Just went out for my first race today (ever, and the car wasn't ready for test and tune last week), and started the season with a DNF, because I didn't want to destroy the car first time out. I almost went off the track 3 times, in less then 20 laps, I simply couldn't push the car fast enough through the corners without seriously compromising traction. The track is a 1/3rd mile paved and banked oval, I'm not sure how much of a bank it has. They're website is here, but I couldn't find it on there. I'm currently running 195/70(or 60?)/R15s, but I do have 2 sets of 14" rims and a full set of (again, IIRC) 195/60/R14s. On the plus side, I could outrun the leader/winner (89-91 CRX Si) on the straightaway...but I was lap traffic at the time, and he blew right by, along with every other driver, as soon as I turned the wheel. I'd like to know what you guys would suggest running for tire pressures, I think right now they're way too high, but my pit crew (a couple guys who usually run the V8s, haven't raced in years, and never did very well even when they did race) says they're too low. Again, I can't remember exactly what they were, but they were around LF 20psi RF 30psi LR 28psi RR 40psi. I also currently have about 1/4" of toe in, and about 1" of camber in the RF, is that about right?

I know that every driver will want to tune their car a little differently, but right now I really need a place to start tuning from, I'm a total newbie to the sport, and have only a very general idea of what to do. Also, if you have any suggestions on different methods for driving the car, I'm open to them. Currently I'm downshifting to 2nd at the entrance of the corners, then popping it into third on the straightaway, never using the brakes.

what year car? I would start playing with some spring rubbers. on my 98 z24 on dont run anything less;than 40psi on the right front blew too many off the bead but if its working for you then i would leave it alone. im gonna start trying swaybars front/rear strut bars front/rear. pull the right side of the rear end back too maybe free the car up?? good luck

93 Cavalier with the 2.2L MPFI OHV. I've already got the only spring rubber allowed in the RF, and the car has to remain pretty much stock equipment in this class. Rules are available for your pleasure here, but lets just say the only things I can do are tilt the LF wheel up to 1", adjust toe-in, and modify tire pressures. I'm posting here because what we're currently doing isn't working, I've got fairly bad understeer, and I'm hoping for some suggestions on how to get rid of it. Thanks!

I have the exact same car as you. When I first tested it, same problem, pushing pretty badly.

The principle (at least in theory) is fairly simple; you want to get as much grip as possible on the front wheels. With "essentially stock" rules, though, that can be pretty hard.

I would start with the toe setting. I think the traditional thinking is that toe-out will help you turn better. I know mine had 1/2 inch toe in initially, and it was pushing badly. I changed that to 3/8 inches toe out, and the pushing problem was much better. Setting toe is a matter of millimeters, but you might start with 1/8 inch toe out and, if that helps, work up from there. Traditional thinking is anywhere from 1/8 to 3/8 inches toe out.

Also, do your track rules require same size tire all the way around? If not, you can try putting wider tires on the front, thereby giving those front wheels more grip than the rears. I made the jump from 195s to 215s on the front and it helped quite a bit. If you have to go the same size all the way around, though, it may not help as much, because you won't be boosting the fronts in relation to the rears. Still, even if you have to go same size all around, you might try wider tires with increased pressures in the rear.

Finally, the pressures you listed look reasonable. Traditional thinking would say that increasing RR pressure would decrease grip on that tire and loosen the rear up, but you've already done that. Like the poster above, I would be very cautious about going too low esp. on the RF. It's very easy to roll the bead off on these skinny DOT tires. You might try increasing the LR to further decrease grip in the rear.

Hope some of this helps, I'm still soundly in the n00b stage as well, but I've tried to read everything I can find.

Are you running on dirt or pavement? Sounds like your talking about dirt, I've at least always heard toe in on tar, toe out on dirt, but then again I don't know from experience. Right now I'm thinking about putting the good car (the one we've spent the last 3 weeks getting into perfect running order) up, and buying an 80-something with the carb'd 2.0L to learn the track with (and then if I destroy it, I don't really care). We can then configure the 93 pretty much the same way.