My STR thread....rocket71
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,881
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From: Near Philadelphia
Definitely cold hankooks are throwing you off big time. Super slippery tires will change the chassis dynamics.
Also, have you rechecked your alignment? That bit me a couple times last season where I suddenly got slower and figured out that my alignment had gone off
Also, have you rechecked your alignment? That bit me a couple times last season where I suddenly got slower and figured out that my alignment had gone off
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Originally Posted by rocket71' timestamp='1330900625' post='21475747
Versus, dirtying up the STR thread I figure I would resurrect this old thread.
I need to quit f'ng around with my car and drive. The off season brought a whole slew of changes and now I am slower. I am slower than those that I beat consistently last year.
This is what I got and what I am experiencing so far....
In the off season.
- replaced front solid gendron with hollow bar
- replaced mx5 rear bar with gendron adjustable in the rear
- added ball bearing mounts, front/rear
- sent the shocks off, had them re-valved for more low speed response. (note: see a couple of responses back regarding what I am refering too. "beau@performanceshock")
- dyno tuned
Currently, I am running 800lb front, 560lb rear. Front bar at 5 of 6 (6 being stiffest), Rear bar at 3 of 6.
I ran at ZMax Dragway in Concorde, NC - 3 weeks ago. The car ran well, it felt like it had a slight push but I was able to finish well. No co-driver to get heat in the tires. Then I ran Chattanooga, TN the next weekend. The car was pushing even more. I tried going softer on the front shocks settings but it didn't really help. Today, I ran in Knoxville. Before the event I moved to 1 stiffer in the rear on the swaybar. It was freaking cold, the tires never got any heat in them. (Hankooks). The car would just push, push, push any time I got on the power in a turn. I pretty much had to point and shoot.
I know my driving is lacking. At Chattanooga my normal co-driver was .8 seconds faster but his feedback was it was pushy.
Any suggestions or questions? I feel like I have taken 10 steps back from last year. I have EVO advantage next Friday before the TNT for Dixie so I have some more seat time to get it figured out.
I need to quit f'ng around with my car and drive. The off season brought a whole slew of changes and now I am slower. I am slower than those that I beat consistently last year.
This is what I got and what I am experiencing so far....In the off season.
- replaced front solid gendron with hollow bar
- replaced mx5 rear bar with gendron adjustable in the rear
- added ball bearing mounts, front/rear
- sent the shocks off, had them re-valved for more low speed response. (note: see a couple of responses back regarding what I am refering too. "beau@performanceshock")
- dyno tuned
Currently, I am running 800lb front, 560lb rear. Front bar at 5 of 6 (6 being stiffest), Rear bar at 3 of 6.
I ran at ZMax Dragway in Concorde, NC - 3 weeks ago. The car ran well, it felt like it had a slight push but I was able to finish well. No co-driver to get heat in the tires. Then I ran Chattanooga, TN the next weekend. The car was pushing even more. I tried going softer on the front shocks settings but it didn't really help. Today, I ran in Knoxville. Before the event I moved to 1 stiffer in the rear on the swaybar. It was freaking cold, the tires never got any heat in them. (Hankooks). The car would just push, push, push any time I got on the power in a turn. I pretty much had to point and shoot.
I know my driving is lacking. At Chattanooga my normal co-driver was .8 seconds faster but his feedback was it was pushy.
Any suggestions or questions? I feel like I have taken 10 steps back from last year. I have EVO advantage next Friday before the TNT for Dixie so I have some more seat time to get it figured out.
True, true...the Dunlops were locked up in my co-drivers garage as he was blowing his Integra up at the Lemons race. Although, even those might have been useless today.
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Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Frankfort, KY
Berry do what you want but I myself wouldn't go softer on the front bar. The 1.25" hollow bar on 5/6 is like your solid bar on 3/6. My car felt like a slug trying to transition at 4/6 on my solid bar. If and when I go from the solid bar to the hollow bar I'm setting it at 6/6. Their is many people way stiffer then even your current setting. I loved the transitioning speed of my solid bar at 6/6 but it took away from turn in during high steering angle turns. So I'm try to stay with 5/6 on the solid bar but refuse to go any softer. To me with my driving style I had a hard time getting the car to transition fast enough to fit thru tight slaloms and offset boxes. This caused me to drive them slower which resulted in slower times.
Granted on the other hand people are softer then my setting and seem to make it work. I guess it all depends on driving style. People like Matt, Dave, and several others are all stiffer then even your stiffest setting on that bar because they have the 1.375 bar on 3+/6. Remember I know nothing and claim to know nothing so don't take anything I say to seriously.
Granted on the other hand people are softer then my setting and seem to make it work. I guess it all depends on driving style. People like Matt, Dave, and several others are all stiffer then even your stiffest setting on that bar because they have the 1.375 bar on 3+/6. Remember I know nothing and claim to know nothing so don't take anything I say to seriously.
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,578
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From: Kentucky
My car is setup so differently than most and is an AP1, so my settings don't mean jack to others... especially the AP2's.
Weather temps are looking promising for Dixie. I just hope STR doesn't get ANOTHER 1st heat run.
-Dave
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 480
Likes: 3
Well if he is stuck with kooks and no other tire in cold weather, the only option he has is to try and make those front tires work. Instead of sliding the front, he could soften the front end to help build heat in those tires. Use your adjustments to suit the track conditions.
Joined: May 2006
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I wouldn't get your hopes up... I'm pretty sure street tire classes typically start events to get rubber down for the big dollar cars. Drives me nuts. I always prefer to run last.
That being said, while I like the rs3s when they are up to temp it seems like more often than not I struggle to get them to temp in my climate (pacific northwest). What are people using for colder temperatures? I am leaning towards star specs for my next set of tires as I have heard they do better at lower temps. Any thoughts or suggestions?
That being said, while I like the rs3s when they are up to temp it seems like more often than not I struggle to get them to temp in my climate (pacific northwest). What are people using for colder temperatures? I am leaning towards star specs for my next set of tires as I have heard they do better at lower temps. Any thoughts or suggestions?
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I think I am going to leave it alone for now. Not enough data to really make a change. I just feel comparative to competition I would have been faster.
I need to remind myself I have only been at this game for 10 months. I am definitely need to work on the driver more and car less. I probably already said this but last year ended on a string of really great events. The car was just plain better. I would like to get it closer to where it was and go from there.
I spent all last year chasing what everyone else was doing. I have talked with some of the fastest guys out there and while there are similarities it is amazing the differences. I am looking forward to EVO this Friday @ Dixie. I hope to get some feedback on the setup from Andy, Robert, or Junior or whoever teaches.
I need to remind myself I have only been at this game for 10 months. I am definitely need to work on the driver more and car less. I probably already said this but last year ended on a string of really great events. The car was just plain better. I would like to get it closer to where it was and go from there.
I spent all last year chasing what everyone else was doing. I have talked with some of the fastest guys out there and while there are similarities it is amazing the differences. I am looking forward to EVO this Friday @ Dixie. I hope to get some feedback on the setup from Andy, Robert, or Junior or whoever teaches.