Any Drifters here?

[SS-REX]

Yeah understand its not going to be super or anything in the league of the Jap chassies and set ups. I'm just going to trail and error it and ask a ton of dumb questions on what to do with suspension set ups and repairs/upgrades.

I understand i should start off with something low powered to get good technique car control and that. It's just out of the cards at present I'd loved to have a fully dedicated track slider with a trailer I'm sure deep down inside we all do.

Yeah the first thing is to get rid of my wheels and get something smaller and lighter. With the correct offset didn't want to run spacers if i don't have to.

 

[ducker85]

Yeah, I misread.



Lock spacers are good (they do help a lot in car parks), but nobody makes them for Commodores. On top of that, I'm not sure if there would be enough thread left on the tie rod for it to screw in enough. They're cast into the ball joins of most aftermarket Nissan rods now. Lucky for the Commodores though that they run a decent amount of castor.

For the same reason the real let down is the suspension, but not just because of the design. Nobody with a clue has put together a package where you can choose your own spring rates and have the dampers valved to match. Even if you could just choose the spring rates that would be head and shoulders above anything that's out there now. King Springs will help, but they'll be far from anything good (they make my S14 handle like a boat). It's changing now with the VE because of the combined spring and shock.

^^ this is great info

100% agree and have been thinking the same about spring rates and Coilovers lately. So far there's two spring rates easily avalible for commodore, aftermarket and HD which doesn't tell the buyer anything. Yet for most jap cars there company's that offer rates from 7kg thru to 60kg's for the static stance cars.

I thought someone clued up may be able to make lock spacers or something. I'm sure Fanga Dans VZ doesn't have stock lock. I know he has custom built/order Tein coilovers.

And as you said the VE is worlds apart to the VY so you cant compare them.

 

[ducker85]

Yeah the first thing is to get rid of my wheels and get something smaller and lighter. With the correct offset didn't want to run spacers if i don't have to.

even without spacers you would want something aggressive to increase the track width and make the car handle better. Look into something like some rota grids to suit BMW (120x5 stud pattern like the Commodores) and consitter 9s with say 235s ATR for for rear

 

[SS-REX]

even without spacers you would want something aggressive to increase the track width and make the car handle better. Look into something like some rota grids to suit BMW (120x5 stud pattern like the Commodores) and consitter 9s with say 235s ATR for for rear

Nice i have 20x8.5 but there just too heavy and rubbish like fwd/4wd offset to i think. Yeah I'd like to get those lock spacers nice will help with my horrible parking.

If i need wheel spacers then be i'd be happy with 18x9's or 9.5's would any one have any idea what offset i would need?. To clear the body and components i don't mind rolling/pumping the guards more.

As for spring rates and stuff i don't truly understand wouldn't they have a vast range. Being Holden's are used for all sorts of motorsport or is that just not the case.

 

[ducker85]

there just too heavy and rubbish like fwd/4wd offset to i think. Yeah I'd like to get those lock spacers nice will help with my horrible parking.

All positive offset wheels are refferred to as "fwd" offset.

If i need wheel spacers then be i'd be happy with 18x9's or 9.5's would any one have any idea what offset i would need?. To clear the body and components i don't mind rolling/pumping the guards more.

You don't need wheel spacers just something like a 9 inch wide wheel with a 30P offset.

Jacks ute only has spacer cos hes runing Nissan wheels and he's like 60mm over track on each side

As for spring rates and stuff i don't truly understand wouldn't they have a vast range. Being Holden's are used for all sorts of motorsport or is that just not the case.

No there's an extremely poor aftermarket for Commodores and one of the best pre-VE model cars is the K sport coilover range or if you don't like that and want the car stiff, king HD springs and Monroe GT shocks will have it stiff enough then add nolathane bushing and an adjustable sway bar upgrade, stiff for the track and soft for the street

 

[_R_J_K_]

Yeah understand its not going to be super or anything in the league of the Jap chassies and set ups. I'm just going to trail and error it and ask a ton of dumb questions on what to do with suspension set ups and repairs/upgrades.

Lets' not forget you can can set a Japanese car up terribly too. Really all that matters is that you have a good LSD.

You'd be better off going with 17s for cost (at least 8/9in wide), run similar sized tyres front and back.

Make small changes incrementally to work out what works best for you.

 

[SS-REX]

You don't need wheel spacers just something like a 9 inch wide wheel with a 30P offset.
Jacks ute only has spacer cos hes runing Nissan wheels and he's like 60mm over track on each side

Oh ok i see the 5x120 second hand wheel market is a bit crap mostly BMW stuff and Holden wheels for show. Don't mind going to Nissan stud pattern and 17"s would be good to just going to get one decent set and a whole bunch of random pairs for the rears.

No there's an extremely poor aftermarket for Commodores and one of the best pre-VE model cars is the K sport coil over range or if you don't like that and want the car stiff, king HD springs and Monroe GT shocks will have it stiff enough then add nolathane bushing and an adjustable sway bar upgrade, stiff for the track and soft for the street

Great don't want to be sitting low all the time so adjustable coil overs will be the go down the line. So that K shock is the shizzz not badly priced as well will do the bushes and sway bar once i throw it around as is to see whats happening with it.

Lets' not forget you can can set a Japanese car up terribly too. Really all that matters is that you have a good LSD.

You'd be better off going with 17s for cost (at least 8/9in wide), run similar sized tyres front and back.

Make small changes incrementally to work out what works best for you.

All true yeah i will look in to 17"s or whatever really comes up i did like those drift teks and there 5x120 hmmm.

Also here's my Ute with what it has currently. http://forums.justcommodores.com.au/vy-vz-wk-wl-v2/234587-my-daily-drift-ute-build.html

 

[ducker85]

It looks good mate. Yeah FE2 is a stiffer setup then other Holdens (including sway bars) so stick with that for now and do the bushes first. With the spring you don't need to be low either just setup with minimum body roll.

So with wheels, BMW wheels fit Holden and usually have more aggressive offsets and are wider. My mate had some BMWs on his VY/VZ and it looked mean. You need to look at the specs like offset and width as well as weight hence why I suggested Rota grid wheels, there cheap, light, wider, and I believe come in 120x5 with 17 or 18 inch sizes

 

[NickVR]

If you like your cars to handle like a boat.

I found some more RELEVANT videos to this thread too (same car)

VY Ute @ Mallala Matsuri 2013 - YouTube

he does have a you tube account with a few in-cars
10/10 Mallala Matsuri Jack Callow Lee Pirch - YouTube

and good old facebook even come up on a google search
https://www.facebook.com/speedmonkeyworx?fref=ts

Jacks car is pretty good for what it is. Not really set up but the guy can steer. He is going to do more to it, he wants to get more grip out of it and speed too. Have a look through my Youtube channel I have a few videos on there of him.

Here is a good one - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLGdGYu4hiw

Haydens VE is good too but has coilovers and not much more suspension wise. Not as fast as it probably could be but does well in comps. Nick coulson's has a lot of suspension work done to it but these utes are not any good to you really as the VE suspension is different and much better too. Super low suspension isn't always the best but it looks cool. My mate runs positive rear camber in the rear of his S14 too which sounds odd but when the suspension squats if flattens the tyre using all of it. Gets nice flat even wear out of his tyres too.

 

[ducker85]

Nick coulson's has a lot of suspension work done to it but these utes are not any good to you really as the VE suspension is different and much better too

Nick just has off the self tein and superpro gear. His dad I think it was is a member on here. He also said Nick runs positive camber so it's at zero when the car squats