[K9GunSlinger]

Hey all,

I just went to Angeles crest for the 3rd time last week and am just learning the roads / being safe. This last time i went with the guy i sold my supercharged BRZ to along with a couple other FR-S/brz, and a few porsches. they smoked me when we went up and down mt wilson (being tighter turns and smaller lanes). We did the Angeles Loop this time and while i was able to keep up, they looked much more flat and stable in corners while i felt...not so much in the corners. I know the basics of driving..straight line braking, apex, keep off brakes and gear change in the turns..things like that..but they are just so much faster!

My question is, what kind of suspension/chassis mods can i make that will help make the car handle better in the canyons? Besides the driver mod (i will be working on this).

Thanks!

[overcoil]

Tires are probably your best initial investment - maybe a move to 19-ich wheels.
Are you shod with Michelin PSS?
Make sure your at about 37psi all around for the Michelin, be in SPORT mode for drivetrain and chassis.

Driving technique and familiarity with the road are probably as much a variable at this time as making modifications.

And really below 4K rpm your just not in the power. And speed is turns is commitment, don't think suspension modifications are necessarily going to buy you cornering speed. And also if you want to be fast in the rain you could lose some of that ability if you go stiffer.

[K9GunSlinger]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

Tires are probably your best initial investment - maybe a move to 19-ich wheels.
Are you shod with Michelin PSS?
Make sure your at about 37psi all around for the Michelin, be in SPORT mode for drivetrain and chassis.

Driving technique and familiarity with the road are probably as much a variable at this time as making modifications.

And really below 4K rpm your just not in the power. And speed is turns is commitment, don't think suspension modifications are necessarily going to buy you cornering speed. And also if you want to be fast in the rain you could lose some of that ability if you go stiffer.

I have Michellin Pilot Super sports, still have 8-9 tread. i only have 2000 miles on the car. I have been running 37PSi in the front and 39 in the rear. and i do sport mode.

Really? i feel the torque and power very much so in the low end! I don't mean necessarily gaining cornering speed, but more so FEELING more flat and confident in corners. I don't know if I'm sensitive to the body roll and weight because I'm coming from a BRZ..but moreso i just want to FEEL more confident and flat in the corners.

Being fast in the rain is not a concern to me. If it rains i will not be in the canyons and i will not be wanting to drive fast anywhere!

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by K9GunSlinger

I have Michellin Pilot Super sports, still have 8-9 tread. i only have 2000 miles on the car. I have been running 37PSi in the front and 39 in the rear. and i do sport mode.

Really? i feel the torque and power very much so in the low end! I don't mean necessarily gaining cornering speed, but more so FEELING more flat and confident in corners. I don't know if I'm sensitive to the body roll and weight because I'm coming from a BRZ..but moreso i just want to FEEL more confident and flat in the corners.

Being fast in the rain is not a concern to me. If it rains i will not be in the canyons and i will not be wanting to drive fast anywhere!

you just might benefit then if you modify the suspension, keep the 18's. Do a small drop; sway bar and springs and few other suspension components. Would you use Dinan ?

[K9GunSlinger]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

you just might benefit then if you modify the suspension, keep the 18's. Do a small drop; sway bar and springs and few other suspension components. Would you use Dinan ?

i have a set of 18x8.5 AG M359 wheels wrapped in 235/40/18 MPSS ready to go on the car. yea id definitely be open to dinan! just want whatever would be best

[x233]

Originally Posted by K9GunSlinger

just want whatever would be best

I am afraid that might involve getting a Porsche to replace your m240i

[K9GunSlinger]

^ I wish

[Anthony235]

[XutvJet]

What mode are you driving in?

[K9GunSlinger]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

What mode are you driving in?

i usually drive in sport or sport +

was thinking about doing what some suggested about DSC off..

contemplating if its actually "safer"

[Anthony235]

Originally Posted by K9GunSlinger

i usually drive in sport or sport +

was thinking about doing what some suggested about DSC off..

contemplating if its actually "safer"

I was just going to watch the suggestions with amusement, but now safety is involved. Do NOT turn off DSC.

I spent much of my youth doing late night runs through Angeles, Ortega, and GMR.

[Dylan86]

^^ LOL definitely not safer! Safety first!!!

[K9GunSlinger]

Originally Posted by Anthony235

I was just going to watch the suggestions with amusement, but now safety is involved. Do NOT turn off DSC.

I spent much of my youth doing late night runs through Angeles, Ortega, and GMR.

so what would you recommend as the setting to use running through ACH. i dont like GMR too much, havent tried out ortega, but ACH is pretty fun.

[Anthony235]

Originally Posted by K9GunSlinger

so what would you recommend as the setting to use running through ACH. i dont like GMR too much, havent tried out ortega, but ACH is pretty fun.

If you want the feel of DSC off, but with some safety net then just do Sport+ with the Sport+ Drivetrain turned off in the menu.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by K9GunSlinger

i usually drive in sport or sport +

was thinking about doing what some suggested about DSC off..

contemplating if its actually "safer"

With DSC Off you will see just how much the nannies are holding back the power in these cars, especially Sport, where the nannies are impressively preemptive and kill and/or delay power.

The keys with DSC Off are that you need to have a good feel of what the tires are doing and what you can and can't do with the chassis. Don't overdrive the car. You can't come half way through a turn and expect to go full throttle. In DSC Off, the ELSD is active and will allow for as much power and off power oversteer as you're comfortable with. However, you must be skilled enough to know how to deal with oversteer. With a turbo and lots of low rpm torque, wheel spin through a turn can sneak up on you. You need to have good throttle control and luckily in DSC Off, the throttle is in the linear Comfort setting. I find the 2 series chassis easy to catch and control when in oversteer.

On these canyon drives, you should only be driving 7/10ths or less. Pay attention to the road conditions. If it's slick, debris on the road, tight lanes, little wiggle room, then you should be using the nanny modes.

Most importantly, drive well within your ability and road conditions. Don't push it and definitely don't worry about what the others in your group are doing. They might be faster only because they're more risky.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by Anthony235

If you want the feel of DSC off, but with some safety net then just do Sport+ with the Sport+ Drivetrain turned off in the menu.

I think you mean Sport. Sport+ doesn't allow you to select the Chassis and/or Drivetrain settings.

[Anthony235]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

With DSC Off you will see just how much the nannies are holding back the power in these cars, especially Sport, where the nannies are impressively preemptive and kill and/or delay power.

The keys with DSC Off are that you need to have a good feel of what the tires are doing and what you can and can't do with the chassis. Don't overdrive the car. You can't come half way through a turn and expect to go full throttle. In DSC Off, the ELSD is active and will allow for as much power and off power oversteer as you're comfortable with. However, you must be skilled enough to know how to deal with oversteer. With a turbo and lots of low rpm torque, wheel spin through a turn can sneak up on you. You need to have good throttle control and luckily in DSC Off, the throttle is in the linear Comfort setting. I find the 2 series chassis easy to catch and control when in oversteer.

On these canyon drives, you should only be driving 7/10ths or less. Pay attention to the road conditions. If it's slick, debris on the road, tight lanes, little wiggle room, then you should be using the nanny modes.

Most importantly, drive well within your ability and road conditions. Don't push it and definitely don't worry about what the others in your group are doing. They might be faster only because they're more risky.

If he's driving at 7/10 or less he will not notice a difference with DSC off. If DSC interferes at 7/10 or less then he's making some serious mistakes in driving.

[Anthony235]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

I think you mean Sport. Sport+ doesn't allow you to select the Chassis and/or Drivetrain settings.

Oops, correct. That's actually my daily drive setting. You would think I would remember

[K9GunSlinger]

Ok cool, so I'm doing Sport with it only on the chassis. felt pretty good this last time i went. i was more familiar with the turns and i defintely felt faster going up (i still hate the feeling when coming down fast, heavy car and I'm feeling the body roll. what else would you guys recommend? sway bars?

[aaaaah]

They have cars with communicative steering which builds a lot of confidence and confidence is what makes you faster.

Our cars have direct steering and are fairly easy to place but you can't tell so easily what the car is doing. I have a lot more trust in my E30 because I can tell what it's doing close to the limit.

[K9GunSlinger]

Originally Posted by aaaaah

They have cars with communicative steering which builds a lot of confidence and confidence is what makes you faster.

Our cars have direct steering and are fairly easy to place but you can't tell so easily what the car is doing. I have a lot more trust in my E30 because I can tell what it's doing close to the limit.

Agreed, my supercharged brz and s2000 were very much communicative, but (obviously) I'm not getting thatbwith the m240 which is something I expected. Is the M2 better at this?

[lajollabeach]

I drive there too. My car is a '16 228 w/m-sport suspension so it's not a direct comparison to your's. One of the biggest differences between my 228 and all my previous 3-series is that the 3-series inspired confidence in corners and the 228 feels like it's going to jump off the road when pushed in corners especially if the road surface is uneven. It took many months of driving thru the same corners faster and faster to convince me that actually the car will not jump off the road. I think the problem is a combination of too soft suspension and the electric steering. If it's any consolation you get a much nicer ride on the fwy than the BRZ or the S2000, right?