Single Biggest Improvement
09-21-2011, 01:35 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-18-2011
Location: Florida
Posts: 560
I don't work for Turbo Tech Racing, but the addition of their rear sway bar just transformed the handling of my car. I just did 250 miles yesterday, on some of the best roads in Missouri, and the handling is very flat, totally predictable, and incredible. My G meter recorded as high as .92 g's. On real roads, that's remarkable. I occasionally got to the edge of the handling envelope and, when I did, the front and rear were giving up together. No radical oversteer. Maybe just a touch of the rear going first. A quick flick of the steering wheel and it was back in line, with maybe a couple of feet slide to the outside of the turn.
Cost is only about $150 and installation took maybe 15 minutes. This is a MUST HAVE for any SS.
I also have the Stage 1 kit on my car and this is the second 'must have'. If you can have almost 40 extra horsepower, and a lot more torque, for maybe $700, why not?
I once owned a 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR. This is probably the best handling street car ever made. The HHR SS, with the mods I've made, compares very favorably, considering it's front wheel drive only. I would say it's maybe 90% as good. Quite a testament to the guys at Chevy Performance.
And, of course, the HHR has the stock hi performance Michelin All Season tires. The EVO had summer only performance tires and they were a bit bigger at 245. When I eventually wear out the stock tires I will fit Summer Only performance tires. Anyone have any idea what's the best ones to fit?
I had Michelin Pilot Sports on my Dodge Viper and they were superb. If they make sizes to fit the HHR, I will probably fit those.
Anyway, GREAT car, UNBELIEVABLE PRICE. I'm very, very happy with it.
Cost is only about $150 and installation took maybe 15 minutes. This is a MUST HAVE for any SS.
I also have the Stage 1 kit on my car and this is the second 'must have'. If you can have almost 40 extra horsepower, and a lot more torque, for maybe $700, why not?
I once owned a 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR. This is probably the best handling street car ever made. The HHR SS, with the mods I've made, compares very favorably, considering it's front wheel drive only. I would say it's maybe 90% as good. Quite a testament to the guys at Chevy Performance.
And, of course, the HHR has the stock hi performance Michelin All Season tires. The EVO had summer only performance tires and they were a bit bigger at 245. When I eventually wear out the stock tires I will fit Summer Only performance tires. Anyone have any idea what's the best ones to fit?
I had Michelin Pilot Sports on my Dodge Viper and they were superb. If they make sizes to fit the HHR, I will probably fit those.
Anyway, GREAT car, UNBELIEVABLE PRICE. I'm very, very happy with it.
this is the rear say bar your talking about?
09-21-2011, 02:43 PM
#12
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 06-18-2011
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 14
Yes, that's the Turbo Tech sway bar.
And thanks for the recommendations on summer tires. I think 1.0 g cornering is possible with better tires.
FYI, I usually get more G's turning right than left. That's just a safety thing. Turning right, you have most of the left lane if you start to drift. Turning left, you have a lot less margin for error. Of course, I make sure no one is coming the other way.
However, if you're on a road where there are no trees--hypothetically--you can treat it as if it's one lane. Like a racetrack. In that case, you can probably turn left harder than right. That's because of the extra ballast sitting in the drivers seat. Unless you have a really cool significant other in the right seat too.
By the way--hypothetically, again, of course--for fast street driving, in a left turn, it's always a good idea to put your left wheels over the center line. That's because country roads are cambered, for the rain to run off. If you stay exactly in your lane, when turning left, you're often faced with negative camber, which severely limits your cornering. With your left wheels over the center line, you pick up positive camber for rain draining the other way from the crown of the road. You can corner a lot faster this way. Of course, make sure no one is coming in the other lane......
In a right turn, you will almost always have positive camber to help you corner. However, some old roads have surprising negative camber, sometimes, even when turning right. If you're at the limit, and the road changes to negative camber, you will lose traction and slide. The lesson here is to know the road. If you don't, leave sufficient margin for error.
Also, all your moves have to be gentle and progressive. If you just throw the car in the corner, it's easy to exceed the available grip. Of course, this can be fun too if you don't mind wearing out your tires.
Yes, yes, I know I should confine myself to a racetrack, but doing the same 10 or 12 turns over and over just doesn't cut it for me. Same thing with autocross.
If it's any consolation, I've been driving for almost 45 years now and never had an accident.
This is for hypothetical discussion only! I don't recommend driving this way on the street.
And thanks for the recommendations on summer tires. I think 1.0 g cornering is possible with better tires.
FYI, I usually get more G's turning right than left. That's just a safety thing. Turning right, you have most of the left lane if you start to drift. Turning left, you have a lot less margin for error. Of course, I make sure no one is coming the other way.
However, if you're on a road where there are no trees--hypothetically--you can treat it as if it's one lane. Like a racetrack. In that case, you can probably turn left harder than right. That's because of the extra ballast sitting in the drivers seat. Unless you have a really cool significant other in the right seat too.
By the way--hypothetically, again, of course--for fast street driving, in a left turn, it's always a good idea to put your left wheels over the center line. That's because country roads are cambered, for the rain to run off. If you stay exactly in your lane, when turning left, you're often faced with negative camber, which severely limits your cornering. With your left wheels over the center line, you pick up positive camber for rain draining the other way from the crown of the road. You can corner a lot faster this way. Of course, make sure no one is coming in the other lane......
In a right turn, you will almost always have positive camber to help you corner. However, some old roads have surprising negative camber, sometimes, even when turning right. If you're at the limit, and the road changes to negative camber, you will lose traction and slide. The lesson here is to know the road. If you don't, leave sufficient margin for error.
Also, all your moves have to be gentle and progressive. If you just throw the car in the corner, it's easy to exceed the available grip. Of course, this can be fun too if you don't mind wearing out your tires.
Yes, yes, I know I should confine myself to a racetrack, but doing the same 10 or 12 turns over and over just doesn't cut it for me. Same thing with autocross.
If it's any consolation, I've been driving for almost 45 years now and never had an accident.
This is for hypothetical discussion only! I don't recommend driving this way on the street.
09-22-2011, 09:34 PM
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: 05-18-2010
Location: Roseville, Mi
Posts: 313
You hit .92 g's on actual normal streets? I only hit .87 hitting a 90 degree right turn at 35 mph. I didn't trust the stock M's tires at all during my ownership of my SS. Do you have better rubber?
Dave
Dave