OVRSTR

Fellow track junkies, I've searched for this answer on this board, but have come up short. A little background first:

I have a bit of formal training in formula cars and have tracked numerous cars including an aggressively setup supercharged Miata for years.

I'm looking at "having fun" in NASA's TT division with a daily driven S2000. I would like to run an aggressive tire (R6, 710, etc) at events but do not want to compromise the ride quality of the stock suspension (Pads/Fluid/wheels are an easy swap for the track, suspensions are not).

My previous S2000 saw a few track days (for fun) on high-performance street rubber with stock suspension. While a very balanced suspension, as with any non-dedicated car, stability was a compromise.

Aggressive rubber of this caliber would, at the least, exaggerate body motions, but is it even a feasible choice with that much grip?

From what I've searched the only coil-over that "might" be a tolerable DD/track choice would be the H&R coil-over setup? Too soft for true competitive use, but could it better handle that much tire and still be acceptable as a DD?

I appreciate your comments.

mikegarrison

I suggest you refine your search techniques. This has been asked dozens of times, including just three days ago.

If keeping the car streetable is a concern, I'd say just throw the R-compounds on and drive it that way. That's what I did for a year and a half (RA1s, stock sizes).

OVRSTR

Let me clarify. What i have not been able to find (perhaps I've missed it searching) is a 30 or 40 treadwear tire (i.e. Kumho 710's or Hoosiers) on the stock suspension. While RA1's are a substantial improvement over street rubber, they're 2-3 seconds off of a more grippy compound.

So, to refine the question:

Is a grippier R tire a feasible choice for the stock suspension? Or are they a waste without a well-setup coil-over suspension?

By feasible i mean:
Do exaggerated body motions make the car: extremely difficult to place at corner entry/max out the travel mid-corner/create untolerable dive under braking?

By waste i mean:
The stock suspension fits a harder compound much better (RA1).

Thanks in advance. I appreciate your experience!

krazik

ra1s are not 2-3 seconds slower.

and no you'll be fine on the stock wheels. Yes there will be more roll than a higher spring rate but you'll learn to drive with it.

You'll be fine.

alvanderp

I have tracked my car multiple times on the stock suspension and 710s, and while I do feel the car moving around, never felt it was excessive. I do have the Comptech front bar and some Koni shocks, but the springs are stock. I feel the car is plenty driveable on sticky tires with the stock springs. I would definetely upgrade your brake pads though, I have been running Hawk Blues, but am gonna try the DTC70's next time out.

That said, if you are used to formula cars, its gonna feel pretty soft by comparison.

tstiles

I tried the stock suspension with Michelin Pilot Sport Cups ..... I did not like it ..... Too much body roll , made the car sloppy , My opinion is that the car was more fun on the matched stock set up.

My next step was to do GC / Koni coilovers ..... I did 475# - 525# ..... It's not too bad for a weekend car ( especially with soft sidewall tires ) , but not sure I would want it for DD...... 1st track day in a couple of weeks.

Sounds like the GC / Koni setup might work for you with softer spring rates.

mxt_77

I ran Victoracers on the stock suspension and didn't have a problem. Sure, you'll get more body roll, but it's not 'unsafe'... just annoying (if you're hyper-sensitive to it). It never really bothered me, though, and the overall balance of the car seemed pretty good.

However, I run Tein RAs on my car now, and I see no reason that this couldn't be a daily driver suspension. Except on the roughest of roads, I find this to be only marginally more abusive than the stock setup.