Nice. Welcome. I had an automatic 91 626 LX.
Glad to see more autoxers signing up. I was once heavy into it while living in Kansas. I was the region Solo chair for awhile and served on the BoD. Now with the little kids running around (well, only ONE is running) I've been taking a small "leave of absence". I plan on getting back into it once they get older though.[/b]
You know, I used to really be into autoX when I had my WRX.... I used to run DS, had a LOT of fun, and then, after modding the car a little too much, got bumped up to STX, where it was apparent that since I didn't have as much money invested as some people, that my WRX was sorely outclassed.... that's kind of how I feel about my STI, and why I haven't got into autoX. The STI is an A Stock car, but with just the AP, it's already bumped out of competing in AS... with the exhaust (TXS Stealthback) I plan on putting on next month, the only class I could compete in is STU, and coming from an autoX background, I'm sure you know the regs for what you can run in STU:
No wheel restrictions
Tires for 2WD cars up to 275 mm wide (245 for AWD)
Body kits, spoilers, and wings added
Shocks/struts
Drilled/slotted rotors (standard size) and braided DOT brake lines
Anti-roll bars, front and rear
Lowered suspensions using standard-type springs
Suspension bushings (non-metallic)
Camber kits, plates, or bolts
Traction bars, torque arms, panhard rods
Strut bars, 2-point only
Battery relocated
Air filter systems up to throttle body or compressor inlet
Headers, emissions compliant
Engine computers (PCM/ECU) reprogrammed
Shifter kits
Accessory drive pulleys
Motor mounts (non-metallic)
^^^That's a large reason why I haven't really got back into autoX since I bought the STI... to be remotely competitive in STU, I would have to spend some serious cash... kind of sucks, since the STI comes with 8" wide wheels stock, and a 2.5L turbo motor (opposed to my WRX's 2.0L), it can't run in STX
That combined with the fact that I don't want to swap a full exhaust on and off everytime I go to the track just to run AS. I don't know, it's just to expensive to run an STI in STU competitively, or at least at this point.... maybe in the future when I have more cash. I'm down for track days, but running in any of the ST classes can get pricey if you want to be competitive.For an 05-07 STI, running much higher spring rates than stock (224/197 iirc), and you'll go through stock struts like crazy, and they're not cheap. Maybe a 10-15% increase in rates is about all you can reliably get out of the stock struts, and since STU doesn't allow coil-overs, your only real replacement struts (within reason) you can run are Ohlins, which will set you back about $1900. It sucks, the suspension of the STI's was changed in '05, as the '04's can run WRX struts (won't fit in 05-07 STI's), which means, in an '04 you can run WRX housings w/Koni inserts, but that's not an option for later STI's, so us 05-07 STI guys are pretty much hosed when looking to run a more aggressive damper... it's cheaper just to buy coil-overs, but then, you can't run in STU lol. Kind of gay IMO. Oh well, maybe I'll give it a shot with a set of thick sway bars, JDM pink springs (257/220 rates), camber plates and some wider, stickier rubber.. just have to get the cash to mod the car to that point lol.
