I did see some posts about alignment but nothing specific as to what I am looking for. Would be great if some


Car is a 99 GSR running on 400 Front and 450 Rear GC's and Koni yellows. Type-R rear sway bar, wrapped in Falken Azenis, Corner weighed etc...you get the idea of a mildly modded GSR.

I also have another car as a daily driver so Integra is NOT driven on a daily basis/ long commutes etc but I do drive it on the streets regularly.

Please recommend a alignment set up that will be useful in Auto-x settings.

Since tire wear, comfort etc are not a major concern, I think its OK to go with some aggressive settings but at the same time I don't want to go all out ( due to safety issues involved in driving on the streets)

Thanks

 

I have the same year GSR and used to have 400F/475R on Konis with Comptech 22mm rear say - very similar to what you have.

Run at least 1/8th of Toe-out in the front. That's -0.06 each corner for a total of -0.12". I wouldn't go over -0.16" total in the front because you 'll be chewing up the tires quickly even by just driving to the auto-x events (speaking from personal experience) but it's up to you.
If you like quick turn-in run slight toe-in the rear: +0.03 to +0.05 each corner for a total of +0.06 or +0.10. If you want the car to rotate better then run some toe-out in the rear like 1/12th toe-out: -0.03 each wheel for a total of -0.06".

I 've run both settings in the rear, toe-in and toe-out, and my times did not get any better because with toe-in in the rear, the car turned faster (pointed the car to where it needs to go quicker) but suffered a little on the sweepers. With toe-out in the rear, the car took sweepers faster but suffered some with turn-in so it's a comprimise. It also seems faster in the slalom with some toe-out in the rear.
I think I like a little toe-in the rear better maybe because it's also a more streetable setting (car is more stable at highway speeds, etc.). Just make sure you play with the tire pressures and don't run high in the rear. The Falkens Azenis work better in our cars with around 30-33psi in the rear depending on the temps. I was in STX last year.. Not much weight in the back anyway. Koni adjustments will also play a crucial role in how well you do. You have to play with those till you get it where the car is faster and turns better and then leave them alone.

What also helped me was the extra camber I got when I installed the Skunk2 front UCAs which allows you adjust the camber. I bumped it up from -1.7deg. to -2.5 and it made a difference. Do not limit yourself to just toe adjustments if you want to be competitive. Camber also helps in auto-x by prevening you from rolling over your tires (in most cases) when racing. The rear doesn't need a lot of camber especially if your car is lowered but just in case I have the Ingalls kit in the back to keep it at -1.5deg. It replaces your rear UCA's - great kit, easy to adjust too. Rear camber was -1.2 before which is ok too. Good luck.

 

Thanks Vteconly. Why are you in STX? You must have lots of goodies that would have bumped you out of STS

Any other inputs?

 

The only thing that kicks you out of STX is an LSD. I don't think there 's much more you are allowed to do in STX, but if there is I 'd like to hear about it. I 'm alwasy eager to do more mods :-) I 'm pretty sure the STS and STX mods are the same except in STX you can have an LSD. It doesn't hurt for me to go check the rulebook though. Haven't done it in a year or two.

Actually my car is not even fully built for STS because I don't have bigger brakes (don't want add weight), no VAFC or ECU, etc. Just good old AEM CAI, T1R 2.5" Power exhaust, JDM Type-R 4-1 race header, sways, tie bars, and GC coilovers w/Konis but I think I 'll get my old Advance Design double. adj. shocks with threaded body rebuilt & revalved, and use those for the season. Well actually come to think of it I have a few other things like Skunk2 front upper arms (UCA's) for adj. camber, rear Ingalls UCAs for camber adjustment, polyurethane suspension bushings everywhere and 8.9lb ACT Prolite flywheel.

The Quaife LSD bumped me up to STX but I was never really in STS. DSP was my class because I 'm stupid and like to spend thousands $$ in race tires so I can get a $1-2 trophy So last year I decided to go to STX with the Falkens so I can save some money in tires. Well guess what? I can't even go to STX this year because I just installed a T1R 2.5" resonated Test Pipe on the car for a little more power. Then it dawned on me that you must have a CAT in STS/STX. So back to DSP..
I like racing on R rubber a lot more than street tires anyway

 

I think you are allwoed wider tires in STX but not sure I would have to check the rulebook

 

225 - STS
245 - STX

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by VTEConly &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The only thing that kicks you out of STX is an 8.9lb ACT Prolite flywheel.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

RTFRB

STX takes the same ruleset as STS with the addition of 8" wide wheels instead of 7.5", tire width up to 245 instead of 225, high flow cats, and non-awd cars can add an lsd.

as for the original question, you'll need to figure out what works for you. there is a very wide range of alignments seen on autocross cars. the only right one is the one that lets you go fast comfortably without throwing away grip.

 

Nate,
It's funny I don't see this line you quoted in my e-mail:
"The only thing that kicks you out of STX is an 8.9lb ACT Prolite flywheel" I said "LSD" not flywheel..

Anyway, you are right that many auto-xers use different alignment settings, but I tried to give him the alignments that worked for me when I had the same spring rates and suspension (and we have the same car) that he has but even then, it may not work for him as well as it did for me.

The 8" wheel width sounds interesting. If I can only find a way to fit an 8" wide wheel (not on a 13" rim) with Falkens that won't rub..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by solo-x &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

as for the original question, you'll need to figure out what works for you. there is a very wide range of alignments seen on autocross cars. the only right one is the one that lets you go fast comfortably without throwing away grip.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I hope I can figure the perfect set up put eventually With limited seat time I get by going to 1 or 2 events in a month, its always good to start off with something that is been working on similar kind of cars/set up.

Anyone else?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by VTEConly &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Nate,
It's funny I don't see this line you quoted in my e-mail:
"The only thing that kicks you out of STX is an 8.9lb ACT Prolite flywheel" I said "LSD" not flywheel.. </TD></TR></TABLE>

i fixed your post for you when i quoted it,

 

Oh I didn't know you were a moderator or something.. thanks!

Hey this may be off topic. I always meant to ask you but keep forgetting. That day you drove down from MA to NJ to race at the M-club ('03 I think, you thought the classes were messed up - and they are), did you drive all that way to just auto-x at a non-SCCA club because you had withdrawls (I get those sometimes), or was it because Shenefield was there, or were you visiting someone? I was just curious what would make someone travel a couple of hundred miles to race at an event of no importance, hehe.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by VTEConly &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hey this may be off topic. I always meant to ask you but keep forgetting. That day you drove down from MA to NJ to race at the M-club ('03 I think, you thought the classes were messed up - and they are), did you drive all that way to just auto-x at a non-SCCA club because you had withdrawls (I get those sometimes), or was it because Shenefield was there, or were you visiting someone? I was just curious what would make someone travel a couple of hundred miles to race at an event of no importance, hehe. </TD></TR></TABLE>

every event is important. especially when you have some good national level competition there. running outside of your region puts you out of your comfort zone too, which is similar to running at a national event. different surfaces, different course designs, it all helps program the driver to be more adaptable. i've driven further just to get more time on concrete. too bad griffis is closed now. at least nationals is on asphault so it won't matter as much.

 

I agree completely. The most clubs I 've been at in one year was 8. The farthest I travel is 100mi. (each way) to Englishtown 4-5 times/yr. We are fortunate to have many Motorsports clubs in the NY/NJ/CT area.

 

Just got my car corner weight... any recomendations for the track? Looking to track my car atleast 5 times a year during the racing season(spring/summer/fall). I'm looking for a set up to accomodate high speed straights and tight infields like Lime Rock Park and Pocono Raceway. For autocross my 99 GSR is in STS with rt615 tires, 22mm ITR rear sway bar, PIC Select coilovers (12k front/14k rear springs), and autopower roll bar. Soon will have ITR LSD, ACT HD clutch and fidanza flywheel. Good info

 

Just got my car corner weight... any recomendations for the track? Looking to track my car at least 5 times a year during the racing season(spring/summer/fall). I'm looking for a set up to accomodate high speed straights and tight infields like Lime Rock Park and Pocono Raceway. For autocross my 99 GSR is in STS with rt615 tires, 22mm ITR rear sway bar, PIC Select coilovers (12k front/14k rear springs), and autopower roll bar. Soon will have ITR LSD, ACT HD clutch and fidanza flywheel. Good info

 

Hey yawl! It's been a few months since I signed on an read Honda Tech. I thought I'd chime in.

A couple thoughts for autocrossing.

First is a 12/14 rate is equivalent to 672/784 and that is not enough rear bias for a really good Integra in autox. Integras are longer and really need help to rotate. If I were setting up an integra for trying to win STS at Nationals, it would include more like 450 front and 700 rear rates.

Second is that the RT615 Azenis loves camber. We've found that running over 2.5 deg front and rear is best. In fact, when we setup an EF, we run 3 front and 2.9 rear. Best thing you have to promise trying is to simply check your tire temps immediately after a run or 2. If you check the back and are only running 1.5 deg, then I can almost gaurantee that you are overheating the outside edge....you should be running more like 2.5 deg. You can check tire temps with your hand btw.... no need for a pyrometer. Your hand can tell you quickly if something is wrong.... like I bet a 1.5 deg rear will show.

Also, you should play around with a bigger rear swaybar. The biggest one you can get is what you want. Start at full soft and go up from there. (tune from understeer to fast because tuning from oversteer to fast is impossible).

Last thought is that I always run 40 psi front and 32 psi rear to start. And I ALWAYS end up lowering the rear pressure to help the car rotate. Don't let anyone tell you raising rear pressure is the right thing to do. It's not... it only makes the car oversteer in a less controllable way. Lower pressure makes the car oversteer more even before the limit of the tire and is FAR more useful. I'm usually down in the 28-30 psi range for the runs that matter.... and I've even been down to 24 psi in back. 24 psi in the back helped make the car balanced on the incredible sticky Forbes Field surface and helped me win there in 02 again the equaly fast Jason Tipple.

The trick is to understand what you are doing and try things. Tire pressure is easy to try so there is no excuse not too. Just make sure you don't do anything unsafe like run 15 psi or 100 psi.

If you have any questions, I'm always around at the shop to answer questions (and provide product if you need it). 570-675-3755 is the number at the shop and I'm there 9-5 m-f.

Best of luck. I'll be seeing some of you in Kansas in a few weeks!
Chris at RedShift

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RedShiftChris &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Last thought is that I always run 40 psi front and 32 psi rear to start. And I ALWAYS end up lowering the rear pressure to help the car rotate. Don't let anyone tell you raising rear pressure is the right thing to do. It's not... it only makes the car oversteer in a less controllable way. Lower pressure makes the car oversteer more even before the limit of the tire and is FAR more useful. I'm usually down in the 28-30 psi range for the runs that matter.... and I've even been down to 24 psi in back. 24 psi in the back helped make the car balanced on the incredible sticky Forbes Field surface and helped me win there in 02 again the equaly fast Jason Tipple.

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I also found rear pressure around 26 to 28 for rotating the car better.
But I found the lower presure in the back for a RWd miata to be unpredictable and causing lots of oversteer but again I was driving that car for the first time. Thoughts??