Heavier struts?

[Dave H]

Does anyone out there know if there are heavier struts available for the TC? I think that would vastly improve body lean when cornering. The sway bar looks kinda wimpy, so I'm thinking a higher spring rate up front is about all I can do to improve handling but maintaining cargo capacity and utility. After 3-1/2 years, that's the only real gripe I've got with the toy van!

Dave

[MLB]

Van or Wagon? The cargo van I bought was noticablely stiffer and tighter than the wagons I test drove.  

[Beta Don]

Are you looking for stiffer springs, or shocks valved differently?  Either way, I would think a slightly stiffer front sway bar would do more for your problem than messing with the struts

Don

[MLB]

 Sway bar for body roll, but heavier sway bar with less roll means more transfer of the load to the tires, meaning earlier loss of traction at the limit.  Leaning on the suspension actually gives you MORE traction in corning.  At the point the suspension stops extending (leaning), the load transfers to the tire side walls and when those flex as much as they can, the tire loses traction suddendly  and decisively.

 Meaning it feels better in normal driving but if you ever are in a max cornering situation (too fast into a turn) your absolute limits are reduced.  The first time I put bigger, "handling" sway bars on a VW GTI I had made it into an absolute go-cart on the road. Felt like you were velcro'd to the road.  But the first time i cornered fast, on a reducing radius turn I completely spun out as the tires broke loose considerably earlier than it did before the sway bars.

No free lunches with physics.    

Edited June 24, 2017 by MLB

[G B L]

Nicely stated MLB1  The sudden loss of traction reminds me of the 1965 Peugeot with the Michelin X tires I had along time ago.

[Beta Don]

10 hours ago, MLB said:

 Meaning it feels better in normal driving but if you ever are in a max cornering situation (too fast into a turn) your absolute limits are reduced.  The first time I put bigger, "handling" sway bars on a VW GTI I had made it into an absolute go-cart on the road. Felt like you were velcro'd to the road.  But the first time i cornered fast, on a reducing radius turn I completely spun out as the tires broke loose considerably earlier than it did before the sway bars.

That sounds pretty doggone normal to me and likely not the fault of the bigger swaybar

*If* you had lost traction due to the bigger front bar, you would have understeered off the side of the road  -  The bigger bar overloaded the front tires, they lost traction and you couldn't make the turn, but that's not what you said happened

You spun out, which means the rear tires lost traction and that's what I would expect to happen, irregardless of what front bar you were running.  You overcooked the corner a bit and then the decreasing radius made it obvious you weren't going to make it, so you lifted and trailing throttle oversteer caused the rear tires to lose traction (not the overloaded front tires caused by the bigger swaybar) and you spun out, as expected

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lift-off_oversteer

Been there, done that a few times myself in my '94 Miata R package.  It takes lots of practice to restrain yourself from lifting in an overcooked corner . . . . if you keep doing it though, the results will always be the same

Don

[MLB]

Front drive car and rear sway replaced as well. Different beast.  I've had 2 miata's, still miss the MSM with FM stuff. Looking at the ND's now, the old school  "tuner car" mods from BBR is VERY interesting. As is the 250hp turbo (5-7psi boost!!)  

Edited July 11, 2017 by MLB