STX Rules and Setup Questions

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Clutch Dog

hence is why i bought the spacer, regardless of legality.

Originally Posted by DocWalt

I don't disagree but rules are rules.

I thought we all agreed the spacer was legal for Street Touring and higher prep classes? The only place it wouldn't be is Street and SSC.

As for the necessity of such a spacer, if my legs were about an inch longer I'd probably want it, I have the wheel pushed just a touch inward of maximum extension even with my average frame of 5'8", but I don't have my arms at pretty 90° angles like the 949 pictures show.

[CoolHandMoss]

I'm fairly sure it's legal but I'm not going to risk it. I may submit a request for a clarification or whatever the process is if I can.

[MaverickMonk]

Originally Posted by DocWalt

That said, moving an airbag closer to you doesn't sounds like much fun in the event of an accident.

If you're using this extension, you're going to be a long armed individual as well, so shouldn't the steering wheel still be farther away from you than average?

The ideal steering wheel position for someone 6'2" with a 6'2" wingspan is going to be farther away from the chest than the ideal position for someone 5'8" with a 5'8" wingspan, which stock setup can easily accommodate (because the 5'8" driver will have the seat much closer).

The problem is that being tall also comes with long legs, and since legs are ideally straight-ish and arms are ideally bent at 90*-ish, every inch of leg pushes your seat back about an inch, but at a 90 degree angle an inch of arm only gives you 1/sqrt(2)" of reach.

Warning: Above logic and math may be decaffeinated

[Clutch Dog]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

I thought we all agreed the spacer was legal for Street Touring and higher prep classes? The only place it wouldn't be is Street and SSC.

I didn't agree, because I've been told by my solo board that it is not legal

I want to agree because it'll make my life and time in STX better.

[Molez93]

Originally Posted by Clutch Dog

I didn't agree, because I've been told by my solo board that it is not legal

I want to agree because it'll make my life and time in STX better.

"Solo Board" as in local folks perhaps offering their opinions? I'm probably no more qualified than a local folk either, but DocWalt's point was going to be mine... How can it NOT be legal if it adds weight and we allow non-OE wheels? I'm just stunned there could be any assessment where a spacer isn't legal.

[DocWalt]

It literally says "Any steering wheel" so yeah it's legal in Street Touring. I've asked a bunch of people that are involved with the solo committees about this exact thing for a different car (note my Miata comments...) and it's legal for ST but not Street or SSC

[steverife]

For those with dedicated rains, are you using a 9" wheel or something narrower?

[cjd]

Originally Posted by steverife

For those with dedicated rains, are you using a 9" wheel or something narrower?

8" and 225. Though they're only half-assed at this point, being PSS that are also my "daily" tire. Which mostly means, what I drive to/from events and the occasional road trip. Been wondering if 225 re71's would be the better answer. I'm too slow for it to matter.

Also trying to figure out what tire might be useful on the 34° race days...

[KevBRZ]

Speaking of wheels/ tires.....i have 17 x 8 Ampliforms with the 225 falkens due to originally was thinking SSC, I was thinking of selling the set with tires and going 17 x 9 but i actually like the looks, anybody run 245/40/17s on 17 x 8s and any issues vs 17 x 9? Like probs with air pressure/rollover/etc. Years ago i had 245s on my 17x 8s on my stx civic si and if i remember i had to keep the fronts pretty high pressure not to kill the sidewalls like 38-40 ish but i only had - 2.0 camber though, rears were fine. Those were Z2 star specs if i remember correctly. and plan on doing a little track also... looking through the build threads it seems almost unanimous 17 x 9s.....

[MaverickMonk]

My engine got pretty toasty during a novice school (multiple back to back runs), temped the block at >190 even a couple minutes after sitting at idle to cool down (had to find my temp gun), so I wouldn't be surprised at all if oil temp is getting over 210 on the course.

Any tricks for keeping oil temps safe that don't bump you all the way to SM? Looks like fender vents and hood vents are both verboten in STX (Where I am now) and CSP (Where I'll probably be someday), and I'd rather not spend $700 + extra nose weight on an oil cooler unless there's no other option. As far as I can tell this car needs speedholes.

[snoxracer183]

Originally Posted by KevBRZ

Speaking of wheels/ tires.....i have 17 x 8 Ampliforms with the 225 falkens due to originally was thinking SSC, I was thinking of selling the set with tires and going 17 x 9 but i actually like the looks, anybody run 245/40/17s on 17 x 8s and any issues vs 17 x 9? Like probs with air pressure/rollover/etc. Years ago i had 245s on my 17x 8s on my stx civic si and if i remember i had to keep the fronts pretty high pressure not to kill the sidewalls like 38-40 ish but i only had - 2.0 camber though, rears were fine. Those were Z2 star specs if i remember correctly. and plan on doing a little track also... looking through the build threads it seems almost unanimous 17 x 9s.....

17x8 will hurt performance and wear the edges of the tires more severely. If you are any what serious about being as fast as you can it will require 17x9. This has been proven by numerous tire tests by some pretty serious autoxers.

[snoxracer183]

Originally Posted by MaverickMonk

My engine got pretty toasty during a novice school (multiple back to back runs), temped the block at >190 even a couple minutes after sitting at idle to cool down (had to find my temp gun), so I wouldn't be surprised at all if oil temp is getting over 210 on the course.

Any tricks for keeping oil temps safe that don't bump you all the way to SM? Looks like fender vents and hood vents are both verboten in STX (Where I am now) and CSP (Where I'll probably be someday), and I'd rather not spend $700 + extra nose weight on an oil cooler unless there's no other option. As far as I can tell this car needs speedholes.

An oil cooler is the only legal way to cool your engine in STX

[nico_rsx]

Originally Posted by MaverickMonk

My engine got pretty toasty during a novice school (multiple back to back runs), temped the block at >190 even a couple minutes after sitting at idle to cool down (had to find my temp gun), so I wouldn't be surprised at all if oil temp is getting over 210 on the course.

Any tricks for keeping oil temps safe that don't bump you all the way to SM? Looks like fender vents and hood vents are both verboten in STX (Where I am now) and CSP (Where I'll probably be someday), and I'd rather not spend $700 + extra nose weight on an oil cooler unless there's no other option. As far as I can tell this car needs speedholes.

Before investing money, you should monitor your oil temperature properly. You can do that with an OBD2 dongle and torque app.
210-220 F oil temperature is not a problem at all. It's actually a perfect temperature when tracking. I highly doubt you'll see problematic temperature when doing AutoX.

[strat61caster]

I've seen 240 autoxing, I haven't done anything about it and don't plan on doing anything about it, but one of the few days I did log it that's how high it got. ~60s fast course, 95+ outside temp, probably not an issue at all if the course is short or it's a cool day.

+1 on going the oil cooler route if you're worried, there's the Forester cooler which might take the edge off enough for all autox to be safe, but it doesn't hold up to track lapping.