What can I do/can be done to make my saph handle better went out for blast sunday morning through the lanes and although car felt good and performed well the handling to me did not feel that great, felt like it was understeering!
I have powerflex front end with vibra engine mounts, thickest anti roll bar front tyres are good i have koni adjuatables with ahmed banjoo springs on the front, im having a strut brace custom made at the moment

 

Good quality coil overs adjustable rear beam good diff and tyres and a proper set up for starters

 

Whats diff got to do with handling? My diffs ok rear beam has hgot shim and been adjusted grips really well on the rear, beam is solid mounted and arms polybushed will change them too spherical bearings at some point!

 

Dnt want coilovers, i have driven 2 of my mates saphs both are different and both have coilovers and both have been set up and i didnt like either of them far to noisey/squeeky and rock solid

 

Diff has a lot to do with it if it means getting the power equally to both wheels and not letting one spin lol. If you don't want good coilovers then stick with your compromise

 

I had adjustable strut braces custom made by Spec-R and they are really good quality, I havent seen another Saff with the same ones.


They go right around the strut tops




Large diameter bar, and shine well as a bonus!

 

First mistake is Ahmed springs and possibly old konis.
And to tell you the obvious unless you spend good money on suspension and beams ect it will continue to handle like a sack of shit free falling down a ski slope

 

And a lot more weight in the front ie a boa.......

 

True they sound good but never seen it as a with while conversion bur if we were all the same it would be boring

 

Love this quote. So you don't approve of Ahmed springs then?

Thanks. Lee.

 

You need to go in a car that has a decent set of coilovers fitted not just ones that adjust the height.

 

The biggest problem is probably the front hubs. Do you have standard Sierra front hubs or 2wd Sapph Cosworth hubs? With the standard Sierra hubs it's worst. When lowering the car the front roll centre gets way too low making the car understeer and feel like it is falling over the front outer tire when cornering.


The biggest improvement I did to my 24v Sapph was replace the front hubs with 3dr hubs. The car rolled less, had less understeer and felt much more direct in the steering wheel.


Another thing is the rear beam. The standard rear beam makes the car understeer as well. Change it for a 6 degree beam and it will be better. Another simple change is the rear arb. I have a 21 mm one from a Scorpio 24v fitted.


My Sapph also has a BOA fitted and is on Ahmed springs and Koni shocks and with the above mods it handles very nice.

 

No Ahmed springs are not progressive iirc mate

 

Ahmed springs are indeed not progressive. But the front springs are never progressive, only the rears. The linear springs should give better handling. The only downside is that the rear gets quite low with four people in the car or the boot full of stuff, which is less of a problem with progressive springs.

 

My mates saph has compression struts on the front and handles like its on rails. Bit crashy but he doesn't mind that.

 

Coil overs, 3 door hubs, adjustable tca's then go get camber set up, 21mm or 22mm rear arb and don't forget decent tyres (yes I know you've mentioned your tyres are decent) that's my 2 pence anyway

 

Exactly a correct sprung and damped car makes the world of difference

 

The difference between standard Sierra hubs and 3dr Cosworth hubs:


Standard Sierra:



3dr Cosworth:

 

Just to add here's a 3 door cosworth hub next to a standard sierra one

3 door hub on the left

 

So your car doesn't need any spring rate on the front to improve anti dive or roll then lol

 

I have never seen any front springs for a Sierra that are progressive. Springs used on coilovers aren't progressive either.

 

I've had Spax lowering springs for sierra that the front are progressive, you can get progressive coil over springs if you desire

 

Well I stand corrected then. But it still doesn't need it in my opinion.

 

They should be progressive all round tbh

 

Just checked some old pictures and the Apex springs I had in the past were also progressive on the front as well as on the rear.


Still, I like how the handling of the car is at the moment. The Ahmed springs are much stiffer than the Apex springs I had before, so they don't need to be progressive to reduce dive or roll. Though I guess the car could be more comfortable with progressive springs. But for the handling I think the Ahmed springs are good.

 

My Son has expensive coil overs plus other suspension mods on his 2001 Subaru Impreza WRX STI and the ride is harsher than my Saff, you feel every bump on any uneven surface.It holds the road well but at a cost to ride quality.

 

the extra weight on the front means that regardless of what you do it will understeer

 

Then they need to be setup properly

 

He has had everything checked and set up correctly but I just think you have to accept that better road holding comes at a cost to ride comfort especially on older cars.
People are suprised at how flat it corners and the lack of body roll there is on my Saff but I accept that I have to avoid if possible pot holes etc. Its an old car with an unsophisticated suspension set up compared to modern cars but that is also part of its character.

 

Thing is you say it was properly checked but was the car corner weighted then the shocks valved accordingly and and sprung and un sprung weight done as buying off the shelf cheap suspension will only do so much

 

They must be tein coilovers then, my mate has BC's on his current STI and on his old one and they are perfect don't crash you wouldn't know they where there. Basically you go over a bump and the coilover absorbs it, I'm sure I read they can be set to the same softness of standard STI shocks.

I find gaz golds good on a cosworth

 

I have gaz on mine but re valved and higher poundage springs

 

I have gaz on mine and find it comfortable, they have been on for 4 years of daily use I think the backs will be due a rebuild soon

 

Not sure what make they are but cost overŁ2000 so not cheap poor quality ones. He took it to a suspension specialist to have it checked and set up but I dont like the ride in it He has 18 inch prodrive alloys with low profile rubber as well.
I find it hard to see how you can still have a suspension set up that irons out all the bumps and potholes on our rubbish roads and also gives precise handling as well.
That would be perfect.

 

I had 2.5k worth of tien on my skyline and tbh it would of been better on elastic bands and sticks lol

It is about how the shock is set up for individual car when going for aftermarket

 

I drove my mates Escos that has gaz golds on it and apart from handling better it didn't feel any more harsh than a standard one I drove.

 

These look like they would be good.


http://www.randbmotorsport.co.uk/sho...?ProductID=288


Bit pricy though ...

 

Ahmed springs and Koni's is the set up I had and to be fair I found it excellent . Set your Koni's half way not fully hard . I Also had powerflex bushes back and front .


Change your diff mount ,sounds odd but my 3 door drove totally different after fitting the MSD item . Ł120,and the best Ł120 id spent on the car .




If you have fitted power flex bushes id avoid coilovers if the car is for road use , had mine on for around a week and the ride was just to hard and I wanted to keep my teeth . How ever there adjusted they dont have any give .


Also , what tyres are you using and what size wheels ?

 

Ive been in car with avo's and a car with gaz holds both are sierras

 

How does the rear beam affect it bud? I have thickest rear arb you can get (escos)