This past weekends auto-x!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3iwLBenzts
1994 BMW 325is - Project 325 HPDE/TT | 2013 Scion FRS - Project FRS STX | 2017 Subaru BRZ - Project BRZ STX
Thank you! The course was great, definitely going back to NWOR events. Very efficient and organized. Food on site was great too!
Well, another auto-x out of the way... Not too pleased this time around.
From last weekends autox to this weekends, I seem to be fighting a bad case of understeer. Now, I know it is partially due to my driving style and I am learning to change that a bit, but I feel that this weekend it was a bit excessive.
Alignment Street:
Camber: -2.5
Toe: 0.0
Alignment last weekend:
Street camber pushed to -4.0 and whatever toe is.
I understand that adding toe induces some understeer, which I corrected by slowing down even more into turns.
This weekend, I ran just -2.5 camber and 0 toe and I was plowing all over the place.
AST's set to 8 F, 6 R
Camber: -2.5F/-1.5R
Toe: 0.0
Spring rates: 450/550
Front Sway Bar: Eibach 28mm set to full stiff
Rear Sway Bar: OEM 19mm
Now, I don't know my tire pressures, but I believe I set them to 32/30. I may have the car setup TOO tight for auto-x and just right for road-course (which I did NOT experience understeer).
Any suggestions? OEM 3.21:1 rear diff.
Question, do you know how much toe changes per degree of camber? I'll search in a second but just curious if anyone knows. Issue is, if I run -4* camber and 1/16 toe out, I can't street drive this car much, so I'm trying to minimize the camber adjustments.
I maxed the caster on my GC camber/caster plates, will be getting an alignment Friday. I'll push the front to -3 w/ 0 toe so I go to -4 the toe out will be less than going from -2.5
Also I'll kick the rear in to -2.25 and toe in. How does the rear toe change relative to camber? Does it toe in more?
I've been daily driving my car for 3 years now with those settings. I got 20,000 miles out of a set of Star Specs (I don't autocross on them, just street) and they still had another 5,000 or more left on them when I changed to a set of Rivals. They just didn't have enough tread for daily driving in heavy rain anymore. I flipped them once during that 20,000. If your toe is well set you'll still get great life from your tires.
I'd try full-soft on the front swaybar, going with 3.5-4* negative camber in front and play with rebound adjustment on your shocks (softer front and heavier rear). I would make those radical changes first and then dial it all in from that baseline, I think you'll see an immediate difference. All that should help soften the transition so you don't blow the tires off instantly when coming into the corner, plus the increased camber should keep it from rolling onto the outsides of the outside tires.
If you don't like it, you can always change it back.
Toe should go OUT about 1/16" per degree of negative camber change, which is what you'd want.
Last edited by FastFabM3; 05-20-2014 at 04:41 PM.
Thanks guys. I was under the impression that if I went with tooo much camber, my contact patch would actually slightly minimize. I never had camber plates before, just did little tricks here and there on my E46 to gain camber.
I'll be getting an alignment this weekend. I'll zero everything out at -2.5 and just slam the camber plates to -4, so total tote out should be near 1/8
The STC civic guys go with Camber up until you have issues braking. And they're Double-A. They're also on toyos that love camber...
Have you run at Toledo before? It's a very specific type of concrete. Sam's thoughts have been that street tires don't quite grab into the grooves well enough relative to hoosiers, so the cars leave a bunch on the table (typically understeer-oblivion too). I don't recall if there is an *IT* tire for Toledo for Street Tire classes.
Also, RE-11 tends not to be the dedicated Autocross tire choice. And typically you're seeing 255's. If you were doing 255 RS3's on 9" wheels, I think you'd get a lot more than optimizing your alignment. But obviously you are dual-purpose so you don't want to lose your track stuff just for Toledo concrete autocross.
Yes, I was at Toledo the same time the 135i? Guy was there. I am selling my 235 RE11's for 255 RS3's or another set of RE11's.
At toledo I ran -4 camber w/ whatever toe would be, so I'm assuming 1/16-1/8.
Here is my Toledo Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3iwLBenzts
I had to slow down a ton to get any front end grip. Since then, I've moved my front sway bar to 1 setting softer and maxed my caster. I will be getting an alignment tomorrow.
Was not able to get an alignment for this past weekend so I left it as is. For Grattan, I kicked in the front camber -1* to -3.5 total. Car handled great all weekend long and allowed me to run some great times, 1:32-1:33 on a 235 street tire. I guess the car is setup too much for road race and sacrificing autox performance.
- - - Updated - - -
Though, car is back on jack stands. Time to add a resonator or two and address a leak PR two that have spring.
328i 97' \ 4 prong Bosch plugs, Artich CAI, matte black kidneys, euro corner turn signals,
fresh AT.E brake fluid, Hawk pads, fresh oil/filter, deleted 200lbs from interior/trunk ...(more to come)
Best drag times: 60'=2.338 1/8=10.125 1/4=15.762
My Guide to: e36 seat wiring
My e36's pics -1
My e36's pics -2
Dude do you know CrazyZero from youtube? It looks like his exact evo in the pics!
Thanks! Had to reinforce all the things during the build haha
Yeah! That's my good friend Ishin, he's a renter at the shop we're at. Group of 10 guys that just love cars, 6-7 of us are track guys, the rest like shows and drag.
Added a resonator to my setup, a bit of rasp came back but sounds like a healthy amount
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ2m8myIow4&
Also, moving my 550# rear springs up front and moving to 685# eibach rear springs.
Some updates... Picked up an oil pressure gauge and soon an oil temp gauge, only 2 things I feel I need to monitor on this car.
I can't see to get my O2 sensor to read... I have an aftermarket unit and accidentally cut the wires from the old sensor when I was trimming the harness (one of the few dumb things I did while drunk). The aftermarket sensor has a BLACK-GREY-WHITE-WHITE, though I don't know which wires from my OBD1 harness go to which color. I feel like I may have the black and grey mixed up, since the whites are just for heating.
Also, I installed my 90mm Apex Stud kit that I bought used last week!
Some pictures from the past month.
Road trip to Grattan!
Detroit Grand Prix
Fabbing up new exhaust
Sound clip!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ2m8myIow4
Eyes on Design
Quick update.
Bought autometer gauges a while back, oil temp and pressure. Was going to scoop up a column mounted gauge holder but figured instead of spending $90, I'll just make it myself.
So here are the final results! Next on the list is to move my turn signal, high beams and wipers to my center vent location, I want to clean up all the crap behind the steering wheel.
Welded on tabs (oil temp):
Oil Pressure:
Entire setup:
Quick fitted photo, not yet fully installed. Need to clean up the welds and paint.
The view!
Looks good so far!
Thank you!
Unfortunately this weekend didn't go so well. Pretty sure I've been over-driving my 235 RE11's for too long, they did not want to grip this weekend... Also, my clutch died! Not sure if it's actually the clutch or master cylinder isn't returning. Going to diagnose tomorrow.
Track day at Waterford Race Hills with 3-Balls Racing - Karmanos Cancer Institute Fund Raiser - Here are some pictures and a video! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpgX9CnNL4o
- - - Updated - - -
Oil temps stayed nice and cool during the 80-85* day, never going above 190*. Oil pressure was great, but during high G right hand turns, I could see my needle taking sharp dives. Time for a baffle huh?
What kind of brackets did you use to mount your racing seats? And how heavy are they?
I'm torn between f1spec type 5 or corbeau forza for my build.
Last edited by Daniils; 06-28-2014 at 12:24 AM.
I have sliders and side mounts that are provided by F1Spec, I have those mounted to evosport floor mounts.
So far, I've been loving the F1 Spec seats and everyone who has seen them asks for the company name.
- - - Updated - - -
Trans bellhousing and pressure plate destruction pics coming soon! Also, made my windows removable.
1994 BMW 325is - Project 325 HPDE/TT | 2013 Scion FRS - Project FRS STX | 2017 Subaru BRZ - Project BRZ STX
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