Capital Driving Club Discussion Forum

Hello everyone,

I am a novice to Solo II, as well as car tuning, and am looking to run my 2011 WRX Hatch. After reading the novice guides from CDC and SCCA, what came to mind was, "Stop with the engine upgrades and focus on car control, road surface grip, and drive train response." Starting with car control, I have been doing research on the various pieces to a car's suspension and am wondering were a novice should start. So far I have been looking at strut bars and sway bars. Anyone have pointers on were to start with the second most complex system to a car (IMHO)? I state this because I know suspension is not just bolting parts on and calling it a day. There is camber, ride hight, and toe adjustments involved in maximizing grip to the race surface. I have limited garage space and lack a car lift.

I appreciate any advice and reference documentation on the subject.

I wouldn't worry over mods yet. Learn to drive first. The car is fine stock, even the tires it comes with are great! Myself and a few friends run a car just like yours in stock class. It is a very formidable car. Granted we went to the limit of stock class.

But if you have to sway bars and shocks are a good place to start.

jake

great source of suspension tuning info:

http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets.html

But I do agree with Jake, it's very easy to just throw money at your car instead of working on the most important part which is the driver. I would recommend if you haven't already spending the money first on going to a few autocross schools.

I concur with konkilr. Just drive the car as is for now. The car's limits far exceed your personal limits and you'll get the best bang for the buck spending money on event entry fees. Then, after a year or so of developing your own driving skill, if you want to go faster the next best bang for the buck upgrade is race tires. Not just sticky street tires, but real r-compound auto-x racing tires that are shaved and heat cycled and mounted on a 2nd set of wheels that only ever get used for auto-x.

All,

Thanks for the great advice. It is disappointing I am coming into this sport at the tail end of the season. I really want (more like need) seat time and instruction. Without seat time, how would I be able to effectively adjust my suspension anyway. Right? LOL.

You have a subaru, the season is just beginning! Get some winter tires (your wrx comes with summer only tires) and find some empty snow covered lots. You would be suprised how well this can help you learn car control.

If you are willing to travel there are some autocross events in the snow near Pittsburg. If I could make one of these events I would, but for now I have to make my own local snowcrosses.

jake

konkilr wrote:You have a subaru, the season is just beginning! Get some winter tires (your wrx comes with summer only tires) and find some empty snow covered lots. You would be suprised how well this can help you learn car control.

If you are willing to travel there are some autocross events in the snow near Pittsburg. If I could make one of these events I would, but for now I have to make my own local snowcrosses.

jake

Did not know know this. I will have to keep an eye out for the snow events.

You could also come out to the rallycross this weekend at summit point WV

rallyx.wdcr-scca.org

eage8 wrote:You could also come out to the rallycross this weekend at summit point WV

rallyx.wdcr-scca.org

When the SCCA refers to your car having a hardtop, does that exclude those with moon roofs?

There are a ton of things you can do to the subaru from a mod perspective. If you're not all over the forums then that's a great place to start. Lots of the Subaru guys like to run front and rear swaybars and that would probably hold you over for awhile. Personally I would go get an alignment done since these things come from the factory with a terrible alignment. The alignment will keep you from eating up the outside of your tires too bad at the auto-x. Then just get some seat time! There are a few STIs and WRXs that run at the CDC events. Any time I'm there in my 08 STI hit me up for a ride.

elyblue wrote:

eage8 wrote:You could also come out to the rallycross this weekend at summit point WV

rallyx.wdcr-scca.org

When the SCCA refers to your car having a hardtop, does that exclude those with moon roofs?

no, moon roofs are fine. They're strictly talking about convertibles.

v10climber wrote:There are a ton of things you can do to the subaru from a mod perspective. If you're not all over the forums then that's a great place to start. Lots of the Subaru guys like to run front and rear swaybars and that would probably hold you over for awhile. Personally I would go get an alignment done since these things come from the factory with a terrible alignment. The alignment will keep you from eating up the outside of your tires too bad at the auto-x. Then just get some seat time! There are a few STIs and WRXs that run at the CDC events. Any time I'm there in my 08 STI hit me up for a ride.

I will be attending the last CDC autoX events on the 19th and 20th to learn the ropes of the sport. Hope to see you there.

eage8,
Thanks for the invite to the SCCA Rallycross event this Sunday at Summit Point WV. I am a fan of Rally America and WRC, unfortunately I will not be able to attend.

elyblue wrote:I will be attending the last CDC autoX events on the 19th and 20th to learn the ropes of the sport. Hope to see you there.

eage8,
Thanks for the invite to the SCCA Rallycross event this Sunday at Summit Point WV. I am a fan of Rally America and WRC, unfortunately I will not be able to attend.

I'll be there both days. However, the first day I'll be driving the wife's red JCW mini. The plan is to drive the STI on the second day however I might end up in a blue e46 M3 or a GTI depending on how things go...