Tracking the ACR: ride height question...

[rw99]

I'm a mild, HPDE-type of driver, not out to terrorize the track. Going to drive Laguna Seca later this month, and plan on setting the shocks to the "rough track" settings. Adding a track extension to the front splitter. Wing and splitter at stock deflections. Using the Sport Cups.

I'd rather not change the ride height, though... it's extra hassle and more importantly I'd like to have a little extra safety margin to hopefully prevent damage to the front splitter (bottom of the corkscrew, etc).

I am thinking that the car will still be well-balanced and predictable even though it won't be dropped to "race height". Am I wrong?

Thanks in advance for your input,

Rich

 

[redtanrt10]

Rich, there's lot's of threads here on ride height, track set up etc., take a look around. Rough track is fine, a good track alignment helps much more than ride height. Your viper will handle great. I don't know Laguna Seca but at that height and with the support cables on correctly, you'd have to go off road to scrape the splitter. Have fun, Mike

 

[JonB]

Short Answer to the question below is YES... you will do just fine....and probably WONT grind off your splitter underside in the corkscrew and downhills!

When Dodge did the "Record Runs" At Laguna, and the VOODOO and ACR-X debut there, those cars WERE lowered to optimal track settings, and wings and coilovers adjusted too....you could hear the scraping in the C_Screw, and a bit in 1-2 other places around the track .

PS..Id be happy to donate a pair of Laguna Seca Record decals for your endplates. My contacts at left... JonB~~~~:<!

I'm a mild, HPDE-type of driver, not out to terrorize the track. Going to drive Laguna Seca later this month, and plan on setting the shocks to the "rough track" settings. Adding a track extension to the front splitter. Wing and splitter at stock deflections. Using the Sport Cups.

I'd rather not change the ride height, though... it's extra hassle and more importantly I'd like to have a little extra safety margin to hopefully prevent damage to the front splitter (bottom of the corkscrew, etc).

I am thinking that the car will still be well-balanced and predictable even though it won't be dropped to "race height". Am I wrong?

Thanks in advance for your input,

Rich

 

[rw99]

Jon, once I run a 1:33 there I'll add the stickers to the wing... ;-)

Thanks for the info, guys...

 

[hou99gts]

When I go to the track, I leave mine at stock height and just adjust the shocks to the settings recommended in the ACR manual. The rest of the car is stock as well, and I add the front splitter extension. It still goes plenty fast in this form. I am a low to mid HPDE driver as well. I leave it at stock height since I drive it on the street a lot.

 

[JonB]

Jon, once I run a 1:33 there I'll add the stickers to the wing... ;-)

Thanks for the info, guys...

If you beat 1:33.9 we'll make new, and run YOUR record sticker ! have fun and be safe........

 

[Viper X]

Rough track will be fine.

 

[ACR steve]

Rough track works great. I run mine on the street more then the track and I keep my full splitter on all the time and never rub at the track, almost never on the street and thats here in NY with our very rough roads (including NYC)

 

[hou99gts]

Y'all are talking me into running a rough track all the time, stop it!!!

 

[rw99]

...fantastic day yesterday at Laguna Seca. Thanks again for the input... we ran 5/5 on the front KWs and 6/6 on the backs. Ride height @ street, splitter+extension and wing in stock config. Started the cups at 30 cold psi all around and went up to 33 cold for later sessions; the rubber really worked well at either setting.

My first time tracking this car (or any Viper, for that matter) and I couldn't believe how well the car treated me. Where I wasn't smooth, it was easy to correct and the grip... wow. The grip.

 

[hou99gts]

I wish Laguna Seca was closer to me!

Sounds like a great track day! I'm glad you are putting the car to good use!!!

 

[ViperGeorge]

I would still check your ride height. Found out my ACR was not set to what the manual says were the factory street settings. Once you know where to measure and how to adjust ride height it is pretty straight forward to do.

 

[docapl]

Any problems with sound limits at Laguna?

...fantastic day yesterday at Laguna Seca. Thanks again for the input... we ran 5/5 on the front KWs and 6/6 on the backs. Ride height @ street, splitter+extension and wing in stock config. Started the cups at 30 cold psi all around and went up to 33 cold for later sessions; the rubber really worked well at either setting.

My first time tracking this car (or any Viper, for that matter) and I couldn't believe how well the car treated me. Where I wasn't smooth, it was easy to correct and the grip... wow. The grip.

 

[rw99]

Any problems with sound limits at Laguna?

I figured that even with stock exhaust I'd be at or a little past the 92 dB limit. So I adopted a strategy from a fellow Viper guy and lugged 4th through T5... once past the sound box, I downshifted to 3rd and set up for T6 at pretty good speed. Not the fastest way 'round the track, but this was in HPDE.

I did try to set up early passes for the T5-T6 straight: then I'd stay in 3rd and blast on by at the sound hut. If there are two cars going by the meter they can't measure if one of them is too loud.