51/49 weight balance achieved on Subaru STI
 

Ever since we announced our corner balancing service, we have a number of customers coming in particularly to get their cars balanced and ready for the track. Here are just some of them.

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._5937748_s.jpg http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._7185628_s.jpg http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._5363770_s.jpg http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._6032736_s.jpg http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._5395052_s.jpg
Do you like AST (Advanced Suspension Technology) products? We love them! This E36 M3 is now rocking AST's sportline mono-tube high pressure, coilover shock absorbers!

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._4053439_s.jpg http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._3001447_s.jpg
For this Blue WRX STI, we installed KW V3 custom valved coilovers and we were able to achieve a 51:49 weight distribution through corner balancing. I believe the stock suspension yields a 58:42 weight distribution.

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._3635779_s.jpg http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._7403249_s.jpg
Here is another Impreza that came in for suspension work and corner balance.

"we were able to achieve a 51:49 weight distribution through corner balancing"

may I ask how?
I did not know weight distribution can be adjusted by corner balancing.

It's done by transferring the load from one set of diagonals to another (FR to RL, FL to RR). At least, that's how I understand it. The car still technically has the same static weight distribution.

Tightening the spring will increase the weight exerted on the scale.

So for example: if you lower one corner, you are taking weight away from that corner and its diagonal opposite. The other two corners will increase in weight. Similarly, if you raise one corner, you are adding weight to that corner and its diagonal opposite. The other two corners will decrease in weight.

Does that make sense?

^ yup, basically

high = heavy

it's kind of like leaning back.
if you're standing on a flat surface and lean back, you're putting more weight
on your heels.

so if you look at that blue STI after the corner balancing, the front does look
slightly higher than the rear to achieve a more even balance to a factory
front heavy subaru.
that balance of course takes into account the weight of the owner of that car and
an even balance has been achieved on front left and front right tire as well.

It's a confusing term.

Let's say you had a 3,000lb car with a 60:40 weight distribution. You'd have 1,800lbs on the front wheels and 1,200lbs on the rear wheels. No matter what you do to change the ride height or spring rates, you're not going to change that 60:40 weight distribution (at least not by much).

However, if you look at all 4 wheels you might have something that looks like this:

LF 950lbs RF 850lbs for a total of 1,800 lbs
LR 570lbs RR 630lbs for a total of 1,200 lbs

We still have the same 1,800lbs on the front and 1,200lbs on the rear.

If you add up the opposing corners you get:

LF + RR = 1,580lbs or 53%
RF + LR = 1,420lbs or 47%

This gives us a ratio of 53:47, even though the front/rear is still sitting at 60:40.

If we add up the left & right sides we get:

LF + LR = 1,520lbs or 50.6%
RF + RR = 1,480lbs or 49.3%

This gives us an almost perfect 50:50 side-to-side.

So you can see that with a single vehicle you can have several different "ratios" depending on what you're actually measuring. :)

so it'll drive like a boat now?

i'm talking front to rear 51/49
i'll try and find the actual corner weight specs tomorrow

quite the contrary,

it handles a lot better now,

good job! and hell yes for AST!
StanceWorks just recently teamed up with AST to create a brand new setup called ZeroClearance, made specifically for slammed 350z's and G35 coupes...

I'm on the list to receive one of their first batches soon as they're released.... and now I know who to go too for corner balancing and suspension tuning, wicked!



http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/q...g?t=1269781980

http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/q...g?t=1269782051

:thumbsup:
now here's a man who knows a little something about suspension.

AST's are king!

i believe that S54 engined E36 has that AST/Stanceworks coilover setup too

Is that Art's blue STi?

yup, that's my car,

The KW's are Racecomp Engineering Tarmac 2 coilovers. Through thorough testing, they have spec'd the valving and worked jointly with KW to produced a custom valved suspension system with matching springrate for imprezas. The camber plates are made by Vorslag, same company that made the plate you see on the AST shocks. They have huge bearings to withstand load.

I'm definitely happy with the setup, the shocks provide better-than-stock comfort, but crazy performance when pushed. I also have a set of RCE sway bars that was put in by Jason at Autohaus.

Thanks Rich and Jason and the rest of the ppl at Autohaus. I'd recommend them.

Artz

ddaaamn.
I'll be doing a whole lot to my suspension this summer.
Do you guys offer a corner balance + alignment package?

Mine was cornerbalanced AND aligned :)

Jason's been asking me to do a corner balance on my ITR. But I haven't had the time! Maybe this Saturday? *hint hint*

im confused to how this works..
Posted via RS Mobile

^ Lots of info online.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/art...orner-weights/

it's not hard, basically u adjust all 4 coilover's ride height so that all four corners have similar weight readings.

So I can go to any other shop with scales and get them to corner balance my car, right?

i've never seen this car at Mission or PR? Do you track it by any chance or strictly street driven car with higher-end coilover shocks;AST?

damn, as soon as my wheels and AST coils arrive I'm getting this done asap!!

My car is a cow, it weighs 3770lbs with a full tank and me inside it. Hey BJ AutoHaus guys, can you guys corner balance with me in the car ?? I weigh 200lbs so it's quite a bit of weight. Or just put 200lbs of weights on my drivers side whatever is safer.

thanks let me know

I agree with eric the half bee. Corner balancing can only adjust your cross weight balance, ie wedge.

Just by a rough calculation/estimation, using numbers given by Rich:
Stock Front:Rear = 58:42
New Front:Rear = 51:49
Assumptions:
weight = 3000lb
cog = 25" (over estimate)
stock chassis rake is 0 degrees

With those numbers, in order to acheive a front:rear balance of 51:49, the chassis would need to be raked by 13.5 degrees, and that is using a calculation that gives a low estimate. This also means the front end needs to be raised by 23.3".

Not trying to be a smart ass here, but just saying going to 51:49 from 58:42 is not going to happen. Could very well be Rich has just mistaken on the 58:42 number, I wouldn't doubt the 51:49.