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Is it possible to increase steering response on our cars? Does it increase as you tune your chassis and suspension?

 
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This simplist thing to do is get wider tires. Stock is like what, 6"? When i first got my 17x7" rims and tires i noticed a BIG difference in the steering response and overall handling. Also that was just from rims and tires, didn't have it lowered yet. Then after i got tein's on i noticed a little more response and overall handling. My suggestions are wider tires and lower center of gravity.

 
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High performance dampers will do alot to improve responce... Konis would do well here, but Tokico Hp would be fine if your on a budget.

 
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The first mod I'm getting is the thicker rear sway bar, at the same time I'm getting the eibach pro kit.

Then I was gonna wait till the summer and I'll decide what to do next. Either wheels or konis. Rota 15 x 7 are hard to come by, everyone sells 15 x 6.5.

Did you have a hard time installing your front konis?

 
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Not at all, I actually had a harder time getting in the rears....

 
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Everyone says that the rears are harder. I'm just afraid cause I always remember that the front struts need modification to hold the koni shocks.

Do you think its better to go with the sportlines or the prokit, with my OEM shocks?

 
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You do have to gut the fronts to install them, but its not nearly as hard as people make it out to be. Just be sure to measure twice and cut once.

I have the sportlines, and after little under 4 years of street driving and a good season and a half of autocross I can say only 1 shock was actually blown, but all were VERY weak... Just know that a car will handle better with performance shocks on Stock springs then it will on Performance springs on Stock shocks....

 
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Will stock shocks and performance springs perform better than stock shocks and stock springs? Riddle me that.

 
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For a while, untill the shocks start to wear out.

 
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Thats cool I'll buy Koni's in the spring, do you think the shocks will atleast last 6 months?

 
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sure, Mine lasted a few years....with out blowing. But I should have replaced them MUCH sooner, as the car was way under dampened. (It bounced alot)

 
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in your mod list it says

DC headder, Greddy Evo Exaust

does that give HP gains?

I checked your mods list cause, you seem like you know what your doing.

 
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I didnt really notice any improvements..... at this point If I can find some one with a stock EX locally, I'd swap Exaust with them.

 
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Its easier to tune the chassis and suspension on our car then it is to tune the darn engine.

This is off topic but do you know if its possbile to bore the engine and all. Do people actaully get there stock civic ex engines redone? I don't know what I'm talking about but I seen this place and they mentioned changing the pistons boring the engine, changing some valve springs...blah blah. I'd be up for it if the engine would still be reliable after the mods.

 
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What is the diff between tokikos and konis?

 
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umm...hmmm..how local

 
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I can get tein s tech's and neuspeed springs for almost half the price of Eibach sportlines.

Eibach worth the extra cash, or is the dude selling them just ripping me off. Tein are cheap everywhere, are they a poorer quality?

 
Rep Power: 380

THe current Tokicos that are out are the HP dampers, and they are your basic sport damper, Designed for the street and to work with OEM, and lowering springs. Decent if you just drive on the street. (Tokico ushually focuses on perfrormance street applications with both their HP and Illumina dampers)

Koni, offers the Yellow (in reference to the color they are painted) Single adjustible damper (You adjust the rebound setting). which are stiffer in valving then the HPs and the Illumina. Koni tends to aim at the High performance street/Race applications with the Yellow.

For racing Koni > tokico, but if and when the Illuminas come out they would be a good comprimise of Cost Vs performance.

for the street... Do you really need adjustible dampers???

 
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Local enough so I can drive over and do the install my self.... And you'd probably want to replace the mid pipe too....

 
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You got a point I don't need to be so hardcore about things. I get confused very easily about these things. I want performance but I don't think I'll be going to race tracks testing my car and adjusting very often. Will tokico HP's work well with lowering springs?

 
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I think the Hp's would be fine, but if you want the best answer to that question, Call Tokico and ask... 1-800-548-2549

 
Rep Power: 304

Thanks Zzyzx

 
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I wanted to know If I'm on the right path in terms of proper turning techniques.

I like to set up before the turn, and be on the outside and hit the inside of the arc as late as possible. I try to make the biggest arc I can. I like to be smooth about it. Now In terms of gearing I double declutch rev match and then start to brake in a straight line before I actually start to turn the car(I can't heel-toe properly yet). In terms of throttle I apply as much as I can untill the tires begin to gives and start screaming(I figure no point in pushing more my car will only understeer). I accelarate more so after I hit apex. After I hit the apex I let my car straighten and up outside again. Even whe I lane change I don't do any abrupt movements I try tyo minimize the steering input to make a smooth lane change.

Am I on the right track?

My downshifting is smoother than my upshifting........ I don't know why I'm not always smooth on upshifts?

 
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bump

 
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Sounds about right, but heres a few pointers to shave off a couple of tenths.

1. Do you brakeing and downshifting at the same time (heel Toe) Rather then Downshifting and then braking. This will allow you to remain on the gas a little bit longer, before you have to Lift and hit the brakes.

2. Your steering wheel controls how much brake or gas you can apply at any one time. The more its turned the less brake or gas you can use. with this in mind, as you enter the turn, you should be coming off the brake (you may need to stay on the brakes a little longer to get the rear end to rotate, I.e. Trail braking). as you reach the Apex, you should be completly off the brake, once you hit the apex and start to center the wheel, you should be rolling on the throttle (Dont pounce on the thing). As the wheel gets centered, you should be reaching Full throttle.

From what you typed, it sounds like you are getting back on the gas before you reach the apex, if you are then you braking too soon and too much. But thats not totaly a bad thing, because its better to brake too soon then it is to brake too late.

 
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Heel toe is hard, I will have to pratice it. My knee hits the steering wheel when I rotate my foot to blip the throttle. So what I do is keep my foot partially on the brake and some of it hitting the throttle, but I am not able to do it right the side of my foot seems to fall short of the throttle.

I terms of tailbraking I've done it accidently a few times by applying the brakes like you say. The tail end flicked out felt cool, but I never did it in a controlled way.

I'll work on the stuff you said.

 
Rep Power: 380

I keep the ball of my foot on the brake and roll the outside of my foot to blip the gas. But if you are having trouble doing that, then you may need to adjust the pedal postion. (Heel toe is actually rarely done with your heel and toe. )

Pratice Pratice Pratice. Trail braking is best learned on the track, Heel toe can be learned on the street. I heel toe every time I drive, be it braking and entering a corner, or for simply stoping for a light, I'll downshift all the way down to 1st. Its good pratice, and it keeps it fresh in my head, so I dont have to think about it when I race. another thing you may want to learn eventually is Left foot braking. Its usefull for thoes turns where you dont need to downshift for, so you can 1. Stay on the gas as long as possible, and 2. you can feather the brake and gas, to better stabilze the car between acceleration and braking. Check out these Vids, They were taken last year and they are shots of Dave Schotz, one is a composit the other is just a Foot cam, He usese Left foot braking almost exclusivly. (when he doesnt have to shift.)
http://www.cpdserver.com/conecam/video/daveshotz.wmv
http://www.cpdserver.com/conecam/vid...shotz_feet.wmv

This is in an ESP preped Mustang Cobra R (98)

BTW, Chasecam kicks ***....if you need a kick butt in car camera system... and Randy needs the $$ to pay for his new Elise..