The Project STX Sedan Thread

[Big Sky WRX]

someone took a Koni dyno and based on frequency/weight of the car/spring rates/etc was able to pick the "proper" damping (80% critically damped) for my vehicle- interestingly it was near full soft. So I gave it a whirl and ran them full soft- it actually wasn't half bad I ended dialing in a little more damping as I found it more advantageous in the fast transition stuff. With your spring rates I'd consider starting w/ 3/4 turn from full soft (this should be roughly half way) I think you'll be surprised

[Pzary3233]

Good to know, I'll try that out tomorrow on the way to school!

[ButtDyno]

"The car seemed like it was having a rough time transitioning and it was bumping. "

What are your ride heights?

[Pzary3233]

Originally Posted by ButtDyno

"The car seemed like it was having a rough time transitioning and it was bumping. "

What are your ride heights?

John, I edited what I wrote...
Just shy of 35mm lower than stock. I don't think bump stops are the issue, it is the transition through an offset gate or Peterson box. I don't mean to say like i felt like I was riding on the bump stops. I was meaning that the transition was not smooth it was more bumpy and twitchy yet controllable. I WISH I had video!!!

[Pzary3233]

Here is a video of our course:
YouTube - PORSCHE In-Car 4-19-08 MMP SCCA Autocross

[wrx wagone]

Just to make a guess at your transitions...

1. I'd probably leave the Konis on full stiff. They are currently helping your roll stiffness for lack thereof.

2. You probably need more front roll stiffness.

3. The car probably feels like the front takes a bit to long to take a set (tires to get a good hold), while the rear feels as though it's going to get overloaded and come around but then just stops rotating.

Is that close?

[Pzary3233]

Originally Posted by wrx wagone

Just to make a guess at your transitions...

1. I'd probably leave the Konis on full stiff. They are currently helping your roll stiffness for lack thereof.

I must say it rides MUUUUUCH better not on full stiff!

Originally Posted by wrx wagone

2. You probably need more front roll stiffness.

I'd be willing to bet you are correct!

Originally Posted by wrx wagone

3. The car probably feels like the front takes a bit to long to take a set (tires to get a good hold), while the rear feels as though it's going to get overloaded and come around but then just stops rotating.

Is that close?

Umm... maybe??? It never felt like it was going to come around. It was more of the front just not planting (Maybe too much rear camber). The rear end acted the way I liked it, and I could correct the understeer by downshifting into 1st and powering through. There is no way I think I could have induced a nice oversteer situation, which would have been very good at some points. I even tried a little flick and that didn't do it.

[wrx wagone]

Originally Posted by Pzary3233

I must say it rides MUUUUUCH better not on full stiff!

For street use? If so, yeah it should.

Originally Posted by Pzary3233

Umm... maybe??? It never felt like it was going to come around. It was more of the front just not planting (Maybe too much rear camber). The rear end acted the way I liked it, and I could correct the understeer by downshifting into 1st and powering through. There is no way I think I could have induced a nice oversteer situation, which would have been very good at some points. I even tried a little flick and that didn't do it.

Yeah, I think your camber is saving you. I figured with the rear bar on full stiff, the front would allow weight to transfer over to the outside, but the rear bar would catch that weight and overload the tire.

[Pzary3233]

Originally Posted by wrx wagone

For street use? If so, yeah it should.

Yeah MUUUUCH better. While out on the Auto X Course it just seemed like there was binding in the rear of the car. hence why I was thinking about lowering the rebound a bit.

Originally Posted by wrx wagone

Yeah, I think your camber is saving you. I figured with the rear bar on full stiff, the front would allow weight to transfer over to the outside, but the rear bar would catch that weight and overload the tire.

Bar is in the "middle" notch now, we'll see how it feels. I don't want to change the setup too much for my HPDE this weekend... I know what they car can handle at the moment. Or well I know what I can handle in the car.

[Pzary3233]

The car is cleaned out, ready to go, pre-teched, and now I am going to go fill up on crawfish and have a classroom session for the PCA HPDE Event!

[Pzary3233]

Well, this weekend was an enlightening experiance for me and the car!

The car handles REALLLY REALLLY REALLLY WELL on the road course. Predictable, turn it was great, braking was good (For a lap), power was a tad lacking but still good.

Here's the Layout of MMP:


It was a great day I learned a lot, and it was great fun to pass Porsches and stay on their butts through the turns!

My BIG complaint of the weekend was my brakes.
Brembo Blanks
Axxis Ultimates
FHI 4/2
Stock cooling ducts.

THEY SUCKED after one lap slowing down to go into the right hand sweeper from 130 was scary and I would enter it a bit too hot and that wasn't fun. So I had one lap hard, one lap slow, and so on. I was not happy at all with the brakes.

Everything else worked flawlessly! Tires were great, Suspension was great, Alignment was spot on. Maybe a hint more of front camber would have been nice. Overall the car was very well balanced without any significant amount on understeer, just some when I over cooked corners but I could get the car to rotate. So what works well for the track isn't anywhere near the same as what works on the Auto X course. This I am finding out! I had a couple different instructors drive my car and they all loved it besides the brake issues.

It was interesting how anti-auto-X some of these instructors were... it was really sad to tell you the truth.

Alright picture time!

[Pzary3233]

Ummm yeah, one of three in the US!

[Web Foot STi]

Giggles. The big track is a little different.

Personaly, I need Ferodo DS3000 brake pads at the track. Try 125 mph into a second gear chicane.

Portland International Raceway - Track Map 2

Not bad for a city park?

[Big Sky WRX]

better pads, more ducting =

some nice Porsche's!

[wrx wagone]

Bump, Paul. Updates plz.