for those who've adjusted front bumpsteer...

[jmitro]

thanks all for the excellent responses. the longacre article is good information; I looked at that a few days ago.
here's a link to the rennlist thread which was also helpful:
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/1186896-for-those-who-ve-adjusted-front-bumpsteer.html#post16503630

my suspension is really a street setup- H&R sport springs with Bilstein B8s; it's not coilovers, so ride height is not adjustable. Similarly, the sway bars are stock non adjustable. The only adjustments are front toe and bump steer, rear toe, and GT3 front control arms for additional camber.

I've raced with BMWCCA for about 5 years so I have a lot of track experience, but I think my problem is a tendency to turn in too early and hit the apex early or midpoint which means sometimes breathing the throttle on exit to get the nose to turn. It depends on the turn, but generally higher speed turns. So my sensation of "understeer" might be a combination of poor turn in and suboptimal car setup as well

[Gilles]

Originally Posted by jmitro

my suspension is really a street setup- H&R sport springs with Bilstein B8s; it's not coilovers, so ride height is not adjustable.
Similarly, the sway bars are stock non adjustable.

Jmitro, H&R has a great set of sway bars that are 'Very' reasonable priced :-)

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by Gilles

Jmitro, H&R has a great set of sway bars that are 'Very' reasonable priced :-)

I don't mean to steal the thunder from the original poster, but aren't there reports that the H&R sway bars are loud and make crashing noises? I've been tempted to get a set, but there are varying experiences.

[Gilles]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

I don't mean to steal the thunder from the original poster, but aren't there reports that the H&R sway bars are loud and make crashing noises? I've been tempted to get a set, but there are varying experiences.

Bcrdukes, I had the H&R sway bars on my '07 CS for more than 10 years and never heard a noise from them, the connecting links yes as they wear down and had to be replaced, but ended getting a set of adjustable links from Tarett and never had an issue again.

The H&R is bigger than the OEM bar on the CS and does not have adjustment, you balance the bars (and the car) with the rear bar.

[jmitro]

Originally Posted by Gilles

Jmitro, H&R has a great set of sway bars that are 'Very' reasonable priced :-)

I took your advice and bought both F/R and installed. Open track day today - car was more balanced and in fact I had to relearn my turn-in as it seemed more tail happy now.

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by jmitro

my suspension is really a street setup- H&R sport springs with Bilstein B8s; it's not coilovers, so ride height is not adjustable. Similarly, the sway bars are stock non adjustable. The only adjustments are front toe and bump steer, rear toe, and GT3 front control arms for additional camber.

I had a student that had that setup, and the car felt fantastic! He was on 225 front 255 back though, Hankook R-S4.

Originally Posted by jmitro

I've raced with BMWCCA for about 5 years so I have a lot of track experience, but I think my problem is a tendency to turn in too early and hit the apex early or midpoint which means sometimes breathing the throttle on exit to get the nose to turn. It depends on the turn, but generally higher speed turns. So my sensation of "understeer" might be a combination of poor turn in and suboptimal car setup as well

With 255 square and stock swaybars, you should have no understeer except maybe some power on understeer at low speeds on full throttle if you have the wheel turned a lot. I like to turn in a little early with slower hands, and unless it is a really fast corner I have some brake on all or most of the way down to the apex, and I try and make it so that I can go full throttle at the apex, and this takes me out to the track edge. (unless it is a double apex or a chicane which are different) When I have a student with a higher powered car (most recently a 996TT) we had to take later apexes due to the difference in power.

If that BMW you mentioned has less power than the Boxster, it may be like you said, (I wouldn't call it poor turn in, just a different style based on a different car )

Do you have any track video of your current setup?