I'm giving one more season in HS. Then I'll probably try and max it out for STS.

STS is a more appealing class to run in because it lets us do all the stuff we want to do to cars autox or not autox.

Is there anybody here that is FULLY PREPPED for STS?
Custom-valved shocks?
custom spring rates?
light weight wheels?
good alignment?
all the bolt-ons?

 

definitely not fully prepped here. I just bought a house and am planning a wedding, so my car spending is lower this year

I have TRD springs, which are actually just shy of the perfect drop for the tC's geometry. However, having more choice on spring rates and some adjustable dampers would be very nice. Tein SS-Ps will probably be my next big suspension mod and then Hotchkis front and rear sways.

Running an extra set of OEM wheels with Azenis on them this year for autox. Tires mounted and ready to pick up tomorrow :D I would like some lighter wheels at some point too.. but I got the extra oems for dirt cheap, so I picked them up.

Plan on playing with alignment settings this season too.

 

Tough to come up with the FULL setup for STS. I go by the 80/20 rule.


TRD springs on stock shocks
TRD sway on "race"
Dezod links
DME rear upper strut tower bar (for what it's worth)
Alignment next week --- going for -1.5 front, with progress bolts. 0 toe F/R. Stock caster. Also found that 35 psi front / 45 psi rear is perfect for me.
*May adjust as necessary, depending on how it goes. Lifetime alignments rock.

Power wise- CAI / Spipe / Magnaflow rear section... Which is close to all we can do as for that.


But, partially for appearance, partially because I like smaller sidewalls... on 18x 7.5 rims @ 25lbs each. Could definitely get lighter, but not that far from stock weights.

I don't really have the time or money to go for adjustable dampening and work through the trial/error to get it just right. I figure if I throw a set of RT-615's on my 18's as they are, I should be quite competitive at the local level.

With Fuzion ZRi tires, and JUST a TRD sway, I'm already PAX'ing in the middle 1/3. Next sunday will be the next test, with the new mods. Hoping to PAX in the top 1/3. (Rememer, very little STS competition here)... Then going for PAX glory with the Azenis later this summer.

 

lol @ PAX glory.

I really, really want the Tein SS-P's with the EDFC. Like, really. I'll probably end up just getting the Basic's, but if I could get my hands on an extra $700, I'd totally get the SS-P EDFC setup instead.

I'm on the fence between getting the APEXi Neo, a nice tune, and maxing myself out (aiming for 170whp) in STS engine-wise... or putting that money towards a coilover kit.

I'm PAXing in the top 1/4 on the setup in my profile, and I'm aiming for top 1/5 by the end of the year.

 

Pretty sure you cant run any sort of edfc in autox, so you wouldnt benefit from that part unfortunately.

 

SCCA 2008 Solo Rules:

13.5 SHOCK ABSORBERS
A. The make of shock absorbers may be substituted providing that
the number, type (e.g., tube, lever, etc.), system of attachment
and attachment points are not altered, except as noted below.
The interchange of gas and hydraulic shocks absorbers is permitted.
The following restrictions apply:
...................

5. Electronically controlled shocks may not be used on vehicles
not originally equipped with such units.

 

Eh, please, rain on my parade more.

 

Lol, either way you are only supposed to adjust the edfc while the car is standing still. I imagine trying to tune it while driving hard would damage the adjustment valve.

But I just installed my SSPs, I love them to death, and you don't need an extra set of wheels for the Azenis. I've daily driven them since December 07 ftw.



pre ssp's though =]

 

That's why I'm confused as to why the EDFC is illegal. What's the difference if I electronically or mechanically adjust them? It's not giving me any advantage on the track; it just saves me the trouble of having to go through the adjustment process every time I get there.

 

It isn't technically illegal. What the rules are referring to are dampeners that are continuessly controlled by an electronic unit. You would make you adjustments pre-run and you would be set. Unlike a unit like TEAS which controlls the dampening of your dampener according to your veihcles speed and such.

http://www.tanabe-usa.com/coilovers/teas.asp

I've adjusted my SSP's several time already, it only takes 2 minutes. The fronts are easy and if you cut a hole in the rear interior the rears are easly adjustable.

 

Is it pretty easy to disconnect and remove the EDFC between runs?

If so just dial in your settings and remove it while you are out on course.

 

Yeah its easy, but I don't see why you would need to remove it though. As I said, the rules are only referring to electronic units that will controll the dampening while on the course. These units will stiffen or decrease your stiffness according to your veichles speed.

The EDFC is different, its just an electronic device to adjust the dampening but only while the car is standing still. Since it does not continuesly adjust the dampeners you will be fine.

In my .02, there are better ways to spend $500 than on a device that does what you can do in just 2 minutes.

 

This has been a topic of discussion among autox'rs, and the general consensus is that it is illegal. If you are running local events and your club is willing to let it go, then that would be fine... however, I would not try it at nationals.. you are just asking for a protest. Actually, I have heard of a guy losing his runs at nats for having carpet pad removed.. illegal weight reduction

You can adjust dampening while driving on the course with the controller, so you could, for example, stiffen it up right before a slalom. So since it does not specifically say "continuously or automatically adjusting" in the rule, I would not try it.

But I agree that there are much better ways to spend that kind of money.

There are some cars, however, that you cannot get to the adjusters on without removing the dampers... which is a pain.

 

Oh I'm quite aware there's better ways to spend the kind of money the EDFC needs. It would be more for wow factor/lazy factor, one of the very last things I'd get for the car, and something I would probably petition for as part of a contingency deal with Tein or something. It's just a dream.

How easy is it to adjust the Basic's?

 

The Basics are only height adjustable. Just a matter or removing the wheel, and twisting the collars up or down with the spanner wrenches to adjust the height. Rubber mallet is your bff when you get to this.

 

Well then my next question would be whether the Basic's are competitive enough or if the SS are in order for autox (SS-P is, realistically, too expensive for me ).

 

i just did my first event today here it is

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=220228

=]

 

It's up to you.

As I said, 80/20 rule.

80% of benefit - from first 20% of cost.
Last 20% of benefit - from the last 80% of cost.

TRD springs are enough to be locally competitive. But do you want to spend 10x that ?

 

It also comes back down to the fact that driver is always the majority in the equation. A lot of the guys that have been doing it for years and years will tell you to leave the car alone, improve the driver.. you probably have a few years of much higher potential improvement in that area typically.. and years and years more incremental improvement Obviously, most of us want to mod and improve on the car anyway, so it is always a balance. But the key is not to make too many changes at once. Preferably, you want to make one change between events and one only. You need to see how each change affects the car independent of the rest.

Got my fresh azenis mounted up and ready to go!!

 

Oh, I'm quite aware that as far as driver skill goes... being that I've only been on an autocrossed three times in my life, I'm about as competitive as a soccer mom. There's no way that I'm using the full potential of the tC out on the track yet.

Buuut... I don't think it's deniable that, while there's absolutely no way a novice like myself could take full advantage of a major upgrade like a coilover kit, it would still be a vast improvement. It would still improve my times. It might not make a noticeable dent now, but it will at some point in my life, so why not go ahead and make the investment now?