Modified Stock Suspension
#92
01-25-2014, 07:51 AM
Thanks Harris, for the PM and definitely keep us posted re the group buy 
...this should definitely win the award of the most innovative, interesting and unique product of the past year!
...this should definitely win the award of the most innovative, interesting and unique product of the past year!
#95
01-25-2014, 11:00 AM
Doing this from the mobile app so sorry if there are typos.....
Have had this in place about 10 days now. This is truly the first "two-minute installation" (as promised by Harris) that I have done on this car. As close to plug and play as possible for a module about 5x5x2" that is not in plain sight.
So all the stuff written above is accurate, and my experience is on a mix of snowy, icy, slushy, rutted, wet, and dry roads. In any of the modes this does not suck up the bumps and turn the ride into something cushy. It does firm things up so you don't get the feel of wallowing after hitting a rut/pothole. A little bit challenging getting used to the transitions between different surfaces. The "old" way was predictably crazy, this is more subtle--- kind of like the difference between how previous generation traction control and new one with PTV works better when you need it (much less Hand of God feeling).
I have been mostly in modes 1 & 2, waiting for the weather to cooperate a bit for full dry conditions to do much in mode 3. Even so, the DD route has its fair share or ramps, chicanes, off-camber corners and carousels, I have not been noticing a huge difference between the settings. The car is however noticeably more planted and feels more maneuverable all the time, and this is on the street not a track. Certainly changes the character of the drive in each morning. Hopefully will get some time for a little jaunt out to the mountains in the next week to get the right seat impression of things (also will give an idea of how things go on crappy winter highways).
So my impression is absolutely worth the mod even though the local track has closed and nearest is a couple hundred miles away. Sorry that I didn't wait for the group buy, but I guess somebody has to be an early adopter!
Thanks Harris!
Have had this in place about 10 days now. This is truly the first "two-minute installation" (as promised by Harris) that I have done on this car. As close to plug and play as possible for a module about 5x5x2" that is not in plain sight.
So all the stuff written above is accurate, and my experience is on a mix of snowy, icy, slushy, rutted, wet, and dry roads. In any of the modes this does not suck up the bumps and turn the ride into something cushy. It does firm things up so you don't get the feel of wallowing after hitting a rut/pothole. A little bit challenging getting used to the transitions between different surfaces. The "old" way was predictably crazy, this is more subtle--- kind of like the difference between how previous generation traction control and new one with PTV works better when you need it (much less Hand of God feeling).
I have been mostly in modes 1 & 2, waiting for the weather to cooperate a bit for full dry conditions to do much in mode 3. Even so, the DD route has its fair share or ramps, chicanes, off-camber corners and carousels, I have not been noticing a huge difference between the settings. The car is however noticeably more planted and feels more maneuverable all the time, and this is on the street not a track. Certainly changes the character of the drive in each morning. Hopefully will get some time for a little jaunt out to the mountains in the next week to get the right seat impression of things (also will give an idea of how things go on crappy winter highways).
So my impression is absolutely worth the mod even though the local track has closed and nearest is a couple hundred miles away. Sorry that I didn't wait for the group buy, but I guess somebody has to be an early adopter!
Thanks Harris!
#99
02-05-2014, 09:16 AM
I ran the Sebring event with David Murry last week. I have had the DSC for over a year and been trying it on the street. On the street as mentioned it's a great addition, it soaks up the bumps and the car does not "porpoise" over bumps and surface transitions are much smoother with more control during the transition points. The car now just naturally reacts to any changes in direction with a much more controlled during transitions. I have found that on straight bumpy roads (e.g., NJ Turnpike) program three works best as it soaks up the bumps really nicely. On other roads I am on program 1 or 2. To me program 2 runs a bit more front shock, so the turn ins are sharper.
On the track the DSC just came alive. At Sebring, Program 1 or 2 worked best depending on how you wanted to attack the corner. The bumps pretty much became a none issue on that track (surprised the hell out of me) and had to adjust how I attacked the corners.
I run Michelin PSS tires and during the first day runs I ran lower tire pressures than ideal (29/31 hot) and the car's character for understeering was amplified and there was a huge difference between map 1, 2 and 3. In map 3 the car would understeer quite a bit and map 1 had a sharp turn in. After that I bumped the tire pressures to get me to 37 all around when hot and WOW what a difference. Map 1 worked incredibly well if you wanted sharper turn in, map 2 worked if you wanted less sharpness at turn in. Map 3 would soften the turn in and dial in more understeer.
My thoughts were confirmed when Mike Levitas drove the car and really liked map 2 as he would attach the corner at turn in. It was a great pleasure and honor that Randy Pobst was there and he drove the car too and preferred map 1 as he drove with less "manhandling" of the car at turn in. To be honest both of these guys were brutally fast into a turn. They both agreed that the car needed a little more rear bar, but I ran out of time and had to leave. Stay tuned for further feedback when I hit the track next.
What was also amazing was the incredible way that power could be put down on the exit of the turn and the ease with which the curbs could be ridden practically anywhere on the track. I have put in a LSD in the car so that also helped with putting down the power coming out of corners, however, as an example in the hairpin at Sebring, the inside and the outside curb could be ridden practically as high as desired without any jarring, shuddering or losing the feeling of connection to the road.
Definitely looking forward to trying out other tracks.
Cheers.
On the track the DSC just came alive. At Sebring, Program 1 or 2 worked best depending on how you wanted to attack the corner. The bumps pretty much became a none issue on that track (surprised the hell out of me) and had to adjust how I attacked the corners.
I run Michelin PSS tires and during the first day runs I ran lower tire pressures than ideal (29/31 hot) and the car's character for understeering was amplified and there was a huge difference between map 1, 2 and 3. In map 3 the car would understeer quite a bit and map 1 had a sharp turn in. After that I bumped the tire pressures to get me to 37 all around when hot and WOW what a difference. Map 1 worked incredibly well if you wanted sharper turn in, map 2 worked if you wanted less sharpness at turn in. Map 3 would soften the turn in and dial in more understeer.
My thoughts were confirmed when Mike Levitas drove the car and really liked map 2 as he would attach the corner at turn in. It was a great pleasure and honor that Randy Pobst was there and he drove the car too and preferred map 1 as he drove with less "manhandling" of the car at turn in. To be honest both of these guys were brutally fast into a turn. They both agreed that the car needed a little more rear bar, but I ran out of time and had to leave. Stay tuned for further feedback when I hit the track next.
What was also amazing was the incredible way that power could be put down on the exit of the turn and the ease with which the curbs could be ridden practically anywhere on the track. I have put in a LSD in the car so that also helped with putting down the power coming out of corners, however, as an example in the hairpin at Sebring, the inside and the outside curb could be ridden practically as high as desired without any jarring, shuddering or losing the feeling of connection to the road.
Definitely looking forward to trying out other tracks.
Cheers.
#101
02-06-2014, 10:47 AM
I am running PSS10 with the DSC - but the module works well with the stock suspension too. I did not even mention the better braking after installing DSC. In a nut shell if you hit bumps while braking with the stock set-up, as soon as a wheel hops, the ABS starts taking out pressure, but with the DSC the wheels do not loose contact with the road, hence the braking works better.
Also, on smooth surfaces once you hit the brakes the front shocks are made stiffer and the rears softer, hence the rear wheels don't get unloaded as much or as quickly - which increases your ability to apply brake pressure before the ABS takes pressure off the rears.
Also, on smooth surfaces once you hit the brakes the front shocks are made stiffer and the rears softer, hence the rear wheels don't get unloaded as much or as quickly - which increases your ability to apply brake pressure before the ABS takes pressure off the rears.
