Any weekend racers here? Need suspension advice.

B

bkw

Member
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Speed3
Last weekend as I was setting up a local bmwcca event, I took my new speed3 around the cones a few times to try to figure out this whole FF and turning thing :)

In stock trim, there's a bit too much roll and at speed the car feels a bit 'flighty' and loose. Delicate throttle/clutch/accelerator footwork was trumped by pushed understeer and abrupt axis weight rotation.

Instead of experimenting with different setups, would like to hear from owners who race and also drive their cars to find a happy medium between the two. Swaybar thickness, spring/shock combos, chasis braces, etc.. bring em all on!

Thanks!
 
mmm i won't be much help as i drive a reg3 but (bump) for a good question and i know there are at least a couple guys that have tracked these quite a bit already... if this thread works out well i am thinking STICKY
 
I'm glad I'm not the only one noticing that weird, "flighty" feeling in the car at high speeds. It's really bothered me and I feel somewhat unsettled in the car. I'm sure an aftermarket suspension or MazdaSpeed coilovers would be great, but that's not an option for me. I want to keep the stock ride for a number of reasons.

I believe our cars have 22mm rear sway bars. I think it would be nice to bump that up to around 28mm. I can't believe no one has one out yet. (The aftermarket for this car SUCKS.)

A major problem on the MS3 is the tires. These Bridgestones suck. They can't handle a lot of heat. Once you overheat them (which isn't that hard) they lose a lot of grip very quickly.
 
iirc you guys have 27mm sway bars... i will see if i can't dig that up real quick
 
dcomiskey said:
I'm glad I'm not the only one noticing that weird, "flighty" feeling in the car at high speeds. It's really bothered me and I feel somewhat unsettled in the car. I'm sure an aftermarket suspension or MazdaSpeed coilovers would be great, but that's not an option for me. I want to keep the stock ride for a number of reasons.

I believe our cars have 22mm rear sway bars. I think it would be nice to bump that up to around 28mm. I can't believe no one has one out yet. (The aftermarket for this car SUCKS.)

A major problem on the MS3 is the tires. These Bridgestones suck. They can't handle a lot of heat. Once you overheat them (which isn't that hard) they lose a lot of grip very quickly.
Click to expand...

give it time...the aftermarket support will come....it does for almost any factory turbo'd car. heheh and will finally bring more support for us reg 3 guys....gotta be a little selfish.

But I have heard great things about the H&R coilover kit for the speed3 on another forum. Good stance, so-so adjustable, but supposed at add alot in the handling department.
 
Was considering the H&R kit as it is one of the most affordable full coilover systems available. BUT, had experienced some pretty poor build issues on my old Audi to which they refused to replace blown seals on units with less than 3k miles.

Thinking that tein will enter the arena, and perhaps Bilstein with their pss9's. Have those on the M3 and love em to death.
 
over 12 events autox this year with my ms3.....good alignment is ur best friend.....and play around the tire pressure...!! stock alignment is way off to do autox.....get max camber for front and 1/8 toe out....-1 camber rear 0 toe.....if u are understeer after that....pump more air in rear....38 front 44 rear....and keep play around the tire pressure...
 
For the road course, I used 34 front and roughly 36 rear. I had to let a bit of air out of the right front (takes the most load at NHIS). But, for auto-x, everything is different.

I'm going to have to live with the suspension in my case. I can't upgrade since I drive my little girl around all the time. One of the reasons I got rid of my GTI was for that reason. I can't alter that part of the car..
 
bkw said:
Hey udontknowjack, whered you pick up your bilsteins from? How are they?
Click to expand...

custom valved from AWRRACING.com.....they are great but they are also very costly....if u like to adjustin ur suspension every now and then...coilover is the way to go....for me...i just like to installed them and forget about it.... those shocks work better with stiffer springs...i have ms springs....they are match in heavenly...but again..alot of money!!
o they are not that much stiffer over stock on street driving....just perfect!!
 
dcomiskey said:
I'm glad I'm not the only one noticing that weird, "flighty" feeling in the car at high speeds. It's really bothered me and I feel somewhat unsettled in the car. I'm sure an aftermarket suspension or MazdaSpeed coilovers would be great, but that's not an option for me. I want to keep the stock ride for a number of reasons.

I believe our cars have 22mm rear sway bars. I think it would be nice to bump that up to around 28mm. I can't believe no one has one out yet. (The aftermarket for this car SUCKS.)

A major problem on the MS3 is the tires. These Bridgestones suck. They can't handle a lot of heat. Once you overheat them (which isn't that hard) they lose a lot of grip very quickly.
Click to expand...


Racing beat has 28.5 fronts, and 27 mm rear
I have them both and I don't think there is any other sway bars on the market that can compare with them... they are just about perfect..
 
A good set of tires will fix this. The stock bridgestones suck!! My speed6 came with those stock and it felt the same way. I have Khumos on now and it is a different feeling car. Much better turn in and less body roll. Start there before you go drastic. Mazda makes a good suspension from the factory but then puts on crap tires. Put on a real set and then see what it can do.
 
udontknowjack said:
custom valved from AWRRACING.com.....they are great but they are also very costly....if u like to adjustin ur suspension every now and then...coilover is the way to go....for me...i just like to installed them and forget about it.... those shocks work better with stiffer springs...i have ms springs....they are match in heavenly...but again..alot of money!!
o they are not that much stiffer over stock on street driving....just perfect!!
Click to expand...

udontknowjack, do you have ms3? with ms springs? and u had your shocks custom valved at awr? how much was it? I'm thinkin of doin the same. I have h&r springs. works wonder on launches and corners, but i bounce around after hittin a bump or pothole. Did the bilstein shocks stop the bouncing? Can I tell them to valve it for 0.8" (ms3 stock height) + 1.5" front/ 1.3" rear right height? Sorry about the questions, but if you can answer these I'd really appreciate it. I'm tryin to fix the bounciness before my gf comes back from her trip. she doesnt like it and i dont like it too.
 
Well, i'm not an autocross racer....nor a drag racer.....

I'm more of a street racer. i know i know, it is dangerous and i'm braking the law. but i take full responsibility for my actions.

One thing about me is i don't race for money. Instead i race for pride. Win or lose, it's a different adrenaline when racing in the street. Enjoy it just don't get caught !!!!!

"Regular readers will recall that the Neon-based SRT4 we tested in April 2004 posted better numbers: 5.3 seconds to 60, the quarter in 13.9 at 103. You’ll also recall that a Mazdaspeed 3 [“Power Toys,” May 2007] ran to 60 mph in 5.4 and through the quarter in 14 flat at 101. We should note here that at 3233 pounds the Caliber is 249 pounds heavier than that Neon-based SRT4 and 48 pounds heavier than the Mazdaspeed. Mass is never a plus for acceleration, nor does it help braking. The SRT4’s brakes don’t fade, but 175-foot stops from 70 mph can’t be called impressive. "

c and D , its the verdict damnit !
 
flipstylex said:
Well, i'm not an autocross racer....nor a drag racer.....

I'm more of a street racer. i know i know, it is dangerous and i'm braking the law. but i take full responsibility for my actions.

One thing about me is i don't race for money. Instead i race for pride. Win or lose, it's a different adrenaline when racing in the street. Enjoy it just don't get caught !!!!!

"Regular readers will recall that the Neon-based SRT4 we tested in April 2004 posted better numbers: 5.3 seconds to 60, the quarter in 13.9 at 103. Youll also recall that a Mazdaspeed 3 [Power Toys, May 2007] ran to 60 mph in 5.4 and through the quarter in 14 flat at 101. We should note here that at 3233 pounds the Caliber is 249 pounds heavier than that Neon-based SRT4 and 48 pounds heavier than the Mazdaspeed. Mass is never a plus for acceleration, nor does it help braking. The SRT4s brakes dont fade, but 175-foot stops from 70 mph cant be called impressive. "

c and D , its the verdict damnit !
Click to expand...


WTF? lol

Anyways, I have the MSpeed shock/struts/and spring kit on my Speed3. Just the other weekend we went driving up to Julian here in California, beautiful scenery by the way. We drove on some twisties coming back home, it was fun. The car handled tight around the turns, but near the middle, and the end of the mountain turns, my 3 felt like it was "sliding" out towards the other lane as we drove spiritedly back to the highway to head back to San Diego. I have stock wheels and tires. Needless to say, the other guys who had after market wheels and obviously aftermarket tires were able to corner faster and harder than I could keep up.

Moral of the story, start with your tires, and get something better. The potenzas that are on there like others up there mentioned, suck balls. I'm searching for new tires as I type this. Looking at Kuhmo's or maybe some Yokohama's. We'll see. Goodluck on your car if you decide to mod anything!

-J
 
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