LGT handling characteristics

[rabydanimal]

I've been getting more and more adventurous pushing my LGT to its handling limits. Coming from a WRX with a stock suspension and Sti BBS wheels with Pirelli P-0 Neros this feels like a completely different car (mainly because it is..). When I first got it I thought it felt so big and heavy compared to my rex and didn't know if I would ever get used to it. Now that I've been flinging it through some corners I've noticed a few things:

 

1.) It's a f**kload scarier

2.) The stock tires seem to want to cut loose very easily when engaging in lateral movement

3.) The rear likes to come around and try to visit the front of the car

4.) The body roll is FIERCE (and I thought it was bad on the rex)

 

My main point is this. I autox'ed my rex a couple times and knew the exact limits of the car in the dry, wet, and snow. I just don't feel like I can get that confidence back in this car.

 

What can I do to get that feeling back as cheaply as possible? I would never consider auto crossing this car, it's way to hard on your daily driver. The holidays are coming up rapidly so money is tight. Is it really worth doing 1 sway bar? It looks like through searching the only one worthwhile is the non-adjustable Cusco bar, but at $199 that's pretty hefty. I've done some research but I would like different thoughts. What else can you recommend to reduce roll and sure up the over all road holding feel?

[Aczwild]

Rear strut tower bar? I know I dont have a newer GT, but my older GT was pretty hairy on the corners when I first got it (from time to time I thought my old '96 Explorer was better). I bought front and rear strut tower baces to stiffen the car and that helped so much. Then I went to much better tires and that greatly improved the grip of the car and then, just for good measure I bought a Cusco Rear Under Bar to stiffen up the car in the back. This car is pretty much glued to the road without upgrading the springs and struts and I only spent $100 on the Braces (got them off a wrecked GT), $500 on the tires, and $60 on the Under Bar. This summer I'm gonna try to adapt the GP-Moto coilovers to my GT to drop it a bit and to increase the camber to allow for more grip and a better ride in the twisties, along with obviously a better ride.

 

With all that said, I think your best bet might be the Rear Strut Tower Brace, or the Sway Bar. I have to warn you though my GT has changed dramatically in winter time driving, swinging out the ass and drifting around a turn is a lot harder because the car doenst want to break free so easily and the second it does loose grip, it instantly regains it without much play.

[melayout]

What do you want to fix/reduce first? tire slip or body roll??

 

If it's tire slip, get better tires.

 

If it's body roll, a rear anti-sway bar should help, even then the rear tires will still slip as bad as before if not worse.

[Xenonk]

Now that I've been flinging it through some corners I've noticed a few things:

 

1.) It's a f**kload scarier

2.) The stock tires seem to want to cut loose very easily when engaging in lateral movement

3.) The rear likes to come around and try to visit the front of the car

4.) The body roll is FIERCE (and I thought it was bad on the rex)

 

 

A) not really, the car has a slightly longer wheelbase, it's easier to catch the car when it goes into a drift

 

B) stock tires vs. P Neros M+S are not much to compare.. apples to oranges in this case

 

C) that's fine, the car feels pretty neutral stock, and that's a good thing, you can stay on the gas longer through a turn

 

D) that's just the weight of the car talking, you can get rid some of it with larger sway bars or change out the shocks and springs to something firmer to prevent rolling and dipping.