A question for the slalom racers, Why is front-end so stiff you lift a wheel Options

[stewteral]

Hey Slalom Guys,

I've been bothered by the pics of your cars lifting the inside front wheel under cornering. Years ago, this was the set up for 911's to adjust away from the car's oversteering nature.

However, from my past experience I've found that a car that would be too oversteery for the track would be about right for slaloms. As I saw it, it was most important to get the front end to turn-in crisply to carve the very tight turns.

So what don't I understand about running 914's? Are your courses so fast now the a loose car will get away from you? The fastest course I ever ran just barely
got Dad's old Cobra into 2nd gear (80 MPH).

Best,
Terry

[URY914]

I think some of the pictures you see of 914's lifting a wheel is due to a combination of track surface and if the pavement it level. I've got a picture of my car with the front tire 3" off the ground and it looks impressive. In fact the corner exit was at the top of a rise in the parking lot and the tire lost contact with the surface.

Rear grip, weight transfer, pavement level, apex, car set-up, etc, etc, etc...

[J P Stein]

I think some of the pictures you see of 914's lifting a wheel is due to a combination of track surface and if the pavement it level. I've got a picture of my car with the front tire 3" off the ground and it looks impressive. In fact the corner exit was at the top of a rise in the parking lot and the tire lost contact with the surface.

Rear grip, weight transfer, pavement level, apex, car set-up, etc, etc, etc...

Many's the time we carried the inside front all the way around a long (for AX) sweeper. Since no other 914 could beat us with any regularity we didn't worry about it.

The car was set up fairly soft for our local very lumpy venue. It could be made to keep all 4 on the ground in a corner, but the trade off would be non-contact over the bumps......that would be slower & break parts.
We got hooked on occasion when running on nice smooth concrete....that means a 914 beat us on the 2nd day of a 2 day event....but not enough to take the overall.
We were 750 miles from home and he wasn't.

Another pic on asphalt.

[stewteral]

I think some of the pictures you see of 914's lifting a wheel is due to a combination of track surface and if the pavement it level. I've got a picture of my car with the front tire 3" off the ground and it looks impressive. In fact the corner exit was at the top of a rise in the parking lot and the tire lost contact with the surface.

Rear grip, weight transfer, pavement level, apex, car set-up, etc, etc, etc...

Many's the time we carried the inside front all the way around a long (for AX) sweeper. Since no other 914 could beat us with any regularity we didn't worry about it.

The car was set up fairly soft for our local very lumpy venue. It could be made to keep all 4 on the ground in a corner, but the trade off would be non-contact over the bumps......that would be slower & break parts.
We got hooked on occasion when running on nice smooth concrete....that means a 914 beat us on the 2nd day of a 2 day event....but not enough to take the overall.
We were 750 miles from home and he wasn't.

Another pic on asphalt.

Hi JP,

Thanks for your explanation as your pics were among those that bothered me. Now I see that it was an issue of lumps & bumps and not severely stiff front spring rates.

I must admit that while your pic of the car has one of the front tires off the ground, the other 3 look beautifully PLANTED on the road surface.

Given the BIG toe-in change in the rear through suspension travel, I'd be interested to know what your static setting are. For a stock suspension car, I have been advised to set static toe at 0 to 1/8" toe out.

enjoy,
Terry