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Have either of you checked out the SCCA Fast Track for December yet? Check out all them cars moving to DS. I don't think any of these moves will help put the 350z back at the pointy end of the spear.
Those changes don't take place until the 2019 season.
IMNSHO, SCCA is scared of Nissans - but LOVES Mazdas, especially Miatas/MX-5s. Why would they have multiple classes where "you need a Miata" to even get a chance to win.
I'm late to this conversation, I managed midpack in CS at 2016 nationals. I'm excited about the move to DS but with so many cars being moved there it's kinda a crap shoot. I've run my 06 GT for most of 2014, all of 15 and 16. Stock end links are fine, Doblers car was also running stock endlinks with no trouble. I had the hotchkis bar and swapped ot the strano/adco bar for 2016, still stock endlinks, no problem. Went FM for 2017 and again next year but I might return to CS at nationals depending on the run days. I have +23 forgestars with square 275's.
The car is buried in C-Street in anything other than a local event. I'm curious if Dick/Ryan/Steve mentioned my name to you...
I did cone away what would have put me into the lead at the Pro finale in 2016 against the ND's but gave it all I had at Nats and ended up 13th (top Z) out of 86 drivers, mostly ND's. Drying conditions did hamper my position a few spots for sure...
I will post more later but there isn't much secret to the car in street class...
No mention of you.
Looking forward to hearing what you have to say about setup and any advice you can offer.
I'm late to this conversation, I managed midpack in CS at 2016 nationals. I'm excited about the move to DS but with so many cars being moved there it's kinda a crap shoot. I've run my 06 GT for most of 2014, all of 15 and 16. Stock end links are fine, Doblers car was also running stock endlinks with no trouble. I had the hotchkis bar and swapped ot the strano/adco bar for 2016, still stock endlinks, no problem. Went FM for 2017 and again next year but I might return to CS at nationals depending on the run days. I have +23 forgestars with square 275's.
I selfishly hope that not all those cars end up in DS, fingers crossed?
What setting did you run your Hotchkiss bar at?
What are your thoughts on running 285/30/18s instead of the 275s? Would the slightly larger contact patch be worth it?
Any advice on alignment you can offer is appreciated. My initial thought is was toe out up front with some toe in, in the rear. Should help to get the big girl to rotate easier.
Care to post a picture of your car? I am interested in how the +23s look with 275s.
Here's mine with 18x9 & 18x10 +25 with 275 RE71Rs.
I honestly didn't put any work into mine, so there have been a few tenths I left on the table in prep. First, those wheels are heavy but cheap, I could have spent more on Forgestars or the like. I ran the Hotchkis bar on the stiffest setting. I put in OTS Koni Yellows, revalved Konis or other custom shocks would help this car. The recollection of driving a better prepped 350Z in stock back in the day versus mine was noticeable. Lastly, I never messed with the alignment, albeit only F/R toe and rear camber is adjustable. Having said all that, the car isn't going to win Nationals but can easily contend for trophies and random tour and pro wins.
I selfishly hope that not all those cars end up in DS, fingers crossed?
What setting did you run your Hotchkiss bar at?
What are your thoughts on running 285/30/18s instead of the 275s? Would the slightly larger contact patch be worth it?
Any advice on alignment you can offer is appreciated. My initial thought is was toe out up front with some toe in, in the rear. Should help to get the big girl to rotate easier.
Care to post a picture of your car? I am interested in how the +23s look with 275s.
I know you weren't asking me, but my thoughts...
DS will be getting a ton of cars moved there, but it's mostly mute as I think the Camaro is quicker than the Z anyway.
Hotchkis bar on full stiff for me, more front shock would have helped me too.
No idea on alignment, I'm not a fan of toeing out the front of cars, I would do zero toe up front, enough rear toe-in in the rear to keep the car from turning into a drift car and allowing you to get on the power as soon as possible.
Here's mine with 18x9 & 18x10 +25 with 275 RE71Rs.
Dang, +25 front and rear looks nice.
Do you often find your self needing 3rd gear at local or US events? I am tempted to try the 285/30/18 RE71R for a little more contact patch after a chat with Ryan last year. If I remember correctly you lose about 5 km/h of top speed in 2nd (112 to 107) which I figure should be of no real concern.
Any input on defeating all the stability and traction control systems via the yaw sensor trick? Do you find the system that remains on after turning everything off (via the OEM VDC switch) intrusive?
Will be interesting to compare alignment specs if a few more people share theirs.
Do you often find your self needing 3rd gear at local or US events? I am tempted to try the 285/30/18 RE71R for a little more contact patch after a chat with Ryan last year. If I remember correctly you lose about 5 km/h of top speed in 2nd (112 to 107) which I figure should be of no real concern.
Any input on defeating all the stability and traction control systems via the yaw sensor trick? Do you find the system that remains on after turning everything off (via the OEM VDC switch) intrusive?
Will be interesting to compare alignment specs if a few more people share theirs.
I agree, I like the look of the +25 offset, brings the wheels out just enough with the meaty tires to be flush.
No, with the 07 HR motor redline I don't think I've ever gone to third gear at an autox nor spent much if any time on the limiter. Looking back at 2016, I wish I had bough the 285's to lower the car further. Contact patch is more directly related to wheel width, the tire itself will just balloon more.
I never tried to defeat the system other than just pushing the button. I would need to re-read the SCCA rule book but I don't think any other methods are legal in "street" class. I never found it to be obtrusive, I can drift the car at will, I have noticed the vdc light has flashed at me on numerous occasions but I never "felt" the car do anything. With the system left on, yes, it is complete garbage. I turn it off daily.
On alignment, like I said I was lazy, and never aligned it, but the goal would be to be able to put power down as soon as possible. Every moment spent off throttle in the Z is losing more ground to the ND's. I don't have the thrust charts, but the ND's and 350z thrust in second gear is similar iirc.
As far as D Street for 2019, it seems like it will be a lot like CS before the ND's were developed. The Z was a contender but an underdog. The Civic Type R could be really fast in DS if they move it there.
As far as D Street for 2019, it seems like it will be a lot like CS before the ND's were developed. The Z was a contender but an underdog. The Civic Type R could be really fast in DS if they move it there.
The Civic Type R is already officially classed in DS for 2018.
Small update! The weather here has been terrible. The sun just appeared and has begun to melt all the snow we still have. Our first practice event of the season has been pushed back from the April 15th until the 22nd. This will give me the time I need to get my tires mounted on my new rims, get the new dampers, front sway bar and end links installed. Pending all of that I will have my friend align the car. A touch toe out in the front, toe in, in the rear while pulling out some negative camber.
To date all I have managed to do is change all the fluids in the car (went with Motul everything and a AMS Oil filter), get it insured, plated and out of my parents garage and back home to my place. It wasn't easy but I managed.
After pulling my car out of the garage I managed to get it stuck immediately.
I had some gravel kicking around and managed to get it unstuck.
It might be worth it to take the suspension all apart in the back and grease whatever you can, possibly replace bushings.
I've been chasing a weird binding in the back of my car on right hand turns under power. I took apart the rear suspension completely. Every one of the arms back there was frozen in place, as in wouldn't move. I'm in a STU prep at the moment so I replaced all the bushings with Energy Suspension Poly. I greased the living crap out of everything. Despite what everyone says about poly, everything moves freely now. I have yet to drive it as I'm working on the front suspension still. Just a thought.
It might be worth it to take the suspension all apart in the back and grease whatever you can, possibly replace bushings.
I've been chasing a weird binding in the back of my car on right hand turns under power. I took apart the rear suspension completely. Every one of the arms back there was frozen in place, as in wouldn't move. I'm in a STU prep at the moment so I replaced all the bushings with Energy Suspension Poly. I greased the living crap out of everything. Despite what everyone says about poly, everything moves freely now. I have yet to drive it as I'm working on the front suspension still. Just a thought.
Thanks for heads up. I had the suspension apart yesterday and managed to get the more or less everything done. The new dampers are in and I only have to finish installing the front sway bar and installing my new rims and tires. I do however have two questions.
1) When I assembled the stock springs on the Bilstein's I notice the spring is hardly compressed compared to on the stock damper, is this normal?
2) With our first event less than a week away, how should I set my Hotchkiss bar up? Full stiff to start?
1) Considering the ride height has to be the same, it seems the preload on the springs would also be the same. Maybe check to see the hadrware at the top is all assembled correctly?
2) I ran the Hotchkiss one hole short of full stiff. So on one side I was using the closest hole to the bar, on the other I was using the second closest to the bar. I started out on full stiff but found I couldn't play with the front to rear balance with rebound as much as I wanted to. After the change to 2nd hole from full stiff, I could get that balance by messing with rebound.
Well, I have had the chance to run the car at a few events now and have to say the 350Z is a great package. The car doesn't have any bad behavior and does exactly what you want you it. With the power band being so linear it doesn't punish you if you get on the gas to hard or early like Vettes or big torque V8s do. I will be putting the Hotchkis front bar to full stiff for the next event. Big thanks to everyone I bothered about making sure my wheel and tire setup would fit.
I am finally getting the car detailed and the paint corrected as it will be making an appearance at a local car show our auto-x club will have a booth at.
After breaking my whiteline endlinks, I would suggest buying SPL from the beginning
I broke my SPL front end links after less than 1000 kilometers of street driving and 9 auto-x events. Before anyone asks, yes, they were installed correctly. My good friend who is a mechanic and accomplished auto-x driver double checked my installation. This is with the my bar set to 3/4 stiff. I am going to set the bar to full stiff and see what happens. I think the car will benefit from this.
I have ordered some Whitelines and reached out to SPL about getting some replacement parts ordered. I will try and keep an extra set of links on hand.
12-26-2017, 10:21 AM
