T2's vs SRC's

[Colpup]

Car isn't daily'd and will be turned into a STX/track focused build. I don't have experience with either setup and i am looking for some recommendations. I will be running 17x9 wheels with 245 RE71's or something comparable.

Here is the question: What setup is more value/better setup for the money. RCE T2's with Raceseng Cascam front plates and rear LCA's or for the same money Tein SRC's without the plates or LCA's? Let me know what you guys think.

[strat61caster]

@cjd has run both in STX iirc

imo alignment is more critical than having great dampers and stiff springs, I'd pick lowering springs and a good alignment over penskes and being stuck with only -1 degree of camber up front. I thought SRC came with camber plates? So you'd only need the lca, and there's some very fast guys running the cheap SPC lca. (Although the bushing in them isn't technically legal and needs to be replaced for scca legality, I wouldn't worry about it until you start competing nationally)

[churchx]

Hmm. Are SRC sold even without camplates, when those are included even in much cheaper offerings like Flex Z/A? And you need rear LCAs in both cases, as there is no rear camber adjustment stock. Well, front too, but there is option of using cheap cambolts.

[Colpup]

To clarify, they are sold with plates. I meant going the SRC route without the Raceseng cascam plates which seem to be superior to those that come with the SRCs.

[cjd]

There are a couple things that ultimately prompted me to switch from the SRC to a set of RCE. I have yet to confidently say they were solved with the switch. The big gap remains the driver. A lot of it is curiosity.

Spring rates was the big one. When traction was up, the SRC were amazing. Surface conditions (bumps, rain, cold) could undermine that. The change in car behavior with the RCE is interesting, but I don't have enough rain events to be confident it helped. Early indications are that it did. I'll be experimenting more with rates I think. Transition to oversteer is definitely less sudden, but at the moment I also get more mid-corner push. I'm slow to adapt driving style, and it's solvable behind the wheel.

I think the SRC can be competitive in a STX if your focus is the track. I think the T2 is the better AutoX choice, and will still be fast on the track. A lot comes down to the spring rates, but there are other differences that may also play a role. I could be entirely wrong about this - I'm not fast or consistent enough to be confident about it.

On the street the SRC is less comfortable when the road gets ugly, otherwise both are great... Again, so much is about the spring rates. Maybe a bit about available droop travel.

C

[solidONE]

Originally Posted by cjd

There are a couple things that ultimately prompted me to switch from the SRC to a set of RCE. I have yet to confidently say they were solved with the switch. The big gap remains the driver. A lot of it is curiosity.

Spring rates was the big one. When traction was up, the SRC were amazing. Surface conditions (bumps, rain, cold) could undermine that. The change in car behavior with the RCE is interesting, but I don't have enough rain events to be confident it helped. Early indications are that it did. I'll be experimenting more with rates I think. Transition to oversteer is definitely less sudden, but at the moment I also get more mid-corner push. I'm slow to adapt driving style, and it's solvable behind the wheel.

I think the SRC can be competitive in a STX if your focus is the track. I think the T2 is the better AutoX choice, and will still be fast on the track. A lot comes down to the spring rates, but there are other differences that may also play a role. I could be entirely wrong about this - I'm not fast or consistent enough to be confident about it.

On the street the SRC is less comfortable when the road gets ugly, otherwise both are great... Again, so much is about the spring rates. Maybe a bit about available droop travel.

C

What about consistency in the damping after multiple hot sessions? Do one fade more than the other, Or are the monotubes a bit more consistent?

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Colpup

To clarify, they are sold with plates. I meant going the SRC route without the Raceseng cascam plates which seem to be superior to those that come with the SRCs.

I have raceseng plates, they're excellent but I wouldn't think they make a massive difference over what comes on teins.

[cjd]

Originally Posted by solidONE

What about consistency in the damping after multiple hot sessions? Do one fade more than the other, Or are the monotubes a bit more consistent?

I've not found this to be a thing for Autocross, so I really have no perspective on it. If it is a thing, it probably means that neither have issues

[solidONE]

Originally Posted by cjd

I've not found this to be a thing for Autocross, so I really have no perspective on it. If it is a thing, it probably means that neither have issues

I noticed this to be a 'thing' in the front struts when running on the track for 20min sessions during the summer time. After the front struts get hot the damping seems to fade a bit.

[cjd]

Originally Posted by solidONE

I noticed this to be a 'thing' in the front struts when running on the track for 20min sessions during the summer time. After the front struts get hot the damping seems to fade a bit.

Track use is a different beast, no question. Heat is probably the biggest difference mechanically, just about everywhere it matters; oil, engine, tire, shock, and driver. A super hot summer day and a two-driver car is as close as you'll get at an autocross, and I'm not sure it'd be close - which is why I qualified my complete lack of experience in the matter.

That said, the T2 is based on the KW Clubsport IIRC, so shouldn't be a slouch in this respect. The SRC, I really don't know beyond pointing at some of the folks that have done lots of track time on them. I have to defer to the experts on this.

For the stated purposes, I suspect the T2 is going to be a better fit, but that's me applying my autocross mindset to the problem, and... well, I guess it's obvious since I made the switch, whether right or wrong I don't know yet. If aero enters the picture, the higher recommended spring rates of the SRC start to come into play (I don't know how much spring the T2 supports, and for the sake of full disclosure, it's not the RCE setup I have on my car) but that takes you out of STX unless it's removable.

One more note on the topic of top plates: The Teins work just fine, and I'm honestly not sure I'd want any additional drop as you get with the Raceseng - there's little enough droop, so you'd likely end up too low. You do get caster (if you want it) on the Raceseng, which isn't there on the Teins.

C

[solidONE]

I suppose cooler running brakes (BBK+cooling ducts) can only help. A bit too hardcore for my mainly DD car.