What A Difference A Couple Of Small Changes Make

[ste91]

Both cars are EP91 N/A's.

My old Starlet's setup was:

Toyo Proxes T1R 195/45/15 on the front, Proxes T1S 195/45/15 on the back

KYB New SR Specials with TRD springs

OEM front strut brace

GReddy rear strut brace

Power steering

And my new Starlet:

Toyo Proxes T1R 195/50/15 on the front, random shit 195/50/15 on the back

KYB New SR Specials with TRD springs

No power steering

In both cars I've used 32-34 psi for the tyre pressures.

And the difference is quite significant - putting aside the fact that the bushes are probably more worn on my new Starlet seeing as it's older and has more miles on it, and the tracking/wheel alignment aren't the same, the strut braces and tyres really seem to make a difference.

In my old Starlet it gave you alot of confidence to push it hard round corners and when you reached the limit the tyres would start to squeel. It felt planted and solid and easy to control, the back end didn't ever come loose, and you could really chuck it about and go round corners with ease.

In the newer one however you can't really tell what the car is going to do, I've had the back end come out a couple of times in the wet (possibly due to crappy rear tyres, it's fun when it happens but afterwards always makes me think if there was a car in the other lane or close by then it could have gone very wrong), it just gives you no confidence at all, and when you near the limit of grip there's no warning, the steering just goes light and feels like you aren't in control.

Maybe it's me just not being used to the car yet as I've not been driving it long compared to my old one but it's wierd how a few changes make such a difference.

People are always argueing over 45 profile vs 50 profile but now I've tried both I'm not so sure, I think I prefered the 45's, they felt more grippy, maybe due to more sidewall flex with the bigger profiles?

Anyone else had more than one Starlet and noticed differences like this?

[Sparky]

My 1st one was lethal on the back end. Used to love the lift off oversteer

Spec

d2 coilovers

Cusco carbon rear strut brace

Stripped out

Toyo T1R's 195/50/15

Then the GT, my god dont it handle VERY hard to get the back end loose, I could count on one hand how many times I had that sideways when pushing it. I think its down to the LSD and I think the alignment was bang on. Wheelspin in the wet was an issue though, even in the dry

Spec

Tein coilovers

TRD LSD

Cusco panhard rod

Stripped out

Stanadard front strut brace and rear OEM 3 point brace

Yoko Prada's 195/50/15

The new Starlet n/a, 1st time I really gave it some beans last night and fairplay backend was planted got a bit of understeer but I was coming into roundabout about 90 and exiting at 60+

Spec

Lowered 40mm on springs

Toyo T1R's 195/50/15s

The new ones just a bit bouncy ;)

[Steve GT]

2 things I've noticed

1. take the front strut brace off and drive it you can feel the difference in stiffness and

2. my new gt has 50 profile tyres on it so cant wind the coilovers as far down as on the black gt which had 45;s. them few inches higher makes a lot of difference it doesnt feel as planted

just goes to show that a little difference can completely change the rigidity of your car lol

[Russleh]

if your using somethin like 195 tires im sure the difference between 50 and 45 profile isnt even 10mm but still it would make a tiny differenc

[Steve GT]

it does it really does

just thought of another one too

my old black GT had 14's on it while my new white gt is rolling on 15's

the bigger wheels dont accelerate as quick as the 14's either but feels more planted round bends so although I've lost a slight feel in acceleration the bigger wheels improve the handling more lol

small changes do matter