Better Handling Geometry

[Chapppers]

Has anyone had a play at setting up for better turn-in, less understeer or being more track focussed?

 

Interested to see how much better the already-awesome setup can be amended to be slightly more aggressive.

[hillman998]

Depending on how you like the car to feel I have lowered the suspension with Eibach springs and fitted a White line rear bar. This reduces understeer. Before anyone says the car does not understeer maybe I should instead say that it increases the limited before the computer takes over and adjusts the power or brakes a wheel.

I prefer this set up to standard and for what I do it feels the way I want it.

I also did a full geometry check and adjustment and got the toe as per the user manual.

Maybe I don’t go fast enough but I have not suffered the dreaded vearing steering either.

Hope this helps, just my feedback.

 

[Chapppers]

 

That sounds a lot better mate.

It’s that initial understeer on turn-in I’d like to dial out, even if it makes it more twitchy.

I’ve had the veer steering many times, usually on full throttle, but it makes the drive much more involving imo.

[hillman998]

Exactly, I do a lot of very tight hills in 2nd and 3rd gear. Before I updated the rear bar it would have a lot of turn in understeer, If I applied the power the computer would kick in and get me round the corner, now it seems more neutral on turn in, definitely a bit more tail happy on exit but the computer just kicks in and does its stuff and I like it better than standard. Not saying its ultimately faster just different.

I do all my runs at sunrise so no overtaking on full throttle, perhaps I need to push it over the camber just to see if it it will vear off.

 

[rampant]

I don’t experience under-steer in my RS -particularly when really pushing on into bends. I put this down to the active torque vectoring and because I drive it similarly to my old Evo.  A little bit of trail braking and then getting on the gas well before the corner apex to induce the torque vector system. For me, the front end stays nailed to the chosen line, and sometimes actually tightens the line depending on the rev band going through the bend –  which then means taking a smidgen of steering off. It isn’t over-steer or sliding the rear, but it is the rear helping to tighten the car’s line.

This is actually the most accomplished asset of the RS Mk3 and by far the best part of the car and what drew me into RS ownership.

Absolutely brilliant in the bends, then… It’s just a shame that it is flawed in other ways.

Yours Aye

Mark H

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// ’17 Nitrous Blue // Forged Alloys // Michelin Super Sports // Painted Calipers // Sync 3 // Lux Pack // Winter Pack // Black Gel Spoiler Badges // Blue Gel Wheel Inserts // GTechniq Liquid Crystal // GTechniq Alloy Armour // sold Jun ’18

[9designs]

Nice write up and description of setting it up through the corners rampant,  I’ve found the same technique, agree it’s the RS’s unique feature and sets it apart from the standard “hot hatch” offerings.

Adding the LSD just takes it to the next level, more composed and balanced, as well as the obvious more grip. Slightly less tail happy or not until a higher speed, before the electronics step in to “catch” it.

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Magnetic Grey with all the best bits

FPM375/COBB/MSD-  Quaife LSD,  DSC+Tractive  Suspension,  HJS200 cell sports cat and MT Cooler. Sync3 upgrade.

Was UK seller for DSC & Tractive  Active suspension !!!

    

[white-rs2]

I had a very similar setup. This made the car fell well planted, almost glued like to the tarmac and capable of a lot more than you can do on the open road. I never actually got around to testing on track road unfortunately.

Front and Rear Springs -20mm (H&R)                        –                            http://www.hrsprings.com/projects/detail/2016-ford-focus-rs

Front and Rear Anti-Roll Bars (H&R)                          –                            http://www.hrsprings.com/application/search/results/11/1838/2016/

+15mm wider track all round (H&R Spacers)

DCS damper controller                                                    –                            http://www.dscsport.com/product/v2-controller-ford-focus-rs/

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RS Edition.

FPM375 Rocks

The rest of the “M” maps suck

[9designs]

You keeping the RSE standard this time ?    (Any DSC feedback?)

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Magnetic Grey with all the best bits

FPM375/COBB/MSD-  Quaife LSD,  DSC+Tractive  Suspension,  HJS200 cell sports cat and MT Cooler. Sync3 upgrade.

Was UK seller for DSC & Tractive  Active suspension !!!

    

[Kenny]

Could even be down to technique. Try a little slower into the corner but faster out.

[chris54]

Their really is nothing wrong with the handling on my standard rs, this is one of the best handling cars to ever come off a production line. I’ve had e92 M3’s that don’t handle as well as the mk 3 rs. It’s so sure footed in the wet it could only be described as impressive. I agree with Kenny, technique could well be the issue here.

[RSDave]

More power for the torque vectoring to do its job and pull you in, you can plant the power a lot more in corners in this car than other awd cars

[white-rs2]

@9Designs

Not had time to put the box on the Edition only covered 450 ish miles. DSC, Not had the time to do the firmware update ?

I have a mountain of boxes Mountune alloy Inlet, intercooler etc, Mishimoto, H&R, DSC, Ford Performance, closed deck brace, 11mm ARP bolts and Norris Designs Cobb 420. All in boxes all ready to go if I have get S spare weekend ??

---

RS Edition.

FPM375 Rocks

The rest of the “M” maps suck

[Chapppers]

I don’t experience under-steer in my RS -particularly when really pushing on into bends. I put this down to the active torque vectoring and because I drive it similarly to my old Evo.  A little bit of trail braking and then getting on the gas well before the corner apex to induce the torque vector system. For me, the front end stays nailed to the chosen line, and sometimes actually tightens the line depending on the rev band going through the bend –  which then means taking a smidgen of steering off. It isn’t over-steer or sliding the rear, but it is the rear helping to tighten the car’s line.

This is actually the most accomplished asset of the RS Mk3 and by far the best part of the car and what drew me into RS ownership.

Absolutely brilliant in the bends, then… It’s just a shame that it is flawed in other ways.

Yours Aye

Mark H

 

Definitely see where you’re coming from Mark, completely agree that on the road where you might be pushing to 7/10ths of the grip, there’s always extra front-end grip to call on upon with some throttle before the apex. When you get that right it’s amazing to experience, but I don’t think it happens the same as at the end of the grip levels.

I’ve just been testing on a trackday at Anglesey and on the limit coming out of a hairpin after a sharp turn-in, more throttle just forces it wide with understeer and eventually oversteer at the exit.

 

Springs are next on the hitlist to stiffen things up slightly..

 

[9designs]

Or a DSC active damper module ?

---

Magnetic Grey with all the best bits

FPM375/COBB/MSD-  Quaife LSD,  DSC+Tractive  Suspension,  HJS200 cell sports cat and MT Cooler. Sync3 upgrade.

Was UK seller for DSC & Tractive  Active suspension !!!

    

[Author]

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