RE: Final Suspension survey (hopefully)

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

	giovanni, i'm assuming your list indicates your current set-up?

	then, i think your suggested set-up will work (no direct experience
w/the koni's, tho), however i still feel yule still wanna install the stiffer
front sway bar, cuz the torsion bars really won't help your roll problem that
much in the front - the sway bar will.  and *i* could be wrong here
(corrections, anyone?), but adding the roll bar in the front will *reduce* the
tendency to understeer, if anything it will increase the tendency to oversteer.
on my gtwe6, i have the full shankle street-sport set-up, w/front-n-rear sway
bars, & the car is as neutral as can be - no oversteer, no understeer -
unflappable, really.  if i cook a corner, all four tires start sliding...
(w/225-50-15's this *only* happens on the track!)  on the street, i once hit
gravel, where the maryland dot did a huge gravel patch, with no prior signage
warning (good thing i wasn't on one of my 'cycles, like the previous morning!);
then the rear end came out a bit, but i was amazed how easily i was able to
bring it back in line & negotiate the corner.

	re: shock settings, my halcorp 12-way adjustables are now set at about
35-40% stiff, which works fine for the street.  even *one* click stiffer  makes
it too harsh for the street.  if your koni's are even remotely similar in range,
ya mite wanna try a li'l softer, even w/the stiffer shankle set-up.  

	re: tires, i'd go for either bridgestone potenzas or yokohama avs.  the
next set of rubber on *my* werde's relatively recently acquired 15x7 stilauto
ghibli's will be 215-50-15's

	good luck,

	doug
	-----Original Message-----
	From:	grizzo@domain.elided [SMTP:grizzo@domain.elided]
	Sent:	Thursday, December 09, 1999 10:33 AM
	To:	alfa@domain.elided; jessl@domain.elided; jmazl@domain.elided;
nizam@domain.elided; michael@domain.elided; Sedon, Doug (OD/ORS);
zzambri@domain.elided; alfaracer@domain.elided
	Subject:	Final Suspension survey (hopefully)

	First, thanks to all for your help and advice so far.

	Using everything I've gathered about suspension dynamics, the Milano
chassis,
	and Alfisti feedback, I've come up with what I think should be a stormer
of a
	package,  I realize I'm not treading any new ground here, so once again
I've
	come to those who've walked the road before me.

	The following is my planned "suspension package" . I'd like all your
honest (be
	as harsh as you like) opinions on this.


	Current Recap:
	Milano 3.0 
	"Sport" rear springs
	Koni "yellow" all around set to %60 stiff
	stock front torsion bars-lowered 1 inch
	stock roll bars
	15X7 Konig wheels w/ 20/50/15 V Nitto Nt450s


	Currently, I really like the way the car handles,  neutral to slight
oversteer,
	crisp turn in,.

	Dislikes: still too much body roll which limits overall grip, excessive
brake
	dive, slightly too-harsh ride.


	Proposed mods and desired results.

	"Sport" torsion bars    Hoping to A) reduce brake dive B) better match
the
	characteristics off             the stiffer Konis, hopefully yielding a
more
	"controlled" front end feel.

	Rear "Shankle" 
	anti-roll bar       Seeking to continue to keep the balance roughly
as-is,
	basically           looking to offset the shift back towards understeer
that the
	installation            stiffer torsion bars will likely bring.

	The combination of the two above hopefully will result in all four tires
equally
	loaded and reduced overall body roll.

	Maintain stock front 
	anti-roll bar       Again , seeking to keep the balance as is, the way I
see it,
	adding a            bigger front anti-roll bar will, in conjunction with
	everything else, biased             the car towards understeer. If I am
wrong,
	of course the bar can be            added later.

	IMPORTANT: I am dead wrong about this. please let me know, IOW if I
really need
	the front bar to avoid tail ending my Milano into a ditch somewhere, I'd
rather
	know now than later.

	Lastly, if I am right the money set aside for the front bar/installation
goes
	towards a stickier set of tires to top it all off. (Tire suggestions
welcome at
	this time)
	Thanks gents,

	Giovanni

	P.S 

	whatever the final result you're all invited to take it for a spin :)

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End of alfa-digest V7 #1210
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