This season I will be autocrossing my 2012 Justa in HS Road Tire..(new since I last autocrossed a car in a stock class)

This is the set up I am targetting and just wanted some opinions from people who have been campaigning minis already.

Alignement

Front Camber: As much - camber in the front as possible - pulling the plastic pins
Front Toe: -1/8"
Caster: ???

Rear Camber: Dial out as much - camber as possible
Rear Toe: zero

Wheels - I have a set of R84s with Dunlop Direzza Star Spec 205 50 mounted and ready

The only other thing I am changing for now is swapping the Rear sway...something along the lines of a Adjustable Alta 22 mm

Wanted to make sure this was close to what has proven to be the best set up....also, curious as to the air pressure guys are starting with.

When I ran a VW in Hstock on street tires I would have to inflate the tires more than normal and I would run about a 5lb differential between front and rear...the fronts softer to help the car rotate.
When I ran it on Rcomps I was able to run much less pressure due to the sidewall stiffness.
On my STS Miata with Dunlops I was running 205 15 inch and ran them at around normal pressure in the front with decreased pressure in the rear.

Curious as to what the general thought is on here...also how the dunlops hold up under the mini...do you have to over inflate them to keep them from folding?

 

I run 205/50-16 Star Specs with the factory sport suspension. 49lbs in the front, 44 or 45 in the rear depending on the surface. Chalk marks from the edge of the tread partway down the side wall will quickly tell you what the minimum pressures are.

I'm not aware of anyone having "proven" a particular HS setup for street tires. I suspect Mark Allen used his H stock JCW suspension to win RTF last year. I haven't talked to him since he drove my car in late 2011 though.

Star Specs are unlikely to be the fastest tire this year so don't blame your setup if you are comparatively slower than someone on the new Bridgestones, Dunlops, BF Goodrichs, or Kumhos.

 

Thanks for the reply!

I guess I should have asked for a ball park or starting point instead of the proven set up. I am on stock suspension - not even sport, plus I am not a top contender in my region in this class (or any class for that matter) with the number of fast pros in it, but I just wanted a starting point. So the last thing I do is blame my set up...the fault for my performance flaws sits comfortably behind the wheel.

I plan on going to the new Dunlops at some point this year, but was holding out to see how they ended up fairing.

I am amazed at the pressures you are running...those are close to what I ran in my VW just reversed since VWs are understeering pigs (this was also before you could swap the rear swaybar).

 

I'll give a bit of info from my perspective (2011 on the sport suspension).

On street tires up front it depends on the tires and surface...but 48-54 hot up front is not uncommon...it depends on the wear we were getting.

Out back it was usually 48-60 hot...but again that depended on surface and the balance needed. Now add a big rear bar (biggest available in my case...the Hotchkis RACE 25mm solid) and the setting changes depending on surface and temperature.

Next alignment...front is max camber and about 1/8" total toe out. Rear was minimum camber (about 0.4 neg) and zero toe.

So you're right on track. PM me if ya need any help.

 

you guys are running a LOT of tire pressure! this setup more or less is an improvement over ~38-40psi?

 

Yipes! Pardon my laziness as you've probably mentioned this but what rim/tire combination are you running at those pressures?

I'm startled as I'd expect acceleration and braking to be compromised, and would only resort to that to avoid extreme roll-over.

I know better than to think your are doing that by mistake, so don't take me as skeptical.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

Any tips on how to minimize that rear camber btw???

 

Thanks for the tips guys...got the alignment taken care of and a 22 ml adjustable bar in the back....not to play with tire pressures to get the car to feel good to me. I have not had an event yet where I was getting enough runs with warm tires to really start to get a good feel...but with a break now until May the weather should be warming up and the events running smoothly to help with that.

 

What kind of numbers did you end up with?

 

Was able to get -.8 up front with me in the car...With -camber maxed it was -.8 left and -1.2 right. I opted to have them even it up instead of leaving it at the max. Toe out in the front, zero toe in the rear with like -1.2 camber, we could not get it less than that.

It is amazing how different the car feels with the bar and alignement. I am looking forward to the next event and pushing the car in a safe situation.

 

ohh not bad - I'm assuming you must have done the camber mod?

 

We pulled the plastic pins.

The car is totally different now..I have yet to run it in an event, but on my local fun bits of road and favorite on and off ramps it is night and day with the bar and alignment....I am sure I will still get schooled...but I will have a bigger smile on my face.

 

how's the car doing? I'm on the stock sport suspension, ended up very similar alignment-wise after pulling the pins - -0.8 in front left, -1.1 front right, -1.4 in the back, zero toe all around. have yet to run with this new alignment, but looking forward to it. no rear bar yet here... how was the install?

 

Car feels great....I have slight toe out in the front so the car will tramline a bit, but amazing turn in. Much flatter with the BRB and feels very nuetral. The rear bar install is not too bad....you have to drop the rear sub frame...but it took me about an hour and a half solo using jack stands.

 

not bad! thanks for the input