Sebring Saturday SAFEMotorsports.com

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Anybody in? I'm trying out some fresh Goodyears. They're balloons but the price was right. :)

[Loren]

I was going to, but my co-driver bailed on me due to financial difficulty. Bummer, I was looking forward to it!

[RoadRacer]

I sent my paperwork and cash to Phil last week.
The car will be down on power but it will still be fun.
I haven't run with SAFE since 2001.

[RX007CYM]

I'm in, as well as my best friend with his c5 z06. I spent all day saturday cursing my new coilovers because they were 1.5mm to thick where they bolt into the control arm. I hate filing! Hopefully I can break the 3 minute mark with the new wheels that are going on. Can anyone say 18x10? :naughty:

~James
#711 Rx-7

[Loren]

What are you driving that you can't break 3:00 in? Doesn't seem like a very lofty goal for a car that requires a 10" wide wheel. (please don't take that the wrong way, it's just that last time I was out I was trying to break 2:55 in a stock Miata on street tires)

[treekiller]

2:45 on saturday in clockwork, that's my personal best, with Hard leftover OLOA tires and 100lbs of mud from pre-running rally roads. saturday was one of those motorsports bliss days. Car running well, suspension just feels right, more instructors then students so lots of free track time.

I had a Porkchop spin in front of me, in one. another instructor. I never had someone be so thankful to me for not punting them off the track.

[RX007CYM]

What are you driving that you can't break 3:00 in? Doesn't seem like a very lofty goal for a car that requires a 10" wide wheel. (please don't take that the wrong way, it's just that last time I was out I was trying to break 2:55 in a stock Miata on street tires)

I actually expect to be in the 2:40's. But we shall see.

[Loren]

2:40's sounds more like it.

Jeff, congrats on the 2:45! I believe that is my best in your car, as well... makes you wonder how much is left in it that we're not finding, doesn't it?

[RoadRacer]

I actually expect to be in the 2:40's. But we shall see.

What type of alignment specs are you running... camber, caster and toe? Also, are you running slicks or R compound tires?

[RX007CYM]

What type of alignment specs are you running... camber, caster and toe? Also, are you running slicks or R compound tires?

I have the specs at work, I will post them tomorrow. I am running R compond.

[treekiller]

2:40's sounds more like it.

Jeff, congrats on the 2:45! I believe that is my best in your car, as well... makes you wonder how much is left in it that we're not finding, doesn't it?

I don't know, we couldn't find more time using r-comps, I think it's going to take a major change to see much more, to be honest more power seems to be the logical step. Since I can catch almost anything in the corners but can't pass once there is a straight. The megasquirt should yeild another 20 or so hp, and ebay turbo mabye 300 total. That has to be the missing 10 or so seconds

[RoadRacer]

I gained most of my time by getting my brakes straight and having the alignment spot on.

Before the last event at Sebring I switched to an all aluminum coilover and had the car aligned while I stood there and directed the tech. :D
Also, a good friend of mine, Ivan at CFP, took the time to make brake ducts for my front calipers. It made a world of difference as the brakes were rock solid all day.

I was down on hp from the event before this last one and still ran 6 seconds faster.

[Loren]

Jeff's Sentra has kick-ass brakes, but I bet there's a few seconds out there we could gain by making better use of them. I'm a notoriously early braker.

[treekiller]

Yes the brakes are more gooder I was paying extra attention this week, even on the autozone pads, I was starting my braking 10 feet later then the 911 porsches, I know I am loosing 5 seconds on turn 17. I'll be honest it still intimidates me it's just 1/2 of a flat track oval. So it's not the walls that unsettle me it's not being able to look through the turn.

[RX007CYM]

Here we are.

front:
camber - -1.0 to -1.2 deg
toe - 1/16" in
caster - 6-7 deg

rear:
camber - -0.5 to -1.0 deg
toe - 0 to 1/16" in
thrust angle: zero

[RoadRacer]

Have you tried running more neg camber up front?
R compound tired usually like a lot of neg camber.

For reference here are my specs
front
Camber -4.5
toe 1/16" out
caster + 6

Rear
camber -2.5 deg
toe 1/16" in
caster 0

I am just sharing, not trying to say my set-up is better or anything like that. :thumbup:


Here we are.

front:
camber - -1.0 to -1.2 deg
toe - 1/16" in
caster - 6-7 deg

rear:
camber - -0.5 to -1.0 deg
toe - 0 to 1/16" in
thrust angle: zero

[Loren]

I'd agree. Even if the car is driven on the street, you can get away with a lot closer to 2 degrees of camber without issue. Of course, the real way to determine what your camber needs are is with a pyrometer.

[RX007CYM]

Honestly, this is the first time the car will be aligned in several years (Dropping the car off tonight). These specs are simply the recommendations of people with 3rd gen rx7's and 18inch wheels who run long tracks. The car is rarely street driven, so I could care less about tire wear. More opinions? Thanks

* Edit - I just went through several more sets of alignment specs from other drivers and no one comes close to 2 degrees camber (closest was -1.5) :dunno:

[Loren]

Could be a limitation of the suspension design. Or it could be a "feature" of the design, perhaps it doesn't require as much static camber?

Run with it. See how it feels, maybe borrow a pyrometer and take some tire temps.

[RX007CYM]

Will do. As I am a noob, I measure inside/outside/middle tread of each tire after several spirited laps? Thanks again.

[Loren]

Yes, and it's critical that you take the temps IMMEDIATELY after you come off course. I'm of the opinion that Sebring isn't great for this because you run all the major turns, then you go down a half-mile long straight where the tire temps will tend to equalize, then you go around a hard right-hander before you pit in. So, your temps will be greatly biased to that final turn when you come in.

You'll get more usable tire temps if you can find a place to run skidpad circles. A few hard laps in each direction will net you some useful information.

Generally, discrepancies in the center tread temp can be corrected with tire pressure. (too hot in the center = too much pressure) Excessive heat on the inside or outside of the tread usually point to a camber problem. (too hot on the outside = not enough negative camber)

[Jordan Y.]

That car doesn't need a lot of static camber because it's got a badass double wishbone suspension with a jammin' camber curve. It makes its own camber as it leans into a turn.

[znismo]

Anybody got a link to see the info for the event. I'd love to go and watch.. I am fixing to start building a car to autocross..

[RX007CYM]

Anybody got a link to see the info for the event. I'd love to go and watch.. I am fixing to start building a car to autocross..

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