Something cool about SPC control arms
 

I am getting ready to change out all of my car's remaining rubber bushings to polyurethane. I also have the whiteline roll center correction kit and front caster correction to go on as well as SPC rear lower camber adjustable control arms. I was looking at the new control arms to see if I could change the already installed bushings to polyurethane. They look different than regular bushings, so I called SPC directly and talked to one of their tech guys about the bushings. It turns out that they install x-axis bushings in these inexpensive control arms. That is their name for cross axis bushings. These are like a heim joint that is sealed and packed with grease for longevity. So full articulation with much less flex than rubber or polyurethane. Wow! That is some nice technology for the reasonable price of these control arms. Just thought I would share that as I found it very enlightening!

Also not legal for SCCA STX in case you are into those things.

Really? They appear stock in every way, but the cam bolt camber adjustment is not stock. Obviously the bushing isn't, but it doesn't look very different from rubber. That is unfortunate that they wouldn't pass muster for stx

It's because it uses spherical bearings.

-alex

^^ Doesn't matter how similar it looks, it matters what performance advantage it provides.

I'm heavily modded, wouldn't be stx anyway. Oh well. We do have a local autocross though, I need to go investigate. You guys that do it make it sound fun. Tell me the entry fee is worth it though for such short runs. How many runs do you get at an event usually?

Depending on what you've done, at locals running parts with sphericals like LCA's shouldn't give you enough performance advantage to have people in STX giving you the stink eye. But looks like you're supercharged so not a chance they'll be happy about you competing there, although without the skills or some basic stuff like the right tires you may not even challenge a well driven well prepped STX car.

Seat time depends on the group, I've paid $50 for a day and gotten anywhere from 3x-10x runs usually coming in with <400 seconds of seat time. IMO if you come in with the mindset of 'I want maximum sliding and hooning and going fast' it's a losing proposition. For me it's the challenge of your skills, how quick can you adapt and maximize what's available to you? Having targets, seeing where you stack up and trying to find that extra tenth of a second is the satisfaction for me. Can you beat your buddy? Bring a friend along and both drive your car, learn and teach each other? Or get downright nasty trying to prove you're faster. It's all about mindset imo.

:burnrubber:

And depending on where you're at as a driver, if you feel comfortable handing the keys over to a local hotshot it can be eye opening how much time you're leaving on the table that they can unlock sitting in your car for the very first time.

I've run maybe 2 autocross events in my life, and 1 ProSolo.

For the entry fee, practice events are much more fun. Championship events usually have less seat time (especially if they are behind on schedule).

I do enjoy the seat time, however I prefer road race/track events.

-alex

Me too on real track being the best. But, it is a 200 mile drive to the nearest track. I road raced motorcycles (and motocrossed) when I was younger, but never actually raced a car. I just want to drive the piss out of my car without hurting anyone else or getting tickets- or worse. Autocross looks fun because I would be alone on the course, and wouldn't have to worry about paint trading. Just kinda short on drive time to me for $75. The relatively low speed of autocross seems much less likely for serious crashing though. I've been on the ragged edge at terrifying speeds on motorcycles, and believe it or not it seems safer than in a car to me. I know it isn't, but at least I can weight transfer and use my body to help control the bike. In the car- it is involved, but not in the same way. I like the speed on the track though, it doesn't scare me. I just lack a good bit of experience that I have on bikes. I may never autocross, but I need to at least go watch and see if it is something I want to try. Sorry about being off topic

@drewbot and @Scracho both try to convince me that autox is worth it. I'm very tempted by it. Just really wish my work schedule wasn't so busy in the summer time.

Maybe I'll have to take some time off of work to get a solid weekend of HPDE in...

Your local autox costs $75???? That's insane. Events around here are like $35-$40.

Do it! There's the SPDA autox school in April (sign up EARLY, it always sells out in like 15 minutes), and also the OTA Time Attack school (single day this coming year) in early May.

I'd really, really like to. But the problem is that my work schedule is 24 days on the road, 5 back home. Sometimes I have a lot of "real life shit" to catch up on and it makes it difficult to do anything. But I'll do my best to try and make myself available for it.

@Cole, Will, @Scracho and I are all 100% right. Provided you can find a weekend in April to try out AutoX school for less than $100, spin out as much as you'd like without feeling embarrassed, it is worth it. The amount you learn about the car and balance over a couple days is amazing.

AutoX is also pretty reasonably priced at around $40, and if you're lucky and early enough, you can sign up for the Scion Racing Contingency like Jamie and I....

The only knock to the local AutoX here is that the time idling and waiting for your next run is longer than an HDPE track day. But also is much more affordable and inherently safer..

However, while idling and marshalling the course, you get the learn a lot from VERY fast guys, and get to talk with guys who have fun driving cars rather than hard parking (which is rare in my area)

I'll have to have a stern talk with my boss, and let him know that I need to "Track Day, Bro" and have to spend less time on the road this coming year. :thumbup:

I look forward to spinning out and making the guys running the event fix pylons after every run I make

Tell him to come too... might be easier to sell it that way :D