First time autocrossing the msp in ideal conditions.

[Autox MSP]

I've autocrossed the msp a few times last fall where the surface was cold and wasn't much traction. Yesterday was 80degrees outside and driving surface was in ideal condition for the tires. The car did fairly decent, but this car understeers badly. The turn in was crisp but mid turn the car would just plow. This car needs a bigger rear sway bar badly. There is just so much grip at the rear that the car can't rotate.

Anyone make a 22-24mm rear bar for our cars?

 

[DistantTea]

I totally disagree about the car. Its tendencies to understeer are totally dependent on how you drive it. No front wheel drive car will oversteer under power unless your left foot is involved in some way. It dosn't take kindly to be overdriven, like most FWD cars.

The AWR 21.5mm adjustable bar is available though. http://www.awrracing.com

 

[low_psi]

there are ways to create oversteer without changing the rear sway bar. stiffer rear spring rates, higher psi in rear tires and driving style will make a difference.

 

[AutoBox]

i notice the understeer if u go in too hot.....let off the gas and watch out

 

[Autox MSP]

I used to autocross my civic with a 22mm rear sway bar, it oversteered all the time. I could spin the car on demand. This car seems to plow a bit.

 

[DistantTea]

If you are spinning the car you are doing it wrong

But seriously the car is FWD... lift throttle, left foot and flick are all available to you if all you want to do is hang the rear end out all the time. You also have a handbrake... I'm sure that would be real fast for autocross.

If you want your rear end to go flying all over the place get under the car with a wrench and start dialing toe out to those rear tires. I don't know how your civic was setup, but the MSP does what you ask it to do, but in the end its still a FWD car and cannot rotate under power without help from one of those tricks.

 

[Kobayashi]

Tire pressure, tire pressure, tire pressure....

That (along with driving technique) will help you rotate the car. I ran S03's yesterday at a local auto-x and the car plowed until I had the rear tire pressures above the front (front 44 - rear 45). Then the car rotated nicely. I don't think I have the pressures completely sorted out, or the front wheel drive thing for that matter. But, it felt good.

Questions for everyone...
Under acceleration through a fast turn (2nd gear-mid rpm), have you heard a pounding noise (sounded like BAM!! BAM!!) under the hood? I heard it twice yesterday in the same run and at first I thought it was the exhaust, but not sure. (It sounds like someone hitting the bottom of my car with a sledge hammer.) It sounded like something that had some load and then just got loose and snapped back. Another guy with an MSP described a similar noise and thought it was the sway bar. Anyone experience this? Any ideas?

 

[MrDiggler]

I've autocrossed the msp a few times last fall where the surface was cold and wasn't much traction. Yesterday was 80degrees outside and driving surface was in ideal condition for the tires. The car did fairly decent, but this car understeers badly. The turn in was crisp but mid turn the car would just plow. This car needs a bigger rear sway bar badly. There is just so much grip at the rear that the car can't rotate.

Anyone make a 22-24mm rear bar for our cars?

Do what?!? On stock tires at 36psi, mine will rotate like crazy. I almost wish it plowed more! And I'm not even an experienced autocross driver.

FWIW, mine will do it with a sharp "flip" into a tight corner under acceleration or in other corners when I lift a bit. I threw it almost completely sideways last Friday just after I left work, on a tight uphill right hander. It felt great because I knew to expect it on that corner.

 

[DistantTea]

Tire pressure, tire pressure, tire pressure....

Be careful throwing that word around... yeah you can put 60psi into your rear tires and you'll slide all over the place, but you are giving up speed in sweepers if you stagger too much. Plus transitions become a bit hairy the higher those rears go... too high a pressure and your tire will have trouble coming back to you.

Questions for everyone...
Under acceleration through a fast turn (2nd gear-mid rpm), have you heard a pounding noise (sounded like BAM!! BAM!!) under the hood?

Usually thats a cone stuck somewhere under my car. But in your case it could be a very neccessary bolt that has come loose... like the sway bar, or maybe even a loose strut bar that under the right load shifts suddenly. Or maybe its a body pannel popping. If it gets worse take your car into the dealer.

 

[low_psi]

Be careful throwing that word around... yeah you can put 60psi into your rear tires and you'll slide all over the place, but you are giving up speed in sweepers if you stagger too much. Plus transitions become a bit hairy the higher those rears go... too high a pressure and your tire will have trouble coming back to you.

yea, you don't want the rear to slide around! damn, you guys are making me anxious for the races this summer!

 

[MSP Pro]

Mine does it too, occasional loud popping noise under hard cornering and acceleration, but only under autox conditions. I think it's the sway bar end links binding up and then letting go, or it could be the cv joints in the axles. I don't worry about it too much because I've been under the front end and everything checks out. 4 year / 50,000 mile warranty.

 

[Rich24km]

yeah, i've made the ass on this car come around on purpose in many curves. Its not hard.......i've always been able to put this car where it wants to go. I love the handling response. No complaints what so ever with the MSP. I've driven alot of diff cars pretty hard, and this one does more for what you make it (want it to) than any other car i've driven. I got some "rich" friends that have nice cars that like to drive them hard, and will let me.

 

[girth]

Yup, the car plows if you come in to a turn too fast. It sounds to me like you just have to learn to brake earlier. Gotta be careful braking too late because then your ass end WILL come around and catch you by surprise.

As far as the other guy with the popping noise under power in turns, it sounds just like either your LSD at work or the dreaded wheel hop this car has.

 

[Maxx Mazda]

So, I'm off to the evening auto-x in a few hours What's a good tire pressure to be running? (See sig for specs.) I usually take them to about 34 PSI because I don't want the ass end to come around too much, but I don't want the front to plow either.