First Auto X in the valiant.

[Lakeeffect]

I have done a few Solo events before but only in AWD and FWD cars.

I can give specs on my car if needed but i just wanted some advice with these bigger cars. Maybe what your running for suspension setup. I have the green brick/ edelburgs skosh chart.

 

[autoxcuda]

1.00" minimum torsion bar. All the way up to 1.22"
1 1/8 or 1 1/4" front sway bar
adjustable rear sway bar
widest tires possible.... Something like 275/40/17 on 17x9 with perfected backspace
Don't need fancy discs for autox. Runs are too short to get them that hot and will put you in another class.
adjustable proportioning valve
Koni, Hotchkis RCD, AFCO or QA1 shocks to fit your budget.
0 deg toe out, 1.0 to 2.0+ deg neg camber, 4-6 deg pos caster. Can get those minimum with moog 7103 offset UCA bushing and stay in E-Street Prepared class.
Good drivers seat with big bolsters.

 

[Lakeeffect]

best 15 inch tires i could get 225/60/15 v rated 360 TW On Bassitt inertia advantage wheels (light)
poly everything.

home made tubular/dbl adj UCA
1 inch torsion
hellwigg sways fr/r RCD shocks

subframe connector/extensive seam/torsion bar bracing welding

318/Bolt ons/cam/xpipe duel
8 3/4 suregrip 3.91
alum fly/TKO-600rr

basically i'm worried about working the throttle and not spinning out. Even with the 318 this thing is defiantly different then my old VW R32 or Rabbit. How far can you let these cars hang out around a corner? Easily correctable? Too much work to rip on the streets and find my limits with this car.

 

[autoxcuda]

best 15 inch tires i could get 225/60/15 v rated 360 TW On Bassitt inertia advantage wheels (light)
poly everything.

home made tubular/dbl adj UCA
1 inch torsion
hellwigg sways fr/r RCD shocks

subframe connector/extensive seam/torsion bar bracing welding

318/Bolt ons/cam/xpipe duel
8 3/4 suregrip 3.91
alum fly/TKO-600rr

basically i'm worried about working the throttle and not spinning out. Even with the 318 this thing is defiantly different then my old VW R32 or Rabbit. How far can you let these cars hang out around a corner? Easily correctable? Too much work to rip on the streets and find my limits with this car.

Just go and run it. It's really impossible to guess exactly how it's going to react.

Start conservative and then build speed. If you think it's tail happy put the rear sway bar to the weakest position (outer). Or just disconnect it.

 

[dusterbd13]

most courses around here are designed by miata or mini guys. i HAVE to have oversteer to navigate these courses. i prefere powered oversteer, not designed in oversteer. more controllable.

and how savable is something each driver and each car qualify as different. what i can save, you may not be able to. vice versa.

my setup:
.89 t-bars, fmj spindles, rubber bushings, adjustable strut rods, boxed LCA's, K"YB shocks, addco sway bars f/r, subframe connectors, 255/17 tires, -2 camber, 1/16 toe out, 6 caster. also have firm feel stage 3 power steering.

 

[Lakeeffect]

Thanks guys, I know it should run decent. I currently have the "MAX Performance street" setup from the Mopar action Skosh chart. but this was only a garage deal with a bubble gauge. DusterDB you are running a lot of Caster.Side affects? I have a flaming river manual box. from what i have read + caster makes steering harder?

Autoxcuda I have PMed you a few times in the past and you have always been very helpful. Your threads/tech has helped me out a lot. I just want to say thanks.

i got a 340 bare but ready to assemble in the works. Figured i should get my barrings with the 318 first.


Edit - What is "powered over steer" just mashing the throttle?

 

[prrc]

Don't mean to highjack your thread. I'm building a 65 Dart PT/ Autocross car. So any info I can gather is great. First hand knowledge from anyone is always welcome. Rear Tires size is no problem as I am doing a mini tub. But the fronts on my car is a big problem. I would love to run a 17x8 or 9 up front. just don't think I can fit a 9 under it.
Heres a question that one of you guys might be able to answer that I'm having no luck finding.
When lowering the car with the T/bar should you use a stiffer T/bar to make up for unloading the T/bar? I'm guessing that the T/bar system uses a preload to determine sprimg weight to original ride height?

 

[autoxcuda]

Heres a question that one of you guys might be able to answer that I'm having no luck finding.
When lowering the car with the T/bar should you use a stiffer T/bar to make up for unloading the T/bar? I'm guessing that the T/bar system uses a preload to determine sprimg weight to original ride height?

The torsion bar height adjustment screw has does not preload the bar and change the the spring rate. It's function is just like putting/taking away a spacer or block on a coil spring car. Just the level of the car changes. The diameter and lenght of the T-bar determine the spring rate.

You might want to run a stiffer T-bar in a lowered car so it resists bottoming out. But really for performance handling bigger springs resist body roll and front brake dive.

To run big tires/rim on a Mopar you need to run high backspace rims to utilize the room inside the wheel well. What limits you there is running into the outer tie rod and the tire hitting the inner frame rail when max turning. On a 17" you can get away with 5.0" to 5.25" if you plan well and run flat type upper ball joints and do not run dropped spindles. That gives you around 3/4" extra room inside the wheel well beyond the common 4.25" or 4.0" backspacing most people run.

 

[prrc]

Steve Thanks, I figured you would have the answer I was looking for. I have had a 17 on the front of my car. And yes the upper ball joint grease fitting is very close. 18s just seem really big for the little Dart on the front.
Thanks

 

[Lakeeffect]

First auto x is over and it was a lot of fun. Even in the 40 degree weather and down pour. Car handled great and first run was a 60 seconds final run was 48 seconds . Fastest time of the day was a pretty gnarly Mitsu EVO at 43 seconds . All and all i was very happy with my setup. i was definitely wishing i had Power steering. I may be switching over to PS and a steering quicken-er. The car was very neutral but i may tighten up the rear Sway for a little over steer. Hey Steve have you put your car on scales recently? whats your weight/distribution?

 

[autoxcuda]

First auto x is over and it was a lot of fun. Even in the 40 degree weather and down pour. Car handled great and first run was a 60 seconds final run was 48 seconds . Fastest time of the day was a pretty gnarly Mitsu EVO at 43 seconds . All and all i was very happy with my setup. i was definitely wishing i had Power steering. I may be switching over to PS and a steering quicken-er. The car was very neutral but i may tighten up the rear Sway for a little over steer. Hey Steve have you put your car on scales recently? whats your weight/distribution?

It was weighed at Hotchkis with digital scales. But that was before my new motor and the Hotchkis TVS. So that was with cast iron: heads, intake, exhaust manifold, water pump, brass radiator.

So with the heavy motor, etc it was 3418 lbs.