The Ohio Random Thread... aka We Should Probably Be Working

[subspeed6]

just wanted to say im glad all you guys that dont own a 3 and havent had the personal experience with the set up larry was looking at are discrediting what i said, i guess i just dont know what im talking about, even though i rolled on the exact same set up (speed sways and stock springs) larry was looking at for about 2500-3000 miles before i got springs to combo with it

whatever i guess you all know better than people with actual knowledge and experience on things

I <3 no matter what others think. Whitney is the counter to my Mingy. (**** you THE Phen!)

 

[hat1018]

Isn't oversteer a handling problem, especially when you are used to understeer? I haven't owned a rear wheel drive car for 20 some years so I sort of expect understeer, not that it is ideal by any stretch.

 

[PrinceValorum]

Isn't oversteer a handling problem, especially when you are used to understeer? I haven't owned a rear wheel drive car for 20 some years so I sort of expect understeer, not that it is ideal by any stretch.

It's not a problem, as long as you know to expect it and are used to and comfortable with it. Would I want a 22mm RSB in my 626, which would be extreme overkill? Heck no, I'd fear on ramps at any speed something fierce. I'd probably play around with a bit on Forza to see how everything works, but I'd rather have a neutral handling car. My Miata is very neutral, from what I've experienced, and it's comforting. At least to me and my beginner skillz.

It's one thing to have a race setup for the track, and it's a different thing to use a race setup on the road, where things like gravel, puddles, traffic, animals and other junk can come into play unexpectedly. Just my opinion.

 

[o0n8]

since were on the subject of oversteer, understeer, what's the proper way to install strut bars? do you want have the car in the air or on the ground?

 

[princess peach]

Isn't oversteer a handling problem, especially when you are used to understeer? I haven't owned a rear wheel drive car for 20 some years so I sort of expect understeer, not that it is ideal by any stretch.

i don't think it's a handling problem, if you're used to understeer and you upgrade your rear sway then the car will feel more neutral. depending on what sway you get then it will lean towards oversteer under hard breaking. Tri-point designed their rear sway to work with the stock front sway (even on the stiffest setting). I have a mazdaspeed front and hotchkis rear, the stiffest setting is a little much (learned that the hard way) but the soft setting makes the car feel very neutral. You can "make" it oversteer, but you have to know how to manage the balance of the car, I'm still working on that since I don't like to be an ass on the street but I have a god feel for it (i think).

 

[Fiji Mazda3]

To stop having to buy tail light bulbs every other day like every other Volkswagen?

I've replaced my headlights more often then most people I know with VWs.

isn't the tt just a beatle with four rings on it and the beatle is just a golf with a 2 door body? I think it might have been on top gear where i saw that

Essentially, yes. It's kind of like how the 3 platform is also shared with the Euro Focus and Volvo. Just not to that extent.

 

[PrinceValorum]

since were on the subject of oversteer, understeer, what's the proper way to install strut bars? do you want have the car in the air or on the ground?

I'm guessing you mean sway bars/anti-roll bars, not strut tower braces. Get it up on ramps. You want the suspension loaded, but you might have trouble reaching everything if it's on the ground. Since the bar is under tension, it'd be a real bear if the suspension was unloaded (ie. on a jack).

 

[Lewis7789]

Would I want a 22mm RSB in my 626, which would be extreme overkill? Heck no, I'd fear on ramps at any speed something fierce.

I have the Progress 22mm rear sway bar and stock front sway bar. My car handles just fine and I really like the way it feels in the corners. It's never snapped away from me or scared me on on ramps or anything, mate.

I think you guys are over analyzing everything. Like an upgraded rear sway bar is going to make your car spin out uncontrolably.

Nate, if you were talking about strut bars, install them on flat, level ground when the vehicles susspension is loaded. Basically, pop the hood and slap the strut bars on.

 

[PrinceValorum]

I have the Progress 22mm rear sway bar and stock front sway bar. My car handles just fine and I really like the way it feels in the corners. It's never snapped away from me or scared me on on ramps or anything, mate.

Not to pou-pou your statement, but our cars are a different platform. I'm just going off of what the guys on PT said. Even a 19mm is supposed to make the 626/PGT a bit tail happy. It makes sense considering my stock bar is 12mm and some even left the factory without a RSB... A 22mm for my car is considered an extreme track setup that not even all of the experienced racers want (depending on their driving style).

What size is stock for a 3 and what size is the MS3? Well I guess it also depends on the fancy compounds that you guys have available. I just have metal, lol. :/

 

[hat1018]

I think stock for a 3 is 21F 20R. speed3 is 26F 25R.

 

[THE Phen]

I have the Progress 22mm rear sway bar and stock front sway bar. My car handles just fine and I really like the way it feels in the corners. It's never snapped away from me or scared me on on ramps or anything, mate.

I think you guys are over analyzing everything. Like an upgraded rear sway bar is going to make your car spin out uncontrolably.

Nate, if you were talking about strut bars, install them on flat, level ground when the vehicles susspension is loaded. Basically, pop the hood and slap the strut bars on.

Go into a turn somewhat hot and lift mid turn... It will snap uncontrollably with your set up, my old setup, hell, even the MSP rear bar with a P5 front bar. Rob had MSP springs / struts combo with stock front bar and Progress rear and he'd snap the rear out on demand. I was doing it while running RT-615's... especially when ambient temps got to around 50 degrees. It really is quite easy to do. That's part of how I bent one of my TTL's in the rear. I was taking a turn from one road to another and some lady decided she wanted to damn near blow the stop sign. I went from a left turn, to straighting up, to hard left to finish making the turn, and lifted at the same time. Back end snapped out quickly and found a curb. I should have just hit the b****.

 

[magnumP5]

^^^ And this is why you don't lift mid-turn. Even though I know it's a completely different chassis go take a look at DaveB's video of me in my RX-7 at Mid-Ohio last summer. But yeah, I had the same Progress RSB, Tein S-Tech springs, and Tokico HP combo on my P5 and throttle-off oversteer was definitely an issue. Although with FWD oversteer is pretty easy to correct (if non-intuitive) just as long as you have a little bit of extra pavement to work with (i.e. not on the edge of the road!).

 

[o0n8]

Nate, if you were talking about strut bars, install them on flat, level ground when the vehicles susspension is loaded. Basically, pop the hood and slap the strut bars on.

That's what i was looking for

 

[magnumP5]

^^^ Swaybars need to be installed with the suspension loaded. For strut (tower) bars I always read that you need to jack one side of the car up. The real reason eludes me right now, but I think it's something about preloading the bar? Actually, I couldn't even install my CP Racing STB without doing this (the studs/holes wouldn't line up).

 

[o0n8]

well mine are adjustable at the feet but i've heard both that the car should be in the air and on the ground. In the air kinda makes sense, to have no load on the bar and set the feet in place and adjust the bar to the feet. Then when the car goes back on the ground the bar is at it's stiffest (atleast in my head this is how it works) but was hoping someone else really knew

 

[Lewis7789]

Well I'll keep that in mind when driving my P5.

About the strut bars, I'm not arguing with you guys, just asking a question; why would you want to jack up one side of the car to install them? Wouldn't that tweak that one side to have a different load than the other side? I've always installed mine on flat/level ground. But I'm not 100% sure this is the correct way to install them.

 

[o0n8]

Well I'll keep that in mind when driving my P5.

About the strut bars, I'm not arguing with you guys, just asking a question; why would you want to jack up one side of the car to install them? Wouldn't that tweak that one side to have a different load than the other side? I've always installed mine on flat/level ground. But I'm not 100% sure this is the correct way to install them.

My scenario is with the enitre half or all of the car lifted for install. When i did my gt spec bar i did it on the ground and left it how the previous owner had it adjusted. Just wondered if I did it correctly since I'm gonna have to do it again when I install all my other stuff and add a rear tower bar

 

[Rockin03mp5]

wow... phen changed his name... i should probably do the same since the p5 is going bye bye tomorrow.

 

[rally2003]

On TuesdayI'm going to eastern ohio to look at a MP3 for my girlfriend. Hope she gets it then we'll have a MSP and a MP3. Then we just need a P5 for family and winter use.

 

[hat1018]

On TuesdayI'm going to eastern ohio to look at a MP3 for my girlfriend. Hope she gets it then we'll have a MSP and a MP3. Then we just need a P5 for family and winter use.

Cool. Good luck.