SCCA F-Street Setup. What's Everyone Done so Far?

DickR said:

Good info. Since 9 miles to empty on the display depends on many variables did you happen to fill the tank to determine how many gallons were still in the tank? Also, where was the needle relative to "empty"?

FYI given the weight of the car versus the weight of 5 gallons of "extra" gas I tend to start a day with about 1/2 tank. Then even at a Pro or other event with a lot of runs I don't have to worry about running low.

Dick
FS 50

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Dick, I actually ran out of gas on my last run, and the fuel starve started the run before. The needle was buried

I usually reset the mileage counter/ fuel mileage gauge when I arrive at the site. I had about a quarter tank to start -- range display said 50 miles to empty; we took 10 runs altogether (actually, 9.5 runs if you want to be precise.)

I was in a Fiesta before this. Clearly I need to adjust.

Is anyone using launch control? I would typically disable TCS completely for autocross, but as I understand it one could then not use launch.

Is "track" or "sport+" relatively non-invasive, or do you guys go full off and just forego the use of launch control? I plan to test when I get my car in but I figured any information ahead of time will help. If any of you nationally-competitive guys are using or not using launch or TCS in general I'd be curious.

Here are the videos Des mentioned above. I am driving in both videos and I was faster in the EB by .5 sec. I don't show the whole run because the rest of it was painful to drive and typical postage stamp lot tight stuff.

On Saturday we switched cars for our last two runs. I co-drive a GT Premium PP which weighs about 3800+ lbs and is on the old Rival...remember, I said not to buy those!

Des has an EB PP with RE71Rs and is estimated to weigh around 3450 lbs. I also had a young passenger with me so bump that up to about 3550 lbs for that run.

GT Premium PP through the transitions
[ame]

EB PP through the same transitions
[ame]

Areddi said:

Is anyone using launch control? I would typically disable TCS completely for autocross, but as I understand it one could then not use launch.

Is "track" or "sport+" relatively non-invasive, or do you guys go full off and just forego the use of launch control? I plan to test when I get my car in but I figured any information ahead of time will help. If any of you nationally-competitive guys are using or not using launch or TCS in general I'd be curious.

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I go full off with sport steering and track mode/advancetrack off. Earlier this year I didn't realize track mode still had advancetrack going and it would interfere with me before I felt I was even close to losing the car. So I turn it all off now.

I haven't done any drag type launches so have never tried the launch control. I just do autocross or some HPDE with the car.

destoups said:

Steve, I went to Packwood on Sunday for a Torque Steerers event. Did super well -- actually matched Bill Zerr in the M3 (beat him if you don't count a teensy little cone) on a course that had five big digs and a lot of speed in between them.

A lot of third gear stretches; the most important one started with a big sweeper that fed into that bumpy stretch across the bottom of the lot and led to a high-speed kink atop one of the bumps.

When I didn't shift in that area, I basically did the entire bottom of the course on the limiter at 57 mph. I could get through the kink flat to the floor with an easily managed little drift on exit.

I tried shifting to third for that area for two runs. The first time I carried a bit more speed (guessing about 66) and spun in the kink. The second time i lifted a bit before the kink but still spun, again.

It feels like there just isn't any juice there to help control the car's attitude.

What am I missing? Would the change in wheel size alter the power band radically enough?

Enjoyed swapping runs the other day; it was eye-opening! Especially the videos.

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That was really cool to swap cars! I think I'm getting the ultimate test driving in since I don't yet own my own S550, lol. I'm co-driving a GT, have rented a V6 auto for a long weekend visiting family back east and now got two autocross runs in the lightest version of the car, an EB PP. You would think it would be more clear to me which one is the ticket for me but I just get more and more confused and stressed since they are all great cars!

Like I mentioned on site Saturday, your car just doesn't feel as light on its feet as I think it should. I think you can see in the video that it does take more steering input to move your car through some of the transitions than it does the heavier GT that I've been tweaking the setup on.

I've found with our GT that it really responds to small changes in toe settings. Zero toe to a 1/4 turn crank on each tie rod in the toe out direction made this car transition much better at Crows. That should be about 1/8" out now.

Our GT really liked the bigger rear bar but your EB might like a bigger front bar. IDK for sure on that one. PIR is like the last lot one should set their car up for if they want to do well at national events.

Of course, all the above advice might make the car more loose in that high speed kink you found yourself on Sunday. IDK...change the line over the bump until you can get decent shocks? Also as you know, more speed in one spot is more speed to deal with in the next element.

Areddi said:

Is anyone using launch control? I would typically disable TCS completely for autocross, but as I understand it one could then not use launch.

Is "track" or "sport+" relatively non-invasive, or do you guys go full off and just forego the use of launch control? I plan to test when I get my car in but I figured any information ahead of time will help. If any of you nationally-competitive guys are using or not using launch or TCS in general I'd be curious.

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I have a 5.0 PP (not premium) on RE-71Rs. Even relatively high grip Pro Solo launches require fewer rpm (2K or so) than the minimum for launch control which I believe is 3 or 3.5K. My understanding, which may be wrong, is that launch control won't work with AdvanceTrac disabled.

You NEED AdvanceTrac to be disabled during runs.

I set steering to "sport".

Some recent (and many older with other cars) Pro Solo and other videos at these two channels:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEnVWgJJWL3OwPSKh6-M9-w

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE22BnC7fBRiDtmY_IlChrA

Note the vertical blue bar in the Danville video is combined lateral and longitudinal g's. Race Technology calls this vector acceleration.

Regarding alignment: My toe is "a little in" both front and rear. Front camber is the max negative available with the strut slot (-2.5 L, -2 R on my car). Rear camber is -1.5. Everything with the 5.0 is a trade-off between understeer, responsiveness, and minimizing corner exit oversteer. As you can see from the inset video "responsiveness" is basically turn the steering wheel rapidly and a long way (especially compared to my previous CM FF ). Front rebound and/or compression can be used for that also.

I should add that one advantage of the RE-71Rs and the ZIIs I ran last year on my 2012 is that they are quick responding tires.

SteveW, Don't I know you from somewhere? A certain skittle forum, perchance? :welcome:

JmalB said:

SteveW, Don't I know you from somewhere? A certain skittle forum, perchance? :welcome:

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Hello...yes, same guy. :cheers:

Areddi said:

Based on my calculations a perf pack car should top out at 63 in second gear on stock tires. the 275/35's should be a 4% drop on top speed which would take the top speed in second to 60.5. Not terrible, but should yield some rev limiter riding moments. We don't have much choice though unless they offer some taller tires in that size in the extreme summers. At least 4% loss in top speed is equal to a 4% torque gain from gearing ratios relative to rpm.

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Unfortunately 2nd gear in a PP tops out at about 60, so any shorter tire will really hurt it. It's easy to redline 2nd gear even on a low 30's second course. I really wish there were more tire options out there, as this heavy beast needs alot of tire. I can't wait to get closer to warranty expiration and throw a tune on this thing and up the the fuel cutoff to 7300-7500. Maybe even go down to 3.55's or 3.31's

But alternate final drive ratios bump you from Street, Street Touring, AND Street Prepared.

Which is why we need to get Ford to make it an option on PP's. 2015 owners would still be screwed for FS, but you could then use Update/Backdate rules to do it in STU & ESP.

Grintch said:

But alternate final drive ratios bump you from Street, Street Touring, AND Street Prepared.

Which is why we need to get Ford to make it an option on PP's. 2015 owners would still be screwed for FS, but you could then use Update/Backdate rules to do it in STU & ESP.

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I'm almost positive that any ratio that was standard on a 2015 Mustang (any engine or transmission) can be used under update/backdate in Street Prepared. Whatever diff is used must be bolt-in to one of the housings. Note that the gears probably must be Ford gears, not aftermarket.

So you get to pick and choose OE parts in SP without worrying about what option package they were part of?

It's hard to stay up on the details for all the different categories, especially as I mostly stopped autocrossing when I started road racing.

Grintch said:

So you get to pick and choose OE parts in SP without worrying about what option package they were part of?

It's hard to stay up on the details for all the different categories, especially as I mostly stopped autocrossing when I started road racing.

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Correct in general as long as the various models are on the same line in the relevant class in the appendix.