[Shotimes] Energy Suspension Bushings

[Ron Porter]

At what speed? I say the LX wagon wasn't going through as quickly as the
SHO. Just the difference in tires (assuming the SHO had decent rubber) will
put the SHO through more quickly. Note that these are the operative
words...."more quickly". I'm not saying the SHO should feel better at it's
limit, but it's limit will be higher.

All SHOs used on the road "better" be understeering to a certain degree
under normal conditions. Driving technique can then get a well-set-up car to
handle either neutral or a bit tail-happy.

If you guys are calling ANY bit of understeer a bad thing, you are
incorrect.

An oversteering FWD car is a suicide machine......FW cannot be manipulated
like a RWD or AWD machine.

I have gotten my stock '89 (with 25/26 bars) and stock '99 to not plow the
front-end on the track......nor on a constant-radius freeway ramp.

I suspect a number of folks mistake "feel" with true performance through the
twisties.

Ron Porter 

-----Original Message-----
From: James F. Ryan III [mailto:av8r567@optonline.net] 
Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2003 3:47 PM
To: 'Ron Porter'; 'Ian Fisher'; 'Kirk Doucette'; 'shotimes'
Subject: RE: [Shotimes] Energy Suspension Bushings


> As you add performance suspension components (solid SFBs, SFCs,
> Koni/Eibach/Intrax/Tokico, harder bushings, etc, etc) the general tendency
> will be to make the car more tail-happy. And too much tail-happiness is
> NOT
> a good thing for track or "spirited" road driving....ask the Gen 3 guys
> with
> 26mm (or larger) rear bars who have spun out.


Ron, take a look at my signature.  My '91 understeered 10 years ago (before
I made modifications) and it still understeers today.  As far as tires, I've
had GY Eagle GT+4s, BFG Comp T/A VR4s, and presently BS Potenza RE730s.  I
take the same 270 degree on-ramp every morning and I never make it more than
halfway thru before the SHO starts to plow.

The '90 LX rental wagon with the heavier 3.8L and non-performance tires on
15" basket weave wheels was glued to the inside radius of the ENTIRE 270
degree on-ramp with only the slightest hint of protest from the tires.  Same
driver, same technique - explain that.


Jim Ryan
(Living and working in Kentucky for the next 2 months)
Wayne, NJ
'91 Plus - all white/mocha with fiberglass hood, rod shifter, & rear spoiler

255 Lph fuel pump, SHO Shop can & horn, 80mm MAF, S&B cone filter, SHO Shop
HiFlow Y-pipe & cat-back exhaust, SHO Shop LPM, SHO Shop underdrive pulleys,
SHO Shop HiRevs Jr clutch & steel billet LiteWeight flywheel, reinforced
engine & trans mounts, SHO Shop TQ limiters, SHO NUT aluminum SFBs, FPS '96
SHO front brakes, Carbotech F brake pads, Nook's full-body SFCs, Koni adj
struts, SHO Shop linear springs, 24mm FSB, 26mm RSB, SHO Shop steel f&r
STBs, Bridgestone Potenza RE-730 225/55-16, CATZ MSP fog lights, police
grille