Suspension...

[lordof]

Hi, I'm from Brazil and this is my first message...
I am finishing my first drift car, it's a GM Chevette (with a GM 2.2 16v turbo with 300 to 350 hp), around 1000 kg, FR, but i don't know how to make my suspension...
soft, heavy, short, camber?
please help me....
see the car at http://www.muenster.de/~mnickel/images/bcl933.jpg

thank you

[malcolm]

first drift car?? do some testing with stock suspension first... find out the basics of what the car does in a drift. Then, I would suggest a fairly stiff suspension, but not too stiff because it is a light car (2200 lbs for those who aren't metric savvy). I think adjustible coil-overs would be best, but who knows if anyone makes them for a BDM (Brazilian) Chevette.

Side note: too bad the country isn't called Brazil-S___, so it could be a "BSDM Chevette." :P

[lordof]

thank you malcolm....
but the suspension have to be more stiff in rear?
and about the height?
thank you and sorry, but my english isn't good

[malcolm]

it's ok

I think you would want it slightly stiffer in the front, because the car would have a tendency to oversteer anyway. As for height? As low as you can without messing up the geometry of the suspension (no massive bump-steer, etc), and without rubbing tires, bottoming out, etc. I would say, for your car, somewhere around 400 lb/in springs in the front, and 350 lb/in springs in the rear, with bigger sway-bars. I would make the ride height adjustible (ie. go to coilovers), so you can change how the car handles. A good starting point would be an inch and a half lower than stock (judging by the photo).

If you want me to explain anything that you didn't understand, just ask. (also, try Google Language Translator... works really well).

[lordof]

thank you again...
in Brazil, we dont use lb/in, what this meaning?what do you say when use : "400 lb/in springs in the front, and 350 lb/in springs in the rear"
what is a sway-bar?

[Wayne]

yess another brasilian, woo woo ahah but ya for an actualy contribution to this topic, a sway bar is another way to make ur chassis more rigid, it helps you control the car better in general lamans terms

Brasil governa o mundo, as mais melhores meninas no universo inteiro. Brasilian ao osso sempre e para sempre

[malcolm]

a sway bar does not make your car more rigid.

a sway bar is something to make your car stay level, and reduce body roll. on the front, for example, when the right front suspension is compressed, it twists the sway bar, which forces the left front suspension to compress as well.

400 lbs/in = 7.2 kg/mm
350 lbs/in = 6.3 kg/mm

it's basically 1.8 kg/mm for every 100 lbs/in.

For all us north american drivers, check out springs for stock-cars/oval track cars... They will give you an excellent range of spring rates, and they are WAY CHEAPER than any Japanese spring, and the quality is just as good.

[lordof]

thank you again...
i understand everything...
and BlueDragon 871, the brazilian girls are very beautiful, but I love asian girls...