Hawkeye replacement suspension, which one?
 

Hi all, I am looking at replacing the standard suspension on my Hawkeye Spec C, it is used for fast road & track days. I already have Whiteline ARBs & ALK fitted, the coilover options I am considering are >
1. AST's as fitted to the Type 25
2. BC coilovers ER series
3. Buddy Club Racing Spec Dampers

I have also read some things about 2 other options on the American forums which are highly rated? > JRZ and Moton?

I am wandering if any of you guys could give me your recommendations? I have been on track in my car and it was understeering really bad, so with a new suspension set up I will be adding some sticky rubber :D but the understeer needs solving.

As well as wandering which coilover to go for I am also wandering what to do about the top mounts, some write-ups reckon they spoil the ride on the road and yet others say it is ok :wonder: I was looking at getting top mounts as well so I can look at altering the camber on the track.

Any thoughts or recommendations?
Lee.

What tyres were you using on track?
Tyre choice can have a big impact on the level of understeer.

erm... ah well thats a bit embarrassing:D I am using Ultrac Sessantas 235/40/18s, however it was my first time on track so I thought before playing with tyre pressures I would just give it a go as it was only a half day. So 34psi front & 32psi rear when cold

After receiving some advice I went to another trackday & took the DCCD out of auto and ran it on #2 green (going up) in the dry and then #2 orange when it rained. When it was nearly dry I played with the tyre pressures and got them down to 34.5 psi when hot (ended up taking ou 9psi from 34psi cold) was advised to run at 33psi when hot but I reckon these tyres have soft side walls so I stuck at 34.5? (on 2nd trackday I swapped front wheels to rear which where in better condition)

So after sussing out tyre pressures, DCCD setting and now that these tyres are just nowhere good enough in the dry I am looking at replacing the suspenion. Obviously I want to be certain that I have made the right choice once I purchase, I reckon the AST's must be good because there tried and tested on my model car, but there seems to be a lot of folk going for the BC coilovers nowa days?

I dont think you would be dissapointed with either the AST's or the BC's.
Both are tried and tested so to speak with plenty of people running them on track and daily drives.
All depends on how much you want to spend ;)

I am willing to go up to £3k?

Does altering the camber make a big difference on track? I am also looking the bush kits? I am of the opinion if you do it right then you only do it once :D so I would rather get it right the first time :thumb:

Spend 4k and get Exe-tc track suspension ;)

Altering camber will make a difference as will uprated bushes.

http://http://www.exe-tc.co.uk/trackday.php?page=intro

:thumb:

Having some negative camber is going to increase your tyres contact patch on the bround during cornering, but sacrifices straight-line stability.

I have looked at the Exe-Tc but wandered if it would be too much for the road, I did speak to Ian Litchfield about the higher spec ASTs and he said not for the road:wonder: I have read on Shauns article that he has fitted the ASTs but also with uprated rubber top mounts which is interesting, but again the BC > Er series look very interesting :brickwall

The reason I am considering camber so much is, on my last trackday I playing with some Vectra V6 race cars, there was about 6 of them there practicing. Whilst following one of the cars I could see the camber which was pretty extreme?

I did wander about stability, I also wandered what the braking was like, surely there must be less tyre contact patch whilst going in a straight line and braking?

I also noticed on the same day that there where a few Time Attack cars and they where running more like "normal" camber compared to the Vectra cars? :wonder: