Best suspension setup for controllable oversteer?

Guest · Mar 23, 2001

I'm getting ready to upgrade the suspension on my se-r and am curious as to how I should set it up to get a little oversteer. Is it even possible to get a fwd car to oversteer like a rwd car?

I drive a nissan pickup on a regular basis too, which I have no trouble sliding the tail out and "steering with the throttle." My goal would be to get the se-r to handle like that.

I though I remember reading that it was best to run something like a 300f/400r spring rate, rather than relying on big anti-sway bars. But I was just reading that will result in "snap oversteer" and not be controllable.

So what is the best setup for progressive oversteer? Or am I stuck getting a Miata to have some fun?

brian · Mar 23, 2001

probably the truechoice. or get hella stiff springs in the rear.

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98 se-r w/ p/r cai,jwt s3 cams, stillen header, courtesy exhaust, ur pullies, JUN flywheel, ACT clutch, NOS nitrous kit, eibach springs, kyb struts, st sways, cusco camber plates, f/r strut braces,stillen lower control arm brace, lotsa bushings, and a bunch of other crap

spdracerUT · Mar 23, 2001

I would think that you would need a big ass rear sway bar AND stiff as hell rear springs. If you just have the stiff springs, then I think you'll get the snap oversteer because of the weight transfer from side to side.... i.e, you enter the turn, the weight transfers kinda at once causing the rear outside tire to reach its limit kinda instantly causing the snap. Did that make any sense? If you have the rear sway bar, it'll help reduce the weight transfer making it more predictable. If you watch cars, especially ones with stock suspension and lots of body roll, go through a slalom, you'll see what weight transfer can do to the rear of a car!

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'96 SE-R.... a few tweaks here and there

ClassicSE-R · Mar 23, 2001

Originally posted by Doug H:
I'm getting ready to upgrade the suspension on my se-r and am curious as to how I should set it up to get a little oversteer. Is it even possible to get a fwd car to oversteer like a rwd car?

You can get a FWD car to oversteer, no problem. It's different from a RWD car, though. In FWD, you drop off the throttle in the turn, or brake hard while turning in, to get the rear end to come around. Then, you stand on the gas to plant the rear end and get the car to pull out of the slide.

Classics tend to have pretty large amounts of drop throttle oversteer stock. 200's have much less (because the rear beam doesn't go through all the toe changes the Classic IRS does under squat and dive).

On a Classic, run 300f/225-250r lb/in springs and AGX shocks, with an S/T front sway bar and a NU-Tech adjustable rear sway bar. Run about 2 degrees of negative front camber, with 0 front toe, and about a degree of negative rear camber, with about 0 toe. This should give a nice neutral steady state cornering attitude with nice controlable drop throttle oversteer.

You can tune the car's handling to your liking by adjusting the shocks, sway bar, and tire pressures.

Most of this same stuff applies to 200's, but you may need a little more rear spring in a 200.

Rob

slowSER · Mar 23, 2001

Originally posted by ClassicSE-R:
On a Classic, run 300f/225-250r lb/in springs and AGX shocks, with an S/T front sway bar and a NU-Tech adjustable rear sway bar. Run about 2 degrees of negative front camber, with 0 front toe, and about a degree of negative rear camber, with about 0 toe. This should give a nice neutral steady state cornering attitude with nice controlable drop throttle oversteer.

Hey, that's pretty close to how my car is setup -- 325/275 springs, Shocktek shocks, stock front sway bar, Nu Tech rear, -1.8 degrees -camber in front, -.8 in back, zero toe all around.

I had the Nu Tech bar on it's stiffest setting and it felt OK at first. One time during an autocross, I was coming through this chicane-like offset FLAT, and the back end stepped out a bit.

Then I autocrossed on a surface with very little grip. I was watching Mark Chiles take his *stock* SE-R through these big sweeping offsets, and I didn't see any brake lights. I figured, hey, I could do the same thing, but then I nearly spun going through the first big offset on my first run. I couldn't put enough power down to keep the back end controlable!

Therefore, I couldn't be as aggressive as I would have liked. I adjusted tire pressures a bit, but I still didn't feel comfortable.

Since then, I set the bar to the middle setting, but I haven't autocrossed the car to test it out.

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'93 Sentra SE-R, daily driver and track/autox toy

MaddMatt · Mar 23, 2001

What I got:
350f/250r Ground Control
AGX shocks
Addco 19mm rear bar
Stock fromt bar
-1.5 camber up front
-1.3 camber in the back
ever-so-slight toe out front and rear

I've only autocrossed it once like this. It pushes just a little. I know I need a touch more negative camber up front and I'm there.

On/off ramps rule...

Matt

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Matt
92 SE-R from Heck

ClassicSE-R · Mar 23, 2001

Originally posted by MaddMatt:

-1.5 camber up front

I run 3 degrees negative up front.

Rob

MaddMatt · Mar 26, 2001

I'll have -3 when I get GC camber plates

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Matt
92 SE-R from Heck

slowSER · Mar 26, 2001

Originally posted by MaddMatt:
I'll have -3 when I get GC camber plates

I have GC camber plates and can only get -1.8.

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'93 Sentra SE-R, daily driver and track/autox toy

nj1266 · Mar 26, 2001

Why do some like their cars to oversteer. I like mine neutral. It is next to impossible to get my 200SX to oversteer. I am running 350fr and 250rr. I am thinking of going up to 400fr and 300rr. Or maybe keep the fronts at 350 and up the rears to 275. that might induce some oversteer. I run ST bars front and rear.

The Stillen plates can give you -3 degrees camber, but you need to slot the top of your tower to allow more movemeent for the screws on the plates. Last time I got an alignment the best I could get was -2.5 camber. This friday I will get -3 with 1/8th toe out. I was told that you need more than -2.5 camber for the road course. Some are even running -3.5.

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Naji Dahi, aka Red Mist
Fast 1998 SE-R Last of the SE-Rs
Slow 1996 G20 (AGXs/G20t springs, K&N drop in filter)

slowSER · Mar 27, 2001

Originally posted by nj1266:
Why do some like their cars to oversteer.

If you can control the oversteer, then the car should be faster. Not tail hanging out Duke Boys style, but just getting the ass end coaxed in the right direction.

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'93 Sentra SE-R, daily driver and track/autox toy

MaddMatt · Mar 27, 2001

nj1266: Remove the front strut tower brace. That will help.

Best suspension setup for controllable oversteer?

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