I've wanted to get the car corner weighted for a while now. Keep reading loads of how to guides and its seems like its possible as a DIY job. Ringing around a few motorsport garages its a good £300 for a corner weight session.
The cheapest motorsport set of scales I could find were £899, a no go. A set of 4 industrial scales off ebay were £100, this was worth a try.
My new baby boy helping in the garage.
Quick setup to make sure they would take the weight of the car without breaking.
Quality China copy of a Panasonic battery, these went straight in the bin.
All four wheels up on the scales, nice the car is light enough to push up the ramps.
Right now time to set it up correctly. The scales on the carpet in my garage were not giving accurate results compared to the solid concrete floor.
Each scale foot had a hole cut in the carpet.
Then I used a laser level to make sure each scale was level with each other.
The laser beam just hits the top of a standard level so this job is made easy with a standard level.
The floor under one of the scales was much higher than the rest of the floor, to the point the adjustment on the standard scale feet was not enough so I had to make my own shorter feet.
All ready to go.. The car weights 508kgs without my fat arse in it. This is with a full tank.
Corner Balance Calculator
https://robrobinette.com/corner_weight_calc.htm
Starting results
Originally I was running 14 PSI upfront and 16 PSI at the rear, sounds like these pressures are more suited to the track so I have increased to 18 PSI all round.
Final weight in before any changes made.
Without Driver
FL 114.7
FR 119.3
RL 144.6
RR 129.4
With Driver
FL 117.7
FR 142
RL 184.2
RR 184
Here are the calculated results. Its not all that bad, the front left is pretty far out. This could explain as to why I appear to get the sensation its throwing me left off the road on the humps and bumps.
I need to start with the lightest corner, so here the front left (117.7) and increase the ride height by adding a couple of turns to the shocks. The increase I make here will also make increases on the diagonal corner and also decrease the other opposite corners corners. These natural results will help make my adjustment easier as I need to increase front left and rear right and decrease the other diagonal corners.
Current
FL 117.7 - Increase
FR 142 - Decrease
RL 184.2 - Decrease
RR 184 - Increase
FR 142 - Decrease
RL 184.2 - Decrease
RR 184 - Increase
Target
FL 125
FR 135
RL 176.9
RR 192
FR 135
RL 176.9
RR 192
First Change - Two turn increase Front left
Results - Strange results as this should have increased FL and RR.
Without
FL 114.0
FR 120
RL 145.9
RR 128.7
FR 120
RL 145.9
RR 128.7
With
FL 114.7
FR 144.3
RL 187.4
RR 181.9
FR 144.3
RL 187.4
RR 181.9
Second Change - Two more turn increase front left
Results - Closer to target, working as it should now.
Without
FL 118.8
FR 114.7
RL 141.8
RR 132.4
FR 114.7
RL 141.8
RR 132.4
With
FL 116.3
FR 141.9
RL 186.l
RR 182
FR 141.9
RL 186.l
RR 182
Third Change - One more turn increase front left.
Results - again closer to target, don't really want to increase the ride height further here so will more to the right rear next.
Without
FL 118.8
FR 114.3
RL 141.5
RR 132.1
FR 114.3
RL 141.5
RR 132.1
With
FL 117.8
FR 140.5
RL 184.6
RR 183
FR 140.5
RL 184.6
RR 183
Fourth Change - Increase 4 turns to right rear.
Results - Over target now, reduce right rear to see results.
Without
FL 127.9
FR 105.2
RL 131.7
RR 141.8
FR 105.2
RL 131.7
RR 141.8
With
FL 130.8 - Decrease
FR 127.8 - Increase
RL 171.6 - Increase
RR 194.8 - Decrease
FR 127.8 - Increase
RL 171.6 - Increase
RR 194.8 - Decrease
Fifth Change - Decrease by 1 turn to right rear.
Results - Getting so close to target, last change for this corner.
Without
FL 125.3
FR 107.7
RL 134.4
RR 139.1
FR 107.7
RL 134.4
RR 139.1
With
FL 127.8 - Decrease
FR 130.6 - Increase
RL 174.8 - Increase
RR 192.6 - Decrease
FR 130.6 - Increase
RL 174.8 - Increase
RR 192.6 - Decrease
Decided to run the results again to check my new targets. Next was to change the front right to make a final change.
Sixth Change - increase by 2 turns front right.
Results - Done!
Without
FL 122.5
FR 111.2
RL 138.7
RR 135.6
FR 111.2
RL 138.7
RR 135.6
With
FL 124.9
FR 133.4
RL 177.7
RR 190
Target
FL 125
FR 133.5
RL 177.6
RR 189.7
Think I am going to struggle to get them any closer than this.
The final results, pretty happy with 49.7% cross weight.
FR 133.4
RL 177.7
RR 190
Target
FL 125
FR 133.5
RL 177.6
RR 189.7
Think I am going to struggle to get them any closer than this.
The final results, pretty happy with 49.7% cross weight.
Those were the results on paper, the telling is how it drives on the road. Straight out for a little blast up the road, initial feeling is it feels more balanced and less likely to want to throw you into the ditch.
Really pleased I went for the cheaper DIY option and glad I did it myself.
