Race Car Alignment - Episode II - Riding height, Bumps-Steer,Roll, Droop and Bump

In Epsiode II , we are setting the ride height, verify the droop and bump of the suspension / shocks. We check the spring rate , set the pre-load , measure the bump steer and the overall weight balans.

[@brady5829]

This video is just packed with knowledge and wisdom. Thank you for putting in the time and effort for these videos!

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments

[@TM-fx5le]

Wadayatalkinabeet sassmate

[@michaelluddeni5717]

I raced Dirt and asphalt Late model stock cars for many years. Now I am interested in road racing and these are the best videos I have found about setting up road racing chassis. Thanks, Mike

[@drive4395]

The way you measure bump steer you mix it with the camber curve. In order to eliminate the camber influence you can throw the laser to the side instead towards the back.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

I'm really enjoying your videos at the moment

[@mikejones4006]

Thank you very very much. I have scoured the internet and worn out a copy of “How to make your car handle” trying to get basic information about ride height. Your simple rule of 1/3 up from full droop for ride height was immensely helpful. And makes perfect sense.

[@ecchance]

Best videos I’ve found in suspension

[@russellcraven251]

Love your videos.You are a great teacher!

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments

[@54mgtf22]

Love your work, Steve 👍

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments

[@gabzor4716]

Wow alot of effort in these videos, appreciate it!

[@D3Sshooter]

My pleasure!

[@yasnickramputty4354]

Such good teaching and explanation skills!

[@clma3780]

Very, very nice video. I appreciate you sharing your experiences with us. The video was very informative and very helpful for my future in the automotive industry. Stay healthy and keep up the great work on more videos.

[@paulwhiteman3625]

This is so good!

[@search4orlife]

Great content. Fantastic youtuber. Thanks

[@hubverhulst7163]

A verry good explanation!

[@bloodreighn]

Great need to know knowledge! thanks for sharing, lots of people would charge and even pay to know this stuff!

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments

[@windmill1965]

Alweer zo'n leerzame video. Bedankt voor alle uitleg!

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments

[@stevemcilroy9518]

Thank you, excellence video

[@richardtaylor2449]

Thanks Steve for your vid' i am looking forward to you getting on a racetrack... with each car... 😎🏎👍

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments, very soon 28 August

[@ogrigoros131]

Tons of knowledge

[@michaellorenson2997]

Excellent, thanks

[@D3Sshooter]

You are welcome!

[@widhi6244]

thank you

[@tiitsaul9036]

Thank you for sharing.

[@D3Sshooter]

My pleasure!

[@19mati67]

Great video, but somebody could clarify to me which measuring version is best for this measurement? Some say that it should be measured perpendicular to the wheel, because that way the camber gain is not included in this measurement.

[@PhG1961]

Je bent écht wel vindingrijk.... ;-) !

[@D3Sshooter]

Moet wel he

[@marchutchings8834]

I wish I was18 years old again and that you were my father.

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments, don'y we all.... txs

[@Roadstercycle]

Curious, Shouldn't this be done without the rear shock attached? In a bump situation the chassis does not move that much. Am I wrong.

[@thomasvisser2983]

Goeie video ziet er echt mooi uit vooral dat poeder coaten is een mooi iets. Ook al eens naar ceracoat gekeken werkt het zelfde is alleen dunner en harder.

[@D3Sshooter]

Bedankt en ja dat heb ik bekeken,, is wel wat duurder

[@thomasvisser2983]

@@D3Sshooter klopt ook onnodig voor deze geweldige race auto maar stel je voor je had een ontstekings deksel van een crossmotor dan is dat natuurlijk geweldig slijt niet snel en is dun

[@D3Sshooter]

@@thomasvisser2983 , inderdaad

[@davidleleux4948]

Hi Steve, very interesting video as each time, but you should maybe also say that tires must be in good condition and at the right pressure isn't it ? If I remerber 20 years ago when i worked on Van Diemen Formula X cars, we were adjusting the crossweignt by adjusting the rods you use to adjust the ride height and not by the springs preload, is it possible ? Whatever great videos and thanks for that. David.

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments,very good point... riding hide rods and preload all act together, changing one makes the other move... the problem I have seen is when changing the rods, to adjust the cross weight balance is often making the car hanging in an angle, and that is not the idea

[@MB-lh5kw]

You can normally adjust bump steer with shims on the bottom ball joint

[@MB-lh5kw]

Or tie rod

[@D3Sshooter]

@@MB-lh5kw , yes but only in the front . Not in the back on this car unless I was to modify the suspension on this set-up

[@rickden8362]

@@MB-lh5kw He apparently doesn't know how to bump steer the rear of a car. That and assuming all car must be 50-50 balanced.

[@Paulman50]

@@rickden8362 adjusting bump steer is relatively easy, but if there is no height adjustment fittings at inner or outer of the a arms there is nothing he can do about it, apart from surgery.

[@rickden8362]

@@Paulman50 True, but what I've seen of this rebuild I don't believe no rear bump steer was accurate. It's why I question his obsession with a 50-50 balance with now rationale.

[@joeyhammer1998]

Does this car have a differential or is it just a solid connection

[@zenki9116]

Thank you, I learned a lot! Regarding the part about measuring the compression stroke 10:43 -12:05 , why not just measure the exposed piston rod?

[@D3Sshooter]

you could as well, different approahes and ways

[@zenki9116]

@@D3Sshooter thank you

[@Paulman50]

🙂👍

[@oikkuoek]

Fairly sure that mirror moved during the bump steer test. Still well within spec with the bump steer, but moved nevertheless. My real question is, how the left - right balance is that far off? Is it all from the pre-load, or is the drive train loft sided?

[@D3Sshooter]

No , it did not move, the issue was that the exposure on the camera was set to high , so you could nearly see the reflected dots , so had to color them in... Left to Right Side (in total ) is 50 -50, Left to Right per axle is off, and there is not much that I can do. Off course there will be an effect of the Cross Corner adjustment later... So we will see then

[@rickden8362]

I'm not sure about any thing being ''lop sided'', it's just the state of a car that needs to have everything adjusted properly after being reassembled. I'm not sure where he get's the Idea the car MUST be 50-50 weight balance.

[@rickden8362]

You've done a nice job getting the car to this point, it looks great. Weren't there any factory specs for this car? Where do you get the idea that balance must to be 50-50? 80 and 85mm ride height seems high for a car of that era, want about rake...are you familiar with rake, how are you taking rake into account? Most professional bump steer is dome with the wheels off. I like your method for at the track when you need a fast, in the ball park adjustment. Note: Rear bump steer CAN be adjusted, I've done it.

[@D3Sshooter]

Thanks for the comments, let me tr to answer a few of your questions; Factory specs are what we call a baseline set.. Adjustment are typical made on a track by track basis. Some tracks do define the lowest riding height. Others don's. In each case , I do not want to scrape , unless i would fit scrape guards. Do I have a baseline from the factory ? No , I don't and it would be nice to get it , if it exists. Yes , I now what rake is. I have set the riding height equal so no positive rake, As on this car this would have little effect on the down force , Instead I use the wings/spoiler position to create that down force. Of course I understand that positive rake creates a better ground effect. How it will be set , is something to be finally decided after a shake down. Yes pending the suspension system you ca adjust bumpsteer on the rear wheels, that is why I stated that on this car i would need to modify the suspension. For the front wheels , that is easier as there are many approaches like lowering/raising the steering house or placing spacers on the steering rod.... There are so many methods and topics that its hard to civer them all.. Thanks for the questions

[@Slack3rDav3]

The platform building video he was talking about: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqipkGyerKxlhNU

[@slow_riot]

What scales are you using for corner weighting? I'd appreciate a recommendation for an affordable set.

[@D3Sshooter]

I use Proform scales (800Kg each) and wireless, runs about 1200 euro for a set. Works great KG's and Pounds... If there is one thing that I could say is less ( but not an issue) , is the On -Off switch on the scales ( that is at the bottom side) and you might need to reset the connection with the controller if by mistake you zero=ed the scale. Hence the car needs to be taken of the scale to get to it. Nothing drastic if you follow the right procedure.

[@slow_riot]

@@D3Sshooter thanks, that's helpful!

[@andreichichak5242]

Should you be setting the ride height with the driver in the car?

[@D3Sshooter]

You can, although in this car with a 40/60 Front Rear distribution and 350LB springs, the change is minimal. Me 64 kg, that makes max 1mm of difference. And its a mono seater... That would be different if it was a duo seater. But yes you could do that

[@ianroberts8692]

😳

[@Tim-57]

🙂👍🏻

[@Paulman50]

Just what I said 😅😂😅

[@Tim-57]

@@Paulman50 Awesome 👌