Where i live now, people are trying to start up an autocross track for the first time in the province. i am having sub-frame connectors installed next week and a homemade strut tower brace. How do our cars handle compared to FWD hondas and VW's(which is the most common cars around here). there may be a scattered mustang or whatever but what are some tips and how have you guys done in auto x events? my car is an auto, so should i put it in d, OD or shift it manually? Is low or high tire pressure better for autox? any help would be appreciated!

 

Third gens handle very well. You should have no problem outhandling one of those fwd cars, especially with your suspension mods. I would just leave it in d the whole time. Dont attempt to upshift and downshift manually through the gears as you could do serious damage to your tranny like that.

 

run your tire pressures up to 40 to 45 psi and dont over drive the car smother is faster

mike

 

I would just keep it in 2nd gear. If you put it in "D," it will probably upshift when you don't want it. Like when you're in the middle of the corner and let off the gas, it might go up to 3rd just when you want to power out of the corner. Or it might "hunt and peck" between gears if you're trying to combat wheelspin (gas, downshift, let off because of oversteer, back up to 3rd, gas, downshift, let off because of oversteer, back up to 3rd, etc). Keeping it in 2nd will give you more control. Unless it's a huge course, you won't get out of 2nd gear.

As what was said, higher tire pressures in front. Check your tires to make sure they're not rolling over a little on the sides. There are little triangles on the shoulders of all tires -- you want to try to make sure they don't disappear.

And don't sleep on the FWD cars! You can go pretty fast in a small, low HP car if you never have to lift.

 

alright, thanks for the tips guys. i'll be making a few runs anyway so i'll try it in D one time and in 2nd another time and see which feels better through the turns. thanks again.