Does anyone else on the board autocross? I took mine out for her first event yesterday, it was a small 60 car event, 2 heats. So I didn't get anyone who could film me, but I got all my in car video up. Hopefully before the next event this coming Sunday I can get the camera adjusted so that it can see out the windshield without having to be zoomed in to do so.

Here's my post in the video section.

https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....threadid=27497

chris

 

Try 40 psi front and 28 rear, works real well with stock tires, I was within 3 seconds of a 5 time national champ with Hoosiers all the way around! Go to 2nd ASAP and stay there, we have a lot of torque. Rock On!
John

 

I've only been to a few, and I agree on the gear choice. However, since the car tends to understeer, wouldn't it be better to have lower pressure in the fronts than in the rears? It seems like 40 font and 28 rear would make things worse.

What am I missing?

Thanks,
D'oh!

 

I had a friend with me that has raced for years, he wanted to be able to use the whole tire, basically increase the contact area.
We raised the fronts and lowered the backs till it worked, damn buzzer drives me nuts. With lower pressure in the front it will try to run on the outer edge, as Nissan gave us hardly any camber.
John

 

I see they understeer, but I plan on making some camber and toe adjustments here in the next few weeks to see if I can fix that.

I also notice that if you just brake like crazy then power out of a corner it responds fairly well, the way I had to drive my Z-28.

 

I thought I was the only one not tearing up main street at 2am with Vinnie Diesel and the boyZ!

I've had the Z out to 4 autoX's so far (2 last fall, 2 this year). I've been playing with tire pressures quite a bit. On the stock 17" RE040's, I've found about a 5lb. pressure difference front to back is optimal. In other words, run 5 more lbs/psi in the front tires than in the back. This past weekend, the car was handling very nice with 37-38 psi in the front, and 32 psi in the rear. These are cold tire pressures that I'm talking about...air temperature at around 70 degrees F. I wasn't rolling the tires over at all on these pressures...they were wearing right to the edge but not over. If it's colder, you should drop a bit of air from the tires.
I may try playing with a tiny bit of toe out on the front to help the car turn in...probably something like 1/16. I'll be sure to post if I do.

For solving general handling problems, check this out:
http://www.wtrscca.org/tech.htm#problems

Hope this helps...happy racing, and good luck!

ps No offence rktjhn, but 3 seconds is a lifetime on an autoX course!

 

I figured that I was up against a 5 time national champ who had slicks all the way around, I was on street tires, 3 seconds is about what I figure I can make up when I get my slicks later this week.
The tire pressures really help, and he cranked in 3/8 of on inch toe out into his car( in the front).
As a note here, 18 inch slick seletion really sucks, Kumho has a 225 and a 265 in the excsta model, other choice is Hoosier. Some of the people have Azenis, but I was unable to find any info on them.
John

 

I hear you...here's some more advice though. Buy a cheap set of 17's (like those new enkei's) for racing. You'll have a much better tire selection, and you'll save a nice chunk of unsprung weight.

I'd look into Kumhos...cheaper, and last much longer than Hoosiers...not that much less grip either...possibly more consistent over the life of the tire.

Falken Azenis come in various 17 inch sizes...no 18's AFAIK. You can buy them here: http://www.vulcantire.com/azenis_t.htm

 

Just got my new kumhos mounted up, 265 fits just fine on the back stock track rims, dosen't even look bigger at all. Had to go with 225 for now up front, let you all know how goes Sunday.
John

 

you "had" to go with 225s up front? I was thinking 245s all the way around when I get a set.

What package do you have? I have the enthusiast.

 

I believe he said he was running a Track with stock 18s...so he was limited by the tires available. Hoosier has about the only good set of 18" sizes that will fit on the stock Z rims.

How long have you been autox'ing rktjhn?

 

when I called tire rack the other day, I found I could either have 225/35-18 up front in the Kumho or go with an "R" Hoosier in a 245.
So far it feels fine, turns in sharper from the 35 vs 45, and sticks way better, the real test will be Sunday.
Been doing AutoX for 4 years now, ran ESP in a tricked out 99 Cobra, and my main thing was Open Road Racing where I would average 150 mph for 85-125 miles on closed roads in Nevada and Texas.
As we get more "stuff" for the Z's I will go back and compete in Open Road Events. Wish someone would develop a harness bar like the Vettes have, with that and harness' I could run up to 140, as the car is right now I would only be allowed to go 117.
I really like the way the Z handles, our choice of doing mods suck as we end up in ASP right now, everyone lobby for CSP or BSP, ASP is tricked out ZO6 country!
John

 

I have heard from a reliable source that the **** will advise the SEB that it be classed in BSP.

 

NICE VIDEOS.

 

The weather did not cooperate Sunday, made 2 runs with the windshield wipers on, and got a 3 rd place. Got within 1 second of 2 xpert racers so all was not a waste. Tires did pretty good, but conditions sucked.
At 40 psi front and 30 rear car was handling real well, tires where running right on the edges, can't wait till next time.
John

 

You got luckier than I. Our event was cancelled due to the weather yesterday, had it not been lightning we would have had our event even in the downpour, but 150 people standing on a wide open parking lot is probably not the safest scenario in a thunderstorm!

 

we don't seem to be doing too well against the best US drivers, results from the Castle national tour event below. Is't this Ankeny guy suppose to be an autocross hotshoe? Maybe he was still on street tires and unmodified, can't understand why else the 350Z is getting beat so bad ...

http://www.scca.com/amateur/solo2/na...er/atwater.pdf

 

It will be interesting to see Carter Thompson's results. I think he's a 5x national Pro Solo champ in other classes, and he seems pretty happy with his 350Z when you talk to him. He's working on getting shocks and sway bars dialed in now.

He posted here the other day about his participation on the One Lap of America event that is currently underway.

 

I just got into AutoX in January (due to the delivery of a certain car) and am loving it. I haven't been able to get anyone to tape me yet though, unfortunately.

Any ideas on how you got the camera mounted in your car? I would love to do the same but am an unimaginative SOB.

 

I run a HAMA suction cup mount in my 350z, it works rather well and is easy to use. I got mine from http://www.soloperformance.com/ for around $100