autocross suspension

[A904Kyle]

Since you're here in the DMV with me...I wish I was plugged into the autox scene enough to make more recommendations on who to run with. I have no clue these days. I'm assuming DC Region SCCA is still the main group running events, but there used to be several more that ran good events...most if not all of them are no more.

On the track side, in Gainesville, you're under an hour from Summit Pt. AND Dominion.

Tom, yes I go to Summit Point but have never been to Dominion. I also did my HPDE (supra-free session) here in Summit Point as well. There are lots of old timers that still comes to autocross event. They talked about how they used to have autocross events out in Manassas back in the 90's.

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[Traxion]

The most competitive the car will be is in B-Street which means staying mostly stock. Ask a club member to explain you what PAX time is or look it up on your own. Highly modified cars chase raw time, and that's a money sink or people have already gone too far with the car and are stuck in a modified class because the car was already modified when they started. In order to be competitive you have to max out what you class allows. B-Street is easy to be competitive because street classes only allow a few things and have a very advantageous time modifier. The Supra also happens to be THE CAR for B-Street.

I was a top 5 PAX driver in my region this whole year in B-Street (Generally 80-100 competitors). What you can do in B-Street is add a front sway bar (I run Eibach), run 200tw tires (get Bridgestone RE71RS), and run 18 inch wheels that are the same width and offset within 7mm. Try to find some Supra 2.0 wheels otherwise don't just buy any random 18's you see, you have to follow these specific rules and most 18's on the market for the Supra do not meet these. I can help you with this if you really want to go the route of having a second set of wheels. Otherwise just buy the RE71RS in 19 inch for your current wheels but it'd be a big waste to drive around on those tires daily.

Suspension - don't do this, it doesn't fit within B-Street (to others who read this, yes I know there's technically a set out there that works but the Nationals winner doesn't use them and they cost 7k+).

If you absolutely want to modify your car, then just build to your desire and ignore overall time scoring because you're trying to compare yourself to friends who are going to be in varying levels of cars and modification levels. Crap talking friends is always fun regardless.

 

[Mf1ve]

The most competitive the car will be is in B-Street which means staying mostly stock. Ask a club member to explain you what PAX time is or look it up on your own. Highly modified cars chase raw time, and that's a money sink or people have already gone too far with the car and are stuck in a modified class because the car was already modified when they started. In order to be competitive you have to max out what you class allows. B-Street is easy to be competitive because street classes only allow a few things and have a very advantageous time modifier. The Supra also happens to be THE CAR for B-Street.

I was a top 5 PAX driver in my region this whole year in B-Street (Generally 80-100 competitors). What you can do in B-Street is add a front sway bar (I run Eibach), run 200tw tires (get Bridgestone RE71RS), and run 18 inch wheels that are the same width and offset within 7mm. Try to find some Supra 2.0 wheels otherwise don't just buy any random 18's you see, you have to follow these specific rules and most 18's on the market for the Supra do not meet these. I can help you with this if you really want to go the route of having a second set of wheels. Otherwise just buy the RE71RS in 19 inch for your current wheels but it'd be a big waste to drive around on those tires daily.

Suspension - don't do this, it doesn't fit within B-Street (to others who read this, yes I know there's technically a set out there that works but the Nationals winner doesn't use them and they cost 7k+).

If you absolutely want to modify your car, then just build to your desire and ignore overall time scoring because you're trying to compare yourself to friends who are going to be in varying levels of cars and modification levels. Crap talking friends is always fun regardless.

I race SCCA AX in the same city as the 2024 B Street nationals winner, and I can vouch for the facts that he still has the stock dampers, and also that he is wicked quick.

I can also vouch for the Supra being very capable in stock form. I usually drive another purpose modified car (in the XB class) but I have had my 2024 MT at AX a couple of times, including a couple of weeks ago. I won third in XB in an unmodified Supra, on the factory tires (6800 miles on the tires), and that time would have been good enough to win B Street with some margin as well.

 

[Islindur]

Use A052, doesnt need heat to work best like CRS.

 

[GeicoGecko]

Stick with Danny’s suggestion and add a good set of tires on the stock rims. I’ve used RE-71RS at so many tracks now. Amazing performance in the wet or dry.

Once you get more experience the next upgrade for me would be brake pads. The stock pads are fine but there are much better compounds out there as you gain experience. You’ll also have to grab and replace your brake fluid. Castro STF is my go to and has never failed me.

 

[Construct]

Step #1 is to familiarize yourself with the rules. The SCCA 2025 Solo rulebook is here: https://cdn.connectsites.net/user_files/scca/downloads/000/073/830/2025 Solo RuleBook January.pdf

Skip to page 75. You want to start in BS. If the you cannot find an explicit allowance for something in the Street Category section, don't spend any money on it. Accidentally modifying a car into a higher class is the fastest way to make yourself uncompetitive.

Unfortunately you already did a tune, which is going to bump you up to another class. If you want to compete then you'll need to figure this out. Your competitors and event organizers might not care if you're not competitive, but if you start approaching top spots in your class it's on you to retune back to stock or put yourself in the right class.

Others have provided some good advice for starting points. Good priorities for a beginner are:
1. Finding instruction. Make friends at the event and ask for ride-alongs. Ask the fastest drivers to drive your car while you watch from the passenger seat. Ask for tips.
2. Tires. Those 560TW tires you installed are the source of all your problems. Get some good 200TW tires and the car will be transformed. Definitely don't spend money on suspension mods until you get the tire situation fixed. You will be tuning suspension to match your tires. Again, read the rules carefully to make sure your wheels and tires fit the class you're targeting. Widths and offsets can matter.
3. Alignment. A good alignment will make the tires work optimally. Make sure you have enough camber. I suggest keeping toe to a minimum for tire wear.

I would recommend staying away from additional modifications until you've done more driving and more events.

 

[A904Kyle]

Step #1 is to familiarize yourself with the rules. The SCCA 2025 Solo rulebook is here: https://cdn.connectsites.net/user_files/scca/downloads/000/073/830/2025 Solo RuleBook January.pdf

Skip to page 75. You want to start in BS. If the you cannot find an explicit allowance for something in the Street Category section, don't spend any money on it. Accidentally modifying a car into a higher class is the fastest way to make yourself uncompetitive.

Unfortunately you already did a tune, which is going to bump you up to another class. If you want to compete then you'll need to figure this out. Your competitors and event organizers might not care if you're not competitive, but if you start approaching top spots in your class it's on you to retune back to stock or put yourself in the right class.

Others have provided some good advice for starting points. Good priorities for a beginner are:
1. Finding instruction. Make friends at the event and ask for ride-alongs. Ask the fastest drivers to drive your car while you watch from the passenger seat. Ask for tips.
2. Tires. Those 560TW tires you installed are the source of all your problems. Get some good 200TW tires and the car will be transformed. Definitely don't spend money on suspension mods until you get the tire situation fixed. You will be tuning suspension to match your tires. Again, read the rules carefully to make sure your wheels and tires fit the class you're targeting. Widths and offsets can matter.
3. Alignment. A good alignment will make the tires work optimally. Make sure you have enough camber. I suggest keeping toe to a minimum for tire wear.

I would recommend staying away from additional modifications until you've done more driving and more events.

Man, I am terrible! I am back after few months and thanks for all the recommendations! I did get some 200tw RE71RS but in stock size. I haven't played around with camber yet but what do you recommend? Don't we need to get a camber plate for Supra for adjustment?

 

[A904Kyle]

Stick with Danny’s suggestion and add a good set of tires on the stock rims. I’ve used RE-71RS at so many tracks now. Amazing performance in the wet or dry.

Once you get more experience the next upgrade for me would be brake pads. The stock pads are fine but there are much better compounds out there as you gain experience. You’ll also have to grab and replace your brake fluid. Castro STF is my go to and has never failed me.

I took your advise and got some RE71RS. I haven't taken the car yet because I had been taking my other car to track but next event for Supra is coming up!

 

[tomfree]

Please, please, please read the rules at the link that Construct sent...will save you pain, suffering, and money.

As for camber, camber plates are NOT allowed in street class unless the car comes with them from the factory. There is an allowance for "Crash fix" parts (eccentric crash bolts, etc.), and I believe there are Toyota (BMW) factory spindles that will give you about -.5 deg of additional camber that ARE legal for street, as they are intended to be used to get a crash-fixed car to align to factory specs again. There is some conversation on here of a national autox competitor using them on his B-street Supra.

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