Picking New Tires, Trying To Get More Front Grip

Jordo!

Hmm. I was going to suggest a square set up as well, but really in order to keep tire size and compound a constant more than to play with relative grip -- a lot of that will depend on alignment settings and weight distribution/suspension more than anything.

I guess you could buy ultra sticky fronts relative to the rears, but that sounds like it will just make the car unpredictable...

So, assuming equal sized tires of same make, you want to stiffen up the rear relative to the front. That means a beefier rear anti-sway bar and firmer damper settings in the rear and softer in the front, if you can adjust them. Any other bracing you can add to the rear (without adding significant weight) will tend to nudge you more towards oversteer.

I think, maybe a little more camber in the front relative to the rear will help tuck the nose in too... not 100% certain on that one off the top of my head.

Scan over this site for lots and lots of advice on setting up cars for road racing

Autocross to Win (DGs Autocross Secrets) - ATW Home Page

This thread is helpful too

Suspension adjustments and how they affect handling

__________________
Enjoy it. Destroy it.

ScottOmatic

GT Porsche 911 track cars often run harder rear compounds due to all the weight being over the rear axle but of course, those are engineered to work correctly from the tire supplier and the rest of the setup is dialed in in every other aspect along with track time.

I think running 2 different street tires with different compounds and different tread patterns that are meant and have only been tested running on all 4 corners is hairy at best.

Even if the effect is generally positive in the dry it could be a nightmare in the wet.

As you touched on, the other idea I have had was upgrading the rear sway-bar and leaving the front alone. This would be a pretty cheap upgrade and I could always add the front later when getting new springs/struts or Coil-Overs, which I am sure would take out most of the understeer with default tire sizes.

The reason I don't want to just spend the money on a full suspension setup right now is that I am trying to pay off my 2014 FJ Cruiser early (that currently takes precedence when funneling money into cars) and to be honest, I am slightly worried I will get the bug for a different sports car in a few years and know it will be hard to get my money back in upgrades (Currently under 23,000 miles on my Z so everything but the tires are still pretty fresh).

Maybe I will get some new suspension components in awhile, maybe I will eventually get a tune, but until I make that decision I am going with the bang for the buck approach.

I should say I already bit the bullet on a cat-back exhaust a year ago, I'm sorry but the default exhaust setup just had to go!

Rusty

You should read the track section. Everyone is running the stiffest front bars, and the biggest tires they can. Some are running no rear bar at all.

__________________

浪人 - 殺し屋
"The Difficult Anytime, The Impossible By Appointment Only"
http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...o-journal.html

Jordo!

I think that's great idea! The OEM tires are actually pretty good (the Nismo RE-11's are better, but the ones you have now are still excellent).

Also, it's probably best to play with only one (or two) variable(s) at a time. I think go with the stiffer rear sway and hold off on the front for now, as you said, and see how that feels.

The only other change you might play with at the same time would be alignment, but otherwise, manipulating one thing at a time (in this case rear sway) is the best way to gauge its individual effect.

So, in summary (I'm rambling, sorry ), a good way to go might be to try the rear sway first, see how it feels, and then either do front sway or tweak alignment next.

__________________
Enjoy it. Destroy it.

jpkirk

Dang, beat me to the Far North Racing link.

__________________

intake | exhaust | wheels | tires | suspension ... um ... stock, do speed stickers count?
intake | exhaust | TE37 SL | RE-11 | suspension ... um ... do speed stickers count? Signature under construction