Autocross Suspension Setup

I drive a 2.5i. According to SCCA regulations, shock/strut upgrades and front anti-roll bars are allowed within the stock class. For those who autocross, any opinion on the setup?

I just installed a front 22mm Whiteline swaybar after doing my first event bone stock. The very next race I placed 6th out of 18 in my class, (Tire Index PAX). Tires come next! I highly recommend some good rubber. What are you currently on?

I'm just using the stock all-weather tires, better tires would be nice. Trying to see big picture first before starting to save up for parts if that makes sense. Do you know how the Whiteline compares with the Rallitek?

From what I understand for the most part swaybars are swaybars. A 22mm Whiteline will increase roll stiffness same as a 22mm Rallitek. The reason I chose Whiteline is because it's adjustable. I'm currently on the stiff setting but I'm thinking soft up front with a stiff rear sway will be tits money magee.

Having better tires makes the most difference. Get some summer performance tires. Something around a 250 hardness or less. I've ran Kumho SPT's for awhile and then went to the MX and it made a world a difference.

+ a million to tires.... and eventually wider rubber. My all seasons were by far the limiting factor of the car.

you want to do tires first before you do any hard parts. trust me.

 

to the OP, how many events have you run so far?

+ 1 for z stars

I'm buying my new z star shoes next month! Hopefully... We'll see what kind of things happen with my rx7 project car until then...

+1 for kumho v710's

 

I'm partial to the Kumho's. Like I said I had Ecta SPT's with a utqg of 320, went to the Ecta MX's with a autqg of 220 and the car was a ton better. I would like to try the XS or the v710's if I had the money.

 

Look for another set of used rims and then get tires. After that swaybars would be a good starting point.

um, v710s are in a totally different league than the XS. you couldnt drive to events on v710s like you could with the XS's. v710s are race only DOT r-compund tires.

 

I use the 710s are my autox tire, and drive to the event on XS's.

That's why I said if I had the money I'd get the 710's. I'd either go with the 710 or spend the big bucks and get some Hoosiers.

 

But it sounds like the OP just needs some really high performance summers.

i've been to about 5 or 6 autox events with Champaign County Sports Car Club. i am working on getting wheels and tires. somebody at one of the events told me to keep everything stock except for summer tires. i think that sounds like a better (and cheaper) idea than doing all i can within the stock classification. what range of UTQG tires do you recommend?

the lower the better. do 180 or less. if all you invest in is tires, then look in to bridgestone re-11 or yokohama advan ad07 or ad08, there 2 are the best summers you can get. if you are on a budget the kumho XS or Dunlop z stars are the next best.

 

if you are running 225/45/17, which is the size you should run on your stock rims in stock class, then any tire on this short list will do you well

 

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?width=225%2F&ratio=45&diameter=17&x=80&y=6

 

I personally am a fan of the yokohama AD07 since they got me my first year end class win in ESP.

Thread revival. Ran a few autocrosses this season, and I really seem to be struggling with front grip in the corners. LOTS of understeer. I'd like to neutralize handling a little, at least enough to trail brake and power out of turns with slight oversteer. Increasing tire size isn't in the budget this season.

 

Bilstein HD'S

Epic springs

Whiteline 22mm FSB

Whiteline Roll Center kit

Whiteline Steering Rack Bushings

KB solid endlinks

Lateral locks

225-40r18 Re-11's

get rid of the RE-11s and buy RE-71Rs.

 

Also, alot may have to do with your driving style especially considering the power you are making. when are you experiencing the understeer? under power on exit, mid corner, or corner entry? do you experience it in slaloms? also, whats you alignemnt like? that can have a huge impact on your handling characteristics.

I knew someone would suggest re71r. [emoji16] Tires aren't in the budget currently, so I'd like to improve my current setup. I'm currently at zero static camber, and whatever caster is oem. I should probably be -2° camber or more. I don't think my strut/spring combo does much for either. I've been looking into camber plates.

 

Understeer is most prevalent at turn in, and corner exit under power. It really wants to push rather than kick out the rear end. Slalom transitions seem well composed.

 

Edit: also thinking an RSB might neutralize some understeer?

ok, your alignment is sh1t when it comes to autox. you are probably rolling the hell out of your tires. you need as much negative camber as you can get with keeping both side equal. even if you keep stock hardware, get those bolts as negative as possible. also, put a little bit of toe out in front to improve turn-in. also, 40psi minimum in the tires and adjust as needed.

 

the camber and toe recommendations will greatly aid turn-in, but under power, your springs are too soft for your stage 3 power. a change of driving habits will help here. make sure you unwind the wheel before the power comes on. you are taking weight off the front when you apply power so be conscious of when you apply throttle and how much you have the wheel turned.

 

 

dont do a RSB yet. you need to work on adding front grip, not removing rear grip. since your slaloms are good, the car is probably more balanced than you think. get your breaking done earlier and in a straight line with alittle trail breaking, turn-in when you have the grip, and as you begin to straighten the wheel, apply power. you wont be able to carry speed through a turn like a miata, so dont. the car drives using a point and shoot driving style.

Fantastic response. I'll adjust driving style, and try for a more aggressive alignment.

A good AutoX alignment will do wonders. I know from experience.

 

While I was running my Civic I had a friendly competition going with a guy in my class that drove a Jetta. I had done quite a bit of stuff as I was building for fun as well as racing. Anyway cars were similar weight, but I was making more power (about 30+% more) and he still often managed to beat me by a second (give or take 0.3) pretty often.

 

One day my car was down and I had the opportunity to drive his car ... and I understood exactly why immediately. I was running on a stock alignment (camber from lowering) ... and he had definitely futzed with his a bit. I bet that thing was twitchy as hell on the street, but for AutoX it drove like a dream. I changed mine up a bit shortly afterwards.

 

Tire + alignment ... some of the cheapest and best upgrades you can do for AutoX.

 

Also steps to making your car faster:

1) Tighten the nut behind the wheel.

2) Repeat step 1 ... a lot.

V8 swap?

do you have any videos that you can post? inside or outside? If you do inside, roll down the windows so we can hear the tires and put the camera over your right shoulder so can see your hands. If outside, mount on windshield. unless have 2, then mount on each fender (want to see how close to the cones you get).

 

If you haven't read thru this section, http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/amateur-motorsports-and-you-can-get-involved-you-legacy-199487.html, lots of good info.

 

Tire info y XenonK who autox'ed heavily an 05 LGT, http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/faq-offsets-sizes-rims-and-tires-gt-xenonk-version-4426.html

 

if you haven't had an alignment done recently, go get one. Try to get in the bay while they are doing it, tell them you want as much camber as can be done. But make it the same on both sides. When you get it done, publish your spec sheet here.

 

Whitetiger is giving you good info. Tires & driving style will do more for you than anything else at this stage. More power is not the problem. :-)

Here's my best run from last weekend.

 

 

And here's two weeks ago.

I've learned a lot from others since this event. I was doing some funky things with my hands due to the tight course and 15:1 steering ratio.

 

Boxkita thanks for the links!

Need to work on your steering inputs. Letting the steering wheel center itself is costing you time.

 

The lack of roll stiffness is apparent from the videos...lots of movement. Stiffer springs will definitely improve your times.

 

You're coasting through corners, which is the result of the driver, suspension, and alignment. The easiest way to get rid of understeer on corner entry is driving a different line or braking harder into the turn.

 

RE-11s were never the best tire, but they'll do for now. Like an R-Comp, RE71s are very easy to chew up if you over drive them. Switching to a grippier tire will actually exacerbate roll stiffness issues and the lack of camber means those new tires will be worn on the outside edges very quickly.