John's CS BRZ progression

[piknockout]

Originally Posted by AustinTX

I'm not looking for used tires - I was just trying them out ahead of my next tire purchase. Still waiting to see what the best options are...

Clearly the answer is STX. Looking forward to seeing you there.

[AustinTX]

It might be, but not in my car

[TrqlessWonder]

Maybe I'm missing some info, but Tire Rack doesn't list a 225/45-17 RS3v2...at least not at the moment. Is that just a size they pulled from the site due to lack of availability, or will that size not be available at all anymore?

[bimmer635csi]

Originally Posted by TrqlessWonder

Maybe I'm missing some info, but Tire Rack doesn't list a 225/45-17 RS3v2...at least not at the moment. Is that just a size they pulled from the site due to lack of availability, or will that size not be available at all anymore?

Officially, there is a lot of rumor on what will be available. I know they used to be available from Tire Rack because that's where I got mine, but that was 9 months ago. There is speculation that a boat full of them is waiting to be unloaded in Los Angeles, but the strike is making the wait very long.

[piknockout]

A 225/45/17 is a very popular size in general, so I would be 100% positive that it will be available. The question is just when that will be, but sometime likely by April.

[TrqlessWonder]

Ok, thanks, guys. So the answer is still kind of muddy until/if/when they pop up or don't. Just kind of wondering why all the interest in a tire that wasn't listed. It's at least expected.

And I agree on the popularity of the size, but don't place much faith on the "they did it last year" argument. I used to be able to get 225/45 KDW2's (my torrential downpour tire of choice when it was available), but no dice anymore. Sometimes these decisions aren't made with the consumer in mind.

[AustinTX]

Wet event, not much to say. It was dry for one heat, consistent drizzle for another (mine), and drying for the last. Tight and tidy. Could probably have tried to take a wider entry to the box halfway through, but it was wet and the grip was iffy through that section. Finished up 3rd of 22 in X class, 21st of 158 overall.

Results:
https://axwaresystems.com/axorm/file...0215_fin.htm#x

Video:
[ame]http://youtu.be/12S9TQUfjVE[/ame]

Our next event is on a race track, so I'm planning to revert back to the stock front swaybar and see if it'll work now that I have a clue what I'm doing in this car.

[renfield90]

Originally Posted by AustinTX

Our next event is on a race track, so I'm planning to revert back to the stock front swaybar and see if it'll work now that I have a clue what I'm doing in this car.

Can I ask what your thinking there is?

From my experience (both at an autocross on track, and an actual track day) I've never been more pleased with going as stiff as I did on the front bar.

[AustinTX]

I've got a BRZ, and it is significantly more forward biased on spring rates than the FR-S. It has a natural understeer. I'm already using the Perrin 19MM bar on soft (only 25% stiffer than stock), and it still understeers. I'd like to get a bit more steering Gotta keep an eye on front tire wear and G data to see if I lose overall grip with the stock bar.

[renfield90]

Makes sense. It'll be interesting what the data says. I'm guessing you don't feel you can tune out the understeer with adjustable shocks?

[AustinTX]

Not really. Shocks are more of a dynamic/transient balance adjustment. They generally have little effect on steady state balance. I could soften the front shocks and get crazy turn-in, but then it would still end up settling out to about the same understeer on a long sweeper. I'd rather take the approach of tuning OUT the transient aggressiveness and bringing the car's steady state balance up. We will see if it helps soon enough - I think it'll be a very small difference, though.

[bslate3]

Speaking of the Perrin bar, how is the fitment with the stock endlinks? I've heard of people having trouble fitting aftermarket sway bars with stock end links.

[AustinTX]

No fitment issues whatsoever - plenty of clearance everywhere with the stock endlinks. Conversely, the Strano bar I tried was hitting the frame rails on both sides of the car under braking and hard transitions.

[AustinTX]

Strangely, we are in the middle of an epic drought in central TX and we have had 3 wet events in a row. On Saturday, we broke in a new site. The course was fun, a bit speed maintenance, a bit tight on the slaloms, and VERY wet. I'm ready to get off these 9 month old RS3's, because they haven't shown any competitiveness in the last few events. We got spanked by a couple of fast guys on RE71's, but I think that's to be expected for two really fast guys in FWD cars with fresh tires in the rain. The delta was pretty huge, though

Next up - TX national tour. I'm thinking of ordering Rivals at risk today to see how they fare. Of course, this might all be for nothing if the FR-S's get the TRD springs/swaybars clarified as port installed options. Subaru doesn't offer the same

Results:
https://axwaresystems.com/axorm/file...-mar15_pax.htm

Video: