I don't feel like the reduced castor does anything to reduce the grip experienced.

To be honest I don't know how I interpret grip... it just seems to happen.

 

I guess what dembo is saying is that although a change in castor doesn't affect the actual amount of grip available, it does affect how grip is "felt" by or transmitted to the driver.

It's essentially question of personal taste, and of how and where the car is driven.

 

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I'm going to add mine after Sunday. that's the big test.

Man, your car was looking really nice.

 

My car is a bit twitchy over bumps (the rear Esp), with the later Honda factory settings, would this feel still be noticable? Also can the later Honda allignment settings be used on an Gen I car? Sorry for the hijack, just don't have the time or money to be able to travel that far for an allignment yet.

 

You don't need to travel to Chris, he'll travel to you if you get a group together. which doesn't tend to be too hard.

 

Thanks.

Keeno, get Honda to print out the final settings so you know what exactly it's been set at. Or post it up here, we will comment.

 

Right, time for the full report, now I've had a chance to hoon around Rockingham.

Again, really big thanks to Chris, as he not only monitored my tyre temperatures and pressures for me, with the intent of helping everyone else with my data, and then mid afternoon, replacing my cracked front disks.

Early in the day I was unsure about the new settings. I couldn't get into the groove and my usual style of power oversteer to get over the inherent understeer wasn't working. However on my next session I started to use the lift off oversteer that Chris had dialled in. This was particularly useful at Kirkby, the sort of dual lefthander after pif paf.

So whereas before I would brake, turn in, then hit the power at or before the apex, I now brake, turn in on a balanced throttle, lift off everso briefly just before the apex, then power out. Overall it feels more grippy. And I'm finally wearing evenly across the tyres after some interesting tyre temperature/pressure analysis.

For the serious track day enthusiast, the tyre analysis or trackside support as Chris calls it I think, is well worth it.

Nice one Chris

 

Sounds like you're now using the 4WS effect like it's intended!

More castor will soften the turn-in and I find the artificial, rubbery feel unpleasant. But if you can push through that, the rear will power out into a four wheel drift without needing to trip it with a slight lift. Well, that's what I tend to do. I find the less the geo, the more natural & lighter the feel to the car. But I used to drive a Citroen GS, with zero camber, castor or toe!

My NSR toe-in had mysteriously fallen off before my last visit to Chris. That was like a drift car, too! Even I felt it might be a tad dangerous, especially under severe braking.

 

Oh, and by the end of the day, I was happily getting the arse fully out. It requires a bit more provoking, but that's symptomatic of more rear end grip

I'm not so keen on the reduced castor at slow pseeds (under 40mph) but over that I much prefer it, so it's a nice compromise.

I actually feel like I could spend a while altering settings getting it set just right for me now. I'd like to try both 20 minutes and 30 minutes toe in at the rear and see how they compare. However it's a lot of hassle for 5-6 track days a year.

Next is a stepped approach to bracing then ARB's i think. I need to reduce my body roll.