[oldlady]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

I think you're absolutely spot on about that set up clearing the fenders. Are you going to change up the alignment? I'm wondering if the R6s may like a bit more camber...

 

[GA Scooby]

2008 STi track car Journal

Guess I don't have a take other than for a DOT tire I've thought the Hoosier R6 were the stickiest. Don't know about wear (yet), but my understanding is they don't heat cycle out (get hard/get greasy) like my 888's do/did and other similar tires do. Have not researched the Michelins and don't know anything about them other than I run the Super Sports on my car as my rain tire. They are great for the damp/wet conditions. Scared the piss out of a Bimmer instructor (didn't want to ride with me after a few laps), with those tires in the wet.

BTW, I'm not finding it very hard to get my setup to clear. Not much more than a full roll and a little bit of pounding... The stresses on the suspension and tires, once I get it on the track at speed/G's, may prove me wrong.

I only ask to spark your interest in researching them. Apparently a few Z06 guys went from R6's to the Michelin slick and cut a considerable amount of time. I'd imagine they are pretty damn expensive though.

 

[Scargo]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

I'd imagine they are pretty damn expensive though.

Just watched a Formula 1 Grand Prix race and they had to run one set of Michelin yellows. They said they would last six to eight laps! The "whites", IIRC, lasted over 20 laps.

I guess what I'm hinting at is tire life. And cost... and added cost of changing/balancing, etc. tires more often. That may not be a concern for some if all-out competition is where they're coming from.

Oldlady: Yes, I will be setting the fronts at 3.4 and the rears at 1.8. I think I may try .03~.04 degree toe-in on the rear (about 1/32") and at least the same toe-out on the front.
UPDATE: I have found that "for my setup" -3 to -3.2 front and -2.2 rear is quite good for most tracks.

I'll have a new Stoptech BBK for the front, but in the past I've had a tiny bit of rear-end waggle on hard braking. I'm running Hawk DTC 70's front and rear. I was told a little toe-in might help the rear suspension alignment under hard braking (meaning it would go towards 0 toe rather than towards minus toe as the suspension was torqued).

 

[Scargo]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

A litle slow in reporting, but I was away for three weeks...
The car did great for two days at Watkins Glen on April 29th and 30th. I ran into Chris Rall an instructor's instructor who had instructed me early on when I first got into track days with my first STi. He installed data-logging gear and a camera on my car. Then I drove and then he drove, so we could compare. I did not have a passenger seat in the car...
First, my new wheel/tire combo and suspension geometry changes:
The front tires only clear by less than 3/16" inside. That is, with 3.4° front and 2.6° rear negative camber and with 3.4" inch outside diameter coil-over springs. The bottom of the spring perch locking ring may be the closest spot.
Front springs are "62mm" nominal and 450 lbs with a 3.4" OD. The fenders are rolled and pulled and everything barely clears. I would estimate that there might be more that could be pulled but not much. I doubt you can fit a bigger sized tire wheel combo on a GR STi without flares. It is tight!
The 285 Hoosier R6's are nice. Chris Rallo, an instructor/sometimes racer, turned conservative 2:09's at Watkins Glen and that was with the car having some minor alignment and braking issues to be fixed. I could not get more than 3.4 degrees out of the left side, but 3.6 out of the right, so I had the aligner do both sides at 3.4. When I got home I ground out the camber plate so I could get more movement and reset both to 3.6°. During that process I had to readjust the toe and I think the toe was out a little too much. I will recheck that.The upshot was the car turned "right now!" It was a little darty. Required a lot of concentration and control.
Given all the changes I made the results were gratifying.
UPDATE, 9-9-13:
Corded my RR Hoosier on the inside. These were my first 285x30 R6 compound Hoosiers and my first experience with the Hoosiers and this soft a compound. Equivalent of six track days, if you count Chris' driving it at Thunderbolt and WGI as one day's wear. Probably a little too much camber in the rear (-2.6) or basically, too few left-handers(?). My impression is it was dragging the inside of the RR too much on right-handers because it just exposed the cord right at the edge and kind of rolled up the rubber, exposing the steel, but not wearing into it yet. Shame on me that I did not catch this early-on. I have a tire temp gauge; just didn't use it!
Surprisingly, the other three look like they have a day or two left on them. Possibly, at 39-40 max, they were a tad under-inflated? There is still some groove left on both sides of the fronts. The LF looks amazingly good and the best of the lot. The extra wear on the RF might be from the left-hand, tire eating, understeering "Octopus" on Thunderbolt. OTOH, It's hard to imagine that the corners of some of the other tires are far behind the RR (like the LR), since inflation was the same, all-round.

 

[trackday]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

Chris Rallo, an instructor/sometimes racer, turned conservative 2:09's at Watkins Glen and that was with the car having some minor alignment and braking issues to be fixed.

That's a great lap time. Any videos to share?

I'll be at the Glen Monday/Tuesday.

 

[Scargo]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

That's a great lap time. Any videos to share?

Yes, but just not yet. I have to get them edited and up. I am escargod on YouTube. I go by my name now on YouTube. Glyn Churchman. I have quite a few videos up at this point, including Palmer.

 

[Scargo]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

Thought I'd give a brief update and share a couple of shots of my car and a video from last week's four days at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

My best lap at Lightning was a 1:12. I did my first day on Thunderbolt and really liked the longer and more technically challenging course. Best time there was 1:35. Chris did a 1:32.
Video of three STi's playing on Lightning: NJMP play 6 23 - YouTube #17 is Matt... Misplaced info he gave me. Car handled very well and with only a Cob tune, it still went pretty well. The other blue STi is Steve Hanford, a good friend and an excellent Subaru instructor, if you ever need one. His car is track prepared. He is waiting on bigger wheels/tires to arrive and he is down some on power, compared to me. It was a fun time chasing them and clearly not a fair match.
I finished the brake duct mods to the fiberglass bumper facia.

Details of locating remote oil filter/cooler and thermostatic bypass valve.

 

[altspacen]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

How difficult would it be to add windshield sprayers to your hood?

 

[Scargo]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

How difficult would it be to add windshield sprayers to your hood?

I would think it would be easy. I did the hood pins without any issues.
I would think drilling two holes would be easy. The underside mimics the stock form.

 

[Dspin_1080]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

1- Damn !!!!

2- Subbed .. late to the party.. yes, i know

3 - DAT BONNET !!! ( Reversed scooped / drop vent ) WHERE or FROM WHO HAVE YOU SNUFFED THIS FROM !!!!!!?

4 - B/W 79lbs/min ....... Damn Son !

 

[finallymysti]

2008 STi track car Journal

How often are u at njmp. Haven't seen the car there before.

 

[Scargo]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

1- Damn !!!!

2- Subbed .. late to the party.. yes, i know

3 - DAT BONNET !!! ( Reversed scooped / drop vent ) WHERE or FROM WHO HAVE YOU SNUFFED THIS FROM !!!!!!?

4 - B/W 79lbs/min ....... Damn Son !

LOL. Glad to have you take a look.
Hood is Kaminari.
Rear spoiler is Seibon SKU RS0809SBIMP-STI-S
Yep; can't wait to get it built and see if it will light up those 285's!
Am about to buy JRZ coilovers.
Cheapo BC BR's aren't cutting it.

 

[Scargo]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

How often are u at njmp. Haven't seen the car there before.

Not that often. Did two days with Track Daze and two with SCDA, back-to-back.
I've done Lightning before, but I'd not been on Thunderbolt before. I had a dark metallic gray '11 sedan. I was there in 2011 with it and towards the end of the day I had a fire that involved the plastic belly pan; caused by a header to up-pipe gasket failure. My son and I doubled up that day and that was the only time I had previously run at NJMP.
I like Thunderbolt!
More often than not I am at Lime Rock or Watkins Glen. I've done 9-10 track days this year. I'm from S-central CT.

 

[Scargo]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

Did not go with JRZ shocks. About to mount Motion Control 2 way adjustable shocks with 7", 700/800 springs in 2.25 I.D.
That and I'm adding the Whiteline KCA313 Camber Kit (roll-center/bump-steer).
Then I'm off for three days at Watkins Glen starting 9-27!

EDIT: I ended up with H&S springs on the car 650 on the front and 800 on the rear. I think this combo helps the car rotate a little easier.

 

[trackday]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

^^ what event is at the Glen 9/27? I could use a track day, I'm in Binghamton.

 

[Scargo]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

^^ what event is at the Glen 9/27? I could use a track day, I'm in Binghamton.

Sorry for the late reply. It's a NASA event. I'm also going to be at Lime Rock on the 19th, with SCDA.

Got my MCS shocks and they look mighty purdy and well-made.
Just ordered a Driveshaft Shop CF driveshaft.

 

[finallymysti]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

keep us updated on the mcs setup. I'm thinking of getting those

 

[Scargo]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

keep us updated on the mcs setup. I'm thinking of getting those

I am having lots of issues. Some issues are easy to resolve while others, like my ride height, are not.
There are no brackets on the front for the brake line or wheel sensor line. Spacers for the rear lower mount are too long, by exactly .1 inch. Fortunately, I have a lathe at my disposal.
I have issues with the fronts working with my BC camber plates. I will need adapter/spacers for them or buy new camber plates. Even new camber plates don't guarantee I will get the adapters or sizes I will need for these beefy shafts and large threaded ends.
I will be talking to the distributor in the morning to see what can be done.
NOTE: As far as I can tell (because of my limited exposure to high-end motorsports parts), these are the real deal and are well-made and beefy. Very high quality workmanship! The height doesn't adjust, like my BC-BR's do. Thus, you need to know what you want for ride height.
They do not come with bump-stops, or dust covers, or plastic spring holders/shims. They do not come with springs; those are extra...
To be continued...

 

[Scargo]

Re: 2008 STi track car Journal

MCS coilovers are working very nicely with the 650/800 pound springs. Springs ended up being a little loose at full-droop, to get the ride height I wanted, but I may never experience full-droop on the track.
Car is steadier under hard braking. Handled very nicely through the bus-stop at WGI, when going onto the rumble strips. In the toe (of WGI's "boot", track segment), I was faster than many cars. I think it was because the car was virtually neutral and pulling hard uphill with all fours. The car is relatively neutral right now. I can get the back end out occasionally and there is little feel that it pushes. I am running the diff in auto.

 

[GA Scooby]

2008 STi track car Journal

No pics of any parts man?! Come on!