - Improving power!