Setting up GSR/EVO 3 for track

[cheeks]

Have done two track days now and am looking at ways to improve the times. The track days up here are limited to individual sprints against the clock. The set up is you get three laps in a run and then between 4 - 5 runs for the day. The fastest guys are doing 1m.08sec laps. I started doing 1.21 now am down to 1.16. Its an international style go-cart track so it's all about acceleration and cornering, not top speed. it is just over 1km and looks like this:




I've set up 2.8 degrees camber on the front with as much caster as i can get out of my Kmac strut tops. The rears are 0.8 degrees camber which is about as much as i can get on the rear with .5 degree toe in. I have read that a bigger swaybar on the rear will help with cornering, but will I need to go 22mm or 24mm for optimum nose in. I am going to do one tweek at a time and see how that improves things. Would this be the best first option.

 

[OLDIE]

Stiffer rear bar should make it a bit more loose in the tail.

 

[EVO193]

Do you have a LSD front or centre diff?

 

[EVO193]

What coilovers are you running?

 

[ENGINR]

My track setup consists of a stock rear swaybar (EVO1-3), stock front swaybar (EVO2-3), stock mech rear LSD and until recently an open front LSD in the gearbox (now running a mech LSD). It's a very neutral and controlled car to drive. I think a lot of people underestimate the capabilities of the standard setup.

My front coilovers have Koni inserts in them, rears are still the HKS inserts and I've had no issues at all with handling.

If you really want to be serious about track work, the biggest improvement I made was removing the factory brake booster and master cylinder and going to an un-boosted twin master cylinder setup. The improvement in the performance of the brakes and the pedal feel was incredible.

 

[boostboy76]

What is the difference in handling performance between an open front LSD to a mechanical LSD?

My GSR has the factory front LSD, and I find the car understeers quite badly if you have the power down going around roundabouts, etc.

Nearly understeered straight into a curb doing that in the early weeks of ownership!

 

[htgsr]

Strip as much weight out of it as you can, will accelerate faster brake faster an corner faster, an you can do it yourself for free.

 

[DOUGMO]

castor and front lsd

 

[JETGSR]

+1 on more caster! and front LSD
and if you want to get serious corner weighted.

this will help with lift off oversteer so you can be powering up to your corner break late in the corner and power out with out getting all sqirmy, keeping your lines nice and clean.
Smooth is fast!

I prefer the really tight stuff over fast sweeping corners.

Not sure if everyone agrees but a stiff rear bar will let you lift a tire - personally I think 4 tires on the tarmac gives better grip then 3.

 

[sumo_power87]

My track setup consists of a stock rear swaybar (EVO1-3), stock front swaybar (EVO2-3), stock mech rear LSD and until recently an open front LSD in the gearbox (now running a mech LSD). It's a very neutral and controlled car to drive. I think a lot of people underestimate the capabilities of the standard setup.

My front coilovers have Koni inserts in them, rears are still the HKS inserts and I've had no issues at all with handling.

If you really want to be serious about track work, the biggest improvement I made was removing the factory brake booster and master cylinder and going to an un-boosted twin master cylinder setup. The improvement in the performance of the brakes and the pedal feel was incredible.

Hmmm... That last part caught my attention, in regards to the twin master cylinder setup. Where could one find such treasure? Which company? Also how would this be installed?

 

[ENGINR]

There are pedal boxes available off-the-shelf and online for the brake booster deletion and twin cylinder conversion on the CC lancers (I think the brand is OBP, not OMP), I believe DOUGMO ran one in his EVO2 but it needed a lot of modification and reinforcement to make it stronger and more suitable for the forces that would be loaded into it.

I had my stock pedal box and brake pedal modified and reinforced to accommodate the balance bar and twin cylinders and purchased a pair of Tilton master cylinders from a racing online store here in Australia, then had a reinforcement plate and brake stopper fabricated by a mate.

You will need the two master cylinders and a pedal box that can accommodate them, balance bar and bias adjustment cable setup. You'll also need to modify your brake pedal to hold the balance bar by having the balance bar sleeve welded in. It is critical that this is done by a professional so the tube doesn't shrink due to the welding heat and jams the balance bar bearing.

THEN the fun part comes into play when you have to make up your brake lines. DO NOT go cheap on fittings and hose/line. I used Speedflow throughout mine.