Corner Carving, Road Course Racing and general Handling Thread

[liter of cola]

error post.. ignore

 

[liter of cola]

I'm glad you started this thread, OP. I've asked some questions in other threads related handling and things on the topic but really didn't get too much help. As OP noted like 75% (or more) of threads are about who cut what 60' time or what Drag radials to use, etc., etc.

I started my build trying to get close to being a GT500. From what I had read over on the Forum they handled rather nicely and with a few upgrades, they were pretty good. I digress...After being dicked over by a dealer on a GT500, I decided to go the 5.0 route and build my own car with my 'thumb print' on it (backstory over!).

In any event, my build started with more of a straight line focus but I knew I needed to change a few things for the car to really handle well. Realizing my current 'go fast' mods aren't ideal for the track, I am looking for a little more to upgrade the suspension for the track, while still keeping manners for the street. One suggestion i did get was that I have too much rear tire. I get a bit of a push in turns. So i need more front tire or less rear. Also my adjustable sway bars may need some tweaking. I think my next upgrade will be Koni's (yellow) other than that, i'm not sure what else to do. See sig for mods. Any thoughts are welcome?

you don't need less rear tire just more front. maybe you could go down 1 size in the rear and do something like 305 rear 285 front. mainly though you need more front tire, 255 is way too skinny for your 315's. if you simply put 285's up front on a 9.5" rim and stiffened your rear sway bar that understeer should reduce by a lot. Kenny brown runs 18"x10" front wheels with 295 section mpss's and 18"x11" rear wheels with 315's on the gt4-s. Im not sure about fitment of 10" wide wheels up front though, not sure if 19"s would work that wide. I personally wouldn't want to go down to 18's.

 

[liter of cola]

The only real power mods I've done are a tune and cat deletes. Honestly, the power that comes stock is already so much. How many people can really lay out all 400 whp through a live axle coming out of a corner?

I tried once, on stock suspension... now im dead.

lol, jk.

I actually think these cars put down the stock power really well. fatter tires and a trick suspension only raises that level. that's why Kenny brown has a 650 hp supercharged track beast.

http://kennybrown.com/gt4-s-mustang

gt4-s conversion starts at $29k!! wish I had the dough.

that is awesome though, buy a new 14' gt for 30k send it to kb add another 30k... 60k at the end and your killing everything in that price range. plus im sure that setup could easily handle 750hp

 

[TheVikingRL]

you don't need less rear tire just more front. maybe you could go down 1 size in the rear and do something like 305 rear 285 front. mainly though you need more front tire, 255 is way too skinny for your 315's. if you simply put 285's up front on a 9.5" rim and stiffened your rear sway bar that understeer should reduce by a lot. Kenny brown runs 18"x10" front wheels with 295 section mpss's and 18"x11" rear wheels with 315's on the gt4-s. Im not sure about fitment of 10" wide wheels up front though, not sure if 19"s would work that wide. I personally wouldn't want to go down to 18's.

I have used a 295/35/19 up front on a 19x10 Ford Racing rim with a 1/8" spacer. It's tight, but it all fits. Optimally, a 285/35/19 is probably a better fit for the 10" rim though. Would also give you a lot more tire options.

 

[liter of cola]

fo sho... 305/35/19 rear and 285/35/19 front is ideal

good luck finding any tire size you may want in 19" though.

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

I run 285/35 square and it feels balanced as hell - as long as you have the suspension out back to really take advantage of the tires. Wide as hell tires don't get to do a lot of work when they are bouncing around.

 

[liter of cola]

decent shocks and springs, upper and lower rear control arms, watts link... all you need is about $2000-$3000 invested into the suspension to make this car beast.

 

[liter of cola]

I run 285/35 square and it feels balanced as hell - as long as you have the suspension out back to really take advantage of the tires. Wide as hell tires don't get to do a lot of work when they are bouncing around.

square setup works great but when you start putting down over 450whp staggered starts to become ideal for corner exit. but remember with any suspension setup alignment and tuning is key you cant just slap parts on and expect it to be perfect... you have to test, tune, test, tune... repeat until it's just right. nothing like destroying a 911 on the track with a gt mustang.

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

square setup works great but when you start putting down over 450whp staggered starts to become ideal for corner exit. but remember with any suspension setup alignment and tuning is key you cant just slap parts on and expect it to be perfect... you have to test, tune, test, tune... repeat until it's just right. nothing like destroying a 911 on the track with a gt mustang.

Agreed, and on the track even at 390rwhp I'd want something more like 305 square on 18x10.5-11's - but still square. The more power you put down the more speed you pick up, the more speed carried through sweeping corners and the more braking that needs to happen.

 

['14 Shelby]

Ok fellas thanks for the input. Wider tires and maybe change to a 9.5 rim will be my approach.

 

[torchred02gt]

square setup works great but when you start putting down over 450whp staggered starts to become ideal for corner exit. but remember with any suspension setup alignment and tuning is key you cant just slap parts on and expect it to be perfect... you have to test, tune, test, tune... repeat until it's just right. nothing like destroying a 911 on the track with a gt mustang.

Staggered setups are conducive to understeer. Squared is the way to go IF possible. I've run 315/30-18 Hoosiers on 18x11 f14's on ALL 4 corners. Best set up I've ever experienced on a mustang. Corner exit has a lot to do with shock and sway settings too. Not just tire size.

 

[TheVikingRL]

Staggered setups are conducive to understeer. Squared is the way to go IF possible. I've run 315/30-18 Hoosiers on 18x11 f14's on ALL 4 corners. Best set up I've ever experienced on a mustang.

+1. Although I believe an 11" setup requires different offset rims front and rear (assume you are using the Vorshlag setup). I haven't personally seen anything wider than a 10" rim fit with the same offset so you could rotate.

 

[liter of cola]

11" wide in the front!! damn i thought 10" was the max we could fit up there.

with stock wheels and tires (brembo wheels + Pirelli p zero 255/40/19's) all around my car begins to slide around as you give it power on corner exit... as im not too experienced just yet i'd rather set my car up for more towards understeer than. besides the balance can always be altered with suspension tuning as well. plus staggered life bro

so guys im about to buy a whole new set of shocks struts and springs. right now its either gonna be the frpp adjustable's with k springs or the Kenny brown spec eibachs.

the Kenny browns are only adjustable for height as the frpp's are only dampening adjustable. what do you guys think? either way im gonna also go for a bmr uca and lca's. adjustable panhard for now, wattslink and sway bars will come in the future.

 

[gamecock426]

Sounds like a good start, you will definitely need the panhard bar, lcas, and ucas after lowering to get the geometry back in order.

 

['14 Shelby]

11" wide in the front!! damn i thought 10" was the max we could fit up there.

with stock wheels and tires (brembo wheels + Pirelli p zero 255/40/19's) all around my car begins to slide around as you give it power on corner exit... as im not too experienced just yet i'd rather set my car up for more towards understeer than. besides the balance can always be altered with suspension tuning as well. plus staggered life bro

so guys im about to buy a whole new set of shocks struts and springs. right now its either gonna be the frpp adjustable's with k springs or the Kenny brown spec eibachs.

the Kenny browns are only adjustable for height as the frpp's are only dampening adjustable. what do you guys think? either way im gonna also go for a bmr uca and lca's. adjustable panhard for now, wattslink and sway bars will come in the future.

Beefier sways make the car feel more responsive and of course basically eliminate any body roll

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

Beefier sways make the car feel more responsive and of course basically eliminate any body roll

I view sways as a tuning device. Something to dial in a setting that's already well thought out. If you have decent dampers, springs, LCA's, a solid UCA and PHB then you can make the rear end "looser" or "tighter" with the sway after you have the damper settings where you like. I wouldn't just slap on a bigger sway and call it good because bigger means better.
Although the front sway almost always needs some beef on these cars if you're good in the tire/traction department.

 

[liter of cola]

Im personally gonna go with adjustable sways, front and rear. I also view it as a tuning device... its one of the easiest ways to tune your understeer oversteer balance.

 

[Mark Aubele]

Not sure if this is the right place for this, but thought I would post some videos from this season. Car is a 2014 Mustang GT, Koni Yellows, 550/300 springs, 35/22mm Strano Bars, GC Race camber plates, 18x10.5 Yongbloeds, 315/30r18 Hoosier A7 or R6, full exhaust, AED E85 tune, 3.31 gears. Zero option Track Package car. All control arms and bushings stock.

Weatherly Hillclimb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GMGkqFgEPU&feature=youtu.be

Polish Mountain Hillclimb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKESr7Oi-6Y

Nelson Ledges Track Day (just for fun, out lap just warm up)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2JwUjYJ-b0

 

[modernbeat]

11" wide in the front!! damn i thought 10" was the max we could fit up there...

Yep, we've been putting 11" wheels on the front, and under the stock fenders for some time. Works well and supports a 295-315 tire for the track.

 

['03GTinFLA]

Those were great videos. Thanks for posting. I found myself going oh s**t as you went over that hump in the road in the first video. I've lived in flat Florida for too long. That looks like a blast.