Long gone are the days when a carburettor was the main component that determined vehicle performance and allowed drivers to manually control the level of fuel used by the engine. This, alongside installing a turbocharger, were the two most common ways to get the most out of your vehicle performance. Today, carburettors are almost a thing of the past and turbochargers are not the performance upgrade that dominates the aftermarket world.
Times have changed and so have vehicles, which is why today there are many components you can replace even on your own that will improve performance. But why would you do that? Well, as long as the upgrades you make to your vehicle are legal, they can bring significant improvement. Be it more horsepower, faster cooling, a more efficient engine, or a more comfortable ride, aftermarket performance parts are your best friend. Just like there are commonly used items for vehicle maintenance, there are also commonly installed aftermarket parts that improve vehicle performance.
How Can I Improve My Car’s Performance?
Forced Induction
Ensuring your engine gets sufficient air is crucial to its performance. Having an ideal fuel-to-air mixture will help the combustion process and increase the longevity of your engine. This is most easily done with the help of forced induction. Super and turbochargers are the two aftermarket performance auto parts that allow forced induction to happen. Simply put, forced induction is making use of the air that otherwise goes to waste.
Tyres
For better traction and driveability you need proper tyres. Tyres heavily affect handling and performance since they are the only component in contact with the road. If you want the best level of performance, get yourself wider tyres with a summer tread pattern that improves grip. You’ll have better control over your vehicle and go into turns more confidently.
Suspension
While riding comfort isn’t something that will affect vehicle performance straight away, it is still quite an important upgrade. Nowadays, there are some pretty advanced suspension systems. What you should aim for is not a more advanced system, but a lower suspension system. This will give your vehicle a lower centre of gravity, which in turn will improve handling and make it pretty easy to go into sharp turns without much body roll.
For even greater stability, you can install an anti-roll bar on your suspension. This bar connects both sides of the suspension and it helps prevent body roll (lean), which can occur when going into sharp turns at high speeds. This will stiffen things up and it will make your vehicle a lot easier to handle.
Brakes
Driving fast is something we all can do with any vehicle, but if you can’t control all the power you add to your vehicle then it’s not of good use. Aftermarket brakes are performance auto parts that are often overlooked. If you are going to make your vehicle a high-performance one, then you need high-performance brakes too. With high RPMs, you need brakes that will stop your vehicle on time, which is why most gearheads go for brakes with ceramic pads. Why? Because ceramic pads are able to dissipate heat more efficiently and can last you a long time without a drop in braking performance.
Throttle Body
When it comes to throttle response and how fast your vehicle accelerates, you need to avert your attention to your vehicle’s throttle body. No matter whether electronically or mechanically controlled, you need to ensure that your throttle response is set so that your engine uses enough fuel to give it the necessary response to you pressing the accelerator pedal. This needs to be done as efficiently as possible. You don’t need to get a new throttle control unit – two wrenches and a little bit of guidance are all you’ll need.
LSD
LSD stands for a limited-slip differential in the car world which is a type of differential that prevents your rear tyres from slipping. This kind of aftermarket performance part allows the rear wheels to turn together with the front two. It does so enough to make you go into a turn easier, especially when driving at higher speeds. Some people go as far as welding the spider gears inside the differential to make a limited differential, but installing an LSD is the best solution.
Steering Rack
I know there’s a lot of info and upgrades you can do to improve your vehicle’s handling and steering, but you have to know that improving performance isn’t all about replacing engine performance auto parts. A quick-ratio steering rack proves this. Turning your wheels as fast as you turn the steering wheel is something you want to have on your high-performance car. With all that power, you’ll want to eliminate any lag or delay. This is precisely what the steering rack does, and why it’s a commonly found upgrade in performance vehicles.
