Mazda Rotary Club

General => Rotary and General Chit-Chat => Topic started by: JDM-Ben on September 15, 2012, 11:10:56 PM

Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: JDM-Ben on September 15, 2012, 11:10:56 PM
Hi ya I have a rx8 which I have turned into a track car.

I was wondering if the rx7 had traction control? In any form? Iwas thinking how bad the rx8 would be without traction control on track

Any help would be good

Thanks in advance ben
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: zeppelin101 on September 15, 2012, 11:33:42 PM
Nope.

You could use RLTC if you really wanted to.

Define "bad".

With 255 section rear tyres (or bigger?) you really shouldn\'t have any problems on track with the power delivery of an N/A rotary imo.
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: JDM-Ben on September 15, 2012, 11:46:45 PM
Ok thanks will see,

I have 235 on a 9.5rim due to how low car is and rubbing etc.

Looking at r888\'s so may go bigger and turn traction control off when on track.
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: Will66 on September 15, 2012, 11:52:53 PM
Leave the DSC off, I\'ve had as many issues with me over-correcting because the DSC has activated and I\'ve come off the track because of it that without it.  Come off track twice because of DSC and spun twice because of me being foolish.
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: zeppelin101 on September 15, 2012, 11:58:33 PM
So long as you aren\'t just stamping on it mid-corner I can\'t see you having major dramas even with mega stretched rubber on good road tyres during a track session.

The only time I got my old S13 sideways with 230hp and more torque than an n/a rotary puts out on skinny tyres was when I clutch kicked it or drove full on spanner spec!

I\'m probably on my own here with this opinion but...

The most fun you can have on a track is running fairly skinny tyres with reasonably chunky side walls. Big sticky tyres are all well and good but you\'re just going even faster when you screw up with even less chance of catching it.

I\'m planning on running 235/45s on the back of my RX7 with a T04R at some 400+hp for this reason. Going really fast is all well and good, but where\'s the fun without a bit of drama and feeling the car moving around underneath you as try and find the best line? That\'s the real fun bit imo.
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: m1tch on September 16, 2012, 12:04:14 AM
My traction control is attached to my right leg
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: L18M on September 16, 2012, 12:07:05 AM
Quote from: m1tch;835921My traction control is attached to my right leg

Left leg for me, step on and off at start of turn and loose traction to kick back end out :p
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: Will66 on September 16, 2012, 12:17:32 AM
You\'ve got all the grip you need in an RX8 on 235/40R18s particularly if they are semi-slicks.  You can get it sliding but only using inertia then kicking the clutch to hold it there.  It\'s quite hard to punt an RX8 sideways under power alone.

Chunky sidewalls rob you of feel because their inherent flex means you\'ve got another layer of damping between you and the road.  Also they\'re inconsistent as you can distort them easier and you run greater risk of damage to the sidewalls in doing so.
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: zeppelin101 on September 16, 2012, 12:27:48 AM
Quote from: Will66;835925Chunky sidewalls rob you of feel because their inherent flex means you\'ve got another layer of damping between you and the road.  Also they\'re inconsistent as you can distort them easier and you run greater risk of damage to the sidewalls in doing so.

To a point - depends on spring rate/damping and general chassis stiffness.

I\'m not talking 65 profile here lol 40-45 on a 17" is about perfect up to a 255.

Running a 215/45 up front and my car is more communicative than it was with a 235/40, although that is only a 2mm profile change - it\'s mostly due to the reduced cross-section.
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: Will66 on September 16, 2012, 12:43:13 AM
You\'re probably feeling more with the narrower tyre because there is more to feel.  In so far as the tyre has less grip therefore you\'re feeling the change of grip through the steering wheel more at a lower speed.  That has a lot of advantages in terms of feel and control.  Also you\'re wheels are lighter so your unsprung weight is lower so what you lose in contact area you make up for, some at least, in greater suspension control.

Me, I\'m pretty dimwitted when it comes to these things and to feel what is going on I just drive faster, although I do prefer the way my car feels on 235 tyres as opposed to 245 tyres, I think that\'s partially down to lower unsprung mass though.  I\'d not run a lower profile that a 40 at that width though, partially because the load rating of the tyre generally doesn\'t allow it and also because then you\'ve got so little sidewall that it is even more prone to tramlining.
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: JDM-Ben on September 16, 2012, 09:27:23 AM
Thanks for the info guys, I will give it a try at Combe in few weeks if I go,

The rx8 is on meister r coilovers set on hardest setting and is on lowest setting on rear and very low on front, car has front and back strut braces and will have a full copistom cage welded In few months.

I just think that if I get used to the car and rwd I could go quicker with it off.

Thanks ben
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: jetpilot on September 17, 2012, 07:49:12 AM
Quote from: JDM-Ben;835939The rx8 is on meister r coilovers set on hardest setting and is on lowest setting

Could be good reason there then.

Just because you are on track it doesnt mean you want your suspension rock hard because its smooth, the car then has no give on acceleration or braking!
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: redgti on September 17, 2012, 01:01:38 PM
So lets see....... you have set it as low as it can go....... and as stiff as it can go, and don\'t mention any setup/alignment. Also you say it is a track car, I presume you have stripped it all out so it is even lighter.
 
Get the alignment looked at raised up and set softer so you have so suspension travel and it will go round corners properly or get some even narrower tyres and enjoy sliding!
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: JDM-Ben on September 18, 2012, 11:55:05 PM
I have never said it doesn\'t go round corners good?

It\'s fully stripped and is the lowest setting on rear due to be so light on the rear.it isn\'t that low anymore.

Front may need to come up 10mm.

And it has had a fast road/track setup done but has been stripped now so will get it re done.
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: jetpilot on September 19, 2012, 08:28:10 AM
I think people have made that assumption because if you have your dsc on and questioning rear grip (as per your op), something is very wrong with your set up.

If you have everything on its hardest setting, that is more than likely the problem imho.
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: JDM-Ben on September 19, 2012, 06:29:10 PM
Read it again???

I was wondering if a rx7 had traction control and was seeing what a rx8 with traction control off would be like.

I havnt got any traction issues. And no issues with it being on hard setting.

Was getting to the point if a rx7 can get grip without traction control on track surely a rx8 can aswell.

Ben
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: Will66 on September 19, 2012, 06:42:09 PM
In short, you can just about get an RX8 to break traction under power alone in a tight corner on 225 tyres, on 245 it rarely happens, it has only happened to me on semi-slicks once at 90 mph in 4th heading towards the old hairpin at Donnington Park, which was lairy as hell (no DSC and still didn\'t spin).  Given mine\'s a full weight car and yours is lighter then you might find it slightly easier to break traction however you\'ll have more lateral grip as you\'ve got less mass to contain so I reckon you run without it and will be fine.
Title: Does rx7 have traction control?
Post by: jetpilot on September 19, 2012, 06:52:49 PM
Quote from: JDM-Ben;836239Read it again???

I was wondering if a rx7 had traction control and was seeing what a rx8 with traction control off would be like.

I havnt got any traction issues. And no issues with it being on hard setting.

Was getting to the point if a rx7 can get grip without traction control on track surely a rx8 can aswell.

Ben

I have read it and offered "help" which you requested!

If you have no issues with hard setting that is fine, but, you WILL find the car breaks away easier on your hardest and lowest settings as you have no give or limited suspension travel. Its up to you if you want to take that "help" or not!

And to answer your question, a 7 wouldnt get grip if the suspension was set up on its hardest setting, so if thats how you want your car set up, leave your dsc on :)

Why do people seem to have this misconception that on track you need everything low and hard.