performance tests of suspension

[blown9746]

Has anyone done or is the a place to find performance test (handling) results for different components. Everyone says how this one is better than that, is there anything to back it up?

Say a leaf spring car w/ hotchkis tvs v a car with a full front sub and rear suspension or a nicely set up front sub v aftermarket?

[David Pozzi]

I takes a whole package to make a good running car, miss one item and the car may not do well, so any comparison is only comparing complete car packages on that day. A case in point, the last Goodguys autocross the DSE second gen Camaro was right on the money, Stacy's 69 Camaro had just been upgraded to an LS engine and lost 40 lbs front end weight. The car understeered saturday and sunday but they did manage to reduce it for Sunday. The cars have identical suspension but Kyle's second gen was faster both days. My wife's 73 Camaro hung right in there within the same tenth of a second to the DSE car, she has Hotchkis leaf suspension with Varishocks. We ran 180 tread wear tires which are the lower limit for this competition. The DSE cars used BFG KD's which are a 200 treadwear tire. We ran 275/17F, 285/17R, DSE 285/18F, 315/18R.

A few key items:
1. My wife is a VERY good driver
2. Tires are VERY important
3. This is a VERY slow speed autox around 35mph, and a car's ability to put the power down or ultimate hp not a big factor, but you DO need some off the line traction, good torque, and well balanced brakes.
4. A car's gearing and torque range IS important for this event.
5. how a car handles in a tight parking lot isn't going to tell you how it feels on the freeway or on bumpy roads. I think the lower un-sprung weight suspensions will give a better ride. Their handling stability are a given, but I wouldn't expect the handling balance to be perfect out of the box on ANY suspension kit, DSE, Hotchkis, or other. Unless your car has the exact same tires and weight balance as their test car.
6. Most aftermarket subs allow a larger front tire to be fitted, this is a major benefit on tight autocross courses in addition to getting the suspension exactly right. The DSE cars have a 285/18, we used a 255/17 up front.

Super Chevy just concluded a Suspension Challenge test series of articles with Autocross, Slalom, and street driving. Check their website.
David

[blown9746]

thanks david you did answer my question somewhat. And that is a well set up leaf spring car can hang w/ a car with all the "latest" and "greatest" suspension

[XLexusTech]

thanks david you did answer my question somewhat. And that is a well set up leaf spring car can hang w/ a car with all the "latest" and "greatest" suspension


Without question it can. Forget the results mentioned by David above. As he clearly stated tires have a huge effect on these cars. The tires used in the artilce were not consistant so therefore the results a questionalbe at best.
I have been looking for this type of information for a long time. I have my opinions but I am no expert.

The conclusion I have made is you dont Need most of the High dollar products to complete with guys who have those parts.
But they do provide an edge. How much of an edge.... some..not mutch.. but enough...

Much of that edge is in the Wide tire effect....

[bret]

Super Chevy Magazine did a suspension shootout that they have covered in the last 4 issues. It may not be definitive, but it is as close as anyone has come yet. http://www.ridetech.com/more/2009/03/20/suspension-shootout-results/

All the cars were required to run the Nitto NTo1 tires [except the Fatman 69 Chevelle...they ran out of his size so they substituted the 555 tire which was a significantly harder compound]

I thought this was a good representation of the more prominent suspension maufacturers. As you can see they are all really close and almost all were better than a stock C5 Corvette. Not a bad benchmark.

[XLexusTech]

Just one note of clarity the Vette has stock tires as well. With the same sticky tire I believe the vette would have better numbers then all of the tested cars.

[David Pozzi]

I think the Vette had the most potential.
I added tire info to my earlier post about the autocross.

The Super Chevy test had all cars on the same rubber although sizes may vary, -except as Bret noted the AME Corvette could not find the correct sized tire, and the Fatman Chevelle ran different rubber.
David

[XLexusTech]

I think the Vette had the most potential.



YOu shoud run for Office :)