Does rx7 have traction control?

[JDM-Ben]

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

[zeppelin101]

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.

[JDM-Ben]

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.

[Will66]

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.

[zeppelin101]

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.

[m1tch]

My traction control is attached to my right leg

[L18M]

My 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

[Will66]

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.

[zeppelin101]

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.

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.

[Will66]

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.

[JDM-Ben]

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

[jetpilot]

The 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!

[redgti]

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!

[JDM-Ben]

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.

[jetpilot]

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.