So after spending some time watching old drift50 videos on youtube and reading a couple of my favorite suspension book again, I have decided to try a low caster setting on the car for our next track event. My reasoning is that I believe I may be generating too much camber under turning. I am going to set it to 3 degrees and see how it feels.
I have been building cars since about 1996 when I bought a 1966 Chevelle Malibu and modified it. My first exposure to drifting was back in 2004 when the shop (Hotrods to Hell) that I worked at was commissioned to build the 1969 Camaro that was campaigned in the 2005 Formula D series. In order to get a better idea of what the Camaro needed to be capable of I went to the Formula D Irwindale event and was instantly hooked.
My approach to car building is methodical. As you watch along with our build you will notice that we only make a few changed between each episode. I do not believe in throwing a bunch of parts at a problem and hoping it will be solved.
When you are developing a chassis for the first time you need to take you time and establish what I call a "vocabulary for the car." Basically what this means is that you need to learn what impact different parts and modifications will have on the car and on each other.
My roadmap for the Mustang was first to address the inconsistency in the car. The coilovers, panhard bar, and rollcage have done wonders in that direction. Then since this is a drift car, we need to make some drift specific modification, steering angle and LSD. The next move is to fine tune the car, getting the right spring rate, finding alignment settings that work well, trying different sway bars.
If you have any questions for me or suggestions for the car, you can make a post in the forum.
-Geoff
When is where is the next event? Inquiring minds want to know!
Ziptied ASB V, November. Fool!
At this point I am not sure if I want to reduce the castor by using standard offset control arms, or simply pulling it back at the cc plate.
Doing it at the control arm will give more steering angle. Could this be the solution i have been looking for? My only concern is interference between the strut and tierod at full lock.
Fortunately changing control arms with coilovers takes about a 1/2 hour. Maybe I will try both tomorrow and see where it gets me.
So right now I have the car setup with -2.5 camber, +3 castor, and zero toe. The car feels good around town, but a wee bit sketchy over 80-85 mph, but these Mustangs always feel sketchy at speed.
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