Re: New Racer
Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 11:03 am
My opinion, and I hillclimb a 02 wrx, and have a decent amount of subaru experience and exposure.
Leave your suspension stock, or if you are determined to change, upgrade to Sti struts and springs and group N tophats. Leave your sway bars stock.
I run Sti struts, and H&R springs, which I really like for this stuff. I have a adjustable white line rear sway bar, that I will likely remove in favor of going back to a stock rear bar. The biggest issue being that it doesn't allow the rear suspension to droop enough, which means your rear wheel will pick up in a corner, then you can't put the power down to get out of corner. I will likely go to a stock bar, or go without one entirely.
I get the impression this is a daily driver. To start, get a decent street autocross tire, if it's in your budget. If not run what you have. Examples of the type of tire I mean, Kumho XS, Dunlop direzza star spec, Toyo R1R, and the like. Something with a stiff sidewall, but not a dot slick.
My car is usually in the top 15 overall. My modifications are very limited. I have a full exhaust. A mild tune through a device called UTEC, Sti struts, h&R springs. Whitline rear bar, cage/race seat/harness. I run hankook DOT slicks, which are excellent, but I feel unwise for a novice hilclimber.
The single hardest thing for any novice to come to terms with, is that car modifications have very little to do with time improvements at a hillclimb. Experience and seat time is the most important. It takes a long time to learn each hill. The key to being fast is knowing the hill like the back of your hand.
Make the car safe and reliable first and foremost. You can't learn the hill if you are stuck at the bottom tinkering with a car all day.
Again I can not emphasize enough your oil level. Make sure your oil level is touching the full mark on the dipstick.
Leave your suspension stock, or if you are determined to change, upgrade to Sti struts and springs and group N tophats. Leave your sway bars stock.
I run Sti struts, and H&R springs, which I really like for this stuff. I have a adjustable white line rear sway bar, that I will likely remove in favor of going back to a stock rear bar. The biggest issue being that it doesn't allow the rear suspension to droop enough, which means your rear wheel will pick up in a corner, then you can't put the power down to get out of corner. I will likely go to a stock bar, or go without one entirely.
I get the impression this is a daily driver. To start, get a decent street autocross tire, if it's in your budget. If not run what you have. Examples of the type of tire I mean, Kumho XS, Dunlop direzza star spec, Toyo R1R, and the like. Something with a stiff sidewall, but not a dot slick.
My car is usually in the top 15 overall. My modifications are very limited. I have a full exhaust. A mild tune through a device called UTEC, Sti struts, h&R springs. Whitline rear bar, cage/race seat/harness. I run hankook DOT slicks, which are excellent, but I feel unwise for a novice hilclimber.
The single hardest thing for any novice to come to terms with, is that car modifications have very little to do with time improvements at a hillclimb. Experience and seat time is the most important. It takes a long time to learn each hill. The key to being fast is knowing the hill like the back of your hand.
Make the car safe and reliable first and foremost. You can't learn the hill if you are stuck at the bottom tinkering with a car all day.
Again I can not emphasize enough your oil level. Make sure your oil level is touching the full mark on the dipstick.