Advice for an autocross newbie

[crc91]

Hey guys I'd like to start auto crossing my car or at least get it ready. While I haven't researched all the classes and stuff yet initially I'm going to be there to have fun and improve my driving! As some of you may know this is my first 6 speed car and some Motorsport techniques I still have to learn such as heel toe. What I'd like to do before I start autocross is get the full gm v6 1le suspension installed and the ss or zl1 brake kit installed (depending on price most likely the ss kit though) and some forgestar f14s is this a good start? What class would this put me in? Everything is stock and under warranty right now and I'm trying to keep that warranty for a while. Also has anyone here put the 1le suspension on their v6? Any advice? Are the differences really noticeable?

[crc91]

Bump

[sycraft]

look for my build thread.. Huge difference.. the 1LE package will be night and day difference...

[pinkcamaro10]

I think you could have a lot more fun just upgrading certain suspension components rather that getting the 1LE package for your car. I also have a v6 and am into autocrossing. I have coilovers and am getting some swaybars and end links installed today. I can't upgrade to brembos though, because they won't clear my concave wheels.

Anyways, do some research, you might have more fun making the car your own with suspension upgrades.

[VR Baron]

Seat time to learn what to do and what your car is doing is #1. Later as to parts its the right tires, brakes, sways and bushings then maybe coilovers depending how serious you get.If tires good and not needed for awhile and you want parts do sways first to limit body roll and understeer.I did sways first and were the biggest improvement at the time, springs I didnt notice as much but helped some.Seat time is the cheapest way and first step. Save for tires if you really want to do this as you can go through a good set in a year.

[crc91]

Thanks guys! I'm in favor of sticking with the complete 1le suspension kit bc I need to keep my warranty. Any autocross v6ers here running ss brembos? Would this be a bigger difference maker than 1 le suspension first? I ideally would like both done n installed at the same time then go from there.

[sycraft]

on the autocross the brakes are important, but not as much as suspension. most autox courses rarely get out of second or third. no easy answer for that. if you can do it, I would. if not, drive it until you see if you need them

[VR Baron]

Originally Posted by crc91

Thanks guys! I'm in favor of sticking with the complete 1le suspension kit bc I need to keep my warranty. Any autocross v6ers here running ss brembos? Would this be a bigger difference maker than 1 le suspension first? I ideally would like both done n installed at the same time then go from there.

V6 brakes fade out after about 6 hard stops but your o.k. for auto x. I have a friend that did the SS brembos on his v6 but he did it more for road courses where the best are needed. I use Hawk hps pads for a bit more stopping power and they bite harder, dont know if available for 6s though.You arent on the brakes but when you do make hard sharp hits to the petal right before a turn and keep the speed up before the turns.
If doing the 1le stuff it should help alot, nothing like bigger sways and good shocks to make the car respond. Springs would be good especially since you have softer v6 springs. I'd go with hotchkis but thats me. Mainly you want the car to be cat like and get rid of the understeer so it will go where you point it.

[ICTsccaCamaro]

Well we had fully 1Le swapped our 2012 V6 and brembo swapped and the car did really well at autocross one thing to definitely do is to have an aggressive alignment done it will really change the a lot.

[crc91]

So it sounds like for my first time I should go and learn the car with an aggressive alignment. Then get the 1le suspension(which requires the brembos as well correct?) the 1le package doesn't come with stiffer springs? The car well eventually be set up for some road course action as well but I'd figure I'd get my feet wet with auto x first. Any special safety equipment required or things that need to be done to pass tech ?

[ICTsccaCamaro]

Definitely dont need the brembos to run the 1LE stuff we ran and autocrossed our 2012 for quite a while before we brembo swapped with no issues.

[crc91]

Really? I thought I heard on here that in order to run the 1le suspension brembos are required? We're you guys running an aftermarket brake kit or the stockers?

[sycraft]

Originally Posted by crc91

Really? I thought I heard on here that in order to run the 1le suspension brembos are required? We're you guys running an aftermarket brake kit or the stockers?

on the rear , you will need brembos with the 1LE bar, the V6 calipers will hit the bar unless the pads are new, as soon as they wear contact is made, so in essence , yes, you need Brembos to take advantage of the rear sway bar.

[ICTsccaCamaro]

I really cant see how they will contact unless the car is lowered because the calipers move identically with the sway bar through wheel travel, before we traded in our 2012 we swapped our sways onto a friends 1LT with 40k miles and the sway bar still had alot of room from the rear calipers, the sway bar does need to be centered durring install but it should be regardless.