Calling all corner carvers!
This is a nice thread. I have real world experience with big tracks and competed twice in Optima Batteries and numerous track days in the north east.
The factory parts are strong, but a couple things to be aware of. Starting with the steering, my Borgeson kit along with a cooler is a no brainer. The on center response is unmatched. I am not a fan of manual, some are. The roller bearing idler conversion is sold by firm feel, and makes sense. Any new idler is junk when it comes to the stiffness of the K frame side. My delrin lca bushings are also a must as stiffness is critical here. I made pins to fit these perfectly. No inner OR outer shells necessary. Delrin is self lubricating and only needs the proper grease upon assembly. I do not believe in drilling holes in something that carries a huge load. An adjustable strut rod is necessary to ensure smooth movement of the lower arm without binding. Ehrenberg has argued the effective length of a heim jointed strut rod is shorter, creating an arc that could bind the lower arm. I don't believe it makes that much difference. Checking movement during assembly is critical. The 1.12 t bars are good. I'm a sway away distributor and usually sell them a little less expensively. I'd stay away from any shock that is not mono tube. This leaves out some popular options like Viking, QA1, KYB and others. I sell Bilstein and Fox. Ridetech is also another Fox shock. Before purchasing shocks, checking ride height is critical. Your tire height is critical too. I've suggested thin urethane bumpstops, which work well. I run a 275 35 18 tire square and have found them a little shorter than I'd like. If you run a 26" tire and keep the body height at 24.25" front ground, through the center of the wheel to the fender lip, all should be right. Going for the taller spindle will help. The roll center will drop and the neg camber gain will improve in bump. You can even use a taller upper ball joint. Check geometry carefully. I sell SPC upper arms as they offer the easiest alignment, greaseable bushings and the widest possible range of adjustment. The Baer brake setup sounds good. I'm not crazy about them as a company, but that's just me...Their alum hub is nice. The parts are expensive. Go all the way for monoblocks and two piece rotors to save weight. My SRT rotors are much more economical but on the heavy side. I'm not a fan of manual brakes either. I'm a hydroboost guy, but that's just me. My car is a street car that can survive on the track, not the other way around. Hope some of this helps!
This is a nice thread. I have real world experience with big tracks and competed twice in Optima Batteries and numerous track days in the north east.
The factory parts are strong, but a couple things to be aware of. Starting with the steering, my Borgeson kit along with a cooler is a no brainer. The on center response is unmatched. I am not a fan of manual, some are. The roller bearing idler conversion is sold by firm feel, and makes sense. Any new idler is junk when it comes to the stiffness of the K frame side. My delrin lca bushings are also a must as stiffness is critical here. I made pins to fit these perfectly. No inner OR outer shells necessary. Delrin is self lubricating and only needs the proper grease upon assembly. I do not believe in drilling holes in something that carries a huge load. An adjustable strut rod is necessary to ensure smooth movement of the lower arm without binding. Ehrenberg has argued the effective length of a heim jointed strut rod is shorter, creating an arc that could bind the lower arm. I don't believe it makes that much difference. Checking movement during assembly is critical. The 1.12 t bars are good. I'm a sway away distributor and usually sell them a little less expensively. I'd stay away from any shock that is not mono tube. This leaves out some popular options like Viking, QA1, KYB and others. I sell Bilstein and Fox. Ridetech is also another Fox shock. Before purchasing shocks, checking ride height is critical. Your tire height is critical too. I've suggested thin urethane bumpstops, which work well. I run a 275 35 18 tire square and have found them a little shorter than I'd like. If you run a 26" tire and keep the body height at 24.25" front ground, through the center of the wheel to the fender lip, all should be right. Going for the taller spindle will help. The roll center will drop and the neg camber gain will improve in bump. You can even use a taller upper ball joint. Check geometry carefully. I sell SPC upper arms as they offer the easiest alignment, greaseable bushings and the widest possible range of adjustment. The Baer brake setup sounds good. I'm not crazy about them as a company, but that's just me...Their alum hub is nice. The parts are expensive. Go all the way for monoblocks and two piece rotors to save weight. My SRT rotors are much more economical but on the heavy side. I'm not a fan of manual brakes either. I'm a hydroboost guy, but that's just me. My car is a street car that can survive on the track, not the other way around. Hope some of this helps!
