Center Gravity chassis tuning experience

I decided to get the Works done, corner weight, ride height and full geometry set up at Centre Gravity by Chris Franklin.

What an experience, got there at 9.30am and we finished by 7pm, that's with 20 min lunch.

My car drives... I'm lost for words, like a dream. I highly recommend the ''works''. Forget the Four wheel alignments, not a patch on Center Gravity set up, especially for the track/high speed enthusiasts.

http://www.centergravity.co.uk

Chris is so dedicated and meticulous in is work, that i could not believe the amount of work involved to have chassis tuning. There's me thinking ill be done by lunch time.

Chris is the sort of chap that wants, ''you'' to have a hands on working experience on your car so be prepared to get your hand dirty. (if you wish)

What i have done is a step by step photo shoot of work carried out, as best as i could.

First thing Chris does before we drive car on, is to do a true flat level platform with laser line.

He then measures car ride height as is from factory points and enter data on spec sheet.

All them weights represents me.

Weight in boot represents full fuel tank.

Tyre pressure check and adjust. Rotation, tyre size, tread dept, manufacture date, compound and tyre condition/wear all entered on speck sheet.

Chalk up all tyres for later test drive. (camber optimization)

Roll car back and forth to allow car to settle down on its damper and struts and then re measure ride height.

Raise car, take wheels off, free up, oil up and released coil springs.

Punch marked before adjustments.

Set ride heights, measure up and set slope.

Test drive to settle

Finley adjust spring heights to get less then 5% differences.

Undo one side of front/rear anti roll bars so we see pure corner weight.

The scales

Level car again with laser leveler.

The car weighs 1541 kg total and you can also see each corner weight.

With my weight 1675 kg

After some adjustments and rolling car back and forth, this was the final cornering weight settings. Sorry flash got in the way.

Now we move on to geometry settings.

We did a Turn routine to check toe and caster called, ''20 degree turn routine''

When we got a base line reading, we discussed target settings.

Chris set up to adjust rear camber an toe -2 1/4 degree.

Then front camber an toe.

Final 20 degree turn routine.

Report, test drive and chalk mark.

The finished stance.

Now that is how to setup a suspension system....

Great thread Ash.

Only understand about 10% of the technical jargon, but very intresting stuff.

Jesus!

I think ill need to sort a visit to that chap out

What sort of cost is involved Ash? EDIT - ahh, £300

Great post Ash, very interesting and I am certainly interested.

It sounds like a bargain for £300. Some local places here charge that for 2 hours work Is that their going rate?

Would be interested to see what CW thinks of this kind of method too.

Great post Ash, very interesting and I am certainly interested.

 

It sounds like a bargain for £300. Some local places here charge that for 2 hours work Is that their going rate?

 

Would be interested to see what CW thinks of this kind of method too.

Cheers, forgot to say that is a special price for us Mkivsupra.

http://www.centergravity.co.uk/

It cost me £215 for 4 wheel alignment & full geometry set up. One hour's work too!

Feeling a bit ripped off

Great write up will be intrested in this once I have new wheels:)

Fook me that looks good! When you tracking the car ash to feel the differences!?

What suspension do you have?

Seriously considering this when I finally sort out my suspension.

Can you elaborate on the tyre paintings? How did he look at those afterwards?

Great write up. Did you get the before and after corner weight pics mixed up? The weight bias seems to have moved forward.

You need to clean your car Ash

I can do all of that Why did the overall weight go up suddenly, and so much?

I can do all of that Why did the overall weight go up suddenly, and so much?

They added the Dumb Bells representing Ash?

I can do all of that

For £300 ? Well worth it in my books

Great write up Ash

Fook me that looks good! When you tracking the car ash to feel the differences!?

O yes, i wanted as much traction as possible at rear and minimum over steer at front. When Cris tested car he was chucking at the roundabout and kept going round till you can just about feel the back coming out, Chris was most impressed,(Cris has a 911 fully tracked prepared) as my self.

My previous set up in Cris words, ''Widow maker'' it was all over the place.

What suspension do you have?

Cusco Zero 2

Can you elaborate on the tyre paintings? How did he look at those afterwards?

After our test drive, Chris checked to see how much chalk has worn on each tyre and evaluates what be the best setting of stiffness, etc.

Great write up. Did you get the before and after corner weight pics mixed up? The weight bias seems to have moved forward.

I probably have, if Chris is ''allowed'' (Mods?) to comment we will have a better understanding.

You need to clean your car Ash

I leave the trivial things last.

I can do all of that Why did the overall weight go up suddenly, and so much?

I'm a heavy Man

They added the Dumb Bells representing Ash?

Correct Pete.

Is your car a full weight supra? - Just checked your garage...what a beatiful beast! Just rear seats removed..?

Do you have lightweight flywheel?

What wheels do you have?

Any other Weightsaving mods?

Do you still have aircon?

Is your car single turbo? IIRC its a T51R?

You weigh over 17stone?

I can do all of that Why did the overall weight go up suddenly, and so much?

Hey Chris, hope all is well, could you pm me a price for that, and reply to my other PM when you can;)

Is your car a full weight supra? - Just checked your garage...what a beatiful beast! Just rear seats removed..?

Do you have lightweight flywheel? No, OS Giken triple plate

What wheels do you have? Weds

Any other Weightsaving mods? Back seat an boot stripped

Do you still have aircon? Yes

Is your car single turbo? IIRC its a T51R? HKS T51 Kai BB

You weigh over 17stone? Correct

I'm a heavy Man

 

 

 

Correct Pete.

Doh! Right! I'd have just sat him in it, and given him a fag and a beer....

Hey Chris, hope all is well, could you pm me a price for that, and reply to my other PM when you can;)

Same price. I can do full corner weight checking and adjusting, weight jacking for drag racing, anything at all, suspension wise.

If you give me a ring i can go through the suspension stuff, and give you the price for the wideband option. I may have something in build, suspension wise, that would interest you.