ok long story short, i had a build civic eg hatch and it got stolen and stripped. i didnt much time with it to do much once it was done, and frankly im kinda tired of going in a straight line. im super interested in getting into auto X, but i also dont know too much about it. i got another hatch now, and along with taking certain security precautions i plan on building it again(slowely but surely). my question here is what would be better for auto X, a manual steering rack or power steering? is it a prefrence thing? and can someone lay out the basic MUST-KNOWS about auto X... sorry for the paragragh, and thanks

 

Steering is largely a preference thing. However, you'll find that in classes where lightweight cars play with limited power, a lot of people will remove EVERY ounce of weight they possibly can, that often includes power steering.

Best thing you can do is get started autocrossing. Get involved, figure out what club you want to run with and what class you want to build toward. Meanwhile, you'll start learning valuable driving skills. Come on out in whatever car you happen to have that's drivable!

 

+1

go out and drive it. Then build up whatever your priorities determine.

 

thanks guys, ill be trying to get out more often now...

 

+1 i have a 91 EF that i autox and when i took my old 94 EG out I hated the power steering. R Comps may be a bitch to turn but when you are out on course they aren't so hard.

Def get out and drive and then decide what you need.

I think the interesting part about the SCCA classes (and I know there a zillion things we can say are wrong and argue about them) is that a stock car is just as fun to be competiive with as an fully built X Prepared car.

 

It will depend on your class and tires. I drive a prepared crx that weighs under 1500 lbs. It has wide slicks. I have power steering that is an electric pump so I can use it if I want. I would never do an autocross without power steering with this car. In a car with narrow street tires it won't matter as much. Even though there is a small weight penalty, all the national class drivers in e prepared have light cars(mostly civics/ crx) and almost all have power steering. Most of the national class drivers in ST (street tires) drive mid nineties civics, and most have power steering. It allows you to steer much faster and more precisely.

 

tru i figured powersteering might be a lil easier, but i need to get out there and drive it. out i drive with the manual rack i have i might like it alot and never even think about power steering again...lol