Gen 5 Suspension Setting

[LA STIG]

I've got a 2014 GTS with the Street/Race adjustable suspension. I've used both on the track and I'm wondering if there is really an advantage to the race setting. It seems like it might just be too stiff for fastest lap times. For reference it has seen about seven track days in four months (Big Willow, Streets, Buttonwillow, ACR) and the last two days a Big Willow I've been running on race with all the computers off. Even though I'm still on the Zeros the car rocks but I'm wondering if the suspension is acting just a little "busier" than it should. I thought I'd pose the question to other Gen 5 owners who may be tracking their cars and who have either noticed or wondered about any differences. Thanks.

[LA STIG]

I'm posting my own reply because I've now done about five track days at Big Willow and I think I'm going to stop using the "race" setting and try the street setting for my next track day, June 17. I'm hoping the "street" setting allows a little better compliance. It's still plenty stiff but I'm curious how much tire behavior is being masked by the race mode, if any. In the race mode the suspension is clearly tighter but I'm getting a push in 4A that has got me a little confused. For the record I'm running R7's on Sidewinder II wheels with -2.0 front and -1.5 rear (soon to be -3.0/-1.5). I'm hoping the street setting and alignment changes wake up the handling.

Wish me luck.

[GTS Dean]

To get the most out of very stiff shock settings, you need a very smooth track and very sticky tires. Ripples on corner entry or in corners can cause the car to skate, whereas softer damping gives more tire contact and control. Generally, street rubber doesn't work well with real stiff shocks. Vipers have pretty darned good street tires, but they are not "R" or race slicks.

[Nine Ball]

On bumpy tracks, the street mode is probably better, as Dean mentioned above. The track setting makes the car very stiff, better in corners - unless the bumps are upsetting the tire grip.

[LA STIG]

Agreed. I've run both the Zero's and the Corsas and now the R7'. I was actually pretty impressed with the Zero's and got within two seconds of the R7's. The Corsas we a little better than the Zero's but they needed way more negative camber than stock. Plus, Big Willow is not known as a "smooth" track by any means, although it's better than say Buttonwillow.

I'll give another report in a couple of weeks.

[stuntman]

I haven't tracked a 5 yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if the street setting's compliance is a better choice at BW. Wouldn't hurt to back-to-back each setting the same day or in the same session to see what you like better. I think the R7's added grip would make the stiffer track setting more usable compared to the factory Pirellis.

What times are you turning at WSIR & BW?

[mjorgensen]

I haven't tracked a 5 yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if the street setting's compliance is a better choice at BW. Wouldn't hurt to back-to-back each setting the same day or in the same session to see what you like better. I think the R7's added grip would make the stiffer track setting more usable compared to the factory Pirellis.

What times are you turning at WSIR & BW?


FYI all GenV vipers suspensions automatically switch to the harsh track settings over 100 MPH, The addition of the MCS suspension setup does help mechanical grip and bump compliance.

[stuntman]

Thanks! Good to know. So it's pretty much irrelevant at WSIR, half the corners at BW, but probably won't activate too much at SOW.

I might just have to trade in my Gen 2 for a 5 now... lol.


EDIT - Edmunds says 90mph and does not clarify if it stays in race or changes back once you go below 90mph:

http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/track-tests/2013-srt-viper-gts-suspension-walkaround.html

.

[SRT BILL]

Mark that's interesting that the system changes to race mode at 100 mph, does it change back or stay in race mode?

[mjorgensen]

Mark that's interesting that the system changes to race mode at 100 mph, does it change back or stay in race mode?

Changes over around 100 in all but 6th gear which happens around 120, it does switch back when speeds fall below that threshold.

[1.8t]

When this happens, does the car let you know your suspension is in race mode on the dash like it does when you select it voluntarily?

[mjorgensen]

When this happens, does the car let you know your suspension is in race mode on the dash like it does when you select it voluntarily?

No the indication on the dash only displays when the switch is made manually.

[LA STIG]

10,000 miles and 12 track days and NOW I'm learning that "race" mode is automatically engaging at over 90 or 100. I'm not happy about that. I like to be in control of such things and now that I'm switching back and forth between the Corsas on the stock wheels and R7's on Sidewinder II's I'm not thrilled to have to integrate another "automatic" variable into my consciousness. Well back to the drawing board.

[mjorgensen]

If you want all the control in your hands the MCS will give you all you need.


10,000 miles and 12 track days and NOW I'm learning that "race" mode is automatically engaging at over 90 or 100. I'm not happy about that. I like to be in control of such things and now that I'm switching back and forth between the Corsas on the stock wheels and R7's on Sidewinder II's I'm not thrilled to have to integrate another "automatic" variable into my consciousness. Well back to the drawing board.

[darbgnik]

I'm kind of curious about suspension stiffness as it pertains to the SRT(sort of on topic), as the ride is between race and street in a GTS, or even a TA, but the only track tests I've read about are either the TA ort GTS, never an SRT.

Everyone, Ralph Gilles included points out the SRT being lighter is faster in a straight line, but I'd really like to know how it stacks up on the road course. For reference, I find the stock setup works great on my local track. There's a fair amount of dive off camber on the brakes, but I've never bottomed out, or lost traction over rough surfaces, even curbs......

[LA STIG]

So thanks to Mark at Woodhouse (a very valuable person to know if you have a Viper) I just put in the braided brake lines on my Gen V GTS (wholly unnecessary but since they are now available well.....why not) and the 5/8-3/4 lowering cones. I have two track days next month at Big Willow and I'll report on the effect of the cones.

[FLATOUT]

When this happens, does the car let you know your suspension is in race mode on the dash like it does when you select it voluntarily?

We have had the factory setup on dyno and they are not dynamic at all and do not change over 100mph. We were told something similar but witnessed nothing of the sort in our testing when developing our dynamic suspension setup for the Gen V with Tractive and TPC Racing.

[mjorgensen]

We have had the factory setup on dyno and they are not dynamic at all and do not change over 100mph. We were told something similar but witnessed nothing of the sort in our testing when developing our dynamic suspension setup for the Gen V with Tractive and TPC Racing.

I'll inform Erich Heuschele that he must be wrong about how his car works. I asked him because I have felt it happen myself and wondered WTH, he informed me it was the way it was designed, guess I could have misheard him.

[FLATOUT]

I'll inform Erich Heuschele that he must be wrong about how his car works. I asked him because I have felt it happen myself and wondered WTH, he informed me it was the way it was designed, guess I could have misheard him.

Not being a jerk Mark but we tested the you know what out of it and never saw it make the change. Maybe the factory setup we had was faulty who knows but street stayed in street and race stayed in race. And we were told the same thing by the factory engineers. And I am sure I could be wrong it wouldn't be the first time just sharing what we found during our testing, and this same conversation recently came up on a call with a different FCA employee.

[mjorgensen]

Not being a jerk Mark but we tested the you know what out of it and never saw it make the change. Maybe the factory setup we had was faulty who knows but street stayed in street and race stayed in race. And we were told the same thing by the factory engineers. And I am sure I could be wrong it wouldn't be the first time just sharing what we found during our testing, and this same conversation recently came up on a call with a different FCA employee.


From the source,

"The vehicle calculates speed by averaging the signal from all four wheel speed sensors (also taking into account the front and rear tire diameter difference). On a dyno, the average of the rear wheel speed and the front wheel speed will be half what the rears are spinning.

I can assure you that it switches over to firm. It is also RPM dependent, and can switch over at about 90 mph if RPM are over 4000."

When in doubt I always trust the actual source, I'm not ashamed to tell you I don't know something, but when I do find out it's from "the guys" that built it and the credit is always theirs.

[ViperTony]

From the source,

"The vehicle calculates speed by averaging the signal from all four wheel speed sensors (also taking into account the front and rear tire diameter difference). On a dyno, the average of the rear wheel speed and the front wheel speed will be half what the rears are spinning.

I can assure you that it switches over to firm. It is also RPM dependent, and can switch over at about 90 mph if RPM are over 4000."

When in doubt I always trust the actual source, I'm not ashamed to tell you I don't know something, but when I do find out it's from "the guys" that built it and the credit is always theirs.

Thanks for posting the information Mark.

[FLATOUT]

For sure, and thanks for posting this. When we were testing it we didn't see the dynamic change they state below. Not sure why it wasn't happening but we didn't see it. Edit it could very well be in the method that we were testing it to determine the on/off nature of the factory setups.

Andy



From the source,

"The vehicle calculates speed by averaging the signal from all four wheel speed sensors (also taking into account the front and rear tire diameter difference). On a dyno, the average of the rear wheel speed and the front wheel speed will be half what the rears are spinning.

I can assure you that it switches over to firm. It is also RPM dependent, and can switch over at about 90 mph if RPM are over 4000."

When in doubt I always trust the actual source, I'm not ashamed to tell you I don't know something, but when I do find out it's from "the guys" that built it and the credit is always theirs.

[LmeaViper]

I tracked my GTS on the weekend and did 3 sessions in Race mode and then one in street (as I forgot to change it until after I was done). The track is fairly smooth but has one bumpy section after a slow corner. Oddly I never noticed 1 bit of difference between the 2 settings. Not a pro driver here by any means and never timed any laps.

Just never noticed any appreciable difference. Will reconfirm at the next event.