Confirming what is legal for SCCA F-Street Setup

[Syracuse315]

Below is an initial build plan for my GTPP. I'm hoping to avoid any issues with running in FS, and am wondering at what point I'll have to bump up a class with any of the modifications below.

I'm pretty sure these are in the clear:
Steeda Ultralite Linear Springs
Ford Racing - Shock/Strut Upgrade Kit
Ford Racing - Shock/Strut Hardware
Strano Rear Sway Bar

These, I'm not so sure:
Rear Hitch (for a bike rack)
Steeda Ultralight Jacking Rails
Lightweight BMR CB005 - Cradle Bushing Lockout Kit
BMR Differential Bushings Lockout Kit
BMR ELK014 - End Link Kit for Rear Sway Bar
BMR TCA045 - Vertical Link, Rear LCA, Spherical
BMR TR005 - Toe Rods, Rear, On-Car Adjustable, Rod Ends
BMR BK055 - Bearing Kit, Lower Control Arm, Rear
Steeda Transmission Mount Bushing
Steeda Shifter Base Bushing Bracket
Short Throw Shifter - Steeda Tri-Ax or MGW

Any recommendations for switching to a different manufacturer are welcome as well. Some of BMR's equipment has had a massive price bump recently (The BK055 went from $170 to $300 for example).

Sponsored

 

[dontlifttoshift]

You get shocks, tires (on stock size wheels), one sway bar (front or rear) and cat back exhaust.....that's pretty much it.

On your list, the only this legal are the shocks/struts, the Strano bar, and the rear hitch.

Did you see the whole thread that is all about FS?

 

[Syracuse315]

You get shocks, tires (on stock size wheels), one sway bar (front or rear) and cat back exhaust.....that's pretty much it.

On your list, the only this legal are the shocks/struts, the Strano bar, and the rear hitch.

Did you see the whole thread that is all about FS?

I did and read every page, but multiple items above weren't mentioned specifically. Thanks for the clarifications.

Sure seems like a mustang running in FS has to just live with the wheel hop issues :shrug:

 

[kz]

I did and read every page, but multiple items above weren't mentioned specifically. Thanks for the clarifications.

Sure seems like a mustang running in FS has to just live with the wheel hop issues :shrug:

Springs in your first list are not FS legal also...

 

[SteveW]

The first part of the Street Category section of the rulebook states that if it isn't specifically authorized, you can't do it:

Except for modifications authorized below, Street Category cars must be
run as specified by the manufacturer with only standard equipment as de-
fined by these Rules. This requirement refers not just to individual parts,
but to combinations thereof which would have been ordered together on
a specific car. Any other modifications or equipment will place the car in
Street Touring®, Street Prepared, Street Modified, Prepared, or Modified
Categories as appropriate. Configurations involving damaged parts (e.g.,
blown fuses) are not typically authorized by the manufacturer and hence
are not allowed.

"If it doesn't say you can do it, you can't"

Since the street rules don't say you can change out springs or bushings or links or shifters, etc then you can't do it and be compliant with FS. There are a number of things you CAN do and they are outlined after the above statement in the rulebook.

The common things are:

- take advantage of factory alignment capability and manufacturing tolerances for a competition alignment
- replace one of the swaybars
- put lighter factory sized wheels on and stickier 200TW tires
- install a lighter catback exhaust
- remove trunk junk and run minimal gas to save weight

 

[Syracuse315]

Springs in your first list are not FS legal also...

That specific set, any spring that changes the ride height, or springs in general?

If looking to complete most/all of these modifications, what class should I be looking into?

From SCCA:

13.7 ANTI-ROLL (SWAY) BARS
[FONT=Cambria,Cambria][FONT=Cambria,Cambria]A. Substitution, addition, or removal of a single anti-roll bar and support[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Cambria,Cambria][FONT=Cambria,Cambria]ing hardware (brackets, endlinks, bushings, etc.) is permitted. The use [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Cambria,Cambria][FONT=Cambria,Cambria]of any bushing material is permitted. A bushing may be implemented as a bearing.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria,Cambria][FONT=Cambria,Cambria][/FONT][/FONT]
Wouldn't that mean the "BMR ELK014 - End Link Kit for Rear Sway Bar" is a legal part as well?

 

[kz]

That specific set, any spring that changes the ride height, or springs in general?

If looking to complete most/all of these modifications, what class should I be looking into?

From SCCA:

13.7 ANTI-ROLL (SWAY) BARS
[FONT=Cambria,Cambria][FONT=Cambria,Cambria]A. Substitution, addition, or removal of a single anti-roll bar and support[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Cambria,Cambria][FONT=Cambria,Cambria]ing hardware (brackets, endlinks, bushings, etc.) is permitted. The use [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Cambria,Cambria][FONT=Cambria,Cambria]of any bushing material is permitted. A bushing may be implemented as a bearing.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria,Cambria][FONT=Cambria,Cambria][/FONT][/FONT]
Wouldn't that mean the "BMR ELK014 - End Link Kit for Rear Sway Bar" is a legal part as well?

From the very same paragraph #13 :
A. Standard, as defined herein, suspension springs must be used. They
may not be cut, shortened, or collapsed. Spring perches may not vary
from the OE shape within the working part of the perch.

 

[Syracuse315]

The common things are:

- take advantage of factory alignment capability and manufacturing tolerances for a competition alignment

From SCCA Section 13.8:

E. If offered by the manufacturer for a particular model and year, the use of shims, special bolts, removal of material to enlarge mounting holes, and similar methods are allowed and the resulting alignment settings are [FONT=Cambria,Cambria][FONT=Cambria,Cambria]permitted even if outside the normal specification or range of specifica[/FONT][/FONT]tions recommended by the manufacturer. If enlarging mounting holes [FONT=Cambria,Cambria][FONT=Cambria,Cambria]is specifically authorized but no material removal limits are specified, [/FONT][/FONT]material removal is restricted to the amount necessary to achieve the [FONT=Cambria,Cambria][FONT=Cambria,Cambria]maximum factory alignment specification.
[/FONT][/FONT]
Can that being read as the "Camber Bolt" mod being legal?

 

[Syracuse315]

From the very same paragraph #13 :
A. Standard, as defined herein, suspension springs must be used. They
may not be cut, shortened, or collapsed. Spring perches may not vary
from the OE shape within the working part of the perch.

I read that as people cannot cut the factory springs (mostly for lower ride height), which the Steeda are not. If the Steeda springs fits the perch, would it not be legal?

 

[destoups]

The rule for FS is stock springs, and not worth parsing for a loophole.

If the mods make the car more fun and get you out to more events, then go that route. Unlikely anyone will protest you at a local event, but the proper class makes things more fun, and fun is the point.

 

[jdub.csu]

Go to CAMC if you want to mod things like crazy. FS you don't get to do much. CAMC is a usually a pretty fun class and not that competitive (at least not in my region)

 

[SteveW]

Tagging onto Des - standard means stock/factory/OEM.

Springs are parts. There is no allowance to replace springs with a higher performance alternative in Street.

Steeda springs are not a standard part within the SCCA Solo rules definition of standard.

Look at the Street Touring category rules and you can see how the allowances change and specifically permit some of what's on your list. Even though some of that isn't allowed in ST either. It will give you a better understanding of how the rules work and how to interpret them.

 

[Syracuse315]

Thanks for the advice everyone! Time to dig further into each class's rules...

 

[Competition Orange]

Can't you +/- wheel size by 1 as well, as long as factory widths are maintained and offset by 7mm?

 

[Static_LV]

Yes you can +/- the wheel size by 1" as long as the widths are maintained and and offset of 7mm is allowed.

In all honesty, I would try a few events with the stock setup and get a feel for how your car behaves before modding it for FS.

I took my GT PP out to its first autocross last Sunday. For reference, my previous FS car was a 2011 GT/CS with dual adjustable Konis, 18x8.5 Enkei RPF-01, Strano rear swaybar, on Hankook RS3v2. Out of the box, the GT PP is superior in every respect at the end of the day I was still looking for the limits on the 2016. I am still relearning all my braking points, you can go much deeper into corners carrying a lot more speed. The balance is much better. It doesn't push in corners where the old one would and it is much more responsive to trail braking. You can confidently get on the throttle sooner on exit as well. Steady state turns are great and the rear end steps out progressively and predictably. Transitions are a lot smoother.

If I have one complaint, it is with the tires. They aren't nearly as bad as a lot of people make them out to be. They are not however, very communicative particularly in rapid transitions. This problem is probably exacerbated by the heavy factory wheels.
Dumping some unsprung weight and stickier tires is about all I have planned at this point.

Sponsored