Things to rectify in ur car b4 autocross

[KillerB]

Originally Posted by canken2
LanNismo,


1st timer no need to re-build cars. just make sure brakes and engine working well. after the event you'll have a better idea what you want to improve on and mod. even the champ is doing continuous improvement.;)



ermmm izzit...even got some problem wif dry-shaft...or bumpy...absorber...
please help me...@

any training...???

0126498112

Lan



I've copied the post in previous thread to widen the topics of discussion. But really the Khong brothers shud do the talking here :p

If your drive shaft's got sound, then u gotta change it first. At the same time u can also check your drive shaft boot covers to see if they're broken or not. If it's broken, change it, cuz a broken drive shaft boot will shorten the lifespan of ur driveshafts.
Absorbers; you can use whatever is existing. Drive it round the course for the first time, then make necessary changes the next time around. Make sure all nuts are locked tightly.
Alignment; make sure they're checked and done. This is one of the cheapest tuning u can do first.
Anyway, if it's ur first autox, drive with whatever u have, then make necessary mods and tuning later. This way u can chart ur progress and improvements by looking at where u stand in the next round of autocross. For example, the satria R3's started with Stage 1 in sso4 last year, and in sso1.5 recently, they've upgraded to Stage 2 specs which have improvements in handling. So stage by stage modding is good.
The autox grounds are the training gounds. Evey run is considered training. There's 1 practice and normally 2 or 3 timed runs. U can use this as training grounds, unless u've got a group/team/posse big enough to come up with money and share the rental of a carpark lot for training purposes.

 

[itrDC2]

Thanks for the information KillerB! Thumbs up! :D

 

[gavan]

does autocross killl your stock absorbers, cause i noticed there are some HB turns and all...just curious... :D

 

[MK84]

HB turns won't kill your dampers, it'll wear out the suspension bushes first.

 

[julianpang]

does autocross killl your stock absorbers, cause i noticed there are some HB turns and all...just curious... :D

I think it doesnt wear much on the bush. In autocross, you do not hand brake in every corner. You only do handbrake turn on certain corners. Yesterday's Autocross I only pull handbrake 2 times in a run. And thats only during the "figure 8" the rest I didnt pull. Afternoon session layout, I never pull at all. All in all, I only pull 8 times the whole of yesterday. Thats not a lot right?

I have been hand braking my car for the whole year of 2004 during BFG Autocross & Autokhana event and I am still running the same bushes, suspension & clutch (standard).

 

[gavan]

lolz, bro, your absorbers are not stock marr....

so i guess its not too harsh on it huh? okie then :D cause my bushes are definately gone after the previous SSO, think i it tore after the first run as i was pushing my car way over the limits(first time in an SSO so i was pushing my car real hard), then i learnt that it was not required to even push that hard, just drive normally...and my times improved dramatically, butthen sadly my second timed run was changed...so erm, i dunno how fast was i exactly during that run cause during the third run i just relax all the way....(cause SSO was timed by the fastest run, and my second run seems to be very good, so i relaxed on the third run, which was also faster than my first)

so, was waiting for the next SSO till yesterday i was at the KKS autocross..woah, really caught my attention tho... :D

 

[julianpang]

lolz, bro, your absorbers are not stock marr....

so i guess its not too harsh on it huh? okie then :D cause my bushes are definately gone after the previous SSO, think i it tore after the first run as i was pushing my car way over the limits(first time in an SSO so i was pushing my car real hard), then i learnt that it was not required to even push that hard, just drive normally...and my times improved dramatically, butthen sadly my second timed run was changed...so erm, i dunno how fast was i exactly during that run cause during the third run i just relax all the way....(cause SSO was timed by the fastest run, and my second run seems to be very good, so i relaxed on the third run, which was also faster than my first)

so, was waiting for the next SSO till yesterday i was at the KKS autocross..woah, really caught my attention tho... :D

I am running on upgraded absorbers but I am still running stock bushes.

 

[gavan]

i see...lolz, i know the bushes at my absorbers are screwed lorr.....ekekke :P dunno wether need to change anot leh?? do you think i need to change them??

 

[julianpang]

i see...lolz, i know the bushes at my absorbers are screwed lorr.....ekekke :P dunno wether need to change anot leh?? do you think i need to change them??

Change it if it breaks or worn out, otherwise no need.

 

[crazykid]

I am running on upgraded absorbers but I am still running stock bushes.

what abs are you using?

 

[julianpang]

what abs are you using?

RG adjustable suspension

 

[gavan]

owh, okie..means i need to change mine already, cause its all torn up...

Change it if it breaks or worn out, otherwise no need.

 

[KillerB]

If you want consistent and gradual improvements during autocross and sso, start with not driving to the limit first, right from your first practice run. THen analyse your driving and see where you need to improve. On your next run, improve particularly on the part where u need to improve but the rest remain the same. Repeat the same process in the next run. I n sso u get total 4 runs including practice. So normally your 2nd last or last run shud be the fastest. In autocross, this allows you to have a more consistent timing compared to running flat out in every run. Hope this makes sense.

 

[gavan]

thanks for advice bro, the last SSO was my first time entering, so the first run i whack all the way, then only i noticed actualy i need not do that, just relax and focus and i can run better.. :D

 

[peterink2000]

hi Gavan,

carpark race is really adrenelin pumping right? ..for a start larr......later go on to track racing. kekekkeee...

 

[B8 Turbo]

AutoX

Sorry if I annoy anyone,

I've never tried the autoX in Malaysia scene and never seen the autoX challenge Live. Would love to see it.

10yrs ago, I was crazy about autoX when I was a student in US. I did 1 yr of autoX in US w/ my 90 Integra GS 4dr sedan.

Based on my experience then, suspension setup is still important but driving skill of weight distribution w/ braking and cornering is more critical to shave off those seconds. The other key factor is the slick tires. Slicks can shave 3-5 secs off normal street tires and based on my experience as well. The other thing I learnt since that time was heal and toe of blipping the throttle for down shifting; a very essential basic skill to learn for autoX. I did attend a basic course of autoXing during that particular 1yr of my autoX experience. Also trained on zig zag cone attack, braking attack (saw the Jap VCD HotVersion or Options-can't remember), and hairpin cornering strategy. After these training, I upgraded my entire suspension w/ engine strut brace (Trust), antiroll bars (Suspension Techniques), absorbers (Tokiko Illumina 5-way soft/hard), H&R lowering springs. After that, as I autoX more and more, my time was improved. I guess mainly with gained experience, skills, car setup, and car feel familiarization.

Please don't flame me but I see the above discussion on suspension bushing. Once again, I've not done autoX for 10yrs now so I better let the Khong brothers give their comments or any others more experienced in this sport. I'm rusty.

From experience and playing GT2 on PS1 also, "tires are what wins a race". Famous quote from the movie Days of Thunder.

 

[whatdamn]

b8_turbo,
what you say holds true. from my first autox (kks round 3) i noticed that the guys who ran semi slicks or at least sticky stuff like neovas were getting not only better lines but better times as well. ofcourse there is no replacement for the amount of seat time the others have had there which would have been a contributing factor to their fast paced lapping. not only are braking techniques crucial but the type of brake pads used are too! i would say for starters you should:

1. strip out the interior of the car
2. get a full bucket seat
3. put fender bars
4. get a good set of tyres (bfgoodrich gforce sport to start off)
5. get plenty of seat time (ie. drive, practice)
6. move on to upgrading ur suspensions once you know and understand WHY ur current shocks are failing you
7. get a smaller diameter steering wheel which will require less degrees of turn to achieve more turning radius. (arm/elbow to steering wheel should be about 45 degrees)
8. get even more seat time
9. get a cage once you feel that higher spring rates are required
10. get more seat time!

practice makes you better...you'll notice that as you go thru the runs for autox. just pay attention while you drive :)

 

[gavan]

yes it is, give you that umph or the feeling that i wanna do that, i wanna be faster than anyone else in that track, all those stuff you know... :D ekkekeke :D

hmm, yeah, i would strongly agree on a full bucket seat for autocross or even SSO or any racing event for that matter. i was using stock seats when i entered the last SSO and i was having a lil trouble trying to keep myself inplace when doing u-turns and also trying to control the pedal when taking those corners, most often i would over power out during turns and that cost alot of time as the wheel spins :( what to do, first time enter SSO event, but it was a real experiance for me, cant wait to do some upgrades for my car to enter the next event if $$ permits me to do so. im a student so its kinda hard for me to actually really spend alot of money on the car itself as now i also need to get some things done up like my allignment(hit a hole today, think i screwed it up) and also my shocks :(

 

[KillerB]

Guys,

I heard that there will be another autox event coming up organised by Ian Khong. Heard also that it will be cheaper.

b8 turbo,
still crazy about autox now? feel free to join. Looks like you've got lotsa seat time in that 1 year.

the best thing about autox is you can drive what u bring, or come with a prep'ed car. The learning curve is better if you wanna improve your driving skills and know your car's handling better, as compared to track days, or the ever popular drags. You start to learn that minor adjustments to either your car or your driving do make a big difference in your timing. And you begin to understand why f1 is such a big thing, and why one thousandth of a second counts.

 

[whatdamn]

killerB,
yup, i don't think drag races help you become a better driver cause the skills are basically popping the clutch at the right rpms and that can be determined by dyno-ing to see the peak power generated areas i believe. track days, well you don't feel the pressure to get the fastest lap times or the tracks to crowded unless ofcourse ur a veteran tracky then you're supposed to clock a faster lap time than you did.

there will be 2 autox next month, KKS round 4(finals) and GRA round 1 (by ian khong) umm, might only be joining in the KKS one cause even though ian's one is cheap, i still lack the cash to survive the month due to unexpected damages to my drivetrain last night. sigh.