Suspension/Geometry Setup - Plans Motorsport

[v6Max]

All,
In theory my car will be back sometime in June and I'm looking to have a full suspension setup done to allow for the changes due to more weight reduction and some aerodynamic alterations.

I've started talking to Plans Motorsport about this because they offer a service which includes the facility to test the changes made on their own test track (which just happens to be the one used by Top Gear).

I've met Plans Motorsport when doing my other job as a director of a track day car hire company and I've seen their work on everything from Lotus Elises through to race Honda NSXs and their experience is mainly in mid-engined cars so in theory they're ideal for our cars.

Now this wouldn't be cheap (say between £216 -> £270 + VAT) but it can be done in a day (and more than one car in any one day) and will take about 5 hours to include full geometry including corner weighting and ride heights.

What I'm after is a realistic idea of whether anybody else would also be interested. In theory the information obtained whilst my car is being done would be applicable in very general terms (say front/rear balance, rake for example).

 

[TRW1]

Yes Max, as you already know.....

 

[v6Max]

Sorry Tim, I was taking you for granted!

 

[Anonymous]

I might be interested too. I'm planning to take some driving tuition with them around June (xmas pressie from the wife ) so i could combine both I guess.

My car is completly standard, and is a daily driver - it just doesn't seem to be totally planted to corners at times. Am i right in thinking this service would help me somewhat?

 

[v6Max]

It may help you...

There are 2 possible reasons why the car may not feel planted (broadly speaking anyway and don't take offence...)

1) That the setup is "wrong" - it may be factory standard but don't forget that manufacturers pre-suppose that understeer is good because it's something we all understand and they therefore pick that as the default balance for the car. It's viewed as more friendly way of warning you as opposed to simply dumping you into the nearest potato field

2) That something to do with the way you are driving the car is making the car feel unbalanced. More thany any mid-engined car I've ever driven these cars need serious weight transfer management (read that as driving as smoothly as possible)

I would suggest that you do the driving tuition and see what comes out of that first - apart from anything else they'll be the most qualified to say whether your car needs setup work over and above a simple 4 wheel alignment.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks max - no offence taken - that sounds like good advice. I think the "problems" I'm having are when I'm pushing it, it feels rather light around corners every now and then. Though this is probably as I'm more used to the VX220 i had - and to be fair i don't expect the V6 to handle as well as the vx. I'll be popping down in June so will ask them what they think after we've been out on track.

Sorry for the slight thread drift - back on topic now...

 

[TRW1]

 

[Mike T]

Max

I will be but I need to get the KW's first as the current dampers are decidedly non adjustable!!

 

[v6Max]

Mike, no problem - I'm thinking of a target date somewhere in the last quarter of June anyway.