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BIGASH/FF-Racing X85 Clio Cup Racer Project



Yeah you could still use PMS brace if you were to use the BMW style that you linked but with the rotational type you would have to drill a lot of holes if you wanted to keep them adjustable and changed your setup regularly.

PS no rush if its too much bother just now.
Sorry I meant to retain the top mounts and the strut brace I will get on paint and draw what I mean :) It should work it's just a PITA to fab up
 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAMBER-PLA...81006349108%26
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E36-PI...item1c29d787eb

I know both of these say camber, but all you would have to do is turn them 90 deg.

BMW one's are cheap.
Yeah exactly Tony or in the case of the Pug one's then you can set for max castor and then turn the top mount round to adjust the camber too!

I should be going to collect a rad from the people selling those BMW one's next week so I will have a look at them but I am very dubious about the bearing and also the size of the opening at the bottom of the bearing it doesn't look like it would allow much movement
 
I spoke to the elegibilty scruitineer for the sprints and hill round this way before I did anything to my car that could be considered to be in a grey area as far as the regulations go for modified series production cars.
I sent him pictures with redline mark ups on them indicating what I was planning to do, he was quite happy with everything I had in mind, I've saved the email trails from all the discussions.

From the book:

Suspension​
12.8.1.​
Additions and modifications to springs, shock absorbers or suspension height are free.
12.8.2.​
The original type of suspension must be maintained (e.g. twin wishbone set-up cannot replace a single wishbone suspension; a sliding pillar cannot be replaced by a MacPherson strut; a trailing link cannot be replaced by wishbones or coaxial springing).
12.8.3.​
A live rear axle may not be replaced by an independent system or De Dion.
12.8.4.​
A live rear axle is allowed location links. If leverarm shock absorbers are an original fitment, they may be replaced by a single location link.
12.8.5.​
Suspension pick-up point positions may be altered, providing the suspension system is maintained as being the original type.
12.8.6.​
Road springs are free.
12.8.7.​
The wheelbase must be to the dimensions of the original vehicle, plus or minus 2% or 5cm whichever
is the greater.


So from that, cutting the top off the strut tower shouldnt be an issue but you would be better consulting the eligibility scruitineer for your chosen series before doing anything like that, just in case.

The guy I spoke to said him self that the MSA rules contradict them selves in various instances and a lot of it is down to interpretation and being seen to play the game and be sensible about what your doing.
Most people would consider modfiying a strut tower to gain some castor an acceptable modification for a race car.
What I've taken from my numerous discussions with him is that they dont mind you cutting or modifying parts of the car even when it's within the wheel centres, if you have a legitimate reason and that it's going to either make the car safer or has no detrimental impact on the strength of the chassis.

A case in point is the standard seat brackets, I asked before replacing them with 40mm T45 tube and he was all for it

Quote:
Yes, ok to remove standard column mount from bulkhead and also to remove pressed tin ! mounts from floor. Much better to do as you intend with tubes welded from sill to tunnel.

Thanks for that Kenny, I couldn't find that section of the blue book earlier but it confirms what I thought :)
 
This is what I was thinking of! Hopefully someone could fabricate it better than I can draw it on paint!
file-29.jpg


All it would be it plasma cutter through the middle of the dome, then cut around it, move it back 35mm build up the turret to the same height, weld it together and then cut out from underneath :)
 
Not much, maybe 1/2 of a second a little less on a short circuit, but helps with tyre wear and a few other things so I thought it's worth sorting while the car is in bits. What do you think Sam just leave it be?
 
  Lotus Elise
Id say its a hygiene factor that will gain you a very small amount compared to the effort required to implement it. Its something we tried with the KTM and found it was using up to much time, money and effort for a small reward. As a driver its something you can learn to deal with.

If I was you I'd look at achieving the maximum mid corner speed you can, purely because its what is most important to lap times and success. If I had your car I'd look at getting the CoG (center of gravity) as low as possible and getting the weight distribution spot on.

Id also concentrate on getting the suspension settings as good as possible for achieving the maximum mid corner speed. Mainly spring damper rates and tyre pressures. This will also help you learn how to drive the car. (Not saying you cant drive just saying there is always time to come from learning the car) Whilst doing this you will learn how to feel the car better too and this help with things such as Toe and camber settings which are not as important as people think.

I appreciate steering feel is a nice thing to have but ultimately corner speed is where you want to be focusing your efforts.

:)
 
The steering feel isn't really the issue for me, the main thing for me with the current 1.5 degree's neg caster is when the car is loaded up and the camber is working well on the loaded corner the unloaded corner the camber is having the opposite effect. By increasing the caster and then reducing the camber it should then increase the dynamic camber I think which will improve contact patches and stop the issue I had at Donington where I was getting wheel spin on the nearside front while going round craners. I am only regurgitating what I have been told so I could well have got confused along the way.

I thought the caster should also have a good positive affect on the mid corner speed.

CoG is a very good point and one that I haven't really thought of in my current plans, weight distribution I am working on as much as possible and I am changing the layout of quite a few things in the car to try and improve this.

Yes got all those bases covered once the car is back together :)

Thanks for the advice Sam I really appreciate it and I will look into the CoG which was an oversight by me.
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
Mid corner you are only really using one front wheel anyway, so makes no difference if you get that to the right amount of camber via camber alone or camber and induced camber from caster, and like Sam says at that point tow doesnt matter either, as the other wheel is more or less off the ground so you just steer to where suits the one that matters, lol
 
  Lotus Elise
One point about wheel spin is, as the car straightens up the inside wheel will find traction naturally where as providing it with more grip may just induce power on understeer.

I enjoy reading about your project James its certainly a good one, just make sure you're not adding problems with smaller modifications when that time, money and effort could be spent on track time which will help you the most right now. (Something that was certainly true for me)
 
Good point I hadn't thought about that :)

Yes it is very true, just wanted to make sure I have covered the basics while the car is in bits. Hopefully I will get plenty of testing time when it's all back together! Can't wait
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
Good thing about really sorting it all now, would be a lack of lost seat time to sort later on of course, lol

Swings and roundabouts.
 
  Cup In bits
Agreed improving the driver is always the cheapest option but if you do want to improve the clio chassis, look at roll centres as well as bump steer as clio's are quite out of sorts when lowered. Correct me if im wrong but a correct roll centre will gain more time than caster. Slot your coilovers for camber, been done by manufacturers for years.

For strut tops I would just cut an oblong piece and spin it 180 deg for easyness James, no need to cut up and re shape, hard to explain without a pic. Your not going to need caster adjustment at club level really, just get as much as you can.
 
  Lotus Elise
Agreed improving the driver is always the cheapest option but if you do want to improve the clio chassis, look at roll centres as well as bump steer as clio's are quite out of sorts when lowered. Correct me if im wrong but a correct roll centre will gain more time than caster. Slot your coilovers for camber, been done by manufacturers for years.

For strut tops I would just cut an oblong piece and spin it 180 deg for easyness James, no need to cut up and re shape, hard to explain without a pic. Your not going to need caster adjustment at club level really, just get as much as you can.

When I talk about CoG I don't mean decking it on the coilovers.

Good thing about really sorting it all now, would be a lack of lost seat time to sort later on of course, lol

Swings and roundabouts.

Proven parts are less likely to break though compared to modified bits, e.g 'modded' V2s vs ASTs. ;)

This could go on all night. LOL
 
Good thing about really sorting it all now, would be a lack of lost seat time to sort later on of course, lol

Swings and roundabouts.
lol! Will see what the budget allows for :)
Agreed improving the driver is always the cheapest option but if you do want to improve the clio chassis, look at roll centres as well as bump steer as clio's are quite out of sorts when lowered. Correct me if im wrong but a correct roll centre will gain more time than caster. Slot your coilovers for camber, been done by manufacturers for years.

For strut tops I would just cut an oblong piece and spin it 180 deg for easyness James, no need to cut up and re shape, hard to explain without a pic. Your not going to need caster adjustment at club level really, just get as much as you can.
Oh yes I agree too and don't deny that I have a long way to go :)

Not sure how to sort Rollcentres as I don't want to go down the cup racer route and don't really fancy having to modify my subframe. Bump steer is already an issue on mine and mine isn't even very low! No you could well be right :) Camber is not an issue thankfully!

Sorry I still don't understand lol!

When I talk about CoG I don't mean decking it on the coilovers.

This could go on all night. LOL
Yeah I presume you mean getting as many items of the car as low as possible?

Lol don't worry i'm going out soon so won't be able to reply ;)
 
  Cup In bits
Lol you weren't on about lows then haha, ktec sell a rear strutbrace that takes 2 seconds off your lap times I heard.

Yeah get weight down low, look at basic principles, ackerman, RCA and all that jazz.

AST's are slotted right iirc
 
  Lotus Elise
Exactly James.

I'm trying to write my dissertation, which funnily enough is on designing an entire suspension system from scratch suitable for a track environment.
 
Wow nice work by Ktec ;)

Yeah AST's are slotted but only gives a couple of deg's so I run camber bolt's too and anyone who saw the car at BTM when I fit them on full camber will testify they had more camber than even the euro scene would like ;)
 
Exactly James.

I'm trying to write my dissertation, which funnily enough is on designing an entire suspension system from scratch suitable for a track environment.
Good luck with it Sam :) My dissertation was started 2 days before the hand in so it sounds like you already have one up on me ;)

If you need a car to experiment on then..... :p
 
  Lotus Elise
Good luck with it Sam :) My dissertation was started 2 days before the hand in so it sounds like you already have one up on me ;)

If you need a car to experiment on then..... :p

Doing it for the Boxster, naturally. Hopefully getting it on the shaker rig soon!
 
  Lotus Elise
A little something from my lecture today (by Prodive!)

1kg weight saving at the roof equals, roughly 7kg at the floor.
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
A little something from my lecture today (by Prodive!)

1kg weight saving at the roof equals, roughly 7kg at the floor.

Colin chapman used to say the 7:1 rule about unsprung weight, are you sure you arent confusing that with sprung weight low down? As I cant imagine that the same is true of sprung weight on the floor versus sprung weight up high TBH.

Dont get me wrong, im sure its a lot better, but just the 7 times thing would make it as good as unsprung, and that seems unlikely!
 
  Golf GTD Mk7
IIRC there isn't much he can do apart from the windows with regards to weight up top? Unless he's feeling flush and puts fibre glass panels all round :) Roof is a no no though afaik.
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
IIRC there isn't much he can do apart from the windows with regards to weight up top? Unless he's feeling flush and puts fibre glass panels all round :) Roof is a no no though afaik.

Yeah losing weight high up is going to be hard for ash, well other than from himself of course!
 
  Lotus Elise
I agree it was merely a wild suggestion.

Lower everything possible. On WRC cars the master cylinders are under the peddle box for example.
 
  Golf GTD Mk7
I agree it was merely a wild suggestion.

Lower everything possible. On WRC cars the master cylinders are under the peddle box for example.

Good point. Lowering all fluid reservoirs also might be useful. Maybe forward behind the bumper?
 
just a thought but wouldn't it be better to make adjustable low arms then piss about with strut tops but one thing for sure I'm with James on this one that well he's where he is now with the car striped he may aswell make it so everything is adjustable if he haded of striped the car then I'd be saying seat time and find the very best set up for as many tracks as possible but as the car striped may as well do everything he can to improve it.
 
  Golf GTD Mk7
Not really any other options apart from around the GB maybe if other bits are relocated. Would the small weight make much difference in front of the front axle? Lighter rad to counteract it, plus it might help with cooling.
 
rather than concetrating on the top, maybe investigate moving the wheel position at the bottom:

60trainavie1.jpg


i`ve just got some adjustable wishbone for mine (106, not this clio tat haha) it retains std suspension pickups and still allows a bit of adjustment....
 
  182/RS2/ Turbo/Mk1
Problem with that is he hasn't got the room at the front currently to move it that far at the bottom.
I did point out to him that the advantage of doing the bottom is effectively moving the c of g backwards of the axle line too, and extending the wheelbase slightly would help with stability in faster corners too.
 


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