Page 1 of 1

Corner weights, F/R weight distrubition

Posted: May 11th, 2006, 6:15 pm
by ho bag
Im looking for the corner weights of a 93 rs and im also looking for the Front/Rear distrbiution as well.

Im thinking to think about where to move things to increasing handeling and off set ther poor f/r that i know the car has.

I know it not suspension information BUT it is handeling related and i figured this is the best place to post it.

Posted: May 11th, 2006, 10:25 pm
by Yoda
I have that info somewhere in the many, many MByte of MX-3/ Mazda data I've collected over the past 14 years. Actually as I remember the corner weights aren't really that bad it is just that Mazda build a lot of understeer in to the North American version of the car. You can get near 50/50 front to rear and get the corners with in 20lbs just by raising the front left suspension by 1" , raise the front right .75" , lower the left rear 1" and the right rear by 1.5" If you plan to drive at any speed you may need to lower the rear a litte more to make the rear a little heavier to compensate for down force on the front end. You will probably need to disconnect the front anti-roll bar completely and increase the size of the rear bar. You will need stiffer rear springs depending on track conditions you will need the rear springs to be twice as stiff as the front. If the front you will probably need something like a 200-350lb spring and in the rear a 450-700lb spring to get the maximum handling out of the car. With this set-up and a set of sticky tires you should be near 1G on a skidpad.

Posted: May 11th, 2006, 11:46 pm
by nope-mx3
Wouldnt disconnecting the front swaybar create massive oversteer?

-nope

Posted: May 12th, 2006, 12:44 am
by Cy
nope-mx3 wrote:Wouldnt disconnecting the front swaybar create massive oversteer?

-nope
a better option, if it not fitting is due to the drop, would be to simply weaken it.. either by improperly heat treating it with a torch to make it soft ... or grinding it down in the center effectively decrease it's ability to be stiff...

Posted: May 12th, 2006, 8:22 am
by ho bag
Or your could just run a bigger rear bar to help balance out the front. On previous car that were prone to understeer and removing the front bar was not an option, I just added a little more rear toe-in and added a stiffer sway bar (usually abotu twice the size as teh front or near to it).

This Helps flaten out the car a bit more and the extra rear toe-in helps rotate the car.

I think ill put a smaller dry cell battery in the passanger side of the trunk as well to try to help even out my weight (240lbs , yes im getting up there).

Posted: May 12th, 2006, 9:49 am
by Spinkx79
Changing srings is not an option but i do have SS adjustable end links, would lengthening them help any?

Posted: May 12th, 2006, 10:00 am
by ho bag
Adjustable end links are really just for correcting for lowered cars, I dont think any further adjustment would help.

Posted: May 12th, 2006, 12:45 pm
by Yoda
nope-mx3 wrote:Wouldnt disconnecting the front swaybar create massive oversteer?

-nope
No this is a very common trick with all the Mazda BF, BG, BH(A) & BJ chassis and there derivatives including the MX-3 and Kia Sephia. The front end links have been removed on my car and the bar is secured out of the way with zip ties. I also have a 24mm rear anti roll bar and running 275lb springs in front and 700lb in the rear and it still has a touch of understeer.

Posted: May 12th, 2006, 2:55 pm
by Cy
Yoda wrote:
nope-mx3 wrote:Wouldnt disconnecting the front swaybar create massive oversteer?

-nope
No this is a very common trick with all the Mazda BF, BG, BH(A) & BJ chassis and there derivatives including the MX-3 and Kia Sephia. The front end links have been removed on my car and the bar is secured out of the way with zip ties. I also have a 24mm rear anti roll bar and running 275lb springs in front and 700lb in the rear and it still has a touch of understeer.
OK so .. i have brand new oem springs and 1 broken front bar endlink.. would removing the bar be better then spending 38CAD to replace the endlink?

I HATE understeer and i drive fast and hard.. so understeer = bad for me

Posted: May 12th, 2006, 3:18 pm
by ho bag
Removing the front bar might help understeer but it WILL increase body roll. The better option woudl eb to fix the front and add a larger rear bar and stiffer siffer springs.

The stiffer the rear the more oversteer its gonna have. Also moving the batter to the back as well as any other movable weight will help balance out the car.

Personally im looking for 50/50 weight, and neutral handeling with a little snap oversteer.

Posted: May 12th, 2006, 3:27 pm
by Cy
nuetral handling is a new term to me

Posted: May 12th, 2006, 3:31 pm
by ho bag
Cy wrote:nuetral handling is a new term to me
Basically the car doesnt over or under steer. But you can make it do either depending on how you drive it.

Posted: May 12th, 2006, 4:59 pm
by Cy
ho bag wrote:
Cy wrote:nuetral handling is a new term to me
Basically the car doesnt over or under steer. But you can make it do either depending on how you drive it.
sexy

Posted: May 13th, 2006, 12:28 am
by PATDIESEL
Learn to corner brake. It will produce some oversteer... If you hit the brakes too hard you'll spin though. I know first hand with my first time practicing it last Sept. :lol:
The White Line rear bar helps too. I still need to get one, but a buddy has one. Also, you can negate the body roll with a roll cage <custom, or Auto Power has a number of bolt in or weld in options for the MX-3>