I've caught the autocross bug. Unfortunately, this happened after lowering my car which has thrown me into STX in a car which is not prepared in any other way to be in this class, so I want to get some opinions on what I should do.

I have two sets of wheels, the factory S-Winders (16x6.5) and some Enkei GF1's (17x7) with really crappy Kumho AST's on them. Which would be the best wheels to fit with dedicated autoX tires, the 16's or the 17's? The tires I am looking at are the Azenis rt615, and the Dunlop Z1 Star. Also, what would the best tire size be for each wheel?

I'm willing to put some other mods into the car like a larger sway bar and camber plates, but the car doesn't have a LSD and that's not something I'm likely to add. Would I be better off just putting the stock springs back on, getting a set of Hoosiers and sticking with G stock?

 

Stick with G Stock. You will be way more competitive there even without the LSD than you ever will be in STX

 

without disagreeing with the previous post, can i pick your brains for a minute?

> how much autoX experience do you have?
> were you intending to run regionally or shooting for national tour?
> have you changed the shocks or just installed lowering springs?
> are the current (lower) springs the same rate as stock, or stiffer?

I bought a JCW Mini in '04 and then read the rulebook. Surprise! I was in A Street Prepared. I ran ASP on the Dunlop runflats in '04, and on Hoosier's in '05 before the current STX rule appeared.

In '04 I had about two years experience, scattered between '77-'78 and a twin cam Neon that I ran a few times in '02 and '03. In other words, a beginner.

My first three years were really just going to school, and the results just did not matter except that they indicated how my education was progressing.

This year I've about fifty events under my belt - all in the Mini - and am finally starting to concern myself with fractions of a second as opposed to seconds. This year the equipment matters a bit.

But remember the pecking order of AutoX speed:
85% driver
10% tires
4% shocks
1% everything else

So the road splits here sort of.

If you go back to stock springs, upgrade the shock package, setup the chassis, get some good R compound tires, and go from there you should have a mini that is competitive regionally in G Stock.

If you stay low, add camber plates, add rear sway bar, and get some good 140 treadwear rubber, you'll also have a car that's capable regionally.

Either way, you'll have the same driver! 85%!

So you might be able to have your low Mini cake and eat it too - depending on where you are in the learning curve...

I personally adore the STX setup I have, as it is pretty much a hoot to go and get groceries in a car that can exceed 1g lateral acceleration without breaking a sweat (and without stickies!).

Either way, if you rummage around the site I reckon you'll find that the 16" diameter is generally preferable to the 17" due to gearing and weight.

I do believe I'd try the Z1 Star Spec first, or the RE-01R Bridgestone on those wheels, and I'd stick to a 205 or 215, and avoid the 225 unless you are willing to tolerate some quirkiness on the street (tramlining, torque steer and such).

Just 2 bits - no matter what you come up with I wish you an absolute hoot running the car...

Cheers.

 

Charlie, thanks for the great input!

I'm a beginner (there's the 85%).
Shocks are stock, not sport package.
Springs are Mach-V's which are progressive rate.

I've had the opportunity to co-drive another MCS just like mine set up for GS with the RE-01R's with a very experienced instructor and was able to cut seconds off from the times in my car on the same course. I've got a ton to learn but I've become immediately frustrated with the tires in particular and what seems like terminal under steer.

My main objective is fun. Where else can you drive like this and not pay ungodly fines or spend the night in jail?

Winning is not my top priority, I just don't necessarily want to always be at the bottom of the STX list because I'm not properly set up for that category.

 

a couple of more bits

1. understeer prevention:
a. slow in, fast out - I STILL overdrive the car !!!!
b. camber (if you stay in STX) helps a lot (I run -2.5 front, -1.0 rear)
c. rear sway bar stiffness
c. tire pressure variation (I go high on the back axle to reduce the contact
patch a bit - there's a fair bit of debate on the high/low decision)

2. my experience (humbling) is that there's normally a 2-5 seconds difference between an experienced driver and a beginner in the same equipment

3. what i've learned a bit 2nd hand and a little bit 1st hand is that the difference between fast equipment and slow (given a fast driver) is in the 0-2 second range

The stages of autocross addiction for me looked thus:
1. wild enthusiasm, high goals, $10k in mods
2. complete frustration at miserable results
3. moment of truth - quit? or set lower goals over a longer term
4. driver training - the best of which was being beaten in my own car
5. practice, practice, practice

I'm kind of mellowed out at the moment, but it was a hell of a ride for the first few years!