New PS2s Need your wisdom on setup

Trailertrash

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I have a 2000GTS that is stock I am trying my hand at an autocross event next month. I am hoping your knowledge of these cars and racing them will provide me with the suspension ssetup for an enjoyable day. Caster Camber Toe how should I set it up?
Thanks in advance for taking the time to assist.
 

Tom F&L GoR

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I went 1/8" total toe-out in front and 3/16" total toe-in in back. Did not change caster or camber.

I'm going to sound self-serving, but I learned about my Viper from AX and developed a rear brake upgrade exactly because of that. You will find you need more rear brake to get the car to rotate around the cones. Without enough rear brake you'll plow past the turn and flat spot quite a few front tires.

All the Jersey guys can attest to the effectiveness of rear brakes on a non-ABS car by virtue of the NY/CT chapter owning the AX Venom Cup again and again ... :drive:
 

Red Shift

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Camber would be ball park 2.5 degrees in front and low 1 degrees in rear.

Be sure to zero out the toe for normal driving or you will chew through tires quickly.

Tom, I can understand why the rear brake upgrade is needed to prevent blowing past turns and flat spotting the tires (I've done both at auto-x, and will probably be hitting you up for an upgrade soon...), but how would the rear brakes be helping you rotate around the cones? Are you trail braking during the autox? I try to get my braking completed before turn in.
 

Tom F&L GoR

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Camber would be ball park 2.5 degrees in front and low 1 degrees in rear.

Be sure to zero out the toe for normal driving or you will chew through tires quickly.

Tom, I can understand why the rear brake upgrade is needed to prevent blowing past turns and flat spotting the tires (I've done both at auto-x, and will probably be hitting you up for an upgrade soon...), but how would the rear brakes be helping you rotate around the cones? Are you trail braking during the autox? I try to get my braking completed before turn in.

If the rears will keep rolling even when the fronts are locked, you are not maxing out the rear wheel's traction circle. They can provide large amounts of side force because they are not being asked to provide much rearward force. With high levels of side force available, the rear end will never come around. More rear brake, balanced such that the front and rear brakes approach lock up closer together, and then maintaining or applying brakes while turning in, will purposely load the rear tires so that it has to give up a little on side force as it produces more rearward force. Therefore the rear end starts to come around.

If I felt like I knew what I was doing, I might call it trailbraking, but at an AX I am not the smoothest driver (think sloppy.) It feels more like I have thrown the car into a very controllable slide (i.e. car is now very forgiving and catch-able) because you can choose the angle (rotation) of the car by moderating the brake pedal. You don't feel helpless as you smoke 'em past the cones. Timed properly, I use braking into the first third or half of the turn, use gas to continue rotating the car through the second half of the turn and exit. These brakes only exist because of my previous poor autocross experience. The difference was like night and super nova.

Back to AX. Get a wax crayon and mark the sidewall and edge of the tread blocks. After a run you will see how much wore off. Ideal is supposed to be where the tiny little Michelin man is (take a look, there are many 1/4" guys there). It looks surprisingly like rolling over too much, but was told to me that was the "target."
 
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