Preludes left side heavy? - Honda Prelude Forum

paulyg · 10-14-2005, 04:58 PM

I finally got the car corner weighted today. I went to a race shop that specializes in prepping Corvettes for SCCA road racing, but are trying to get more into imports/compacts. Anyways, no matter what we did we couldn't get the front weights even. The left was always higher, especially after they put weight on the front seat to simulate the driver. If trying to get the cross weight better, and also equal out the fronts, we were raising the LF. Contrary to what I would think, after one of the adjustments the weight on the LF went up?! So we backed off, and called it good enough. The guy admitted he didn't do coilovers often, but also seemed like he knew his stuff from the Corvette work. OK so the results are below.

Initial Readings - No drivers weight in the car, 1/2 tank of gas
930 890
545 540
49.1%

After adding in 180 lbs for me and adjusting we got:
1008 890
592 586
48.2% cross weight

So have you guys found that Honda, and Preludes in particular at left side heavy. I theorized that this was b/c the engine is on the left.

I did search, but no body really talked about the specific results of their corner weighting. Only that they got it done and it made the car "feel better".

71dsp · 10-14-2005, 06:11 PM

I'll let you know in a couple of weeks. My car will be re-corner weighted and aligned after I finish up this suspension work I'm doing for the Nov 5/6 event. I'll ask for the weights when I drop the car off.

If you don't have adjustable end links on the sway bars, it's going to be very hard to get a good corner weighted setup.

alvanderp · 10-14-2005, 07:01 PM

I know mine was left side heavy, the side to side weighting was like 55% if I recall, but I got the cross weight to 50.1%, I'll post up the actual measurements when I find the sheet tomorrow. Billy is right though, we had to adjust my endlinks to get the cross weight that close.

Paul H22 · 10-14-2005, 08:13 PM

^^ Hey Drew, where did you have this done?

I've heard Soul Speed on Lamar can do it.

alphajesse · 10-14-2005, 09:44 PM

My stock-suspended one sits noticably lower on the drivers side when I sit in it. (From the driver's seat- dunno about from the outside.)

Let's see, we have the gas tank vs. the muffler, and most of the engine, abs and the majority of the brake lines vs the transmission, and the battery.

alvanderp · 10-14-2005, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul H22

^^ Hey Drew, where did you have this done?

I've heard Soul Speed on Lamar can do it.

That's who did it.

Paul H22 · 10-14-2005, 10:38 PM

^^ How much did that run, if ya don't mind?

Kool-Lude · 10-14-2005, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulyg

After adding in 180 lbs for me and adjusting we got:
1008 890
592 586
48.2% cross weight

Here's mine (including me at 185 lbs) back in November 2003:
970 909
630 569

front: 1879 lbs (61.1%)
rear: 1199 lbs (38.9%)
total: 3078 lbs

Mugenlude · 10-15-2005, 10:50 AM

First off, cornerweighting without the driver is pretty much useless. You're trying to get the car balanced for cornering, and you're in the car then ---> so you need the driver weight.

Second, yes the driver's side is going to be heavier because you have the driver on that side. This is the case for every non-prepared car I have seen. In the prepared classes you can get away with this by removing enough weight to add weight on the passenger side opposite the driver.

Your last concern should be left-right balance. First it should be the corner weights (LF+RR = RF+LR). Then front to back weight, if you can move the weight back with a FWD car you are better off.

With a set of coilovers you should be able to get the cornerweights within a tenth our two (LF/RR 50.2% vs RF/LR 49.8%) without a problem. I really wouldn't have been happy with the 48.2% number you got. Most car I've corner balanced were better than that from eyeballing ride heights.

alvanderp · 10-15-2005, 12:22 PM

Paul - the pricing is right on their website(www.soulspeed.com)

+1 to Jason's info, Mine was at 50.8% just from eyeballing it. Actual measurements below(FYI me = fat bastard, 280lbs) with full tank.

1004 955
659 602

Front: 60.8%
Rear: 39.2%

Total: 3220lbs
50.12% cross weight

Paul H22 · 10-15-2005, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alvanderp

Paul - the pricing is right on their website(www.soulspeed.com)

Ahh, thank you Drew.

paulyg · 10-15-2005, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mugenlude

First off, cornerweighting without the driver is pretty much useless. You're trying to get the car balanced for cornering, and you're in the car then ---> so you need the driver weight.

Second, yes the driver's side is going to be heavier because you have the driver on that side. This is the case for every non-prepared car I have seen. In the prepared classes you can get away with this by removing enough weight to add weight on the passenger side opposite the driver.

Your last concern should be left-right balance. First it should be the corner weights (LF+RR = RF+LR). Then front to back weight, if you can move the weight back with a FWD car you are better off.

With a set of coilovers you should be able to get the cornerweights within a tenth our two (LF/RR 50.2% vs RF/LR 49.8%) without a problem. I really wouldn't have been happy with the 48.2% number you got. Most car I've corner balanced were better than that from eyeballing ride heights.

Ok. Well I did get closer to than 48.2 just by setting the ride heights equal. We did add in 180 lbs for my weight (used corvette rotors

). That's when the balance went worse.

I do have to take it back b/c the alignment is screwed up. I'll ask them to put it back on the scales.

Can you guys tell which corner needs to go up or down in order to get it closer?

Mugenlude · 10-16-2005, 09:47 AM

Here are the weights from my corner balance...

1004 - 933
665 - 596

Front - 1937 - 60.5%
Rear - 1262 - 39.5%

Total - 3195 lbs (I'm about 225 lbs.)
50.0% Cross Weight

Honda318dx · 10-21-2005, 08:50 AM

Just worry about crossweights and thats it.. You really want to make sure your balanced so you don't drag the rear wheel (for the cars without abs) under braking. Someone said above, adjustable endlinks make it MUCH easier. If you don't have them, you must try to get to the point that the swaybars are unloaded, which is difficult. Make sure align AFTER the corner balance..