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Autocross Techniques
I'm thinking about taking an autocross course and was wondering about driving techniques that work in an SVX The car is a heavy understeerer and being all wheel drive doesn't offer the opportunity for power-on oversteer coming out of corners. During the last few track days that I did, I was testing out trail braking as a strategy for getting the car to rotate in very tight corners. The strategy requires a delicate foot, because you have to move from limit braking while you are still going in a straight line to lesser braking when you turn in. If you continue limit braking at turn-in, the front tires break loose and you don't turn at all. I remember one very tight corner on the Pocono double infield course, where I could get the rear to come around quite a bit using this technique, allowing me to get on the accelerator sooner with very little cornering left to do, and thus little power-on uindersteer coming out of the corner.
Does this technique work in autocross? What other techniques have you found effective for getting our buggy to dance from cone to cone?
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____________________________________________ 95 LS-i Red, 31,xxx; bone stock for now; Daily Driver 94 LS-i Emerald Pearl, 106,xxx,; 246 whp; Tomyx snorkus and HKS Cold air intake; PWR aluminum radiator, silicone hoses; Inline thermostat; enhanced coolant routing; external power steering and oil coolers; Phenolic intake manifold spacers; 2004 WRX 5 speed transmission; ACT Clutch Kit, Heavy Duty Pressure Plate, Lightweight flywheel, performance disc; Group N motor mounts; ‘07 WRX 4-pot front calipers, cryo-treated slotted Tribeca rotors; Hawk HPS ferro-carbon pads; Frozenrotor rear slotted rotors; SS brake lines, Axxis Ultimate pads; Rota Torque 17x8 wheels; 245/40-17 Bridgestone RE01-R's; Koni inserts with Ground Control coilovers, Eibach springs; K-Mac camber/caster adjustable strut mounts; Urethane swaybar bushings; Bontrager rear sway bar; Urethane differential bushing; Custom Whiteline adjustable rear lateral links; Outlaw Engineering forged underdrive pulley; custom grind Web intake and exhaust cams (11 mm lift, 250° duration); solid lifters; CP custom aluminum forged 11 to 1 pistons, Brian Crower coated SS intake & exhaust valves; Brian Crower upgraded springs w/ titanium retainers; NGK sparkplugs; RallyBob (Bob Legere) ported and polished cylinder heads; Eagle H-beam rods; ACL Bearings; Cometic Head gaskets; ARP head studs & fasteners; Hydra Nemesis EMS; Wideband O2 sensor; 740cc Injectors; Walbro 255lph fuel pump; Upgraded WRX starter; Equal length SS headers (3 into 1); dual Magnaflow cat converters; 2 into 1 into 2 SS exhaust with Bullet muffler; OT Fiberglass hood; Oil pressure gauge; Programmable shift light, 2017 Subaru Forester XT, metallic dark gray, 29,xxx 2005 Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabrio, 24,xxx 2006 Subaru Outback LL Bean, 166,xxx sold 92 LSL Dark Teal, Smallcar Shift Kit - sold |
#2
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Re: Autocross Techniques
What do you have for a suspension setup?
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Disclaimer: The above post is on the internet. |
#3
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Re: Autocross Techniques
Besides what is in his signature, what else is left? Alignment settings? Spring rates?
245/40-17 Bridgestone RE01-R tires Koni inserts with Ground Control coilovers Eibach springs K-Mac camber/caster adjustable strut mounts; Urethane swaybar bushings Bontrager22rear sway bar Urethane differential bushing Custom Whiteline adjustable rear lateral links .
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. Subaru Ambassador 1996 Polo Green LSi #216..138,100 miles...SOLD JFICX8659TH100216.....Date of Manufacture: November 16, 1995..... Fuji Heavy Industries..Ōta North Plant....Ōta City,. Gunma Prefecture, Japan In-Service Date: January 2, 1997 "The Pristine Green Polo Machine” First Polo Green on the Network First Clear front turn signals, JDM Alcyone hood emblem, rear panel, and BOXER engine cover on the Network (US) (2000) First 5000K HID factory fog lights (2007) First SVX JDM BBS wheels on a USDM SVX (2013) HID lighting (5000K) for headlight and H3 fog lights, PIAA SuperExtreme 120W high beams, rebuilt EG33 longblock, Cometic head gaskets, Phase II flexplate, AMR aluminum radiator with custom silicone hoses, 160A high-output alternator in aluminum-ceramic coated case, new design alternator wiring upgrade v.4, rare factory headlight protectors, refinished JDM BBS mesh aluminum wheels and custom, polished billet aluminum new hex center caps, LED grille mod, R1 Concepts high-carbon cryo slotted rotors, Akebono ceramic pads, Goodridge S/S braided brake lines, Smallcar Stage 1 shift kit, ThermalTech aluminum/ceramic-coated valve covers, Energy Suspension urethane front & rear swaybar bushings, Bontrager22 rear swaybar with QS Components Chromoly Teflon/Kevlar endlinks, "$15.00/5 minute" suspension mod. Hella Supertone horns, Custom stainless steel exhaust system with 2" headpipes, Magnaflow cats, AeroTurbine AR25 resonator /AWD "Bullet" muffler. R.I.P. 2010 Subaru Outback Limited 2.5 CVT...338,000 miles. Totaled by a 1,300 lb. COW March 4, 2016 2014 Hyundai Avante Limited ...178,000 miles. Actually quieter and smoother than the Outback 2007 Mazda Miata MX-5 PRHT...102,000 miles. Plenty of parts, service and windshields. 4th Registered Network member —2/21/2001 My NEW locker..I...My Email..I..Wikipedia/SVX . . |
#4
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Re: Autocross Techniques
I've got signatures turned off; they're mostly heavy filler.
Yes, what spring rates? That sounds a lot like what my Pearly had at one point.
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Disclaimer: The above post is on the internet. |
#5
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Re: Autocross Techniques
I have Ground Control Coilovers, lowered about 3/4 in fr and r, Eibach springs 345 lb/in fr. 285 lb/in r, Koni shocks, solid camber control top-mounts, new OEM control arms, camber bolts on the rear, Whiteline adjustable rear lateral links, urethane swaybar bushings, Brontrager rear sway bar, OT's 5 minute and 15 minute mods. I'm running 1.75 deg. negative camber front and rear, 0 toe front and rear.
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____________________________________________ 95 LS-i Red, 31,xxx; bone stock for now; Daily Driver 94 LS-i Emerald Pearl, 106,xxx,; 246 whp; Tomyx snorkus and HKS Cold air intake; PWR aluminum radiator, silicone hoses; Inline thermostat; enhanced coolant routing; external power steering and oil coolers; Phenolic intake manifold spacers; 2004 WRX 5 speed transmission; ACT Clutch Kit, Heavy Duty Pressure Plate, Lightweight flywheel, performance disc; Group N motor mounts; ‘07 WRX 4-pot front calipers, cryo-treated slotted Tribeca rotors; Hawk HPS ferro-carbon pads; Frozenrotor rear slotted rotors; SS brake lines, Axxis Ultimate pads; Rota Torque 17x8 wheels; 245/40-17 Bridgestone RE01-R's; Koni inserts with Ground Control coilovers, Eibach springs; K-Mac camber/caster adjustable strut mounts; Urethane swaybar bushings; Bontrager rear sway bar; Urethane differential bushing; Custom Whiteline adjustable rear lateral links; Outlaw Engineering forged underdrive pulley; custom grind Web intake and exhaust cams (11 mm lift, 250° duration); solid lifters; CP custom aluminum forged 11 to 1 pistons, Brian Crower coated SS intake & exhaust valves; Brian Crower upgraded springs w/ titanium retainers; NGK sparkplugs; RallyBob (Bob Legere) ported and polished cylinder heads; Eagle H-beam rods; ACL Bearings; Cometic Head gaskets; ARP head studs & fasteners; Hydra Nemesis EMS; Wideband O2 sensor; 740cc Injectors; Walbro 255lph fuel pump; Upgraded WRX starter; Equal length SS headers (3 into 1); dual Magnaflow cat converters; 2 into 1 into 2 SS exhaust with Bullet muffler; OT Fiberglass hood; Oil pressure gauge; Programmable shift light, 2017 Subaru Forester XT, metallic dark gray, 29,xxx 2005 Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabrio, 24,xxx 2006 Subaru Outback LL Bean, 166,xxx sold 92 LSL Dark Teal, Smallcar Shift Kit - sold |
#6
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Re: Autocross Techniques
To respond to the original question: technique (and I do believe driver technique and skill is much more important than car modifications)
You are correct about terrible understeer on exit. Trail braking does alleviate much of that if you can brake later and rotate the car with the brakes even as late as mid-corner and aim for a VERY late apex in order to return to throttle sooner. That's for longer corners. For the other most common feature of an autocross course, the slalom, what I've learned from one of the best I've ever seen in awd is to figure out an on-off rhythm with the throttle that matches your steering input. The technique here being to use throttle-lift oversteer to rotate around each cone, then back on throttle to catch and balance the car until the next cone. The throttle input here can be quite aggressive instead of the smooth modulation we're always taught and the car is actually a bit more 'tossable' than you might imagine. Other than that learning to read the course and maintaining proper vision are the most challenging things. The idea is to find every place you can on the course to increase the radius of the turns and open up space to be on the throttle more of the time. These are a few of the things I've learned, and I am very much a novice at this still And most of all, have fun with it.
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Elazar '08 ML550 daily driver '13 F150 work truck '87 MR2 racecar '92 Lsl Claret 5sp "Be kind to your motor car." - Jackie Stewart |
#7
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Re: Autocross Techniques
Thank you, Radarwhiz, very informative. Did you ever use left foot braking. I took a 3-day rally school a few years ago, and left foot braking was the order of the day. The sequence was:
* turn-in (nothing happens on wet gravel) * throttle lift, moderate braking (weight transfer, front tires bite, turn initiates) * continue moderate braking through turn, maybe induce the rear to come around a bit * lift off brakes, go immediately to throttle (turning straightens out) Left foot braking allows instantaneous transition from throttle to brakes and back. Works well on dirt and wet gravel when you get the hang of it. Wonder if it would work in Autocross
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____________________________________________ 95 LS-i Red, 31,xxx; bone stock for now; Daily Driver 94 LS-i Emerald Pearl, 106,xxx,; 246 whp; Tomyx snorkus and HKS Cold air intake; PWR aluminum radiator, silicone hoses; Inline thermostat; enhanced coolant routing; external power steering and oil coolers; Phenolic intake manifold spacers; 2004 WRX 5 speed transmission; ACT Clutch Kit, Heavy Duty Pressure Plate, Lightweight flywheel, performance disc; Group N motor mounts; ‘07 WRX 4-pot front calipers, cryo-treated slotted Tribeca rotors; Hawk HPS ferro-carbon pads; Frozenrotor rear slotted rotors; SS brake lines, Axxis Ultimate pads; Rota Torque 17x8 wheels; 245/40-17 Bridgestone RE01-R's; Koni inserts with Ground Control coilovers, Eibach springs; K-Mac camber/caster adjustable strut mounts; Urethane swaybar bushings; Bontrager rear sway bar; Urethane differential bushing; Custom Whiteline adjustable rear lateral links; Outlaw Engineering forged underdrive pulley; custom grind Web intake and exhaust cams (11 mm lift, 250° duration); solid lifters; CP custom aluminum forged 11 to 1 pistons, Brian Crower coated SS intake & exhaust valves; Brian Crower upgraded springs w/ titanium retainers; NGK sparkplugs; RallyBob (Bob Legere) ported and polished cylinder heads; Eagle H-beam rods; ACL Bearings; Cometic Head gaskets; ARP head studs & fasteners; Hydra Nemesis EMS; Wideband O2 sensor; 740cc Injectors; Walbro 255lph fuel pump; Upgraded WRX starter; Equal length SS headers (3 into 1); dual Magnaflow cat converters; 2 into 1 into 2 SS exhaust with Bullet muffler; OT Fiberglass hood; Oil pressure gauge; Programmable shift light, 2017 Subaru Forester XT, metallic dark gray, 29,xxx 2005 Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabrio, 24,xxx 2006 Subaru Outback LL Bean, 166,xxx sold 92 LSL Dark Teal, Smallcar Shift Kit - sold |
#8
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Re: Autocross Techniques
I have not tried left foot braking yet. I just have not developed enough feel and control to be able to use it for braking yet. I see a lot of people who do very successfully especially since there is really no shifting to do.
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Elazar '08 ML550 daily driver '13 F150 work truck '87 MR2 racecar '92 Lsl Claret 5sp "Be kind to your motor car." - Jackie Stewart |
#9
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Re: Autocross Techniques
SGS,
Never had much success with the SVX and left foot braking myself as I could never find the right feel for it. I think a lot of that was due to the SVX liking to lock itself up before it would break. Used to do it all the time in my XT6 autoxing as I needed all the help I could get autoxing it. Now that I got a new racing project car hope to get back into it myself, mostly track days.
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British vehicles are my last ditch attempt to keep the nasty Italian thoughts in my mind at bay. So far its working. |
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