Mean Green's 1st AutoX

[IXNAYXJ]

Many auto-xers and track cars do run a smidge toe-out for faster turn-in and 2.5-3* of camber(so tire sits square during hard corners).

Keep in mind, those guys are all running IFS...not an apples to apples comparison. You could probably get away with a little more for short races/cone dodging, (the Archers look like they're running closer to 3 degrees in the MJs) but we're very, very happy with the set up we came up with.

 

[gradon]

Building a 4.9l SCCA MJ at the moment too, so these look like the ticket to get the camber we want.

 

[seanyb505]

Good showing! Are you still turboing the MJ?

 

[gradon]

It will get turbo'd down the road but start out N/A. It has 6.125" forged rods,+.062" Ross 34cc ceramic-coated dish forged pistons that have nitrated skirts, a 505 roller, 505 6.040" offset ground crank, and comp is a boost-friendly 8.75:1SCR. We swapped out the 208K engine and ba10 tranny on Sat and put it in his 89.5 2wd SB MJ Pioneer and took the 89.5's AX15 to put behind the bored 96 block in my 88 Eliminator. The machinist finished the head with the oversized valves(and ~25hrs of my P&P) earlier this week and I'll pick it up tomorrow. The block was bored out and decked .014" months ago, but we need to build it and double check the deck clearance. I got the machinist a 4.2 a few weeks ago for a bread truck he has w/ a cracked one($80 out of my pocket inc. gas costs), so he did the head for free and will give me the good 4.2 crank and rods out of the cracked block. I say it'll be early July when it's up and running, but it oughta be a monster.

 

[CherBear]

It will get turbo'd down the road but start out N/A. It has 6.125" forged rods,+.062" Ross 34cc ceramic-coated dish forged pistons that have nitrated skirts, a 505 roller, 505 6.040" offset ground crank, and comp is a boost-friendly 8.75:1SCR. We swapped out the 208K engine and ba10 tranny on Sat and put it in his 89.5 2wd SB MJ Pioneer and took the 89.5's AX15 to put behind the bored 96 block in my 88 Eliminator. The machinist finished the head with the oversized valves(and ~25hrs of my P&P) earlier this week and I'll pick it up tomorrow. The block was bored out and decked .014" months ago, but we need to build it and double check the deck clearance. I got the machinist a 4.2 a few weeks ago for a bread truck he has w/ a cracked one($80 out of my pocket inc. gas costs), so he did the head for free and will give me the good 4.2 crank and rods out of the cracked block. I say it'll be early July when it's up and running, but it oughta be a monster.

Sounds like a certified monster! atriot:

 

[gradon]

I autocrossed the Jeep again yesterday at Regency Furniture Stadium(Blue Crab) in Waldorf, MD with the NCCBMWCCA club. Blue Crab is a nice, large lot with good pavement, and elevation and pitch changes. I had five clean runs(or so I think) and consistently improved to a 54.4s on my last run(my goal was 55s from watching 1st heat runs). Fastest time of the day was 45.8s from a tuned 350z with race tires. Nick's best was a 51.x in his '98 NSX. My other brother Andrew got a 56.x in his '96 240sx. Two friends, Tim Walker and Jerry Byrd, got into the 47s and 48s with a mr2(I p&p'd the heads, intake, and exhaust manifolds for the camry 3.0l v-6 swap) and a STI--both in the top 10% as usual. Good times and good job on the Jeep taking the abuse--footage and results to be posted soon!
some photos: http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/17971798 ... 83_Z7J8xs9

 

[O-Gauge Steamer]

You would think the more negative camber the better. I mean, look at F1 cars. They just look wrong, until they are cornering...

 

[cruiser54]

You would think the more negative camber the better. I mean, look at F1 cars. They just look wrong, until they are cornering...

Not always. When I ran my Mazda in track day events, I found the best bite and turn-in was at 1* negative per side rather than the 2* negative per side. Probably something to do with diminishing returns.

 

[T to the B]

Not always. When I ran my Mazda in track day events, I found the best bite and turn-in was at 1* negative per side rather than the 2* negative per side. Probably something to do with diminishing returns.

The XJ looked good, but the driver also did a good job of controlling it. Good job.

It has alot to do with an actual working suspension. Extreme static camber is only there to compensate for a sub par suspension, or bad camber curve during compression. You can also get into a position where your camber effects your braking. If 1/2 the tire is on the ground....then you're over working that tire by 50% and asking it to do something it cannot.

Despite having a full tubular front end and coil overs on my Mustang, it's still a single lower control arm, not a short/long arm setup like on a high end sports car(Corvette for example). I run appx 3* when on track and dial it back to 1.8 for normal driving.

 

[gradon]

That's my brother Andrew drifting the 240sx after my run.

 

[T to the B]

I'm really impressed, the driver has to be pretty good because a I know a fr/rr solid axle SUV isn't the greatest at handling.

You did good man!!

 

[NCjeepgirl83]

That's awesome! I love it when an unlikely car beats all the other cars that normally win. That's one epic Jeep you've got!

 

[gradon]

I'm gonna be auto-xing the Jeep again at Blue Crab Stadium(Regency Furniture) in Waldorf Saturday afternoon (somewhere b/t 1-5p) if anyone wants to watch and ride passenger for a run(usually less than 60 seconds).

 

[T to the B]

Good luck man, give it Hell!!!

 

[bjoehandley]

X2, Wish I was in the area to come out and watch!

 

[gradon]

Today I swapped out the classic 5-stars w/ 255/60-15 Bridgestones for the silverstars w/ 225/50-16 Yokohama Advan Neovas(awesome track tire) that were on the 88 eliminator I gave my brother(still building the 4.9l). I spent 2 hours chiseling and drilling off one of the MJ's lug nut and stud that I broke two hardened sockets on--PITA. The tire size difference(Yoko vs Bridge) is 24.8" tall vs 27.1" tall and 9.2" wide vs 10.2" wide. The Jeep is 1.15" lower(good for lower center of gravity), track width 1" less(worse), and sidewalls 1.6" shorter(less body roll, crisper turn-in). It was already ridiculous with the 27" tires and 4.10s but now with the 24.8"s, the ratio is effectively 4.46(so 1st is useless). Anyhow, I'll just run the combo until this weekend. My buddy has new 275/35/15s and 15x10s for his MR2 and the bolt pattern is 5x114.3mm, but the center bore is 60.1mm, while the Jeep looks to have a 72-73mm. He has spacers(that might clear the Jeeps center hub) and wants to co-drive, so I might try to fit one later in the week to see if they'll work. I did a full brake bleed and checked all the brakes and they have plenty of life and are wearing evenly. I need to find out how water is entering in the left front(recent) and rear corner, so I'm gonna strip out the interior and remove some things(rear seat belts, front speakers, maybe amp and capacitor), so I'll probably be 50#s lighter as well come Saturday. With everything out, I'll probably tackle the cubby hole sub project that I've been wanting to do(don't think I can use the deep 10" Eclipse).

 

[Milford Cubicle II]

This :roflmao:

And thanks for doin the XJ community proud :thumbup:

 

[Talyn]

It was already ridiculous with the 27" tires and 4.10s but now with the 24.8"s, the ratio is effectively 4.46(so 1st is useless).

That sounds like fun.

 

[gradon]

 

[hubs97xj]

Sharp. So is it effectively a 4 speed now?