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TR5/TR250 coil springs for tr250

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vrod

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in my quest for better road handling I have added a 7/8 roll bar out front polyurethane bushings to the front and rears suspensions dunlop 3000 sp tires and rear tube shocks, adjustable spax shocks in front and even stiffer springs front and back. the springs were latter changed to stock springs, for better ride comfort but I still find the ride to be to stiff. I read in grassroots a while back that AK Jackson, (main mechanic for their tr3 racer) suggested going to a datson 510 variable rate spring for the rear. Does anyone else have any suggestions.
 
Have you tried lowering your tire pressures to soften the ride a bit?
 
I tend to run my tire air preasures at about 32 lbs. Once I put my engine back together again, I will be able to devote more attention to the ride and your suggestion makes good sense.
 
vrod, unfortunately it is hard to find the happy medium, all your work has made a great autocross car but not a nice ride for the girlfriend on Sunday afternoon, but what a joy on a few weekends. I set up a TR6 close to your setup a few years back and it could lift the inside wheel off the ground on a sharp turn, but only latest a few weeks before the owner wanted all the old stuff put back on. I would put the stock swaybar back on for everyday use and run tire pressure of 30 front and 28 back, that might even work with the bar you have on now and go with 38 - 40 for hard driving. Wayne
 
I'm reminded of something Reeves Callaway said a few years ago, and I'm only going from memory, but it went something like this.
""Many people think that they would like to have a race car for the street. Really, they wouldn't. They want the performance, but fail to realize the fact that race cars are brutal beasts, suitable for only one thing. Racing. There are no creature comforts, no stereos, no soft ride.""
Well, anyway, you get my drift. Tuning a street car for optimal handling necessitates giving up such things as ride comfort and tractabilty in daily traffic situations. A car that is set up to handle optimally at the limit, will jar your teeth out over every little expansion joint on the freeway. An engine that is tuned to extract the last little bit of power won't be happy below 3500 RPM.
It's all a compromise between what you want and what you can realistically deal with.
Down from soapbox now!
Jeff
 
Bugeye58, that's what I really wanted to say but didn't want to upset anyone about spending all that money and time, but now that you have made those who wear a mouth piece to keep there teeth from chipping while going to get a hot dog, I must agree with thee. Wayne
 
Well, Wayne, they don't call me "Mr. Tact" for nothing. Oh, wait a minute, they don't call me that at all!
I guess it's just because I've been doing this for so long, and I have seen the same scenario played out so many times, with predictable results, that I have the attitude of "be careful of what you wish for".
I have the luxury of being able to race with a fully prepped car, have a daily driver or nine that are comfortable for long trips, and also have a street car that I know I can push to the max and get away with it, because it's set up that way. It can be harsh and unforgiving at times, but I choose to live with it, or I wouldn't have built it that way in the first place.
I'm certainly all for performance and handling enhancemants, but it's nothing that should be ventured into blindly.
Down from soapbox, redux.
Jeff
 
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