I enjoy hearing about your pursuit to getting the new GC setup dialed in Les, and have a question. I'm wondering about the rake you mentioned that your specialist frowned at. Why? Is he the one that corner balanced you previously? Did the front settle a lot? BTW, passing that F12 must have felt great!

 

thanks for the update Les. Once you have your set up dialed in, is this knowledge on the settings repeatable? What I mean is, can the same info be passed on to someone for a similar set up here in the states? So someone can be close out of the box I guess is what I'm asking. I had both cars out playing yesterday and today. Kind of getting back into them. Maybe until the rear end gear/TCU tune can be perfected, this could get me excited again. I spent part of the day with a muscle car collector, and he is now interested in an SRT6 to add to the stable. I wont go into detail here as this is for your review, but it had me excited about the cars again. And maybe one of his....later....

 

I can't imagine why it wouldn't be repeatable on any Crossfire anywhere in the world and I'll share. "Ideal" might change with different spring rates. As far as the rake, well when I took the car back after it settled, the race specialist wasn't around. (owner) I told the tech to raise the rear to where it ended up and then the car was corner balanced. I wanted to be positive no suspension parts were hitting one another on the track. The next event is at the same track on the 26th of octubre. I plan on being more aggressive ...... faster too. I'll take a picture after washing the car so everyone can see where it sits now. Still real low.

Les

 

What was your car doing that caused you to change to the rake? Hopefully you can get the video up so we have a better understanding of how the car was handling on the track.

 

The car was loose. The front was sticking. The car was good, the driver was unsure and in search mode.

Les

 

I personally would have kept the rake where it was for the time being. Loose is good, it's a much easier problem than tight.

 

10/4. I'm uploading the video this morning, unedited. With all the Groucho Marx/Three Stooges/Winnie the Pooh moments.

BTW Doc, I have the 3:27 installed and working perfectly. Easy as pie but expensive when you add all the costs up. Diff, TCU tune, install, alcohol to steady the nerves and resolve.

Les

 

Thanks Les, Rudy and I talked a few days ago. I could do that, but I am holding out to try a more dramatic change in the 3.40 area. C class I believe has a 3.48 or 3.47 since I will be doing more straight line running. But, if it doesn't pan out, this is what I will do as well.

 

And the clouds have parted and I can see. I fully understand.

Les

 

This is how my car sits as of Saturday. I wound blue painters tape around the control arms and sway bar. I'll pull the rear wheels today or tomorrow and look for contact. I haven't felt contact but the tape won't lie.

Les

 

Sits really nice.
The 90/99 gas price kinda threw me off until I realized it was cents per liter ......

 

Is it me, or is the front higher? I know you are set up for the track, but I guess I like to see a little more rake than that.

 

I raised the front a tad. It still has some rake ..... very little. If I don't like it on the track a few turns of the screw and down it comes. I've been a proponent of keeping rake in the car even when experts told me not to. Let's see what happens listening to the pros. The car can go much lower in the front without rubbing. The rear is still the problem. I lengthened the sway bar links and I think it solved the problem. I was going the wrong way adjusting them. Either way, this kit goes lower than the K&W's before encountering problems.

Les

 

yes sir....my interest is peaking. I think the roadster would definitely benefit from this kit. Now to find an alignment shop that understands the set up..... May have to go to Indy. A few shops on Gasoline Alley that specialize in this area. I don't think the local shops would get it...

 

Les - thanks for the great info and keep posting your impressions.

The only comment I would question at this point is your statement about how great the car feels at 100mph. If we are talking about straight & gradual turns I would say the cars tend to feel better the faster they go.

 

I'm comparing with the K&W's which were on my car for 2 years, more or less. My car is more stable under braking now, the speed the car responds to inputs, instant. No brake dive, little roll. Another great feature of the Ground Control kit is it uses standard coil spring sizes and lengths. Springs that are inexpensive, from more than one manufacturer, ($80.00 each more or less) and come in 50 lb increments from 200 lbs to 1000 lbs. So your not married till death with G/C. Too stiff for you? Not stiff enough? As long as they fall into the range the shocks are valved for it's cheap and easy to make changes if you desire. The front adjustment is fast and easy. Lift a corner, use a 17 mm socket, short extension and ratchet. Minutes. The rear takes a bit more work. The RACE KIT isn't for everyone. It won't pass the wife or girlfriend test. It WILL make you giddy on a race track. An amazing change. I was only getting 2 track days out of my front tires with the K&W's and Hoosiers. Too much negative camber and the inside edges got eaten alive under braking. Less and the outside edges got eaten cornering. No alignment could handle the dramatic dive, roll and dynamic camber changes. First track day with the Ground Control kit and the front tires are wearing perfectly. I'm going to save a bundle. Justin will be racing in October so soon we'll have observations from him as well. The only part of the kit I'm not sure of is the camber arms. I pounded the drivers side arm. The passenger has a mark but nothing like the drivers side. It could be because of the adjustable links being incorrectly adjusted. Jury's still out. But I wish it had more curve to it. If you want to drop the rear until the tires hit the fender well the camber arm is going to be a problem .... it seems. I'm going through all the combinations of height and adjustments to find out. I'd hoped they'd have clearance for any height. Most won't want the other rear arms. They're solid with spherical ends. They transfer road noise. Nice pieces, rubber covered ends, (slick) more for racing I think. I'm giving Donovan all my opinions on the kit so he's heard what I'm saying here. Overall, I'm pretty dad gummed thrilled .... except the camber arms. I'm still fiddling with the links which may be the solution.

Les

 

Well, I received my swaybar links from GC a couple of days ago and tonight had a chance to check them out and pre-adjust to length. I used the 7-1/8" center to center measurement that I read from MikeR's old thread. Will try to find time to install this weekend, but here are a few observations. 1.) The links fully shortened are 5-3/4"center to center. Adjusted to my starting length of 7-1/8"center to center, there is 3/4" of thread on each end showing, and only 3/8" of thread inside both ends of the rod. Seems to me that they could have, should have, used a 5" rod instead of a 4" rod. Perhaps 3/8" of thread is adequate for the task(given that the O.E.M. link is some kind of plastic), but I would rather have seen 3/8" of thread showing, and 3/4" of thread into the rod, instead of the other way around. 2.) I had to clean out all the shavings out of one end of a rod and chase the threads. Other than that, they look good, and I look forward to improved ride performance.

 

Les - thanks for the additional details. If this was Facebook I would tag the like button.

 

Just wanted to update some info. on the sway bar links. After talking w/ Donovan @ G.C., he sent me a pair of 5" rods right away, which are a better fit IMO for those that are mildly lowered. The 5" rod creates a 6 3/4"(center to center) link at the shortest adjustment and can adjust all the way to stock length if anyone was purchasing these to replace the OEM links for any reason. The 4" rods that they originally supplied are necessary for getting down and finding the low limits. I've decided to keep the shorter rods for future lowering with their coil over conversion kit that's on my wish list.

 

great info. As I just want to bring the roadster down to within a 1/4-1/2" of the fender well. No so much into the fender well. She sits 11/2-2" now. I like what you are saying Les. We won't go for the race set up, but the next kit up.