autoxinvr6 wrote:
If you were to build your car's suspension from scratch, specifically to use the car in autocross, what design attributes would you be looking for?
Autocross is a bit like juggling chainsaws - running chainsaws - the car is always in a transition, always doing something to "upset" the balance of the suspension. There almost never a "steady state" like a long straight or a sweeping, banked curve.
I think that's why autocrossers pay so much attention to shocks and swaybars. Good shocks control the rate of suspension movement, especially the slowing down of "cyclic" movement of the suspension. Swaybars limit body roll and keep the car more level. Guess they limit weight transfer too. Between those two items, that seems to be the focus of autocross suspension design. (I think...)
So, really, I'm giving you a non-answer as far as "design attributes" go but I would recommend you consider the shocks other folks in your class are using, what kind of spring rates and swaybars they have, etc. That should get you close to a good setup. You'll probably need to experiment, try some different bars, shock settings and/or shocks to find the combo that works for you. Depending on your car, your driving style, and where you tend to run, the demands on a particular suspension could be different.
And, like the man said, adjustability is a very good thing!
All of this in IMHO, my .02, YMMV, etc, etc.
Good luck!
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Build LogQuinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special "Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom