here are some pic from today's autox event, as you can see from the pic... the car needs some suspension help, b/c it's just not sitting on the ground enough, do i need better shocks?

here are the current car spec:
16" Dunlop FM901 205/50-16
Coilover w/ 500lb spring rate in the front, and 400lb in the rear
monroe shocks (yeah, went cheap there)

take a look at these pic, and tell me what you think can help my setup, thanks.

 

i dont' see anything wrong....

 

do it again and agan and again. Nothing beats seat time!!! Glad to know you are having fun.

 

Was that Harry Grove Stadium? Brian Garfield AX School?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by gakkuken &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
monroe shocks (yeah, went cheap there)
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I made that mistake once. Never even got them to the auto-x course. about a month after I got some Monroes on my car, I put an ST rear swaybar on the car and set it at full stiff. on the car's initial test drive, not pushing hard at all (It was on the street after all) my left rear shock litterally broke in half durring a right hand turn! Had the tire shop check out my swaybar install and they said nothing was binding and it was all proper.

 

My car is a 1990 Si, with an Es bushing's kit, which has yet to be auto-Xed.....but has a ST rear sway bar, that has been auto-xed with. From at least 3 people, I lifted my insided rear tire at least 6 inches my last event with stock springs, shocks, and bushings. It scares me, but I have stock springs and shocks from 14 yrs ago. I want to up-grade, but I'll wait till I'm out of my rookie season.

Take the time and learn to drive the car as is. I went from stock , almost last place, to about 5-8th place out of roughly 20 novies, within my first 4 events of really pushing the car. With the sway bar and falkens', it's gotten down to 2nd. Just drive and have fun your first season...with that car I presume.

 

Here is the, honest to God, best advice I can give you on car setup - DON'T CHANGE A THING. This was your second autocross. You need to fix you before you fix the car.

Autocrossing is 95% driver skill. The only way to get better skills is to practice. Go to lots of events. Get experienced drivers to ride with you; get them to drive your car; ride with them in their cars. You will be amazed at how much better than you they are and how much faster they can make your car go then you can.

Also, stay on street tires for at least 10 events. You learn more, faster driving street tires than race tores even though the race tires are faster.

Autocrossing is all about learning. It's huge fun to learn. Don't take that joy away from yourself by focusing on the car.

regards,
Alan

 

Agreed. Its not something new competitors want to hear but the best mod you can make is seat time seat time seat time. The entire first year I was autocrossing THIS was my body roll. It really forces you to drive better so when you DO start modifying the car it makes that much more difference because you're already driving smooth.

 

I have to say I like the car you are using very much. I used to borrow my Mom's 91 Si, throw my rims on it and go auto-Xing.

As others have said before, smooth is the way to go. Try to see the lines of the corners, and then gradually pick up the pace. It's an awesome time to be had out on the track.

 

The Real Thing I see worong is that you appear to be way far awy from the cones, the car looks pretty level, heck your not even lifting the rear tire. The only thing I migh do would be to switch the front and rear springs to induce some more oversteer, but the main thing you should do is really learn to drive as is like other have already stated.

 

Where was the event?

I don't see anything in the picture 'not sitting on the ground enough'.
Now this is roll:
http://www.crossroadonline.com...o.php

 

The Capital Driving Club event was at Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick MD on Saturday the 4th. I was there, I wish I knew some fellow HT members were there... I didn't notice anything screaming "help me!" about your car, but I didn't look too closely. As had been said, seat time! What tires were you running?

 

Like all before me have said...

I came in here after my second event, some may remember the thread, "I can't get the f-ing front end to stick!" I'm still on stock springs, have a bit of roll but not near as much as those pictured. I've yet to be back but basically I've decided not to do springs because I need to learn how to drive (It's hard accepting that you can't drive worth a damn on the track). I'm planning on getting more seat time with a couple of guys that really know how to drive FWD cars that will probably tell me that I'm trying to drive it like a RWD car or something similar. My first event it was "closer! Those cones aren't going to gurt yo any..."

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by gakkuken &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">here are some pic from today's autox event, as you can see from the pic... the car needs some suspension help, b/c it's just not sitting on the ground enough, do i need better shocks?

here are the current car spec:
16" Dunlop FM901 205/50-16
Coilover w/ 500lb spring rate in the front, and 400lb in the rear
monroe shocks (yeah, went cheap there)

take a look at these pic, and tell me what you think can help my setup, thanks.


















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Looking at the pictures, I'm in agreement with the other not seeing the "not sitting on the ground enough" comments... maybe you aren't talking about physically lifting the rear wheels off the ground but more of an unsettling suspension feeling because of the cheap underdamping Monroes though? I'd get rid of the Monroes and go with something designed for 500/400 lb/in damping rates, but that would be the only change you should do (as its a safety issue really!) until you get more seat time. Like the others mentioned get at least a dozen or so events worth of experience before you start messing around with car setup - you have to learn and know your car if you want to make changes that will actually improve its performance to your driving ability.

Dampers are probably the most important part of the car to have right for autocrossing, and since you have springs way beyond the normal spring rates for your car you will really need to get dampers designed for those rates not cheap stock replacement units if you plan on running those rate springs. At the very least get some Tokico Illuminas on there! Dampers make a big difference in car handling, especially going from old "blown" stock ones to a reputable performance damper designed for your particular application. It's been a night and day difference to both my Tacoma and Camaro...