Hey all. Been a while since I posted.

I have started putting my car to some good use and getting into autocross. Solo II to be exact. Anyway I already have Koni Sports and GC coilovers, and now I am trying to think of what would be the next thing to do.

I was reading some threads and it seems a rear sway bar would be a great investment for handling. So I am trying to decide what rear sway bar I would get:

ITR Rear Sway
Comptech Rear Sway
Other...?

I am sure the Comptech is a great bar, but is the ITR almost / just as good? The ITR one is clearly cheaper. Any others?

Also, what about a front sway bar? A rear strut tower brace? Is it worth replacing the GSR stock front tower brace?

If I get the money I hope to get, I will buy all 4, but for now, I need help deciding what my priority should be as well

Thanks

-D

 

If you drive a gsr you dont have to worry about the front sway bar, same as the itr already. Comptech says that there is no need for a rear strut tower brace in our cars. If you get an ITR rear sway bar, then you need some kind of reinforcement. There is a beaks kit, or the BSQ kit. A pricey, but better option might be the comptech rear sway/tie combo.

 

since you've already started down the modification road, my standard autocross advice (i.e., don't modify anything for a season) doesn't apply.

Here's what I'd do in your shoes:

-tires and allignment. Falken Azenis are great autocross tires, Kumho 712's and MX's are also decent. As for allignment, I run -2.5 degrees front camber and -1.5 rear, zero toe all around... it works great for me, but if you want a little more rotation, a *little* rear toe out wont hurt. If you don't have a camber kit, you can do it the cheapo way and just lower the car until the camber is right, and then just zero out the toe.

-rear swaybar... I'd reccomend itr just because it has the best results/dollar ratio.

-Revised spring rates.. If you have the "standard" ground control spring rates, they're not very well suited to autocross. Definitely get a lot of time behind the wheel and get a very good grasp of car dynamics before you go arbitrarily picking out spring rates though.

-optional/your preference... Polyurethane suspension bushings. These will do wonders for feedback and control, but are harsh for a daily driver. If you don't intend to get really serious about competition, you may not want to bother. If however, you don't value ride quality too highly, go for it.

-tie bars/strut bars... these do the least of all the things I've mentioned thus far, but they do help. A good last step.

 

Depending on your budget, a separate wheel and tire setup may be the way to go. Refer to this year's rulebook -- a slick-style tire on a separate set of stock rims might keep you in the same class. In some cases, going down to a smaller-diameter rim can improve gearing and keep 2nd-gear in a higher RPM, which is critical for Honda engines in Auto-X . Of course the best way to improve lap times is practice. Get the book "Secrets of Solo Racing" by Henry A. Watts at the bookstore -- it's great. I've been Autocrossing on-and-off the last 4 years and found the above to be helpful. The previously posted specs on alignment are great, but if you drive in the snow up in NB, keep in mind that it may get squirrelly as your daily driver. Good luck...

RH77

 

I always get an allignment when I put my winter tires back on (zero out the camber), and one in spring when I put my summer tires on (back to racing allignment). For $100/year, I find it well worth it

 

THe reason he suggests doing a season prior to mods is that you will get yourself into a higher class with mods, get frustrated and not enjoy it. Tires are the single biggest improvement you can make from where you are now