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Ultimate Autocross

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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
Not for pleasure reading! Great source of information for serious questions

This thread will contain most all aspects of racing, from car setup/tuning, driving tips, suspension, common mistakes, etc..., This info is info Ive gathered over the yrs from various sites, and magazines. I have lifted the information directly from the sites and will give full credit at the end of the thread. This Info comes from several autocross & road racing National Champions, and is very detailed and specific.
I urge everyone that is interested in any form of motorsport at the ameture level to Join SCCA, Nasa, and other club racing organizations. I have
condensed most info to some extent. I have many more articles on various aspects of racing/prep, if your interested PM me. Hope you enjoy the information below. :thumbsup:

-------- lines indicate different sections of same topic

_______ lines indicate new topic

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1.) Beginner's guide to autocrossing

2.) Driving tips (covers the top 10 driving mistakes)

3.) Chassis (all you need to know)

4.) Suspension (covers shocks, anti roll bars, and choosing the right brake pads)

5.) Wheels (covers choosing the right wheel +wheel terminology)

6.) Being faster in "stock" class (great tips to give you an edge in "stock" class)


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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
Beginner's Guide to Autocrossing

Lots of folks fantasize about becoming a race car driver one day. Whether they picture themselves as Fangio in an Alfa Romeo, Andretti in a Lotus or Randy Pobst in a Porsche 911, they know the life of a racer is for them.

Unless, however, they have the raw natural talent--and a sugar daddy to pay the bills--making the transition from daily commuter to race driver can be a long and sometimes painful road.

There is an easier alternative--a way to experience real, live motorsports competition without risking dents, financial ruin and a torn-up car. Yet despite this ease of entry, this sport is still very much underground.
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Welcome to the world of autocrossing.

What's an Autocross?

Autocrossing in one form or another has been around for years. In fact, this magazine catered solely to this market when we debuted as Auto-X back in 1984. Basically, autocross--called Solo II by the Sports Car Club of America--is a time-trial event in which one car a time competes against the clock on a pylon-lined course that's typically 30 to 60 seconds long. Fastest time wins. Hit a pylon and add two seconds to your time. It's a sport where events--and championships--are lost by a blink of an eye and the width of a tire.

Adding to the challenge is that fact that you don't get any practice runs. It's a sport where you have to be able to go from standing still to full-on race mode instantly. You'll get to walk the course a few times to get the gist of where you'll be headed, but the clock will be running each time you're in the car. Most events allow three or four runs, but there is still almost no room for error.

To keep things fair, competitors are placed in different classes depending up their car type and modifications made to it. A lot of clubs, SCCA included, then break the groups into Open and Women's classes. Check the sidebar for more info as to where you and your car will wind up (but don't get too wrapped up in classifications at first--the main goal here is to have some fun).
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Getting Started

The ease of getting involved in autocross is one of the sport's main attractions. Most any vehicle (no lifted trucks) and practically any driver (over 16, please) can compete, whether you're a kid with an import drag Civic, an old-timer with a Bugeye Sprite, a soccer mom with a Saturn or a daily commuter with a BMW 3 Series. Everyone is invited.

First thing you need to do is find an event in your area. Check our Coming Events section, call your local SCCA Region, surf the Internet or hunt down a nearby sports car club, because odds are there's an event somewhere near you in the next week or so. As autocrossing requires a nice, flat piece of pavement, most events take place at parking lots or airports.

If you can't find a local event, yet really want to participate, e-mail us--maybe we can help you find a local outlet.

Once you have found where the next event will take place, make plans to show up bright and early. (The sign-up info should be available from the club.) Since most autocrosses start early in the morning, don't plan on partying too much the night before.

Before heading out, there in one basic item you must have with you: your state-issued driver's license. Most clubs require one before letting you out on course. You should also bring along some money for entry fee (typically about $15), as well as something to eat and drink during the day. Since you'll be outside all day, dress appropriately and bring some sunscreen. Autocrosses are also generally held rain or shine, too.

When you get to the site, look for someone who seems to be in charge. Simply walk up to them and repeat these all-important words: "Hi, this is my first autocross. Where do I go?"

From there, you should be in good hands. The people at the event will show you where to register, how to fill out the required forms, where to take your car so it can get teched, and where and when the drivers meeting will take place. Most of the time, the registration people will be easy to find, either sitting at a table or in a small trailer.
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This is Safe, Right?

For the most part, autocrossing is no more dangerous than driving to work. Actually, it should be safer, because in theory there are no drunks autocrossing. Also, autocross courses are set up to keep everyone under 60 mph. While that may sound slow at first, trust us when we say it feels a lot faster--especially the first time you spin out.

Still, a helmet is often required for autocross competition. Actual specs may vary from club to club, but many follow the SCCA's lead and require a Snell M90, SA90 or better rating. Loaner helmets are usually available, although having your own will definitely give you one less thing to worry about.

That's about if for the safety gear that you'll need to buy. At the event, someone will run your car through a basic safety inspection, but any decent street-driven car should pass. Basically, they'll check the condition of your throttle return spring, battery hold-down (no bungie cords), lug nuts, wheel bearings and seat belt (factory ones are okay). They will also make sure your brake pedal doesn't go all the way to the floor when depressed, and they'll look to see that no cords are showing on your tires. Of course, no one says you can't go above and beyond and have your mechanic give the car a thorough once-over before the event.
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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
Car Prep

Even though autocrossing is no faster than driving on the highway, some simple car prep should be done before you head out. Mainly, make sure everything is properly tightened down. A loose suspension component will only flop around and cause more havoc when you're pushing the car to the limit.

You should also re-torque your lug nuts (check your owner's manual for the specs) and top off any fluids (brake fluid, engine oil, coolant, etc.). Since your tires will also be stressed a bit, pump them up to their maximum inflation. This will keep the sidewalls stiff and give some better handling. While tire pressure adjustment is a very useful tuning device, as long as the car is not rolling the tires onto their sidewalls just leave them alone for now and concentrate on your driving.

You'll notice that the fast guys will be on DOT-approved race tires, but for now your street tires will be fine. (We're assuming no cords are showing). Race tires are faster, more predictable, better handling and last longer, so consider picking up a set sometime down the road. If you don't have the budget for new ones, finding a used set and some pre-owned wheels shouldn't be that hard. Just remember to be resourceful.

Before leaving home, you should also clean out your car. Having empty Burger King cartons, CD cases, magazines, tools, wayward farm animals and other stuff sliding around your car is both dangerous and quite distracting. That same goes for junk in the trunk.
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What to Expect

Your first autocross will probably go by as a big blur, but basically here's what generally happens.

First, you need to register and take care of any necessary paperwork. The registration people will assign you a number (or you can choose your own) and tell you where to go for tech. At tech, someone will check the basics we just talked about (lug nuts, throttle return spring, etc.). Some clubs will allow shoe polish numbers on the windows, but professionally cut vinyl looks way better without costing a mint.

After tech, you should have some time to walk the course. Try to pay close attention when doing this, or there's a good chance you'll find yourself lost out there among a sea of pylons. Find someone who has done this before and see if they'll let you walk the course with them.

Expect a driver's meeting before the first car is sent out. Here the officials will welcome the beginners, go over some basic rules of the day and announce the schedule. Generally, you'll be broken up into work-run groups, which means you'll work while others race, and vice versa. Duties can include working at timing and scoring, writing down people's times, or chasing after knocked-over cones. If you're new at this, volunteer to pick up cones. Yeah, it's hard work, but it's usually best not to be in charge of timing and scoring at your first event. Also, while you're out on course shagging cones you'll get to watch the others run and will, hopefully, pick up some ideas.

When it's your time to run, try to relax as much as possible. Sometimes some light stretching or deep breathing helps--anything to get the butterflies out of your stomach. Pounding a few beers before your run is not a recommended way to relax.

Before pulling up to the starting line, make sure you can comfortably reach the steering wheel and pedals. Since you'll be making some big steering inputs, you may want to pull the seat a little more forward than usual to give yourself some extra leverage on the wheel.

This is a matter of personal opinion, but some drivers like to flip all of their mirrors so they can't be distracted by what's behind them. This also deletes the temptation to see whether or not you really hit that last cone in the slalom.

When it's your turn to run, the starter will motion when it's clear to pull up to the starting line. When you get the signal, go! Since the timers start when you actually break the start line--and not when you get the signal to go--you don't have to launch the millisecond you see the green flag. On the other hand, don't sit there all day either.

Once out on course, concentrate on being smooth, making deliberate steering, braking and throttle inputs. Most cars can run an entire autocross course in second gear, so don't worry too much about shifting gears. We have seen novice drivers in souped-up Camaros downshift into first at every turn, and basically they are just wasting time and making extra tire smoke. If our BMW 318ti had enough torque to get around an autocross in second gear (and it did), then your car almost certainly does.

Also, try to make your best effort to stay on course. If you do leave the course, you'll be scored an O/C (off course) or DNF (did not finish). Still, if you screw up and can easily get back on course, keep running to get the experience. Same goes for if you club a cone. Yeah, the two-second penalty will probably make that run's time worthless, but there's no reason you can't treat the rest of the run as a practice session.

If you find yourself totally out of control, remember the basic line: "In a spin, both feet in." Plant your feet on the clutch and brake pedal, and hopefully the world will soon stop spinning.

When you pass the finish line, slow down and get yourself under control. When cruising through the paddock to head back to the starting line for your next run, remember to drive very, very slowly. Lots of people are walking about, and it would be bad to run one over.

After you've had your fun for the day, remember to be a good guest and help pick up the course, thank the event officials, and make plans to attend the next event.
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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
I'm Walkin

Since walking the autocross is really the only practice you'll get, try to maximize its usefulness. For some tips, we turned to multi-time Solo champ Danny Shields. Here's his advice:

· At the start, plan to position your car to maximize your speed through the lights. Remember it's okay to increase the distance before you get to the starting lights to give yourself a better running start.

· When looking at a turn, remember that a late apex will give you more speed on the next straight.

· Consider elevation changes: you'll need to slow down for an off-camber turn while you can run faster through a banked one. Also, an uphill section before a turn means you can brake a little deeper.

· Watch out for rough patches (less traction).

· While in a slalom, try to rotate your car before passing each cone.

· Visualize the whole course. You need to be thinking at least one corner ahead of where you are.
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Classy Guys

To keep things fair, autocross clubs break competitors down into classes depending upon the type of car and its level of preparation. This way, a Miata driver doesn't have to worry about facing off against a guy in a Corvette. (And the Corvette driver doesn't have to worry about the Miata--a very real possibility, since autocross tends to reward those with smaller, more nimble cars.) Also, NOC means "not otherwise classed."

The SCCA is the big gun in autocross, and most independent clubs follow the SCCA rules anyway, so let's take a quick look at the different SCCA Solo II categories, and the classes within them (each class offers both Open and Women versions). For official details, check the SCCA rulebook.
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Stock

Despite the name, the SCCA does allow some modifications to Stock category cars: brake pads, front anti-roll bar, and shocks may all be changed. Any road wheel with the same dimensions as the original piece may be used, and most competitors run DOT-approved race tires. Exhaust systems may be changed after the catalytic converter. Cars are assigned one of nine Stock classes depending upon performance.

Body work: Stock.

Interior: Stock.

Suspension: Stock, but different shocks and front anti-roll bars are allowed.

Engine: Stock, but mufflers and air filter elements may be changed.

Wheels/tires: Stock-size wheels; DOT-approved tires.
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What to Bring to an Event

This list covers everything from sunscreen to snacks to tires pressure gauges. You will probably come up with your own list of things you need at a Solo event, but this will get you started.

You must have:

Your car (although you may share a car with someone else) Your entry fee A valid driver's license

You may want to bring:

* Your SCCA membership card, to get a discount on entry fees
* A safety helmet
* Extra air in your tires. Stop at a gas station and fill your tires to approximately 45psi-Front/35psi-Rear for a front-wheel-drive car, or 40psi all around for a rear-wheel-drive car.
* Suitable shoes for driving. The best are light-soled, with a narrow sole which does not stick out past the side of the shoe
* Sunglasses
* Sunscreen
* Clothes appropriate for the weather forecast, plus a change for when the forecast is wrong.
* Rain gear / umbrella
* A hat
* A folding chair
* Thermos of water or other non alcoholic beverage
* Cooler for lunch or snacks
* Windex and paper towels
* A pad and pencil to write down all the advice you'll get
* A copy of the current SCCA Solo II Rule Book
* A good tire pressure gauge
* A portable air tank or compressor
* Chalk or white shoe polish to mark the tires
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Tech Inspection Requirements

Safety Helmet: If you bring your own safety helmet, it must be approved by Snell in the current or two most recent ratings (e.g. if Snell 95 is in production then that, 90 and 85 are legal). The club provides loaner helmets for people who do not have one.

Safety Belts: Original safety belts, at a minimum are required. Shoulder belts are not required, if your car did not come with them, but you must have a lap belt. Belts must be firmly attached.

Solidly Mounted Battery: The battery must be held down properly. If it can be moved at all, it will not pass. There are some additional battery requirements which may affect you if you have modified your car. The Tech Inspector will help you out with them.

Legal Tires: In Stock and Street Prepared categories, the tires must have measurable tread, and must be in good condition. Excessive weather checks or visible cord/plies will fail inspection. Tire pressures should be higher than used for the street, usually 45psi-Front/35psi-Rear for a front-wheel-drive car, or 40psi all around for a rear-wheel-drive car.

Brakes: The brake pedal must be firm, with no loss of pressure when held down.

Steering / Suspension: The steering must be tight, with no excessive play. Wheel bearings cannot have excessive play.

Hub Caps and Trim Rings: Hub caps, trim rings and wheel covers must be removed for competition, unless they are bolted to the wheel.

Loose Items in Car: All loose items must be removed from the passenger compartment and trunk. This includes the floor-mats. You may remove the spare tire and jack, but you are not required to if they are properly secured.

Fluid Leaks: Excessive fluid leaks will not pass inspection.

Numbers and Class Markings: The car numbers and class markings should be prominently displayed on both sides of the car in colors that contrast with the paint, and should be large enough to be seen easily from the timing van. White shoe polish for marking windows (comes off with Windex ) is available for people who don't have magnetic or paper numbers.

Adequate Muffler: Your car must be quieter than 95dbA (RLS) measured 50 feet from the course at a place where you are under full throttle. Due to the possibility of losing sites for noise problems, this rule is strictly enforced. (If your car is quiet enough to avoid attracting Police attention, it will most likely pass the noise requirement)

Throttle: Accelerator pedal must have a return spring and operate freely.

(RLS) for local tech requirements

You are not required to have your car registered for street use, but it must pass tech inspection
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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
Solo Etiquette

Solo II is a social sport, and most drivers are happy to give you advice and critique your runs. Ask someone with a similar car if you may follow them through a course walk. Maybe they'll even think aloud for you (don't do too much talking yourself, or you will be making them walk again). Ask if you can ride with them on a fun-run, and offer to pay the $1-$2 for the run. If you're not sure when to line up, go ahead and ask. Ask someone to look at the chalk on your tires to see whether you need more air. Ask someone to watch your run if they have time, and tell you what needs changing. They'll be glad to.

There are a few bad times to ask for advice, though. Here's a quick list:

When they are walking the course. (They're trying to memorize it.)

When they are staring into space or have their eyes closed, they're probably going over their run or plan.

When they are in grid. They are only thinking about the course.

Sometimes events will conspire to keep a good driver from competiting. It may be a broken car, it may be an injury that prevents them from being able to change tires. This is your chance! Offer that driver a ride (co-drive) in your car - make it free if you can afford to. So they use up $20 worth of tires. Not a bad price for a private instructor all day! I have gone to some of the big events, Tours, Divisionals and ProSolos and sent out an ad for a co-driver. It has been an enourmous benefit to have advice from these experts all day, and be able to walk the course with them.

Try to help out. There is more work to be done than the mandatory course-work. This is an all-volunteer organization, so help is always appreciated. Luckily, this also puts you in a position to talk to other drivers, because the veterans are helping out, too. If you share the work, they'll have more time to talk to you. Likewise, showing up early will help out the registration and tech crew, and give you more time to walk the course. Read the next section on how to help, if you're looking for ideas to lend a hand.

Everyone stays to help clean up the course and pit areas. Keeping the sites is important to everyone, so leave your pit area cleaner than you found it.

The trophy presentation is a continuation of the event, and people talk about the course or their cars or runs. It's nice to have everyone show up, to cheer the winners, even if you didn't get a trophy yourself.

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Driving tips

Oops!

From The Home Office in Ormond Beach, Florida, It's The Top 10 Basic Driving Mistakes (And How To Correct Them)

story by tim sharp · photos as credited · illustrations by j.g. pasterjak

Most of the articles which we have featured in GRM's "Race Craft" columns the last few years have been evolutionary in nature. Starting with the more basic driving skills, we progressed quickly to more and more advanced techniques. While this may have worked well for those of you who are seasoned competitors and long-time subscribers, it is not so beneficial to new readers.
From time to time, it is important that we revisit basic driving techniques and address the most common basic driving mistakes. This article is not merely for the benefit of new readers, but for any reader who drives in competition or at speed. After all, good advanced driving skills are built upon a solid foundation of good basic driving techniques. Even if you are already a proficient competition driver, I am sure you will learn something of value as we examine the top 10 basic driving mistakes-and how to correct them.
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Definition of Terms
Before we talk about the most common driving mistakes, we need to define the terms which we will use in this article. While the following terms apply more specifically to road race circuits, most also have relevance to autocross racing. (Note to autocrossers: You may wish to insert the words "pointer cone" or "lay down cone" where I use the word "cone," since autocross courses are frequently lined with hundreds of stand-up cones.)

Racing Line: The racing line is the fastest way around the track when no race traffic is present. At racing schools, a series of cones are placed around the track to teach students the ideal racing line. By connecting the dots between these cones, you will find the quickest way around the track. (See illustration at right: Line through an increasing radius corner.)
Braking Markers: Braking markers are generally marked with descending numbers such as 4, 3, 2, 1. These are references which tell a driver when to start braking and downshifting prior to entering a corner.
Turn-in Point: Turn-in (or turn-down) cones are the dots on the outside of a track which tell the driver, "This is when you should start turning into the apex of the corner." At this point you begin the arc of your corner.
Trail Braking: Trail braking is the technique of using light and gradually diminishing brake pressure to help steer your car toward the apex of the corner. Used after straight line braking.
Apex Point: Apex cones mark the inside point or geometric center of the corner. An early-apex cone generally indicates an increasing-radius corner or a corner which gets wider at the exit of the turn. A late-apex cone generally indicates a decreasing-radius corner or a corner which gets tighter towards the exit.
Track-out Point: Track-out cones mark the outside dot or extreme outside exit point of a corner as you come off an apex. These cones are located on the outside of the corner, and they often precede a straightaway.
Correct Line: By hitting your brake and downshift points properly and by connecting the dots from the turn-in cone to the apex cone to the track-out cone, you have the correct line through the corner and onto the straightaway. (See illustration below). Note: While most SCCA race courses will have brake markers, few tracks will have turn-in cones, apex cones or track-out cones. You are expected to find these points for yourself. The reference to "cones" in this article is simply used to facilitate the illustration of the proper line.
Understeer: If you continue to dial in more steering to get to the apex of the corner, but your car does not respond and just goes straight, this is understeer. Understeer is also called "push" or "plow."
Oversteer: As you turn into the apex of a corner, if the rear end of your car begins to break loose and travel faster than the front end of your car as you round the corner, this is oversteer. In oval track racing circles, oversteer is also known as "stepping out" or a "loose condition."
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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
top 10 Basic Driving Mistakes :

Mistake #1:
Improper Driving Position
The proper driving position is important because it helps you get the optimal feedback from your car's chassis while also keeping you from getting fatigued.
First, your seat should be adjusted so that you are able to depress the clutch completely and perform heel/toe braking without banging your knee on the steering column. You should also be able to use the dead pedal for support through high-g turns. Your shoulder harness should be tight so that you do not need to rely upon the steering wheel for support.
Next, you should have a 90- to 120-degree bend in your elbows with your hands in the proper 3 and 9 o'clock positions on the steering wheel. This will allow you to make a 180-degree turn of the wheel when you need to correct an oversteer slide.
Ideally, your thumbs should be in contact with the 3 and 9 spokes on the steering wheel. This gives you more direct feedback from the front suspension in case of an understeer situation. (Note: Since formula car and sports racer steering wheels are smaller in diameter, your arms should be straighter and have less bend at the elbows).
Finally, your butt should be tucked firmly into the seat back so that you can get feedback from the chassis and up through the seat. This will give you a better feel as to what the rear end of the car is doing. In keeping with the Zen philosophy of racing, you should become one with your car. Get comfortable, go faster.
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Mistake #2:
Failure to Look Ahead
The most common driving mistake in both autocross and road racing is failure to look far enough ahead.
As street drivers, many of us become lazy and look only between the A pillars (those down posts which border the edges of our windshield). On a race track, because of the planning and high speeds involved, this will not get the job done. You must condition yourself not only to look much farther ahead, but out the left and right side windows as well.
Entering a corner, as you are doing your braking and downshifting, you must be looking ahead to the apex of the corner. Before you reach the apex, you should be looking ahead to your track-out point. In "S" turns, often you have to be looking ahead to the second apex, rather than the corner you are in. In this case, you must trust your peripheral vision to take care of the first apex.
The rule of thumb is, "The faster the car, the farther you must look ahead." The malady of "driving off your hood" is one that relegates many race drivers to slower cars while other competitors make the transition to higher powered cars with ease.
If you are limited in terms of track time, practice looking much farther ahead and out side windows as you negotiate off-ramps and corners on back roads. If looking ahead becomes habitual, you are much more likely to use the technique on the race track. And no, I am not advocating that you adjust your street driving speed upward to match your newfound, long-range vision. That ticket is on you.
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Mistake #3:
Improper Braking Technique
If you often brake too early for a corner, you may find that looking ahead will cure your problem. When you know where the apex and track-out points are located, it is much easier to know when to ease off the brake pedal and precisely how much to release it. However, you may have other braking problems which do not vanish so easily.
Some drivers brake hard enough in a straight line to slow their car down for the corner, but then they totally release the brake or go to the throttle before they get to the apex of the corner. They transfer the weight off the front tires and onto the rear wheels just when they need their steering the most. This can cause the car to go into an understeer skid. (Refer again to illustration on opposite page bottom.)
In order to keep the weight on the front and the tire contact patches expanded for optimal steering, you should use trail braking. Trail braking is simply continuing to apply a diminishing percentage of braking until you complete your turn into the apex. The transition from trail braking to the apex and the application of throttle to the track-out point should be smooth and seamless so as not to upset the chassis.
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Mistake #4:
Improper Downshift Technique
More correctly, this should be called "Improper Brake and Downshift Technique," since it is difficult to separate the two. I would like to explain the entire sequence of heel-and-toe braking and downshifting; that would be an article in itself, however, so I will not.
Simply put, the theory of the heel-and-toe downshift is this: When braking and downshifting prior to a corner, you must brake in a straight line while simultaneously clutching the car, revving the engine to match the speed of the drive wheels, putting the car into a lower gear and then releasing the clutch without upsetting the tire contact patches and suspension in the process.
For those of you who do not know how to heel-and-toe downshift, you may want to go to Bob Bondurant's or Skip Barber's driving schools. For those of you who know how to heel-and-toe downshift, but are still not doing it as smoothly as you would like (i.e.: you are chirping the tires when you downshift), here are a few tips:
· With your car in neutral and with the engine running, practice putting pressure on the brake pedal with the ball of your foot while swinging your heel and the outside of your foot over onto the gas pedal. Please, do not touch the shift lever!
· Using constant brake pedal pressure, try to rev the engine up to a reasonable rpm and hold it there. Repeat the process, pivoting your foot from left to right until you feel you can do this with consistent repeatability. Your tire chirping problem is probably due to your lack of revving your engine up high enough or blurping the throttle and downshifting too slowly.
· Practice your downshifts at your next autocross event or on an uninhabited back road. Better yet, take a refresher driving school course until you have your heel/toe downshift perfect. Good braking and downshifting is essential if you want to improve your lap times. (Not everyone, however, is impressed with a good heel/toe downshift technique. Mr. Holland, my high school driver education teacher, marked me off for doing it.)
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Mistake #5:
Apexing Too Early
On most race courses, there are far more late-apex corners than early-apex corners. So, if you want to be successful in autocross or road racing, you had better get used to learning how to drive late-apex corners. At driving schools, where cones mark the turn-in points, apexes and track-out points, you may not have a problem. But what about driving an unfamiliar track? For a better understanding of this problem, please refer to the illustration below.
There is an easy way to determine the location of the apex for a corner. Work backwards from the track-out point, to the apex, then to the turn-in point. Ideally, you want to exit the corner in as straight a line as possible. This will help you maintain momentum and maximize straightaway speed.
When dealing with more than one corner (See illustration below), where the last corner in the series leads onto a long straightaway, you must often sacrifice your entry speed into the first corner to get more exit speed off of the last corner. It is better to "go in slow and come out fast" when exiting onto a straight.
Apexing too early is the number one killer of straightaway momentum. The symptoms of apexing too early are as follows: You turn into the corner where you think the apex should be, but upon exiting the corner, you find that you need excessive steering input just to stay on the track. You have major understeer and you are scuffing off way too much speed at the track-out point as you exit the corner. Go back and study the line of this part of the track again. You may be apexing too early.
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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
plicatedMistake #6:
Premature Acceleration
If you are not apexing too early, you may be suffering from premature acceleration. While embarrassing, premature acceleration is not a condition you have to live with forever. However, the cure does require patience and control.
It is not enough to brake and downshift properly and turn into the apex at the right point if you still are going to apply the throttle too early in a corner. Be patient. Trail brake long enough to get the nose of your car pointed at the apex and aligned with your track-out point. Why accelerate before you have the car pointed in the right direction? When you transition to throttle, do so smoothly without upsetting the chassis, but be ready to go to the throttle when you reach your last apex and the car is pointed down the straight.
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Mistake #7:
Not Using the Entire Track
If you watch professional F1 drivers, you will notice that they use every last inch of the race track, including the flat curbs. All too often I follow students who have great technique but who do not use the entire race track. This hurts their lap times tremendously. When asked, "Why aren't you using the whole track?" they usually respond with surprise, "I thought I was."
At some time during practice, you should touch the curbs slightly so that you know you are using the entire track. Next, you should find out which of the flat curbs will help or hurt your lap times. Racing is a game of inches. Inches become tenths of a second. A tenth of a second on each corner can turn into a full second per lap.
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Mistake #8:
Failure to Compensate for Slip Angles
Everyone knows that race cars slide or drift through corners, but not all race drivers completely understand the effects of slip angles or the direction of drift.
If you are braking, downshifting and turning into a corner correctly, but are still not near the apex, you may not be compensating for the slip angle of your car. Perhaps you are aiming for the apex cone, but you just cannot seem to hit it correctly.
The fix may be relatively easy. Aim behind the apex cone, imagining a "false" or "phantom" apex cone is there. By compensating for your car's slip angle, you will probably hit the apex precisely. This may take some experimentation as you may compensate too much or too little for the slip angle while finding your phantom apex.
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Mistake #9:
Killing your Momentum in Traffic
While this driving mistake does not apply to autocross racing, it is most definitely one of the most common and frustrating problems for inexperienced race drivers. Getting boxed in. Losing your momentum. Getting stuck behind a slower car. Being unable to pass for a lap or two. Does this sound familiar?
The best solution to this problem is early recognition of the slower driver. Notice where he is on the track now and where he most likely will be when you want to pass him. Depending on your race pace, you may either need to speed up or slow down to pass him at the point where your momentum will not be diminished dramatically.
You may have to hustle and out-brake the lapper before the next series of slow "S" turns, or you may have to lay back a little and build momentum off a turn to pass him on the next straightaway. This is perfecting the art of looking ahead to the max.
If you get extremely proficient at this technique, you can use it to strategically sandwich a car that you are passing between you and a car that is in hot pursuit of you. Not only can looking ahead be used to maintain your own momentum, but it can be used to kill someone else's momentum. When it works, it is truly a thing of beauty.
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Mistake #10:
Poor Weight Management
Small tire contact patches are all that keep you from leaving the track. The faster you go, the more critical your contact patches become. Fast race drivers are masters of weight management. They shift weight smoothly and seamlessly from front to rear, from side to side in an effort to maximize traction and maintain speed around the track.
Great weight management requires an empathetic connection to a car's suspension and those tiny little tire contact patches. Smooth braking. Smooth throttle. Smooth weight transition while at speed. Balance. Touch. Feel. This is what separates the great drivers from the near-greats.
Once you have read all of the books on race driving and after you have learned all of the proper driving techniques, racing ultimately comes down to a couple of factors: How well you are communicating with your race car and how much in synch you are with the race track. Hopefully, at some point in time you will be able to concentrate less on the minute details of driving and start feeling like an artist who grows more confident with every bold brush stroke he puts down on canvas.

Tim Sharp has raced nearly everything, from Showroom Stock Porsches and FIA turbocharged Toyotas to Formula Vees and Trans-Am cars. Tim has driven for factory teams like Volkswagen, Porsche, TRD USA, TOMs/Toyota, Ralt and Autodynamics. He has 10 road racing series titles to his credit. He has also served as an instructor for the Bob Bondurant and Skip Barber racing schools.
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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
BEND LINES

Ride Drive's Julian Smith explains the finer points of cornering


What we are trying to achieve when cornering in this way is for the vehicle to negotiate a curve efficiently and safely whilst keeping the forces acting upon that vehicle both to a minimum and singular.

If you have a conker on a string, and spin is around your head, the string remains taught and parallel to the ground. This occurs because there is centrifugal force acting on the conker, which keeps tension on the string because the conker is pulling outward.

If we again spin the conker, but at a faster rate, the amount of centrifugal force increases resulting in a tighter string. When we apply this analogy to a cornering vehicle there will come a point, as the speed is increased, where the speed at which it is travelling, and trying to corner at, will make the force become so great that the tyres are no able to cope and adhesion will be lost. In other words the centrifugal force reaches a point where it exceeds the force that is keeping the car on the road – tyre grip.

Every bend will have its own critical speed point depending upon severity, which means it has a physical speed limit up to which it will allow a vehicle to travel around it and stay on the road. However, that limit will become reduced if the curve is not taken on the optimum line and from the optimum position on the road and is not kept to a perfect arc.

That is one of the reasons we take the widest arc as this, amongst other things, reduces the centrifugal force acting upon the car, which means you are further away from the point of control loss.

With this in mind, and with the aid of diagrams, let us look at what the optimum line will be.

Dealing initially with a right-handed bend we see the correct approach position should be with the near side wheels as close to the near side edge of the carriageway as possible, having due regard to any potholes, broken or subsided edges, mud or gravel that may be present. Now this is where the skill factor comes in.

Try to simulate that position as you travel around the curve and without submitting to the temptation to pull the car off-line towards the centre white line.

In fact, whilst bearing in mind what we said about conkers and string, by putting in more steering this means a driver is only making matters worse. Remember, the corner you are entering may continue for longer than you think and if you come off-line too early you may eventually end up facing the near side kerb/verge at right-angles with no where left to go but ditch-bound! This takes a great deal of practice to perfect and should initially be done at low speeds until the skill is mastered.

The advantages of cornering in this manner are many:

* It allows you to assess the severity of the bend earlier enabling you to set the car up ready for the corner (speed, gear, etc.)
* It allows you the maximum view into the bend so you can see further ahead.
* A driver approaching from the opposite direction will see you earlier.
* You are away from any potential conflict so that when Ronnie Rep comes a little too fast the other way drifting wide as he rushes to his next appointment you are in the safest, and therefore the most defensive position.
* You negotiate that corner whilst keeping the centrifugal force acting upon the car to a minimum.

If we take the situation we see here in the second diagram, this time our driver has adopted the very awkward position of placing the car towards the crown of the road. This now makes the curve very much tighter and also has the effect of pushing the car wide on the exit. It is very difficult to maintain a perfect arc from this position and cornering in this way is a very common cause of cars falling off the road. If you go in shallow you come out wide – remember it well!

Much the same principles apply for left-hand bends. Obviously the most effective approach position for these is to put the car as far across to the offside of the road as possible. The problem with this is that the right-hand side of the road tends to be used by traffic coming from the opposite direction and those drivers could perhaps become somewhat upset with you being a potential threat to their general state of well-being!

If the layout of the land is such that you are able to see around the curve to the opposite end, or you can get a good cross-view (this is a view you would get say across a field that has no hedges) and therefore be confident there was nothing coming you could, road markings permitting, move the car out over the road centre on the approach side before you get into the bend.

The advantages here are similar to that of the right-hander in that:

* It allows you to assess the severity of the bend earlier enabling you to set the car up ready for the corner (speed, gear, etc.)
* It allows you the maximum view into the bend so you can see further ahead.
* A driver approaching from the opposite direction will see you earlier.
* You negotiate that corner whilst keeping the centrifugal force acting upon the car to a minimum.
* It takes a great deal of the ‘sting’ out of the curve and is therefore more comfortable and puts less stress on the car’s component parts.

Obviously if there is another road user approaching from the opposite direction then you would remain on your own side of the white lines. All it means in this scenario is that you will have to reduce your speed and keep to a tighter line. You have to remember also that the view into a bend will vary from one to another and from one day to the next so use the diagram as a guide only. Each bend has to be judged upon its own merits.

You could also get the situation on the approach side where there would be a junction to the right. Again this would be a potential area of conflict and use of the offside should be avoided.

The advanced driver should always be in a position where he is travelling at the correct speed with the correct gear engaged and be able to exit the curve whilst remaining on the correct side of the road.

The thing to remember here is that on either type of bend you have to assume the correct position well before you reach that bend, not as you are in the process of entering it.

The overriding factor in all of these techniques is that you never sacrifice safety for position and you MUST always be able to stop within the amount of tarmac you can see in front of you at any given time. Don’t get territorial and always be prepared to give ground to someone else.

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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
Chassis


Repent

story by don alexander-illustration by ruben cueto

Picture this:
At the race track, you're unloaded and ready to go for the first practice session. After the session is over, you feel lost because your car's handling is way off. You make changes that should help, but in the next session, the car feels even worse. The same scenario continues for the remainder of the event, and you're very unhappy with the result.
There is a good chance that one or more of the following chassis tuning sins is the culprit behind your situation. Any one of these problems can be your undoing; most racers are guilty of breaking several of the rules regularly. Here's a primer to help you spot-and correct-these most common causes of bad handling. May you find salvation at the checkered flag.
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Thou Shalt Have a Solid Baseline

One key to being fast and competitive is repeatability-and you cannot repeat results if you do not know where you started. That's why you need a good chassis baseline. You can start with the baseline settings recommended by your chassis builder or suspension guy. If you have the experience, however, you can create your own. And best of all, if you have records from previous outings at the track you are headed to, you'll have a head start.
You should at least record the following: frame heights, crossweight percentage, rear and left-side weight percentages, all four tire circumferences, fuel load, gear ratio, wing settings, spring rates (bar neutralized), shock valving, toe, alignment, pinion angle, Panhard bar height or Watt's linkage settings, and any other settings than can affect the handling.
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Thou Shalt Not Prepareth at the Track

This happens too often. You run out of time or have inadequate help before a test or race, so you end up preparing the car at the track-or at least finishing the job there.
It is very difficult to create a good setup at the track; you can do a much better job at the shop. And track time is expensive for a test day; wasting that time playing in the pits is not effective. If you're prepping your car at the track during a race weekend, forget any chance of a good result.
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Thou Will Taketh Tire Temperatures

Tire temperatures are your link to what goes on between the tire contact patch and the track surface. I find it difficult to make sound tuning decisions without tire temps. Tire temperatures should be taken religiously every time the car comes off the track-even after a race.
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Thou Will Take Segment Times

Time around the track is gained in very small increments. Chassis adjustments can make a car faster (or slower) around the track, but may cost time in certain areas of the race track. Knowing this can add to the data available for you to make sound tuning choices.
The only way to accomplish this is to record times in several segments of the race track. (For example, timing how long it takes to get through a series of corners.) You don't need to take times in every segment on every lap, but taking segments at various points for each session will prove very valuable, especially in testing.
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Thou Shalt Not Have Excessive Crossweight

Crossweight, the measure of right front and left rear combined weight versus total car weight (both with driver), is a useful tuning tool. In road racing or autocrossing situations, excessive crossweight will help handling in one direction but hurt in the other-and it hurts more one way than it helps the other way. Crossweight should be set at 50 percent, if possible, and never less than 49.5 percent or more than 50.5 percent.
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Thou Shalt Keepeth Thine Records

This may be the most costly sin of all. There is just too much data to track if you don't write everything down in an organized way. Even if you luck into a good setup, without records you will be unable to repeat it without going through the complete process all over again.
The best time to record notes is back in the shop after a race. If you have a good race setup, these notes will tell you how to get back to it the next time you race at that track under similar circumstances. And if the results were not so good, at least you know you need to do something different.
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Thou Shalt Not Listen to Too Much Advice

Everyone is a setup expert, or so most people would have you believe. If you want to be successful, then you must learn enough to make your own tuning decisions within your own team. Listening to advice from others is one thing, but putting it to use is another.
Even if the person offering advice is very knowledgeable, that person likely does not know your situation, preferences, resources or needs. Most often, the person offering advice is less knowledgeable than you are, and usually only knows a couple of things that could cure your perceived problem.
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Thou Will Haveth a Game Plan

Any plan is better than no plan at all. Take the time to create a game plan for each race, beginning with your realistic objectives, maintenance schedules, testing and race strategy. Remember that part of a good game plan is the flexibility to alter the plan as needed. Usually, no plan equals no result.
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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
Thou Shall Determineth the Exact Problem

A handling problem can occur anywhere on the track. Is it corner entry, mid-turn or corner exit? Does it happen everywhere? If a problem occurs in one place, does it result in a different problem someplace else?
The classic example of this situation is corner-entry understeer that a driver over-compensates for at the exit of the corner, creating an oversteer condition. The driver says the car is oversteering, but the real problem is the corner-entry push. Adjusting for the oversteer will make the problem worse.
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Thou Shalt Not Have a Suspension Bind

Suspension binds create an inconsistent handling situation. If a bind is present, it is just about impossible to properly tune the suspension. If the car does not respond the way you think it should to suspension changes, check for bind in the suspension. Checking for binds should be part of your routine setup process.
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Thou Shalt Not Have a Dead Shock

A bad shock can be very difficult to feel. Check the shocks if you cannot get the chassis tuned effectively. Feel for a dead spot or lack of resistance in both rebound and compression.
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Thou Will Set Thine Car up According to Driver Experience

Often, the fastest setup for a given car is too aggressive for a driver without some experience. When the suspension is too stiff, especially the shock valving, it is difficult for the driver to feel what the chassis is doing. The car reacts too quickly for the driver to sense what is occurring.
Softer springs and shocks, while slower for the experienced driver, may be faster for the inexperienced driver.
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Thou Shalt Not Make Corner Weight Adjustments at Only One Corner

To adjust corner weight percentage, you must change frame height. Suspension geometry is designed to work best at a certain frame height, and changing the frame height can alter the suspension geometry in a negative manner.
Making one big change at one corner can cause this problem to happen. The trick is to make small changes at all four corners. Instead of putting a turn in the right front, put a quarter-turn in the right front and left rear, and take a quarter-turn out of the left front and right rear.
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Thou Shalt Not Try to Cure Handling Problems With Only One Element

Any handling problem can be changed by adjusting several different parts on a car; it is ineffective to change only one or two items to improve the handling. Often engineers, whether their specialty be shocks, tires, springs, or whatever, will try to cure a problem by using what they know best.
This is often not the most effective way to solve a problem. It is important to look at the entire system as a whole, then make changes that suit the system best and offer the most favorable compromise.
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Thou Shalt Not Make More Than One Change at a Time

While more than one suspension adjustment may be needed to cure a handling problem, it is always best to make only one change at a time. Make a change, and then go test.
Making more than one change at a time can produce results that are difficult to analyze. Which change helped, and did one change actually hurt?
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Thou Shalt Not Stray from Recommended Frame Heights

This can cause binding in the suspension or, at a minimum, cause undesirable suspension geometry. Don't stray too far from home.
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Thou Shall Measure Accurately

Recording inaccurate measurements is as bad as not keeping records in the first place. This can lead to all kinds of problems.
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Thou Will Carry a Consistent Fuel Load

Changing fuel load will always be a setup and tuning problem. As fuel is burned off, handling will change as the weight in your fuel cell changes. If you do not tune with a constant fuel load, your data will be inaccurate and the results misleading. No more than a two-gallon fluctuation is acceptable. One gallon is a better mark. Remember that each gallon of gas weighs about seven pounds.
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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
Thou Will Establish Good Crew/Driver Communication

If the crew and/or driver are not sure of the concepts of tuning and are not clear about the language, all sorts of problems can occur. Everyone on the team needs to be on the same page.
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Thou Will Control Over-driving

If a driver is over-driving the track or car setup, most of the data, whether from the driver or tire temperatures, will be less than accurate. Over-driving not only abuses the tires, but also masks real handling problems.
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Thou Shalt Not Make Changes Which are too Big

If a change is too big, it can cause handling problems that are worse than the ones you already have. On the other hand, a change too small can be difficult to detect by the driver or on the stopwatch. Big changes include altering more than two numbers on shock valving, more than 15 percent in spring or bar rate, more than two percent crossweight or more than a 1/4-inch change in ride height.
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Thou Must Understand the Whole System

Understanding the whole system is very important. The key is to understand how any change affects the tire contact load and traction. Always thinking in terms of tire contact patch load and traction will help you focus on making the best change possible for the situation.
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Thou Must Recognize Changing Track Conditions

Track conditions constantly change. The car may get faster during the day even though the lap times are slower, because the track may be slowing more quickly than the car is getting faster. If in doubt, return to the starting setup to see how the track has changed.
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Thou Will Not Chase Old Tires

At some point, tires get too hard to be fast. There is a point beyond which, no matter what you do, the car will not get faster. Chasing an old set of tires is ineffective.
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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
Suspension
Shocking Behavior

If you knew the extent of the effects that shocks have on handling, you'd be... well... shocked.

story by david s. wallens
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Given enough time, most enthusiasts can figure out how an anti-roll bar or a set of trick brake pads will increase their car's performance, but how many out there truly understand the benefits of a good set of shock absorbers? Probably too few, which is unfortunate. Properly selected and tuned, shocks can make or break a car's foundation.
If you're one of the masses who believe that a stiffer shock is always the right way to increase performance and decrease lap times, then read on.
"Perceived stiffness cannot be better by definition," explains Jay Morris, owner of the racing shock company Advance Design and parent company Ground Control. "Perceived stiffness would be a misconception compared to actual stiffness, which should benefit the race car.
"Why the distinction? Because there is such thing as a perceived stiffness that is not actually stiff. This is found in a shock that is a poor design with internal leakage preventing any real handling benefit, but which is very stiff over bumps in a misguided attempt to improve handling. The driver feels the bumps more, but the chassis is still uncontrolled. This is usually the very worst handling setup for any car."
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What Do Shock Absorbers Do?

Thanks to their common name, most people think that shock absorbers absorb the shocks and bumps experienced by the car as it travels down the road. Technically, this is not true.
In reality, the springs carry the load of the car and regulate the suspension's reaction to any bumps or dips in the road. They're the ones that really absorb the shocks. The shock absorbers time the springs' reaction by changing kinetic energy (the spring moving up and down) into thermal energy (the heat built up as the shock's oil passes through the various pistons and valves).
"Springs hold the car," explains Lex Carson of JRZ Suspension Systems. "Shocks control the spring loading and unloading."
Since the shocks are damping the springs, technically shock absorbers should be called dampers. However, we'll stick with the name shocks or shock absorbers, out of a matter of habit. A strut is basically a shock that is also a load-bearing member, but once again we'll stick with the catch-all name of shocks.
To understand how a shock works, picture a car driving down a road that is perfectly flat except for one speed bump. If the car simply has springs but no shocks, once the car passes over the speed bump, the springs will continue to oscillate until they disperse all of the kinetic energy they gained by compressing. As a result, the car will pitch and buck as it drives away from the speed bump.
Now picture a car with both springs and shocks encountering the same speed bump. The springs would once again absorb the bump, but this time the shock absorbers would damp the spring's oscillations (by converting the kinetic energy into heat), allowing the car to calmly drive away from the bump.
Unfortunately, we all live in a world filled with more than one bump. Our cars are constantly encountering all sorts of bumps and dips. Throw in a few turns and place the car in a competitive or sporting environment, and you can see how your suspension is trying to do many things at once. This is why a good set of shocks can make the difference.
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Defining Our Terms

Like anything in life, there is a certain lingo used when talking about shocks-words like bump, compression, rebound and extension. These words describe the valving or action of the shock.
Bump (or compression) is when the shock rod is compressed into the shock body. Rebound (or extension) is when that rod is extended from the shock body.
Note that the same shock can have different bump and rebound characteristics. You can have a shock that has a slow bump (hard to compress) but a fast rebound (easy to extend). Matching the bump and rebound characteristics of a shock absorber to your car and venue is the trick. Hopefully, we can help you here.
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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
Who Needs Good Shocks?

"Good shocks are probably the second most significant handling change you can make to a stock car," says autocross and road racing national champion Jeff Altenburg, "tires with an alignment being the most significant.
"The only car I competed in without [upgraded] shocks was my 1989 Formula 350 Firebird," he continues. "I ran one event in it at Jacksonville on an undulating lot, and it was floating like crazy. I had a set of hydraulic Konis for the next event which was the Sebring Pro Solo 1991, and the difference was night and day. I won the event and the Challenge."
While some limited-production performance cars like the Miata Sport and Camaro 1LE come from the factory with high-quality shocks, most cars are sold with only commercial-grade pieces.
"The average enthusiast needs a good set of shocks because he is an enthusiast," explains Advance Design's Jay Morris. "A difference in handling and performance will neither be discovered or cared about by a non-enthusiast, so why spend the money? This is the attitude (and usually correctly so) of the car manufacturers, so the average stock or replacement shock is engineered to be adequate, safe and inexpensive as priorities over performance.
"This begs the question of why can't a performance shock also be cheap? It is not so obvious. The primary reason is that a performance shock is both stiffer and simultaneously accurately stiffer. With the increased stiffness comes a requirement for less internal leakage, or bypass. For the non-enthusiast, internal leakage is softer and preferred.
"In an inexpensive shock, the advantageous internal leakage inherent in using cheaper parts (o-rings instead of actual piston wipers, for instance) is utilized as part of the softer damping characteristics desired in the non-enthusiast shock. This puts the base cost below any performance shock, because of the lower quality of parts reducing the need for accurate tolerances. An economist could probably work out an inverse exponential function to describe this, but let's just say that it costs a lot less."
Shocktek's Michael G. O'Callaghan further explains the problems encountered by most street cars: "Typically, when the shocks are at the end of their life cycle, the rod seal will fail (hopefully slowly) and the shock absorber fluid will leak out. The damping characteristics of these aged shocks are not good: the overall damping forces are much lower, the damping curves have changed and there may be air in the shock which may act like a spring. Bottom line: wheel hop, uncontrolled porpoising, excessive body roll. Very dangerous in a collision avoidance maneuver.
"A lot of the readers of Grassroots Motorsports might be changing the mission of a car, such as modifying the car to be more competitive in a weekend autocross, or installing stiffer springs, sways and shocks to make the car corner better on the street," he continues. "In this case, the idea of a 'good' shock is that it is very important to match the components carefully when modifying the suspension of a car.
"Not only does the shock have to control wheel motion and body sway," he further explains, "but it has an important influence in controlling the dive and squat of the car during braking and acceleration. And, of course, making sure that the shocks remain functional is an important preventative maintenance function that car owners should perform on a regular basis."
Enthusiasts who lower their cars-whether for looks or performance-also need to consider upgraded shocks. In most cases, the stock shocks will not properly operate when teamed with short, stiffer springs. "OEM equipment is not meant to be operated below stock height," explains Truechoice's Greg Calhoun. "Another thing to keep in mind is that when you lower a vehicle, travel is taken away from the unit. If there is not enough travel, the unit has the chance of bottoming out."
Those enthusiasts involved in competition also need to think about their vehicle's equipment and the effect those parts have on their lap times. "A vehicle's performance is directly related to the performance capabilities of its equipment," explains Jim Arentz, design engineer for Penske Racing Shocks. "When put to extreme conditions of a racing environment, typically the stock equipment does not provide the optimum handling package. Most road cars are equipped to handle everyday driving over a variety of road conditions.
"Racers need dampers that will outperform the stock parts in extreme driving conditions where comfort and ride aren't always a priority. The handling becomes paramount as the control of subtle variations in chassis platform movement and bump recovery can amount to a large gain in lap speed."
Charles Cadieux of Dynamic Suspensions further explains. "A properly-sprung and damped vehicle has a better chance of maximizing the tire contact patch, therefore better grip, better turn in, braking, acceleration, etc."
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Are My Shocks Shot?

So, how do you know when it's time for new shocks? Even if your car came with better-than-average shocks, they may be at the end of their lifespan.
"Generally when your shocks are shot, you will feel a lack of control or crispness in the suspension," says JRZ's Lex Carson. "The car may begin to bounce or float when you go over bumps or uneven pavement changes."
"First, the car will feel different on the track or on the road," continues Michael O'Callahan. "It might be different steering characteristics, different behavior over bumps or any other anomaly. Next, visually check the shocks for leaks. And finally, if you're still stumped, you can always have the shocks dynoed."
Note than sometimes you may have a spring problem and not a shock problem. "Spring problems tend to be persistent and consistent, shock problems tend to usually occur only in transitions," explains Jay Morris. "Theoretically, if you have a problem in the middle of a corner (shocks in low-influence mode) it will be springs. Virtually any other time can be shocks or springs."
Sometimes you'll need to take the shocks off the car and inspect them to determine if you have a problem. "A shock problem is easily detected usually by hand-compressing a damper off the car and comparing to another damper that seems to be working correctly," explains Penske's Jim Arentz. "The feel of the damper as it's compressed, the speed at which the shaft returns to an extended position, and the feel of the adjusters are easy hints at problem areas. For the best proof, a shock dynamometer usually can determine the source of a problem instantaneously, whether caused by system contamination, damaged parts, or an incorrectly-built damper."
Note than an on-track (or off-track) incident can also cause problems with your shocks. "If the car has been involved in an incident by hitting a wall, guardrail, or another car, then it is best to at least have the shocks looked at," explains Greg Calhoun of Truechoice. "Most times after a hit, the shock will need to be serviced depending on how heavy the hit was."
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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
You Get What You Pay For

The first tough decision you must face is deciding how much to spend. All of us have budgets, all of us hate to lose, and all of us have to balance the two. In all types of racing, you should buy the best shocks you can afford. Inevitably, you'll second-guess yourself many times and curse yourself for not going to the next level. Hopefully you'll be able to sell some of your first mistakes to your competition.
Shock absorbers come in many sizes and styles. They also vary in price from $25 each to more than $2500 apiece. "The $100 shock doesn't have the technology or the sophistication that a $1000 shock has," explains Lex Carson. "It's like the difference between an IT car and a WSC car."
Why the big difference in prices? The high-dollar shocks have bigger shock shafts, bigger pistons and bigger valve stacks. They are also built with more care to tighter tolerances. All of this costs more to manufacture. We're not saying everyone needs to spend 10 grand on shocks, but buying the best ones you can afford is usually the smart move.
"Excluding a few glaring examples of cheap shocks intentionally disguised as good shocks, you get what you pay for," explains Advance Design's Jay Morris. "Sometimes in performance, sometimes in additional features, or if you spend enough, both."
For example, Jay points out how a $199 Bilstein Sport shock for a Camaro offers good valving and monotube quality, but no adjustment. That same $199 will also buy one Tokico Illumina, which has softer but adjustable valving. However, a true race shock for that Camaro that offers qualities found in both shocks-rebuildable valving, monotube quality and adjustable compression and rebound-can start at $399 each.
Where you buy the shocks and which company you use should also be a factor. Shock tuner Guy Ankeny of Pro Parts West says you should ask yourself the following questions: "Does the person you're purchasing shocks from know about the type of racing you do-or want to do-with the car? Does the shop have references for the types of shocks or shock work that they're trying to sell? Can the person selling you shocks give you any assistance in chassis setup?"
Shocktek's Michael G. O'Callaghan also notes that customer service should be strongly considered when buying shocks. "Can you get decent product support?" he asks. "Even the name-brand manufacturers can get you lost in a maze of phone tag to get even the simplest question answered."
Danny Criss from Leda Suspension also recommends looking at the quality of components and recommendations from other customers. "Serviceability and initial cost play a role as well," he explains. "Customers should be careful when comparing different manufacturers' shocks and struts to ensure that they are comparing apples with apples. A good question that customers should ask themselves is, 'What kind of performance do I want, and what is the budget?'"
Michael O'Callaghan also warns against purchasing low-quality shocks. "Bargain performance shocks can be very inconsistent in their damping characteristics which you'll be able to feel very easily," he says. "Brand name means nothing. Some of the poorest-quality shocks are made by the biggest brands, simply because their shocks are low priced. In fact, some of the very expensive shocks have pretty poor quality."
In response to the recent import performance boom, many new shock companies have sprung up on the scene. Some are truly geared towards the performance enthusiast, while others are better suited for common street use.
"When buying shocks, especially lately, reputation is more important than hype," explains Jay Morris. "Many companies have become aware of the demand for quality suspension components and have thrown their hats into the ring with hastily-developed shocks.
"Paradoxically, high-quality companies are left at the bus stop regarding new customer perception (Bilstein). Even then, there are so many inexperienced 'experts' in the Internet chat rooms that a lot of misinformation is being repeated as gospel. Try to get an opinion from someone who has owned more than one shock."
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murcielagoGTR

Ready to race!
Location
New Bern NC
Car(s)
91 GTI
Options and Choices

Besides quality and reputation, there are some nuts-and-bolts options to consider that are well-suited for the enthusiast. The ability to externally modify damping characteristics is a desirable feature. If you can easily tune your shocks to compensate for tire wear, poor surface adhesion and sometimes even poor driving, you'll be ahead of the game. Note than some shocks can only have their rebound adjusted (single-adjustable shocks), while some can have both rebound and compression adjusted (double-adjustable shocks).
"Double-adjustable shocks are geared to the serious enthusiast who requires specific ride/handling capability," explains Leda's Danny Criss. "The single-adjustable units are simple and easy to adjust and more than adequate for the average guy."
As a driver moves up the ladder, then maybe double-adjustable shocks should be considered. "At some point in a driver's career, independently double-adjustable shocks may be appropriate," says Michael O'Callaghan. "Certainly in purpose-built race cars at the higher levels, double- or even triple-adjustable shocks are appropriate. However, they are always more expensive and sometimes a lot more expensive.
"From my observations, the average guy at an SCCA event would not gain a significant advantage from independently double-adjustable shocks. Those who have them usually change the settings in the same direction at the same time. (When they stiffen the rebound, they also stiffen the compression.) This method of adjustment can be done much more cheaply by a single adjustment, double-acting shock or strut, in which the rebound and compression are changed by the same percentage by a single adjustment.
"Shocktek sells both single- and double-adjustable shocks and struts (based on Bilstein components), and the singles outsell the doubles by a wide margin."
Penske's Jim Arentz doesn't see double-adjustable shocks as so confusing, however: "Double-adjustable shocks are easy enough to understand (basically one bump adjuster and one rebound) that the average enthusiast will be able to understand with some experience and track time."
When purchasing shocks, you should ask if they are serviceable. Shocks comes in two basic flavors: sealed and rebuildable. The rebuildable ones can be repacked and tuned for your exact needs. The sealed ones can only be thrown away when they wear out, and have no potential of ever being upgraded. Of course, the rebuildable shocks have a higher initial cost.
"Konis are a very good off-the-shelf shock, but can be a great shock when rebuilt to autocross or road race specs," explains Guy Ankeny. During this rebuilding process, changes are made to the valving so the shock is better suited for its ultimate use.
"Off-the-shelf shocks are best for the average street enthusiast," says Truechoice's Greg Calhoun. "When doing custom-valved shocks, the customer is usually racing the vehicle in some form, whether it be track events, autocross, or drag racing. When the customer is in fact racing the vehicle, Truechoice will discuss with them exactly what is being performed with the vehicle and its setup to determine the proper valving for their application.
"Custom valving can also be performed to the standard street car, depending on its setup. If the vehicle is lowered in excess of 2 - 2 1/2 inches, it may be a case where the shocks will need to be revalved and shortened. This is necessary to allow for the increased spring rates and sufficient suspension travel."
"Custom valved shocks are for the discriminating enthusiast," says Advance Design's Jay Morris. "When someone is experienced enough to tell the difference in performance and/or lap times, they should consider cost vs. benefit of custom valving; often the price is worthwhile. Some shocks are exclusively custom made, and although they cost extra initially, there is no custom charge to be paid.
"Please note that there are two types of revalving: the limited revalving used to try to use a street shock on a race car, and true revalving of a purpose-built racing shock which optimizes compression and rebound levels, rates of change and limits."
Also note than several companies can successfully convert a street shock to full-race specs, installing the appropriate guts into a street shock shell for production-based race cars.
All of these better race shocks can be rebuilt or revalved at factory-authorized facilities. Depending upon the brand of shock and work performed, rebuilding and revalving can cost $20 to $135.
Rebuildable shocks can also be freshened to like-new condition at the end of the racing season or before a major event. "Shocks should be rebuilt at least every other year to keep them tip-top," says Guy Ankeny. "Fresh oil does make a difference."
Even if the high-dollar shocks totally shatter your piggybank, you can still shop wisely. "The very least anyone can expect to pay is to find a mass-produced street shock that by coincidence or substitution has sufficient damping for racing," Jay Morris explains. "These shocks usually don't last as long, and racing voids the warranty, but the cost/benefit ratio is very favorable."
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