back 5 minutes...already have another question, rear springs....a question of balance Options

[Joseph Mills]

My car has 180# springs in the back with 19 or 21mm torsion bars front. Koni adjustables all around.

This summer I installed a 22mm Weltmiester swaybar to cure some EXCESSIVE oversteer (to put it mildly).

Now it's about as neutral handling as you could hope for on the street. At 60mph on off-ramps taking it up to the final point of adhesion, you can abruptly apply throttle lift and the back-end just jumps out a little....real nice. If you floor the throttle, it will slowly start to push. ALL VERY controllable.

But at slower 30-40mph speeds typical of some tight autocross turns, it has a slight tendancy to push. I've always heard that slow speed pushing is very difficult to overcome. But I hope that I can still get the car to rotate a little better yet.

I'm considering going to 200# springs. I've even considered 220 or 240# springs, but I don't want to end up with TOO much oversteer again.

I know many of you have been here before. What shall I do? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[ArtechnikA]

I could hook up the stock rear sway bar. ... I've always "heard" that it just creates more wheel spin (if so, why is it recommended to use it for -6?).
...
Run 30# in F tires and 40# in R.???

what -kind- of tires ? Goodyear slicks? Hoosiers? you're in CSP - so i'm guessing some kinda R-compound DOT tire. different tires like different pressures and cambers. i have no experience with any of them - yet ... (will probably change this year ...)

on the rear antiroll bar, /6's are heavier in the back, that may make them more amenable to what an antiroll bar will do. they may also be more likely to have LSD, which you'll need if you start lifting the inside rear under power (which is where the wheelspin comes from...)

driving my GTI in SOLO-II (E-Prepared) definitely helped cure me of trying too hard for the tight line in the hairpins ...

[Joseph Mills]

Experimenting with different driving styles is always a good idea. It'll teach you car control, get you tuned in to what output follows your input. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)
I wouldn't play with different tire pressures front and rear. It's hard enough finding the right pressure for your car and tires without trying to balance the car with changing pressures.
I wouldn't get rid of any negative camber. The negative camber will give you the grip you need. Balance that grip with spring rates and swaybar adjustments. I think going up to 225# springs will bring your front swaybar to near mid point which is a good place to be. I think there is more stress and preload on the drop links when they are at the extremes.

Thanks Drew for correcting my perspective. Sounds like sage advice. Especially balancing with spring rates/swaybar. I'm still paranoid about going so high with the rear springs....I guess because I feel like I'm sooo close.......

Guess it's time to sit back and "mull" this over. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

Rich, right now I'm running Hoosiers. Thanks for the -6 info.