[COSVT03]

If you are low enough to need to roll the fenders you are taking a lot of the geometry away from what the car and chassis are capable of in my opinion.

Not good for autocross. But I didn't read much of this thread.

Also, yes, AutoX and Road Course.

 

[SVT5D]

If you are low enough to need to roll the fenders you are taking a lot of the geometry away from what the car and chassis are capable of in my opinion.

Not good for autocross. But I didn't read much of this thread.

Also, yes, AutoX and Road Course.

I'm on the stock suspension.

 

[Cobrawannabe]

If you are low enough to need to roll the fenders you are taking a lot of the geometry away from what the car and chassis are capable of in my opinion.

Not good for autocross. But I didn't read much of this thread.

Also, yes, AutoX and Road Course.

Rolling/pulling fenders at his height is about spring rate, it has nothing to do with height.

I've got one of the lowest cars on this forum and one of the most capable. The stock geometry is not the only geometry that works, especially if you understand how your modifications affect it.

 

[SVT5D]

So now that we have attracted a few autocrossers, what category/class is everyone running? What are your major mods? For anyone who hasn't read the whole thread, I am a novice running in H-street (so Novice 1). My car is totally stock except for tires.

 

[Cobrawannabe]

I actually have an '06 ST, but I run FSM and Pro-S (a local "unlimited" street car class).

-FSWerks Stage II turbo kit
-Turbo upgraded to Garrett GTX2867R
-Custom-built (by me) 2.5" T304 SS straight-through exhaust
-Torsen LSD
-H&R coilovers with custom spring rates and FSWerks camber plates
-Adjustable toe and camber arms
-Polyurethane in most places where it is applicable
-Falken Azenis RT-615K tires on billet 3-piece Napre wheels
-300mm front brakes with EBC rotors and Hawk HPS pads
- A WHOLE bunch of other crap, but you just wanted the major stuff

 

[SVT5D]

Wow that's a pretty serious setup. I have never hear of anyone in a competitive car using those tires, and I don't know anything about them. Are those your favorite, or are you just burning what you have?

 

[Cobrawannabe]

Wow that's a pretty serious setup. I have never hear of anyone in a competitive car using those tires, and I don't know anything about them. Are those your favorite, or are you just burning what you have?

I'm burning what I've got, I'm limited to 200 treadwear for the streetcar classes. Next tires will probably be R888s.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[SVT5D]

I got second out of 13 in novice class last weekend, beat by a focus st. Last race of the series is coming up and I have a chance to win it.

New strut assemblies did cure my rubbing and helped the car a ton, no more bottoming out in the corner entries. Hopefully I can find the time to install the rear suspension before the next race.

 

[SVT5D]

I installed the new rear shocks and springs. Does anyone have specific alignment specs recommended for the svt at stock ride height? I know it should be a little extra toe out in the front, and toe in at the rear (not sure I understand that one). Just hoping someone could give me actual numbers to tell the alignment guy.

 

[G-forces]

Just to explain, if you run toe-out up front and zero toe in the rear, then the car will "hunt" all over the lane while you try to drive in a straight line on the street. So you need a little rear toe-in to help the car stay straight, even though it will still be very sensitive to inputs with toe-out up front.

Look up Ackerman Steering... it has to do with the axis of rotation of all four wheels around a central point. To be brief, when you toe-out the front wheels just the right amount for the wheelbase of the car, then your front wheels will scribe perfect arcs around any turn (disregarding slip). Ford has published the figures in the manual for wheel alignment of the SVT, at least for the front... the rears are a different story.

If you want the car to track well on the street (using stock components), you should set Ford's minimum rear toe-in setting, that way you should be okay on a circuit and on the street. If you want to track-dedicate your car, then use zero rear toe, along with Ford's toe-out setting up front... just be prepared to suffer over every bump on the way to the track, or trailer it.

 

[svtf02red]

I've been using 1/16" toe-out up front (1/32" each side) and zero toe rear for years without any excessive tire wear or any issues with the car wanting to steer itself over uneven pavement. Works well for a daily/weekend auto-x setup. Should you decide to go this route, do know that some alignment machines require the user to go into the setup menu and change from degrees to inches. Most places go by degrees. I know there's a way to convert it, but it's not a basic calculation. Not sure why they got rid of the stock class, but at least the street class allows a bit more minor modifications than stock did. Since they require stock springs, you may want to get your hands on some new SVT springs as the stock SVT springs and dampers tend to wear out pretty fast. This is why you're rubbing up front.

 

[SVT5D]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I did end up winning novice class, which is usually a participation trophy, but came down to the wire with 4 of us in the hunt for the win.

Its too hot to stand in a parking lot here in the summer so we don't race again until the fall. I will try and replace my control arms if I can get the time, and then get an alignment with your suggestions.

I am leaning towards getting an H&R rear sway bar with some poly end links, and then being done with mods. Any thoughts on that?

 

[svtf02red]

I would try poly bushings and end links on your stock rear bar first. After doing that, my SVT rotates much more easily. Plus, with the lack of adjustable bars for the Focus, it's the only logical step between stock and rear bar overkill.

 

[SVT5D]

I would try poly bushings and end links on your stock rear bar first. After doing that, my SVT rotates much more easily. Plus, with the lack of adjustable bars for the Focus, it's the only logical step between stock and rear bar overkill.

Probably a good call I think I may do that. The car seems to rotate pretty well already, I was just hoping a bar could help me put power down sooner on the corner exits but I guess it can cause other problems.

Did you get the kit with just the end links, or did you also do the bar bushings?

 

[G-forces]

You might as well do the bar bushings with the end links, that is, assuming you can remove the bolts (up north the road salt fuses them solid). Be ready with a drill and fresh bolts in case you break one or two... the top ones are hard to torch real good, due to proximity of the fuel tank. I think you'll like the poly bushings, too... things feel more precise with poly all around.

 

[SVT5D]

Ok thanks, one part at a time is more fun anyway. I get to see the difference each one makes and maybe won't eve need the bar.

 

[SVT5D]

I finally swapped all the rear sway bar bushings to poly and I think you guys were right, it was just the right amount. The car is very balanced now and sometimes just barely lifts a wheel.

I took it to a track day and it was a blast. There were some very frustrated drivers of "faster" cars that had to let me pass them. This little car really shines on the track and the high gearing that is terrible for autocross is perfect at higher speeds. I probably will not do it again because of cost and tire wear, but it was great to see what the car can do.

The best part was that one of the driving instructors had an identical car, like every single color and option was the same and it was also all stock. There are probably only a dozen of them in the US. On the last session he took it out and I was surprised to see my car in my mirrors! We got to trade back and forth on an almost empty track. He was of course a better driver but I had better tires so our speeds were matched. Best track day ever!

 

[G-forces]

Cool... glad to hear you had a blast on the set-up, I loved the SVTF with poly all around and track-ish toe settings.

Gotta feel for that instructor, if he had the stock Conti DWSs on. I took my SVT to a small, technical track shortly after I got it (all stock w/rally wheels) with partly worn DWSs... har, har, it slid all over the place, tire-scream like a banshee through every curve and snaky through the short "carrousel". Way better with good rubber and the poly bushings.

 

[jimmyk8]

what psi do you run. all my auto-x guys are telling me crazy stuff, that never worked on my mustang either lol

 

[SVT5D]

I've been playing with tire pressure a lot lately. The front seems to be fastest around 36-38 but that gives me excessive wear on the outside edges so I bump it up to 40 to extend tire life. On the rears I run 30-32. Some will tell you that you should use really high pressure in the rear to help the car oversteer, but we don't need that.