Handling Advice...

[Omi]

Any competent folks near Croft/NE who'd like to throw my car around a bit and tell me what is required to tighten up the handling?

I've changed pretty much all the bushes, some with uprated versions, offset rear CA bushes, H&R cup kit... Admittedly I'm only running Kumho tyres but the car just feels wooly and doesn't inspire confidence.

I'm not the greatest driver, and the car isn't the greatest either, but compared to a number of other cars I've driven/owned, there's not the same communication/predictability.

Back off to the Ring in July with a 2.8 under the bonnet, so would be good to know everything's well.

[hoshy]

Any competent folks near Croft/NE who'd like to throw my car around a bit and tell me what is required to tighten up the handling?

I've changed pretty much all the bushes, some with uprated versions, offset rear CA bushes, H&R cup kit... Admittedly I'm only running Kumho tyres but the car just feels wooly and doesn't inspire confidence.

I'm not the greatest driver, and the car isn't the greatest either, but compared to a number of other cars I've driven/owned, there's not the same communication/predictability.

Back off to the Ring in July with a 2.8 under the bonnet, so would be good to know everything's well.

I have a very similar problem, I've also changed all the bushes and got the same camber/ toe training arm bushes. I've got a spax kit rather than H&R.

For me I find on the road it's just a bit twitches - like it's telling me where it wants to go, not the other way around.

Also on changing direction the car seems to initially turn in sharp but then as it settles I need to tweak the steering angle. Feels like the back end isn't quite right in those cases.

When I was on the track I had plenty of confidence for hard driving, but for spirited driving on the road it isn't confidence inspiring.

The trailing arm bushes I set up "empirically" to remove a little camber and give a little more toe-in. The car didn't get any worse but it's not been properly checked - yet. How are yours set up, did you have it professionally done?

Sound anything like yours?

[Omi]

I had a 3rd party do the trailing arm bushes, don't know if they had alignment done.

Full 4-wheel alignment seems like an obvious first step, now I think about it... Anywhere reputable up here in the wilds of Yorkshire/Durham/Teesside?

[hoshy]

Not sure but be prepared for a proper job to cost. You have to take the trailing arms off to adjust the bushes. I've been having trouble finding somebody who can do it properly down here.

How does your car actually feel at the moment? Anything like I described? I ask because it sounds like very similar setups leading to the same kind of problem.

Have you had yours rounds the track. How does it compare between fast road and track?

[Omi]

What's the difference? lol

Car balance seems neutral in steady-state cornering, but feels vague and loose. As if there's not much mechanical grip.

Lurches to turn in and will plough on if you're not loading up the front tyres, very easy to induce lots of slip with a bit of throttle motion. Back end seems vague and soft, but at the same time the damping is very stiff on a poor road surface...

To drive, I'd say it feels like watching a MkII Jag cop chase from the early 70s. Roll, squirm, slide etc.