re: Milano: Understeer/oversteer

["Sedon, Doug (OD/ORS)" <sedond@domain.elided>]

hi all,

it's interesting how my comments, & those of dana loomis, chris piepers, and
scott fisher re: suspension tuning, are in agreement, in disagreement, and in
partial agreement.  here again, it seems that ewe can't take yust one suspension
mod on its own - the complete set-up must be considered.  also, different cars
have different reactions to mods.  i'm not so sure how much relevance scott's
comments about a vw rabbit - a front-drive car, will have on rwd alfa's.  and
while it's my belief that increasing stiffness will increase the grip of that
car's end, it is true that *too* stiff a set-up will decrease the grip, if it
overcomes grip of the tires/weight of the car, so that it actually skips over
the road - much like scott described as happening w/his vw.

i know there's also disagreement among pantera owners about the best way to set
up their cars - some owners think a fatter rear sway bar is best to tame sudden
oversteer that these rear-weight-biased cars have, while others believe it's
best to run them w/the rear sway bar removed completely!   i think that both
these set-ups may work, BUT i believe that the rest of suspension components
have to be set up WAY different from each other.

as far as *my* milano werde is concerned, its suspension is stock.  recently
added 15x7 wheels, kept the bridgestone 205-50-15 re71's.  the car seems to me
to be quite neutral, w/sudden oversteer at the limit.  lotsa body roll.  same as
w/the stock wheels, except a bit higher limit - the car's track is now about
1/2" wider, and the tires fit better on the wider rims.  i'm leaning :>) towards
installing fatter swaybars front-n-rear; next tire change will see 215-50-15's
all around.  not ready for lowering or stiffer suspension - my gtwe6 keeps me
satisfied in that department!

ciao for now,

doug s.

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