STiv6 Wagon
Sway bars with rears on 2nd hole.
Still have understeer on tight corners at speeds beyond normal road use.
Bump steer mod done.
Anybody got first hand experience of mods to improve the situation.

 

If you drive imprezas properly you don't have to do anything just improve your impreza driving skills
Cheers

 

Your answer is presumptious.
On track in tight corners the car displays understeer.
Reducing the understeer by alterations to the steering &/or suspension will allow for faster lap times.
These alterations from those that have already attempted them are what I am interested in. Successful or otherwise just an honest assessment.
Of course if some smart person can give me driving lessons to negate this characteristic & improve on my overall times I am most happy to learn & can make myself available forthwith.

 

lol, Harvey!

As mentioned on 22b - more negative camber/castor will help.

Regards
Richard

 

Sounds like an ALK and maybe a front lsd is what you are after.

One of the reason the new STi is nicer is because the front hauls the car around where the older cars wash out (including my Legacy).

Enjoy

 

I have the front lsd on mine (Quaife item) - it doesn't help when your corner entry speed is too high.

I'm waiting to try the ALK - a friend has this plus stiffer suspension and is much, much better on track.

Has anyone fitted an ALK by itself? What difference did they notice?

Richard

 

I have fitted ALK by itself but along with that I have changed my geometry settings to reduce understeer. Therefore I cannot be absolutely certain on the relative contribution of the ALK to the behavior of the car.

My settings were changed to:
Front: -1.5 camber, 0 toe
Rear: -0.75 camber, 1mm toe-in (total)

The car definately corners better, much much less understeer.
An agressive turn of the wheel mid-corner will lighten the rear end whereas previously it would just understeer and widen the radius of the turn.
The car is also easier to setup up before the turn. The rear is lighter and easier to manage on the brakes while turning-in.

I think that with the standard suspension you can only improve things up to a point. The most important parameters to standard Imprezas from my point of view are the ALK and rear-toe. It was 4mm previously and was reduced to 1 mm. Amazing difference.

 

Thankyou.
ALK @ Power Station in 10dys.
I will post my observations after that.(Bump steer already done.)

 

Harvey, just to add my tuppence, I have had the Bump Steer Mod, ALK kit, Eibachs and Geometry done at Powerstation and in the dry, the car doesn't really understeer anymore (unless you go way too fast into a bend). It now is very neutral and on track, mostly drifts all four wheels and the whole car just goes sideways ( ).

It's also much more adjustable on the throttle mid bend and very compliant in general with a good road ride quality to boot.

Matt

P.S. STI V7 PS, if you've got an STi 7 then you've no idea how differently they handle to the old shape!!!!

 

Thanks again for the constructive input.
Cheers Matt.

 

New STi has 25mm wider track in front and higher rear roll centre to decrease u/steer.
ALK helps a lot also STi aluminium arms also increase caster. Rear arb a AND REAR STRUT BRACE. Very noticable on my MY00 wagon arb mid-set. Car in normal road driving is now as i like it but on track still u/steer is the name of the game . Try toe out in the rear I run -1 per side xlent results and no dramatic trailbraking in bends. Mind u i ,ve been used to o/steer from my previous cars so im used to it in a certain extent. Going to fit DMS 40mm 260/225 fr/rr ill let u know the diff from my WR prodrive.

 

Hi learn to drive like a mad man and go side ways everywhere it works for me
don

 

Harvey

Try setting your rear wheels to parallel, ie no toe in.

This will give a much quicker turn in and will allow you to work the back end with the throttle, mid corner.

Note... the more you remove the cars natural tendency to understeer, the more lift off oversteer you will create. Be careful.