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Autocrossing tips??

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Autocross tips? Buy these http://forums.themustangsource.com/f722/ast-coilover-shocks-sale-509719/

Just kidding. Shocks alone will not make a better Autocrosser, but it's certainly a start in the right direction.

I run 315/18 A6's on all 4 corners with a slight rub on the rear sway bar. Strano bars, adj upper 3rd link, and a few other odds and ends. Just ran the Spring Nationals on my first event of the year with a new shock and spring package. We installed the shocks, corner weighted, and set toe/camber/ride height 3 days before leaving. Learned my lesson so please test your set-up before going to a big event and also drive 2-3 events to work the Winter bugs out. Co-Driver and I were a dismal mid-pak and fighting a loose condition for 3 of 4 days (Pro/Tour). Could not put the power down on corner exit. We had much better results at the National Championships last Fall. I had the heaviest car, least amount of hp of the Mustangs (stock tune and no mods), and the only car with the wrong gear, factory 3:73. Shifting to 3rd at the Pro while learning a newly installed shifter was another issue. We were seeing speeds in the 72mph range. Anyway, I'll be 80-90lbs. lighter and 40-60whp stronger with either a gear swap or taller tires for the Toledo Pro and Peru Tour.

Oh, did I mention I have a set of AST shocks for sale?

Dave

I
 
BossJockey said:
I ran my first autocross this weekend. I ran in the AStock class on the factory Pirelli tires. I went with Gary's shock setting of 3/5. That and the Trackey tune seemed to work well to trailing throttle rotate the car. I forgot my air compressor so I had to run 35psi front and rear. It would of helped to have bumped up the fronts 4-5 psi.

Video of my last run. It was a 36.942 which got me 1st in the Rookie Pax times.
Nice work Jeff. Congrats on your first place finish.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_isgXzxIa24[/youtube]
 
Ran my first autocross at 500 miles on the odo as part of my "breakin." 8 practice runs, 5 timed runs (one was a redo because I caught the guy in front of me) Everything stock, baffles removed.

First run with instructor/friend telling me not to hit the apex, (wow I really suck through the slalom) Traction control was on!

http://youtu.be/4UNwG_hbbRI

Second run where I caught the guy ahead and first run where I finally remembered to disable traction control (kept stability control on)

http://youtu.be/WQoLS-apmpA

Ran 39.5 up front, 35 rear with shock settings 3/4 (front/rear). Car is very easy to rotate.

For those that turned off traction control and stability control completely (ie not on Advance SportTrac) is the car significantly different? I feel like a hero with the Advance SportTrac on but did too much wagging of the rear end. Ironically my traction control runs were just a smidge faster.

Got within < 2 seconds of my Z4 M friend on a course I was doing low 80s in. Will beat him next time, still getting reacclimated to rear drive after a 10 year hiatus. This course was a course setup for the Boss to dominate. Lots of long sweeping turns, I think I could've gained a lot more time in some of those areas but I'd stab the brakes slightly before entering some of them so as not to go in too hot. I went in super hot a few times and kept apexing too late.

I really suck through the slalom any suggestions? Any other general advice (besides remember to turn off traction control)

I need an aeroforce gauge, ambient temps were like in the 90s, oil was getting a little warm (nowhere near red but still looked hotter than usual, ie at the middle of the green band) This was with the fog covers off on a 2013.

Here's a souvenir I took home (part of a cone seared onto the rocker panel) It'll clay off I'm sure.

taketheconehome.jpg

- Frank
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
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Definitely have to get both traction control and the advance trac off. I was in a hurry at the last event and did not get the advance trac off, and bingo it fell on it's head in some of the tighter corners. Especially if turning quickly after a braking manuever.

You can try left foot braking through the slalom , but that is a learned techique. The best thing is to look ahead and begin your steering input earlier than you anticipate -- you have to be smooth on the throttle.
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
8,425
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Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Blair, Nebraska
I did not find it getting that loose , but you can definitely drive the car with the throttle. Autocrossing is great to get the real feel of the car, as mistakes and car control are experienced at a slower speed. Once you get on the track the Advancetrac may help when learning ,but this car will be definitely faster on a road course with everything off.
 

PeteInCT

#LS-378 - So many Porsche's, so little time....
Moderator
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Bill Pemberton said:
I did not find it getting that loose , but you can definitely drive the car with the throttle. Autocrossing is great to get the real feel of the car, as mistakes and car control are experienced at a slower speed. Once you get on the track the Advancetrac may help when learning ,but this car will be definitely faster on a road course with everything off.

+1.

I've found that on road courses not having everything off (hit brake, press button for 5 secs) impacted the cars rotation capability and the ability to throttle streer as wellas without it. At Limerock there's a steep uphill and you need to go over the crest of the top with your steering wheel at 12 o'clock or else you'll spin her if you have any appreciable amount of speed. There is a little margin for error on this section of track but not much. When launching over the top of this, I found that if I didn't hit it exactly right the Advancetrac made things worse instead of better since it starts pulseing the rear brakes - which is the last thing you want in that scenario.

What I took from all this was that for consistent elevation portions of the track the Advancetrac can be a benefit to those still learning to rotate the car and control the tail properly. But for fast tracks with significant elevation changes, where your tail can get very light as compared to the front tires, it can make things more difficult.
 
713
69
I run it in sport mode. I don't think I'm ready for "off" completely, yet. I nailed the uphill and never had the rear get loose on me. I had a one time the TC come on at the downhill. I was really going fast and tracking out. I felt it apply the rear brakes . Maybe I was a little too hot. :)
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
8,425
8,356
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Blair, Nebraska
Thanks Pete, for your info, I was suggesting if the gentleman wanted to keep the Advancetrac on while learning the course ( Autocross track ), it might be okay, but you said alot what I was intimating. I know some of the guys at Ford even recommend using Advancetrac, but like you I find it causes more issues than it settles. Once you start hustling the car it can screw up a set, and even on flat tracks if you like to run the curbing, coming down with Advancetrac on can have a unsettling jerk to it like you mentioned. Nice point, but then I don't like anything on except my foot, unless I am just cruising on the highway where traction control can have a benefit in rain, ice, etc.
 
fduboss302 said:
Bill is the car a lot more difficult to control with the rear loose when the advance trac is off?

I did a autocross school and started with AdvanceTrac on then progressed to Sport mode, then full off. To my surprise, the car was smother and the rear end was easiest to control with the AdvanceTrac fully off. Oh yea, my time was best with it off also.
 
Ran again today. Still on stock tires. The PCA guys in Orange County, CA do 8 practice runs and 4 timed runs. AdvanceTrac on Sport mode.

In my 8 practice runs I mistakenly ran the car with 4/5 front/rear damping settings with 40.5 psi/36.5 psi cold. Wow the car was an oversteer nightmare.

In my 4 timed runs I dropped down to 4/4 front/rear damping and 38.5 psi/35.5 psi cold. Car behaved as expected. Here's a video of said run

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynxhSrh1Em4&hd=1

I know I can carry a lot more speed everywhere else. Looks I let off and coast in a few of the turns that set up long sweepers (bad habit, maybe I'm a lazy driver!)

So do you think I could've run 4/5 front/rear damping just taken the tires down to something reasonable?
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
fduboss302 said:
Ran again today. Still on stock tires. The PCA guys in Orange County, CA do 8 practice runs and 4 timed runs. AdvanceTrac on Sport mode.

In my 8 practice runs I mistakenly ran the car with 4/5 front/rear damping settings with 40.5 psi/36.5 psi cold. Wow the car was an oversteer nightmare.

In my 4 timed runs I dropped down to 4/4 front/rear damping and 38.5 psi/35.5 psi cold. Car behaved as expected. Here's a video of said run

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynxhSrh1Em4&hd=1

I know I can carry a lot more speed everywhere else. Looks I let off and coast in a few of the turns that set up long sweepers (bad habit, maybe I'm a lazy driver!)

So do you think I could've run 4/5 front/rear damping just taken the tires down to something reasonable?

I think you should be at 5 in the front and if 4/4 was balanced, then 5/5 would work or use 5/4 if you are still fighting oversteer. Did you take your tire temps hot?
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
fduboss302 said:
Grant 302 said:
fduboss302 said:
These were tire temps cold. :eek:

Understood. So you didn't take the hot temps after the runs?

No but I was most likely easily running 40+ psi in every tire. Probably too high of tire pressures. How did you like "Dark Knight Rises?"

Yeah, you probably were over 40 after the runs, but you definitely want to check something after your runs, like tread profile temps, if you aren't checking pressure. If you're not heating things up much, your pressures might be okay, but I would want something to verify before you notice it in the tread wear patterns.

We loved the movie...but I guess my wife and I are fans. Better than I expected, though I wish there was a teaser after the credits!
 
Hello,
Need some tips on getting the traction to be fully disabled. With the brakes held and pressing the traction switch for 10 secs I get an advance track off switch along with the TC off icon illuminated in the lower left corner of the display. However, when pulling out of corners can certainly still fill power being cut.

Help me dori dori!!

-Chris
 
Are you in Track Mode?
 

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