[DuckStu]

I think I need to be there Sunday at 7 ish.

I'll be there on Friday also for the Corvette club time trial.

I have to get a set of tires swapped on Saturday. Going stickier this time.

[MGizzle]

I am usually there early but I will plan on arriving around 8:30 because I am swapping pads at home on Saturday hopefully. I am down with chillin' together. I guess I'll just park where you guys were last time.

Stu, what do you mean you are going stickier?? I thought you were on the R1's last time? Just wait until you seem my Azenis that were on the front last time (toaaaaast!!). I am hoping they will last the day and I will probably throw them on the rear.

Now I just have to go get her aligned.

Jt ... when you putting "Schnell Schnell" on the track man?

[jtsherri]

Originally Posted by MGizzle

Jt ... when you putting "Schnell Schnell" on the track man?

I'd very much like to get out there, but my summer is pretty much consumed for the next month.

Not to mention I need to pick up some tires if I'm going to do a track day. I know of 3-4 guys that have tracked the stock runflats and all 4 sets have come back destroyed. I like these tires for the street and can't really justify ruining them @ $1200/set, so we'll have to see what I can come up with...

[DuckStu]

Originally Posted by MGizzle

Stu, what do you mean you are going stickier?? I thought you were on the R1's last time? Just wait until you seem my Azenis that were on the front last time (toaaaaast!!). I am hoping they will last the day and I will probably throw them on the rear.

My REO1R's are about done. They'll make the time trial day Friday,..but I don't think they'll last through the OTD on Sunday.

So I bought a set of Nitto NT-01's. 100 treadwear instead of 140. A guy on the Xceed forum says they were worth 2 sec a lap on his EVO.

Where are your fronts toast? On the outside? The outside always gets smoked if you don't add negative front camber. Mine get worn more on the inside. I set my camber up for great turning,..but then on the straights and under braking I'm riding pretty much just on the insides. I could dial in a bit less camber to make the tires last longer,..and give up some speed. But sticky tires and an agressive alignment is the cheapest go-fast things you can do.

I witnesses a guy last fall with a stock STI and "R" Comps (and track pads in front I'm sure) turn the same lap times at Grattan as I was. So adjustable strut inserts, springs, sway bars front and rear, ALK, roll center adj kit, 245 width tires, track pads front and rear, -100 lbs of weight, chassis braces, and an extra 80 hp to the wheels is the same as a set of "R" Comp tires.

So $10,000 in mods v.s. $750 a year in track tires. Not hard to figure what's the best route there eeh?

Front track pads, sticky tires and a set of camber plates. About all you need to dominate at the track (well,...a driving school or three is a big help too).

[DuckStu]

Agressive alignment and sticky tire thoughts.

So there are a lot of people out there afraid to run an agressive street alignment for fear of burning up a set of tires prematurely.

My thoughts.

Lets say you will own your new car for 5 years. In that time you will have to buy 2 sets of tires (3 sets total including the ones that came on it).

On the other hand you could run an agressive alignment and run a 75% chance that you will buy one additional set of tires. (You can't know for sure how long they will last or exactly how long you'll own the car, or weather you sell it with tires that need replacing or ones that were just replaced, etc). Lets say that additional set runs you $800. (Falken Azenis 615 + mounting and ballancing).

$800 divided into 5 years is $160 a year. So you have to ask yourself,....what huge handling improvement can I make for $160 a year (or really 75% of that ($120 a year))? Nothing. It's unlikely that even a $3,000 set of coilovers will have as big an effect,...and $3,000 / 5 is $600 a year.

So go sticky and crank the camber in front up to -1.5. It's super cheap high performance. Not to mention,...many cars tires will actually last longer with extra camber. I'd bet any money that tires on an STI will last longer with -1.2 degrees of front camber than they will with the stock -.5

For an STI you add camber plates (-1.5 on the street and -3 on the track),...a 22mm rear sway bar and track pads up front, and you'll be the fastest car at the track. Seriously. Fastest car on streets if your on streets, and if you're running stickies you'll be the fastest car overall .

[The Korean]

Geeez, it's been awhile since I logged on here... The Korean = Jon... Jonny Walker

BTW, the rx-8 is lowered 2" now... FTW...

[jtsherri]

Originally Posted by The Korean

Geeez, it's been awhile since I logged on here... The Korean = Jon... Jonny Walker

BTW, the rx-8 is lowered 2" now... FTW...

Nice - I want a ride next time you're out!

Oh and give that rotary teh boost!!11!!!

[boondocksaint]

Originally Posted by The Korean

Geeez, it's been awhile since I logged on here... The Korean = Jon... Jonny Walker

BTW, the rx-8 is lowered 2" now... FTW...

When are you getting the new wheels?

[MGizzle]

Originally Posted by DuckStu

Agressive alignment and sticky tire thoughts.

So there are a lot of people out there afraid to run an agressive street alignment for fear of burning up a set of tires prematurely.

My thoughts.

Lets say you will own your new car for 5 years. In that time you will have to buy 2 sets of tires (3 sets total including the ones that came on it).

On the other hand you could run an agressive alignment and run a 75% chance that you will buy one additional set of tires. (You can't know for sure how long they will last or exactly how long you'll own the car, or weather you sell it with tires that need replacing or ones that were just replaced, etc). Lets say that additional set runs you $800. (Falken Azenis 615 + mounting and ballancing).

$800 divided into 5 years is $160 a year. So you have to ask yourself,....what huge handling improvement can I make for $160 a year (or really 75% of that ($120 a year))? Nothing. It's unlikely that even a $3,000 set of coilovers will have as big an effect,...and $3,000 / 5 is $600 a year.

So go sticky and crank the camber in front up to -1.5. It's super cheap high performance. Not to mention,...many cars tires will actually last longer with extra camber. I'd bet any money that tires on an STI will last longer with -1.2 degrees of front camber than they will with the stock -.5

For an STI you add camber plates (-1.5 on the street and -3 on the track),...a 22mm rear sway bar and track pads up front, and you'll be the fastest car at the track. Seriously. Fastest car on streets if your on streets, and if you're running stickies you'll be the fastest car overall .

Yes, the outside is gone on my tires (front's) and I can only get about -1deg right now front.

The last thing that worries me is the tires. I have numerous sets sitting in my basement. However, I can't get good camber out of my STi. I tried bolts (talked to you about them last time at the track) and they are good for about one session. They slip like crap. Hence, I was forced to go back to stock. I lowered it with the JDM pink's hopeing I get a bit less roll and a bit more camber. Ride is not much different hence it's a win win situation in my opinion.

Camber plates? Heck no. Pay money like that so that I can move my roll center up and down AND a solid bushing?!!? I am hesitant to go to that considering I put 25+k on my car PER year.

I am thinking of getting ARB's though (22-23's but looks like I might just go with the STi Pinks, 21mm's, since they are basically free).

As far as Slicks, I am not surprised at all. My best laptime ever at waterford was a low 22 sec with my car stock aside of the camber in the front on Azenis. I am hoping I can do consistent high 22's this weekend with the springs but after that accident last weekend (E46 M3) I don't know if that is going to happen because it scared the heck out of me. It'll take me a while to go ballz out again

Anyhow, I am very curious to see what kind of laps you will pull with the Nitto's vs. the R1's. Those things seem sticky as heck. See you Sunday man.

[mEnTaL]

I'll be there on Sunday as well. Hopefully I don't run out of tire or brake for the day. I should make an extra effort to try and find my odd boost leak, but I doubt I will be able to.

[DuckStu]

Originally Posted by MGizzle

Camber plates? Heck no. Pay money like that so that I can move my roll center up and down AND a solid bushing?!!? I am hesitant to go to that considering I put 25+k on my car PER year.

Anyhow, I am very curious to see what kind of laps you will pull with the Nitto's vs. the R1's. Those things seem sticky as heck. See you Sunday man.

I know just what you mean. I did the comfort ALK to minimize noise,..and when it came to camber plates,...well,..only one had a poly bushing and that was the Noltecs. I have a spare set.

Then some company by the name of SPC came out with a set sold under the Eibach name. That's what I have on the car now. VERY nice.They were $285. (Although I only find them at $350+ here now SPC Subaru Front Cam. Kit) Lots of range adjustment and they do have poly bushings in them. I didn;t notice any increase in noise from the stock tophats. (And I drive 15,000 - 20,000 a year in this car).

My Noltecs need some new bolts though. No big deal. If you want them I can get the new bolts and install them and sell 'em to you. I had actually intended to upsize the bolts one size and tap larger holes. This was the weak-point with the Noltecs. It was never a safety issue,..rather the bolts would start to turn in the lower plate and you couldn't get them on or off (the nuts on top would just turn the bolt). Going up one size and using jamb nuts instead of spacers would totally solve the problem. (Hard to explain, but trust me,..they'd be great). I'd sell them for $140 with the new bolts and such. They're pretty simple to install.

Without modding the strut bottoms I'd guess you could get another 1.5 degrees of camber in front. That would be worth a second a lap I'd guess, and would keep you from killing your tires.

Another option is to buy a second set of the upper camber bolts and install them in the lower holes,...or do what I did and move one of the sets of holes a bit. But either way,..you won't be able to go from lots of camber on the track to medium on the street without plates (at least not very easilly). And even if you did,...the toe would be WAY off. With plates you get an extra degree or two of total toe when you add in 2 degrees of camber on each side at the track,...which is about what you want (toe out at the track). You'd need a full alignment before and after if you tried to make the adjustments with bolts only.

With the REO1R's I was doing 1:20.2 at Waterford. (At least that was the best of the 3-4 laps that got timed). Supposedly the NT-01's are worth 2 sec a lap. If that's true, I should be able to do mid 1:18.5 or so. I guess we'll find out.

[turboranger]

hmmmmm how was everyones 4th?

anything going on today?

[turboranger]

.......................................

[jtsherri]

Mine was OK considering I had to go up north for the weekend and spend a small fortunte on lodging, food and a gift for my cousin. Overall it was nice to get away, but was one of those situations where I was obligated to spend money...

Either way I got to drive the 1er around A LOT and hit some VERY curvy and someone remote paved roads!

I've had it a month and 4 days now and have already put over 1900 miles on it.

How was yours???

[turboranger]

yea same situation as you but over in cadillac, it was nice though, alil time to get away from the city is always nice.