Are SE's as 'tail happy' as non-SE's?
01-02-03, 11:01 PM
#1
Are SE's as 'tail happy' as non-SE's?
OK, long story short, I *might* end up keeping my 83 GS and make it into a project car and am tossing ideas around in my head. I'm thinking I want to go with a SE suspension swap as its a better suspension and a bolt in, but I wanna get some feedback about the SE suspension, mainly if it is as snappy and unpredictably tail happy as the non SE is. That is one of the things I have never liked about my car, it handles great to a point, once you hit that magical speed/cornering angle/etc the rear kicks out almost without warning. I've talked to other FB owners who have similar experiences so I know its not a probelm just with my car. Anyway, do SE's do the same thing or did Mazda manage to fix that problem? TIA
01-02-03, 11:25 PM
#4
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SEs CAN do so, though with the LSD it doesn't happen as often. The suspension changes were more to do with stiffening, not any noteable geometry mods, so it still has the snap-oversteer...
Swapping out the front swaybar for the thicker Racing Beat one allegedly helps decrease such incidents as stiffening the front increases understeer. Allegedly.
Swapping out the front swaybar for the thicker Racing Beat one allegedly helps decrease such incidents as stiffening the front increases understeer. Allegedly.
01-03-03, 12:30 AM
#6
Retro Rocket
Re: Are SE's as 'tail happy' as non-SE's?
Originally posted by 82transam
Anyway, do SE's do the same thing or did Mazda manage to fix that problem?
Anyway, do SE's do the same thing or did Mazda manage to fix that problem?
Pull out from a stop sign, turn North, grab a big handful of 2nd gear... you'll be headed South in a heartbeat Yeah, the SE's about the same I'd imagine. But I wouldn't call it a problem for anybody but the uninitiated. Once you're used to it and know where your boundries are... like I said, it's fun. Just a matter of practice. BUT... I do warn the few (very few) people I ever let drive my SE not to get too damn froggy with the gas pedal in a turn
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01-03-03, 07:28 AM
#10
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Get some good tires. That's all you need. I run 205/50/15 Bridgestone S-03's. I never have a problem on my ported GSL-SE. If anything, I need more power to break them lose easier.
01-03-03, 11:33 AM
#11
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Originally posted by 82transam
I never said it wasn't fun
but the snap oversteer, i feel, holds the rest of the car back. If that weren't an issue FB's could go much farther. just a thought.
I never said it wasn't fun
but the snap oversteer, i feel, holds the rest of the car back. If that weren't an issue FB's could go much farther. just a thought.
mike
01-03-03, 11:39 AM
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Originally posted by j9fd3s
try pulling the rear sway bar off, much better
mike
try pulling the rear sway bar off, much better
mike
--eric
01-03-03, 04:55 PM
#13
84SE-EGI helpy-helperton
Specific to the SE's in 84/85 were the lowering of the rear lower trailing links, which is evident if you have an earlier model next to an SE. this was done on SE's in 84, and all RX7 models in 85 (IIRC) to combat the oversteer tendencies.
01-03-03, 05:13 PM
#14
8krpm is not enough
In 1984 the rear trailing links were lowered 20mm to help prevent binding. This was an across the board modification that carried on to all later RX-7's. This really doesn't help the oversteer problem. However, I've found the oversteer in the car to be very predictable and quite controllable if you notice it before you're doing donuts (a few SCCA Solo II events have proven this). You might want to freshen up the busings all around, but in the end, this is a light, RWD, live axle car...good rubber, bushings, swaybars, ect can only do so much 
The -SE suspension is a good idea anyway. You get better brakes, and a more common bolt pattern for bling bling rims. Plus you'll get a 4.076:1 LSD rear end with the deal...
--matt
The -SE suspension is a good idea anyway. You get better brakes, and a more common bolt pattern for bling bling rims. Plus you'll get a 4.076:1 LSD rear end with the deal...
--matt