Autocross @ Pungo
FUCKIN MAGNETS
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 22,585
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From: Norfolk
Re: Autocross @ Pungo
Suspension and brakes are probably the most important things you can do to a car. Just because your locking up your brakes doesn't mean your braking system is good. You do not want to lock up the brakes because that could cause you to spin. You want to be able to brake late without locking up the brakes. There are also things like brake fade you have to consider.
As far as suspension you don't want to have a super soft setup because that will cause you to have a lot of excessive body roll which will make you spin and not be able to control your car as easy as if your car was stiff. When you have body roll all of the momentum will want to keep moving forward/to the outside when you are trying to turn. This also takes a lot of weight off your inside wheels which will make sticking to the ground a lot harder. A low tight suspension setup will help keep the body roll down or it will completely eliminate it. It will provide a low center of gravity and will keep the weight of the car from shifting around.
With all that said it definitely is very important to have good driving skills and I'm sure there are people out there who can take a completely stock car and do amazing but you can only push it so far in a stock car.
As far as suspension you don't want to have a super soft setup because that will cause you to have a lot of excessive body roll which will make you spin and not be able to control your car as easy as if your car was stiff. When you have body roll all of the momentum will want to keep moving forward/to the outside when you are trying to turn. This also takes a lot of weight off your inside wheels which will make sticking to the ground a lot harder. A low tight suspension setup will help keep the body roll down or it will completely eliminate it. It will provide a low center of gravity and will keep the weight of the car from shifting around.
With all that said it definitely is very important to have good driving skills and I'm sure there are people out there who can take a completely stock car and do amazing but you can only push it so far in a stock car.
You're trying to tell someone who knows ALOT more than you do (not to mention alot faster than you are) about autocrossing how to make a good autocross car.
For 98% of people, a bone stock car will outdrive the person.
FUCKIN MAGNETS
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 22,585
Likes: 0
From: Norfolk
Re: Autocross @ Pungo
I went off course on 3 of my first 4 runs at my first ever autocross. Dont be afraid to look like a fool, everyone out there is extremely helpful and wants to bring more people into the sport.
Yes I race a HONDA!!
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,600
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From: Va Beach
Autocross Hack
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
From: VB
Re: Autocross @ Pungo
I saw my name mentioned (Thanks Mike!) in this thread so I figure I'd chime-in.
Accessing a stock vehicle's limits will be easier than doing the same in a modified vehicle. There are exceptions (like adding a hacked-up aftermarket set-up), but for the most part this is true. To me, it's more fun to reach the limit of a stock car and keep it there the whole run.
Driving a modded car, you never really know if you left time on the table. Was the limitation you as a driver, or the car and the set-up you put on it? Modding without an educated (read:seat time) plan is like increasing the amount of rope to hang yourself with. You can go in many directions and still end up slow.
Lastly, what feels fast isn't always faster. The clock never lies.
Ed
Accessing a stock vehicle's limits will be easier than doing the same in a modified vehicle. There are exceptions (like adding a hacked-up aftermarket set-up), but for the most part this is true. To me, it's more fun to reach the limit of a stock car and keep it there the whole run.
Driving a modded car, you never really know if you left time on the table. Was the limitation you as a driver, or the car and the set-up you put on it? Modding without an educated (read:seat time) plan is like increasing the amount of rope to hang yourself with. You can go in many directions and still end up slow.
Lastly, what feels fast isn't always faster. The clock never lies.
Ed
Controlled Chaos
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
Re: Autocross @ Pungo
But I'm sure he will be limited by the car.
Dickbutt #peentip
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,256
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach
Re: Autocross @ Pungo
^^^^ Brake fade at an autoX!!!!! WTF... How do you do that? To have any fade you have to over heat you pads or fluid. The only way to generate heat it to be on the brakes alot!!! And not give then time to cool. OEM, NAPA, Autozone et all cheap pads and fluid will handle the temps generated at an autox. If they didn't then you would have fade during heavy interstate traffic... 65mph >>> 35mph over and over.
If you are spinning a FWD car you are too late and or too long on the brakes. If a FWD car starts to rotate (back end come around) you have to be off the brakes and on the gas hard!!! End of story. I've slid my CRX at most of the TSCC events this year and my Integra has been very sideways in T4 and T10 ate VIR and almost every turn at Summit Point last weekend. Loose is fast.
WRONG WRONG WRONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.
With a FWD car (in my experiences) braking in a straight line is the most efficent way to slow down- you're correct there.
FWD cars understeer, obviously- mashing the gas doesn't work- unless you're already straight. Loose is NOT fast.
This weekend I dropped 2 seconds off my time by slowing down and maintaining traction through turns instead of being 'loose'.
And if you guys want to get better at this game you need to run you car stock and learn what body roll is and how to use it. How crappy tire work and don't work and learn to use them. Its not cool it have a stock car but it will make you a much better driver.
If you are spinning a FWD car you are too late and or too long on the brakes. If a FWD car starts to rotate (back end come around) you have to be off the brakes and on the gas hard!!! End of story. I've slid my CRX at most of the TSCC events this year and my Integra has been very sideways in T4 and T10 ate VIR and almost every turn at Summit Point last weekend. Loose is fast.
WRONG WRONG WRONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.
With a FWD car (in my experiences) braking in a straight line is the most efficent way to slow down- you're correct there.
FWD cars understeer, obviously- mashing the gas doesn't work- unless you're already straight. Loose is NOT fast.
This weekend I dropped 2 seconds off my time by slowing down and maintaining traction through turns instead of being 'loose'.
And if you guys want to get better at this game you need to run you car stock and learn what body roll is and how to use it. How crappy tire work and don't work and learn to use them. Its not cool it have a stock car but it will make you a much better driver.
I neex pixorz
