FINDING SPEED on a WET COURSE: Autocross Results
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- čas přidán 23. 07. 2024
- Autocrossing in the rain can be an adventure. At this event, my 2004 V6 was up against 7 other cars in CAM-T and Mother Nature. If I want to earn enough points to stay competitive in the season standings, I have to push my pony up to (but not past) the limit on a course covered with puddles!
This video provides 5 TIPS FOR AUTOCROSSING IN WET WEATHER & SHOWS HOW I FOUND SPEED ON A SOAKED, SLIPPERY SURFACE.
*Every driving mistake is magnified on a wet surface. I’ve run on wet courses before & I’ve got enough autocross experience to know when I’m pushing my cars too hard for the conditions. If you don’t have any wet-weather autocross experience, or you’re a novice who’s only done a few events, adjust your attack strategy accordingly. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Your autocross videos are some of the best I've seen on CZcams
Thank you! It's always nice to hear that people are enjoying my videos.
Autocross does seem like fun! Love your videos
Autocross is awesome & really easy to get into. Thanks for checking out my videos!
Coming from a Dirt Track background, Loved racing in the rain. Maybe time to return to Autox with the Crown vic.
I hope you bring the Crown Vic out to some events next season!
i have driven in steady rain on an autocross track Then drove hove on those same tires. BF Goodrich Comp T/A R1 they held in the wet better than street tires in the dry LOL
The Rival S 1.5 tires I use are notoriously bad in standing water. Driving to events in the rain on those tires is always interesting. The Falken Azenis RT660 & the Bridgestone Potenza RE71RS tires perform better in wet conditions. I will probably be switching tires at some point next season.
The comp t/a s are definitely gone. I had a 185/60-14 size....
Lowering your pressure in the wet is the wrong move. Go the other way and make the tire rounder and harder to prevent the sipes from closing up on the bottom. I usually go UP 4-5psi.
When I drive the car to events in heavy rain at 32 psi, I always deal with some hydroplaning at higher speeds. The video doesn't look as bad as it felt in the car, but that first run at 28 psi was pretty sketchy. I'm always willing to try something different to find speed. I'll give higher pressure a try the next time I'm autocrossing in the rain. Thanks for the tip!
unrelated question, i'm looking into modding my stock 1991 lx hatch for autocross, and i'm trying to decide between coilovers or retaining the original geometry with lowering springs and adjustable shocks which would be cheaper. i plan on doing other suspension mods in the future. which would you recommend?
None of the cars featured in my results videos use coil-overs or aftermarket K-members. If you watch those videos, you'll see that they are pretty competitive at my local events. I'm a big fan of trying to do more with less. Many of the Mustangs I compete against use coil-overs, and those cars are very capable. There are a few things that should factor into your decision: How much autocross experience do you have? If you've never autocrossed before, drive the car the way it is for a few events to learn the fundamentals before making major mods. Seat time/instruction will make you faster than any mod you can make when you're first starting out. What SCCA Category/class do you want to run in? If you're running in Street Category, coil-overs aren't allowed. If you're running in CAM-T, you have more room for mods. But running in CAM-T can mean going up against heavily-modified cars. Do you want to do local events, or regional and national events? It's really important to know your goals before you start making mods to your car. You can always get a set of adjustable shocks & struts that can be converted to coil-overs in the future. In that situation, you'd only be out the cost of the stock-style lowering springs. If you let me know your goals and your budget, I'd be happy to suggest a balanced recipe for making the car more capable on course. You might also want to watch my video about the Humble Mechanic Mustang mods; it shows basic mods that make these cars handle much better than stock.
@@warhorseracing i haven’t autocrossed before, the car is too light to compete in cam t so it’d be cam s or something else like local or regional events. ultimately the goal is to make the car competitive and balanced while staying on the inexpensive side. i don’t need a ton of power, so i’m mainly focusing on modifying suspension and brakes. part of my goal is to lighten the front end for a better weight distribution.
@@sayooky5661 I'm always reluctant to tell novices to modify their cars before they start autocrossing, but I know the realities of driving an older car. Your bushings, unless they've been replaced, are probably in bad shape. The mods I'm suggesting are all legal in CAM. If you choose another Category/class, you should verify that they are legal. Keep in mind, these mods are going to add some NVH. I'm assuming your car is a 5.0L. You will also be adding weight, which might make the car eligible for CAM-T. You can also add weight to get the car to the CAM-T minimum (just put it in the right place to help with balance). Here are the mods:
1. Adjustable shocks & struts. If you think you will upgrade to coil-overs in the future, get Koni Yellow (single or double adjustable). If not, the KYB AGX shocks & struts are an inexpensive option. I was pleased with how they felt on the Humble Mechanic Mustang, but I don't have long term data on their reliability.
2. Global West Del-A-Lum A-arm bushings & Delrin steering rack bushings
3. Steeda or J&M CC Plates. Poly upper strut mount bushings (only the bottom piece will be used if you install CC Plates)
4. New ball joints and inner & outer tie rods
5. Ford Performance C springs, poly isolators & Steeda front spring spacers
6. Steeda or J&M rear upper & lower control arms with 3-piece poly bushings.
7. J&M spherical upper differential housing bushings
8. A 24 mm OEM or aftermarket rear sway bar (try MPS Auto Salvage on Ebay for OEM parts).
9. Full-length subframe connectors (I prefer Stifflers)
10. Stifflers lower chassis brace
11. Steeda strut tower brace
Those suspension mods will replace all the OEM bushings that might be bad, make the car handle much better than stock and allow for adjustability.
I would also recommend lightweight front and rear bumper supports (unless you daily drive the car). I wouldn't worry as much about taking weight off of the front of the car at first. Learning to drive a car with flaws will help you become a better driver. There are a number of K-members/A-arms available that can reduce front end weight when you're ready to make those mods. That will also give you a chance to see how modified your competitors' cars are. Once you have experience, you can decide on your "next level" rear end upgrade (Panhard bar/Watt's link/Torque Arm, etc.)