First time AutoX UMI AFCO Coilovers Video
10-25-2016, 12:43 PM
#1
First time AutoX UMI AFCO Coilovers Video First time AutoX with my new UMI AFCO Coilovers and UMI RR K-member and A Arms. They performed great! and I meant to try to adjust the rebound settings but was too lazy to get up under there to try and mess around with that. I had them right about in the middle setting. First time for a lot of things on my car so it was more of a learning experience then really competitive but I set my goal at the start of the day to get a 38 second run and on my very last run I was able to get it so I left feeling very accomplished, only ended up in 13th place overall though... still beat a dodge Viper ACR 
Anyways enjoy the video
Car setup
Stock LS1 with bolt-ons
4l80e w/3k triple disc 10.5" CircleD converter
UMI AFCO coilovers
UMI RR K-Member
UMI Boxed A-Arms
-1.5 chamber 3.5 caster 0 toe
UMI full length torque arm
MWC Watts link
LCA relocation bracket
Strano hollow sway bars
CTS-V brembo Front brakes
285 front 305 rear Continental Extreme Contact DR tires
Anyways enjoy the video
Car setup
Stock LS1 with bolt-ons
4l80e w/3k triple disc 10.5" CircleD converter
UMI AFCO coilovers
UMI RR K-Member
UMI Boxed A-Arms
-1.5 chamber 3.5 caster 0 toe
UMI full length torque arm
MWC Watts link
LCA relocation bracket
Strano hollow sway bars
CTS-V brembo Front brakes
285 front 305 rear Continental Extreme Contact DR tires
Last edited by Cpt.Derrek; 10-25-2016 at 12:48 PM.
10-25-2016, 03:54 PM
#2
Those tires need a lot more camber to work properly - closer to 3 degrees would be ideal. Also, additional caster would be desirable. You should have plenty of adjustment with those UMI parts. Run as much as you can get, I run over 7 degrees in my car.
10-25-2016, 04:54 PM
#3
Thanks for the tips. The alignment shop only gave me 3.5 even though I requested 4.5 and they charged me a boat load of money to do this, unless I can find a better performance alignment shop I don't want to touch the alignment again. I also won't replacing these tires with the same type, I just ran these because I got them used for a great price. I'll probably replace them with some semi slicks 295 wide.
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10-27-2016, 10:03 AM
#8
Is it me or does the car seem to roll/dip quickly then find it's steady state compression around turns? May be your inputs as well.
You have a lot of adjustable parts. I agree, more camber is needed. I'm about -2.5 maxed castor and 1/8" toe out. Lots of fine tuning in your future.
Where do you have your watts link set?
You have a lot of adjustable parts. I agree, more camber is needed. I'm about -2.5 maxed castor and 1/8" toe out. Lots of fine tuning in your future.
Where do you have your watts link set?
10-27-2016, 10:49 AM
#9
Is it me or does the car seem to roll/dip quickly then find it's steady state compression around turns? May be your inputs as well.
You have a lot of adjustable parts. I agree, more camber is needed. I'm about -2.5 maxed castor and 1/8" toe out. Lots of fine tuning in your future.
Where do you have your watts link set?
You have a lot of adjustable parts. I agree, more camber is needed. I'm about -2.5 maxed castor and 1/8" toe out. Lots of fine tuning in your future.
Where do you have your watts link set?
As far as the alignment I still want to car to be street friendly not all out racecar but I would like to get some on-car adjustable upper a-arms so I can adjust when I'm at the track, and with that I'd be able to get my desired spec.
I have my Watts link set to lowest hole while keeping the arms parallel to keep my roll center as low as possible, if you think that needs to be adjusted let me know.
10-27-2016, 11:24 AM
#10
The lower you go with the watts link the more spring rate you need to compensate...what are your rear spring rates? I have mine set to 2nd hole from the top and running 150rate Strano spring. Also you only need to keep the "arms" parallel during initial installation when you start at the middle hole. You can then move the propeller up/down and not worry if the arms are parallel to the ground.
Moving the watts link up = oversteer tendencies
Moving it down = understeer tendencies
This is assuming NOTHING else changes. We all know bar rates and tires play a roll in oversteer/understeer.
Also, are your shocks compression adjustable? If so you can "increase" the dampening of the shocks upon compression. In other words you make the shock harder to compress. This may slow down the initial fast roll you see.
Having the shocks rebound adjustable allows you to slow down that rate at which the spring will pull them out.
Moving the watts link up = oversteer tendencies
Moving it down = understeer tendencies
This is assuming NOTHING else changes. We all know bar rates and tires play a roll in oversteer/understeer.
Also, are your shocks compression adjustable? If so you can "increase" the dampening of the shocks upon compression. In other words you make the shock harder to compress. This may slow down the initial fast roll you see.
Having the shocks rebound adjustable allows you to slow down that rate at which the spring will pull them out.
10-27-2016, 01:38 PM
#11
The lower you go with the watts link the more spring rate you need to compensate...what are your rear spring rates? I have mine set to 2nd hole from the top and running 150rate Strano spring. Also you only need to keep the "arms" parallel during initial installation when you start at the middle hole. You can then move the propeller up/down and not worry if the arms are parallel to the ground.
Moving the watts link up = oversteer tendencies
Moving it down = understeer tendencies
This is assuming NOTHING else changes. We all know bar rates and tires play a roll in oversteer/understeer.
Also, are your shocks compression adjustable? If so you can "increase" the dampening of the shocks upon compression. In other words you make the shock harder to compress. This may slow down the initial fast roll you see.
Having the shocks rebound adjustable allows you to slow down that rate at which the spring will pull them out.
Moving the watts link up = oversteer tendencies
Moving it down = understeer tendencies
This is assuming NOTHING else changes. We all know bar rates and tires play a roll in oversteer/understeer.
Also, are your shocks compression adjustable? If so you can "increase" the dampening of the shocks upon compression. In other words you make the shock harder to compress. This may slow down the initial fast roll you see.
Having the shocks rebound adjustable allows you to slow down that rate at which the spring will pull them out.
I am running the UMI provided 600# front and 200# springs rates, but I think I have mine the 3rd from the top, I can't go up any higher. Maybe try lower? Though my rear end felt pretty planted and I couldn't even get much rotation if any coming out of turns.
The shocks are fixed medium firm compression but adjustable rebound set to the about the middle setting, maybe try softening rebound?
10-27-2016, 02:56 PM
#12
Wait you said on post #9 that your WL is set to the lowest hole...then in post #11 you say it is 3rd from the top??
Overall the lower you move the propeller down, the more spring rate you need (your 200# should be fine and allow you to) and the more understeer.
"stiffening" rebound shock adjustment slows down the shocks ability to extend.
"softening" rebound shock adjustment allows the shock to extend quicker.
I have found there is no exact science to suspension tuning. There are obvious DO's and DON'Ts but it boils down to gaining seat time and growing with the car so you two mesh well together to shave seconds.
I have strano springs and koni rebound adj shocks...DON"T adjust rear shocks to full stiff or it will be as if your rear end is on ice....ask me how I know
It's all controlling the weight transfer rate and matching it to your driving style. If the rear is allowed to transfer the weight faster and therefore reach the grip limit of the tire faster than the front...oversteer. That comes from stiff rear shocks,stiff bars, stiff springs and more air in the rear tire.
You could get in my car and hate it. But it works well for me. Trial and error and have fun!
IMO, since you just got new C/O's, set everything to "neutral" or middle ground. Drive the car and tweak one thing at a time. Figure out what you want the car to do that it's not doing, and adjust accordingly.
Overall the lower you move the propeller down, the more spring rate you need (your 200# should be fine and allow you to) and the more understeer.
"stiffening" rebound shock adjustment slows down the shocks ability to extend.
"softening" rebound shock adjustment allows the shock to extend quicker.
I have found there is no exact science to suspension tuning. There are obvious DO's and DON'Ts but it boils down to gaining seat time and growing with the car so you two mesh well together to shave seconds.
I have strano springs and koni rebound adj shocks...DON"T adjust rear shocks to full stiff or it will be as if your rear end is on ice....ask me how I know
It's all controlling the weight transfer rate and matching it to your driving style. If the rear is allowed to transfer the weight faster and therefore reach the grip limit of the tire faster than the front...oversteer. That comes from stiff rear shocks,stiff bars, stiff springs and more air in the rear tire.
You could get in my car and hate it. But it works well for me. Trial and error and have fun!
IMO, since you just got new C/O's, set everything to "neutral" or middle ground. Drive the car and tweak one thing at a time. Figure out what you want the car to do that it's not doing, and adjust accordingly.
10-27-2016, 03:45 PM
#13
Wait you said on post #9 that your WL is set to the lowest hole...then in post #11 you say it is 3rd from the top??
Overall the lower you move the propeller down, the more spring rate you need (your 200# should be fine and allow you to) and the more understeer.
"stiffening" rebound shock adjustment slows down the shocks ability to extend.
"softening" rebound shock adjustment allows the shock to extend quicker.
I have found there is no exact science to suspension tuning. There are obvious DO's and DON'Ts but it boils down to gaining seat time and growing with the car so you two mesh well together to shave seconds.
I have strano springs and koni rebound adj shocks...DON"T adjust rear shocks to full stiff or it will be as if your rear end is on ice....ask me how I know
It's all controlling the weight transfer rate and matching it to your driving style. If the rear is allowed to transfer the weight faster and therefore reach the grip limit of the tire faster than the front...oversteer. That comes from stiff rear shocks,stiff bars, stiff springs and more air in the rear tire.
You could get in my car and hate it. But it works well for me. Trial and error and have fun!
IMO, since you just got new C/O's, set everything to "neutral" or middle ground. Drive the car and tweak one thing at a time. Figure out what you want the car to do that it's not doing, and adjust accordingly.
Overall the lower you move the propeller down, the more spring rate you need (your 200# should be fine and allow you to) and the more understeer.
"stiffening" rebound shock adjustment slows down the shocks ability to extend.
"softening" rebound shock adjustment allows the shock to extend quicker.
I have found there is no exact science to suspension tuning. There are obvious DO's and DON'Ts but it boils down to gaining seat time and growing with the car so you two mesh well together to shave seconds.
I have strano springs and koni rebound adj shocks...DON"T adjust rear shocks to full stiff or it will be as if your rear end is on ice....ask me how I know
It's all controlling the weight transfer rate and matching it to your driving style. If the rear is allowed to transfer the weight faster and therefore reach the grip limit of the tire faster than the front...oversteer. That comes from stiff rear shocks,stiff bars, stiff springs and more air in the rear tire.
You could get in my car and hate it. But it works well for me. Trial and error and have fun!
IMO, since you just got new C/O's, set everything to "neutral" or middle ground. Drive the car and tweak one thing at a time. Figure out what you want the car to do that it's not doing, and adjust accordingly.
The driver that rode with me said about the same thing you're saying about the setup and driving style. When I asked him if there was anything he'd adjust he just said he'd personally like it stiffer but with the current setup it works with my driving style.
Right now I do have the shocks in the middle setting but I also don't know what to expect or how the change will feel on the track, but I guess that's what getting seat time and test and tuning is for. I have a track event the 3rd of December with unlimited access to the track so I guess that'll be the perfect time for test and tuning
Thanks again for the help Smitty2919 its definitely helpful having a another set of eyes.
10-27-2016, 04:32 PM
#14
Only worry about the bars being parallel when using the middle hole. You install the watts link using the middle hole. Once that is set, you can move up and down all you want.
Seat time and messing with stuff is name of the game. Drive it with everything neutral and adjust from there. Only one way to find out is to tinker and learn by doing
Seat time and messing with stuff is name of the game. Drive it with everything neutral and adjust from there. Only one way to find out is to tinker and learn by doing