Development

Went to the new West lancs area last night and so, combined with last weekend I have now done a fair few miles in the car since the suspension work.

It is certainly much firmer on the road and corners better since the new uprated springs etc have been fitted. In fact, it feels like it's on rails and I can almost "flick" it from corner to corner. Much better but along with this it is now very easy to provoke tyre squeal whilst cornering.

Pondering on this I consulted a mate of mine, an ex tecnical manager for a tyre manufacturer who worked on rally support. His comments were that now the suspension, as such, would be in the tyres and with 70 series tyres there would be alot of sidewall flexing and the tread would be being pushed sideways much more easily under cornering - the squealing would be where the tyre was on the limit of adhesion. Gulp!

Recommended solution - go up to say 15" wheels and to lower profile tyres - say 195/50R15. More rubber on the road, bigger contact patch and stiffer sidewalls - less "suspension" in the tyres and the tread more secure on the tarmac under cornering.

Probelm is - under rallying regs I can't go less than 70 series anyway so there's not much advantage to be had by going up to 14" (even where this is allowed) and 15" are certainly not allowed under the regs.

So I am now left with some small adjustments to tyre pressures and learning the limits of the car and I can go up to 185/70R13s as these were fitted to 5 speed cars (mine was a 4 speed, hence the 175/70s).