02-07-10 Event Pictures

[Mako Koiwai]

FOR THE LAST EVENT in JANUARY ... 57 new photos being uploaded: http://public.fotki.com/makofoto/2010-a ... page4.html

by Kati's friend Andrew ...

[Vincent Wong]

Argh....you captured my senior moment or brain fart moment.....went the wrong way of the wallom!!! It's funny that the moment you captured in the pic, I was actually thinking "why was the pointer cone on the wrong side?"

Anyway, here's the link to my 2nd run, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q9y26aI1Nk.

[Steve Abbott]

Here's mine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVW4G2TNeds" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Mako Koiwai]

Interesting watching everyone's video ... looks like I swung out wider then necessary after the "around the pole" corner ... NorthWest corner of the lot ... before going into the Mud Flat slalom.

Steve/Tom's Z06 has more front bite then ours. Went too high on the left front corner trying to achieve both ride heights and corner balance.

[Steve Abbott]

Steve/Tom's Z06 has more front bite then ours. Went too high on the left front corner trying to achieve both ride heights and corner balance.

Here's a little setup secret I probably shouldn't tell you. Tom's car has no setup. Almost stock alignment, and lowered on stock bolts. Koni adjustable shocks that we never touched. He just puts gas in it and comes to the races. I feel lucky if he even washes it. But we are keeping an eye on you. If you hit it big, I guess Tom's going to have to get on his back and make some adjustments. I'm just the co-driver.

Steve A.

[Mako Koiwai]

I was close to Tom in the two events last year ... and Karen was beating Jo Ann ... and then I Had To Make It Better. ... but I have discovered a problem with the front left suspension. On the right hand side the shock is centered in the upper A arm but on the left side it's off set quite a bit, basically touching the upper A arm when the car is in the air and the tire off ... even though the slotted shock ties downs are biased all the way over to try and center it ?! Karen says she hasn't hit anything. The car doesn't get driven very much. On Sunday the car felt like it was "tripping" over it's left front ... and the car under steered more turning right then left.

[Mako Koiwai]

I've seen worse Jeff ... but the tire IS pulling away a bit from the rim.

[Jeff Stuart]

Does that mean I need to run more pressure? I never really went lower than 37 on Saturday.

[Dan Shaw]

Is there no way to increase camber on the front? It's that or you might need a tire that's shorter.

[Jeff Stuart]

There's no way that I know of that would allow me to stay in a stock class, which I really want to do.

I asked on a Cougar forum and they said that I could install Koni struts and still be in stock. Would that allow me to change the camber at all? To be honest I know very little about this stuff, so forgive me if my questions are silly.

[KJ Christopher]

There's no way that I know of that would allow me to stay in a stock class, which I really want to do.

I asked on a Cougar forum and they said that I could install Koni struts and still be in stock. Would that allow me to change the camber at all? To be honest I know very little about this stuff, so forgive me if my questions are silly.

Changing the struts won't give you more camber. I'd run more psi - I was in lower 40s.

[Eric Clements]

Does that mean I need to run more pressure? I never really went lower than 37 on Saturday.

Yes. Not that I've ever done it but 50-60psi in a rentals all-season tires will get them through a full day of hot lapping...

[Michael Smith]

There's no way that I know of that would allow me to stay in a stock class, which I really want to do.
I asked on a Cougar forum and they said that I could install Koni struts and still be in stock. Would that allow me to change the camber at all? To be honest I know very little about this stuff, so forgive me if my questions are silly.

You can change the struts but not lower the spring perches with the Konis.
What tire and size were you running? Those look like the 15x6 stock alloys. Were there factory optional 16x7 rims for your car?

[Jeff Stuart]

It's that or you might need a tire that's shorter.

I'm hesitant to do this because I've already gone down from 205/60s to 205/50s and I'd like my speedometer to still be at least kind of close to accurate. I still use this car as my daily driver as well.

I guess I'll just run more pressure from now on.

[Jeff Stuart]

You can change the struts but not lower the spring perches with the Konis.
What tire and size were you running? Those look like the 15x6 stock alloys. Were there factory optional 16x7 rims for your car?

Those are 205/50R15s. I know the V6 model cougar came with 16 inch wheels stock, but I don't know if the I4 model ever did.

[Kurt Rahn]

I'm with KJ and Eric. More pressures should do the trick. I used to run 45 in front and 42 in back on my G35.

[Steve Abbott]

I was close to Tom in the two events last year ... and Karen was beating Jo Ann ... and then I Had To Make It Better. ... but I have discovered a problem with the front left suspension. On the right hand side the shock is centered in the upper A arm but on the left side it's off set quite a bit, basically touching the upper A arm when the car is in the air and the tire off ... even though the slotted shock ties downs are biased all the way over to try and center it ?! Karen says she hasn't hit anything. The car doesn't get driven very much. On Sunday the car felt like it was "tripping" over it's left front ... and the car under steered more turning right then left.

Check the A-Arm bushings real close. It could be that you have more castor on one side. Does the car go straight when you let go of the wheel? Who did the alignment?

Shoot me a email and we can talk about your problems.

Steve A.

[Mako Koiwai]

The Front eccentrics are very close. I do our own alignment - I have been for years ... Darren @ Westend taught me ... after having him do my WRX four times. Everything including thrust was spot on a couple of weeks ago. Since changing the ride heights things changed but I was all over that. I need to check the eccentrics again since running on Sunday

[John Stimson]

Here are my 2nd and 3rd runs. The third was the quickest, and I threw in the second for the entertainment value of the drift around the sweeper.

Run 2
Run 3

White S2000, run group 4.

[Steve Ekstrand]

little red Civic with bronze wheels! : -)

What the EF?

[Mako Koiwai]

OK ... CRX

[Kurt Rahn]

little red Civic with bronze wheels! : -)

What the EF?

Steve made a funny!!

[Pow Billedo]

I'm guessing no one has pictures from group 5? I could have sworn someone said they were going to take pictures....

[Mako Koiwai]

As I've said three times now ... Katianne's friend shot group 4 and 5. I don't know if he has a web album but I'm trying to make his photos available (he shot Karen and myself also). After the January event it took weeks to get another one of her friends to make his pictures available.

[Mike Shin]

little red Civic with bronze wheels! : -)

What the EF?

Steve made a funny!!

He did?