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upgrading sway bars and camer/caster kit

Robo

By Robo,
in General Automotive Discussion

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Robo Community Regular

Robo

Posted
Posted

Hi There,

I currently have stock springs and shocks on my R33 gts-t.

I have the following suspension upgrades:

- 17" 235x45 front

- 17" 255x40 rear..

- Front Strut brace

- rear strut brace

I'm fairly happy with the firmness (and don't want to lower it yet)but it just rolls too much.

Looking for a better ride around corners.. essentially More grip............. I have been speaking with Whiteline and am looking at:

- upgrading sway bar front and back

- new camber/caster kit.

Will this make much of a difference? I don't use it on any tracks just street use, and want more corner speed..

Will the camber kit sacrifice launches (due to the wheels not sitting flat on the road)?? or will I not notice it?

Any advice is welcome especially those that have done this mod..

Regards

Rob

jlnewton Grand Master

jlnewton

Posted
Posted

Even though I have camber/caster kits on the front of mine and camber kits on the rear I probably wouldn't worry about that until you start messing around with the ride height, unless you are like me and like playing around with different settings. I would definately recommend getting the sway bars. The adjustable ones from whiteline are great value. I would get them followed by a good set of shocks and you corner speed will increase dramatically as long as your tyres are up to the task. I have Bilsteins all round on mine, very nice.

Silver-Arrowz Grand Master

Silver-Arrowz

Posted
Posted

Upgrading the swaybars improves the turn in. It give you that much condifence. I'm still running stock springs and height. No camber kit but probably get castor kit later. I've also got the diff locking bushes. It helps the rear moving too much through a corner.

Robo Community Regular

Robo

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the advice..

So jlnewton,

You replaced your shocks with aftermarket ones.. Did you fit lower springs as well or leave them stadard?

Will it benefit me in anyway upgrading the shocks and leaving the springs standard?

I think for know I will just go adj sway bars (do I need to go front and back?) and then maybe look at replacing the shocks..

Rob

Zane Enthusiast

Zane

Posted
Posted

I also have a series 2 R33 and have had the Whiteline Handling pack (adj sway bars + camber/castor) in for about 6 months. I still have the standard spring and shocks.

Basically the day to day ride quality is no different, not too harsh like with uprated springs/shocks.

The main difference is seen when cornering fast. The car is heaps nicer in and out of corners and feels real stable, good feedback through the wheel and doesn't roll around like a bloated whale when you get the power on early.

The best advantage is when (if...?) you get it out on the track. Dial in a stiffer setting and see if you can lift the inside wheel exiting the hairpins.

Then again, if your shocks have seen a fair amount of action it may be worthwhile replacing them as well. The car is only as good as it's weakest link.

Z.

jlnewton Grand Master

jlnewton

Posted
Posted

Mine had lowered springs when I got it, but the standard shocks were pretty ordinary. I would do the shocks, just because if they are standard ones, chances are they are the original one and with their age they are probably pretty tired. But if you are doing things in steps like I did, definately get the adj. sway bars first. They will probably give you the most improvement from a street perspective. I would do front and back as this will allow you to adjust car balance. Whiteline had there demo car set on the stiffest setting at the front for cornering and the middle setting for the rear for grip exiting corners for the circuit test comparison in the HPI story. I will give you the flexibility to set the car the way you like it.

Beeble Community Regular

Beeble

Posted
Posted

I've pretty much got the same story as JLNewton. Got the car with lowered springs and standard shocks, and tyres that had the insides chewed out and the outsides untouched. Handled like a blimp, didn't feel at all confident with turn-in and teh back lurched out of corners something shocking.

enter the whiteline works kit. around $2K fitted, but possibly the best money spent on the car in terms of driving enjoyment.

now the steering is nice and precise, turn in is great, complete confidence in the car doing what i want it to do, and when i want it to. put the power down out of corners and the back end squats and digs in a bit, with minimal slide. great corner speed, and the ride is stiffer but definately not harsh. set up as in above post.

recommended.

franks Veteran

franks

Posted
Posted

just recently installed the whiteline handling pack (adjustable sways, caster and camber kits) plus a rear cross member brace. i have aftermarket springs and oldish shocks...

for the street, NVH has noticeably increased, body roll has decreased & turn in has improved. predictability has also increased.

on the track its a different story. i have massive understeer. turn in is not the greatest and moreso understeer to oversteer is unpredictable.

all of the above is probably due to the fact camber is set to nuetral on the front and the front sway might be on too stiff a setting. tyre pressures were a little high when understeer was at its worst (42psi) so i dropped them to 38psi (hot) and it made a noticeable difference but still understeering badly.

hopefully with some negative camber and softer swaybar setting on the front turn in will be improved and under to over steer more predictable.

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