Funny, I've found that 70 ft-lbs works fine for me, both for the street and for autocross. I've never had a lug nut come loose. I suppose it's possible that my torque wrench is off and that my "70" is really "80" or "90" but I doubt it, it's a good quality KD mechanical torque wrench.


I use a Dewalt 18v cordless drill with a 3/8" drive socket adapter to spin the lug nuts off and on. I use the KD torque wrench to tighten them, and a standard 1/2" drive socket ratchet to break the nuts loose.

 

All right guys, I've decided to give the EVO8 a final big push in A-Stock this year. I'm making the jump to R-comps from my street tires. On the local events I've started becoming faster on street tires than guys that have years of experience running on R-comps. During the last event of the 06 season, I was only 1+ second behind some of the members in my region that trophied at nationals, one of whom was the 06 SCCA National CSP champ. I even managed to beat a local member that went to nationals and trophied (he was in a BS car with sticky street tires). I've been consistently beating cars that are in faster classes (SS, STU, etc). So I hope I'm ready for R-comps.
I'll be prepping the EVO systematically for AS, I currently have a Fujitsubo catback and K&N airfilter. Next on the list is R-comps and a larger front sway bar .... I think I'll do R-comps and note the changes then run a larger front sway after that. I'll update this thread with more info as the 07 season progresses. If an STi can trophy in 4th place for 06, I think an EVO has a chance
I mostly compete in the Nebraska and KC region, so I'll know by mid season if there is snowballs chance in hell ... And if there is, I'll take the car to divisionals then nats. Wish me luck ...

Hopefully it rains during the divisional and nats

 

FYI, the PAX index for AS is tougher than STU, meaning AS should be faster than STU.

What are you doing for shocks? Stock won't cut it if you want to go to nats. There were some revalved Konis for sale around here a while ago. They would be perfect.

 

Yea ... because R-comp tires make a bigger difference than all the goodies they are allowed in STU. My plan is to start with R-comps and a larger front sway and try a few out of state events. I'll go to a few divisional events and see how things work out. I'll be using the stock MR bilstein which are great shocks. I think the driver will have to adjust to these changes 1st before I can determine if the driver has a chance ...

Boder are you getting any rubbing with 275?

 

Spoken like somebody who hasn't driven a car with adjustable shocks.

Once I started competing on adjustable shocks, it became obvious that I'd never want to go back to non-adjustables. It doesn't take too long before you reach the point where you finish a run thinking, "A bit too much push -- I need a click more stiffness in the rear shocks."


If you want to use the stock MR shocks for budgetary or convenience reasons, that's great. But you're definitely underprepped. IMHO, an Evo MR on stock shocks would have a tough time trophying at Nationals. I was working the West course in Topeka last year when A Stock ran, and a friend was competing in an STi on stock shocks, so I was watching all of the STi runs quite closely, especially to compare with the top A Stock STi (the 4th place finisher and only AWD car to trophy in A Stock). It was pretty obvious from watching them which cars had stock shocks and which didn't, and the cars on stock shocks were definitely off the pace.

 

I did run adjustable shocks in my old car (WRX) but then I wasn't driving competitively ... There is still a lot of work to be done on the driver before I can even think of running adjustable shocks. Plus everything I have read and studied points away from using shocks to make up for the deficiency of a lacking suspension. If I realize I need better suspension to improve handling and traction then I'll just move to STU and get coilovers. I would rather use stiffer springs than to use a shock to act as a spring. From what I had heard the STi that trophied 4th place in Nats was on stock shocks.

Alot of good info on www.farnorthracing.com

 

The front bar may increase inside front wheelspin depending on model and driving style. It was a constant problem in my 8, and even with the MR still happens once in a while (but my throttle control patience isn't the best)

As for the DA Koni's that were for sale, they're in my basement waiting for install - Thanks Devin!

 

That's kinda what worries me ... what size front sway did you install?

 

My mistake I guess -- no less an authority than Sam Strano did say that the car was on the stock struts, and a monster front swaybar:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...1&postcount=19

That swaybar must be a monster, because that car was planted in Topeka.

 

Still stock on the front swaybar up to now, but with the shock upgrade, will most likely do something there this year.

For what it's worth (not much considering different days and driver experience)... on the comparison between car classes and speeds... We run the same layout at a go-kart track at one event each year.

04 - 57.650 - base 8 on Victoracers
05 - 57.755 - base 8 on stock rubber and JICs
06 - 56.234 - MR on 710s and stock suspension


Has anyone done testing on the A6 vs the 710 for the EVO stock platform? I run the 275/40 - 245/45 combo.

 

I'm going to go with 245/45/17 V710s all the way around to avoid any rubbing. I am not going with A6s for the same reason I am not going with adjustable shocks, budget. I have heard A6s are slightly faster than V710s but the testing wasn't done on an EVO and the tests weren't done in a quantitative manner which leaves me slightly suspicious. For a first timer, such as myself, on R-comps, any R-comps will do ...
Has anyone tried the AVON tech RA they sell at tire rack?

 

I ran the original Tech Rs on my STi in AS. I really liked them: great grip and great wear (I paid for TR heat cycling and recommend it). Can't compare them to V710s or Hoosiers--I've never run either--but I doubt, as a fist timer to R-comps, that you'd be disappointed.

 

I have a slight rub on the strut housing. Just enough to make a small rubber mark on it. Also a small rub on the inner fender liner at full lock only on one side. I can't remember if it's the driver side or passenger side. It is nothing to worry about at all. If you want to run 275s up front you need to have 33 offset wheels or equivelent spacers. The rules allow 32mm offset as a max and that may work also.

 

Just trying to save you some development time. I ran on stock suspension with 245 V710s all around. What I found out is that the grip of the V710s is too much for the stock dampers. I was bottoming out all of the time and the car really leaned over. I was not running MR struts though and I know they are different than the GSR stock struts.

I ran the Ohlins last year and they are good, but I am getting them revalved this year to make them even better.

 

Thanks for the heads up. I can't wait for auto-x and track season to start so that I can test out a bunch of my theories (more like hypothesis ). Ofcourse, I'm going to have to adjust my driving style to compensate for these changes. If I can't put down times faster than Mark Hill (phenominal Honda S2K driver) in the KC region, I won't even bother showing up to Nats just to be another "also ran".

Damn R-comps are not cheap