RX8 CS setup for 2011

JohnByers · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 10:53 am

Ok, I will admit I "really" enjoy driving Frank and the competition in CSP is outstanding. My intention if Jeremy allows me behind the wheel is to continue in CSP. However I am a tinkerer and was thinking of some CS mods to do to the RX8 so I could run at some of the local to me NCR events.

Plans thus far:

1) wheels/tires
2) better front pads
3) Racing Beat front bar EDIT: Hotchkis as per Keith and Noah's recomendation
4) Shocks????

#4 is my diliemma, I don't want to end up with the worst luck in the world like James. I have had great sucess with Koni in the past but admittedly am a bit skeptical now. Several deals out there for a set of yellows ~$500 make it an appealing choice. Any suggestions on shocks that keep me legal that don't break the bank?

Note: Car will be made CS legal and will be used for HPDE's as well.

TIA

JamesShort · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 11:03 am

Noah put Koni sports on his RX8 and will admit that he did everything possibly wrong during install and his are working great from what I hear.

Keith Quistorff · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 11:11 am

JohnByers wrote:

Plans thus far:

3) Racing Beat front bar

The RB front bar is too stiff for a CS class RX-8 (= major understeer), should only be used in conjunction with an equally stiff rear bar or heavily rear biased springs on a coilover set-up. For CS class RX-8, consider instead the Hotchkis MX-5/Miata front bar - 3-way adjustable with softest setting almost equal to the OEM RX-8 front bar.
http://www.hotchkis.net/mx5_front_sport_sway_bar.html

JohnByers · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 11:34 am

Keith Quistorff wrote:

JohnByers wrote:

Plans thus far:

3) Racing Beat front bar

The RB front bar is too stiff for a CS class RX-8 (= major understeer), should only be used in conjunction with an equally stiff rear bar or heavily rear biased springs on a coilover set-up. For CS class RX-8, consider instead the Hotchkis MX-5/Miata front bar - 3-way adjustable with softest setting almost equal to the OEM RX-8 front bar.
http://www.hotchkis.net/mx5_front_sport_sway_bar.html

Exactly the feedback I was looking for. Thanks Keith!

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 11:42 am

noahfleming · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 11:43 am

John,

I'm sure we would just love to see more CS competition ... especially another RX-8!

The tires i'd recommend: Street tire: Hankook RS-3 or Dunlop Z1 Star Spec Race Tire: Hoosier A6 or Kumho R710 seem to be popular ... My star specs are 225/40/18 and the Hoosiers are 245/35/18

Pads: I would recommend getting the same pads all the way around. I had the stock pads in the rear and Hawk HP Plus in the front for my first HPDE in my RX-8 and the car felt odd since the brake bias was so off. It nose dived a lot and you could tell the front brakes were doing most the work. They got so hot that the brake pads boiled their own paint off. I have the Hawk HP Plus all the way around and they are awesome, but dust a tramendous amount and seem to be wearing down quickly. I'd recommend doing what Keith Q does and swap the pads and rotors out after/before events. Stoptech also makes great pads that bite well, but don't dust much and seem to last a lot longer. Zach Hill has them and can tell you more about them. It's also worth mentioning that one HPDE event with 2 drivers basically destroyed the stock rear pads, I only have a mm or 2 left on the stock pads.

Front anti roll bar: I agree with Keith Q on this one, i actually just took the racing beat bar off my car and replaced if with that same Hotchkis bar (stock diameter, but full stiff setting) and it feel great. The 32mm bar made the car very, very understeery on VIR North, not to mention autocross as well.

Shocks: I like the Konis. The rears are 1/4 turn from full stiff and the fronts are set to 3/4 turn from full stiff. I have to say, it's comical the amount of effort it took to install these things, but it was mainly due to our inexperience and the lack of the appropriate tools. I haven't had any problems with the shocks so far and am in love with them.

... lol ryan

JohnByers · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:09 pm

I ran HP+'s all the way around on the Bimmer and other than the dust love their braking characteristics. I was leaning that way myself. When I need street tires (have Proxies now) I will def be giving the Star Specs a look. Man 18" purple crack is expensive :deadhorse:

LOL

jeremy gast · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:10 pm

jsut shut up about the tires and buy some 15's and keep driving frank!

JohnByers wrote:

I ran HP+'s all the way around on the Bimmer and other than the dust love their braking characteristics. I was leaning that way myself. When I need street tires (have Proxies now) I will def be giving the Star Specs a look. Man 18" purple crack is expensive :deadhorse:

LOL

MarcusMcRae · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:12 pm

You might try this guy's shocks if you have the monies. http://fatcatmotorsports.com/FCM_Bilste ... lve_NC.htm

I have read nothing but good things about them. If I had the money I would ask him to build a set for the S2k.

JohnByers · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 12:23 pm

jeremy gast wrote:

jsut shut up about the tires and buy some 15's and keep driving frank!

JohnByers wrote:

I ran HP+'s all the way around on the Bimmer and other than the dust love their braking characteristics. I was leaning that way myself. When I need street tires (have Proxies now) I will def be giving the Star Specs a look. Man 18" purple crack is expensive :deadhorse:

LOL

Sounds great :sing:

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

As far as tires go, my recommendation is second hand, from Chris Cline, that he much prefers the Dunlops to the Hankooks (he is running Hankook's now, but doesn't like them and says they have a much more vague feel). I've been a HUGE fan of the Dunlops as a reasonable street tire as well (I'm on my 4th set).

As far as shocks go, koni's have been great for me as well. Granted, I've had two leaking adjusters, but both were replaced under warranty, advanced replacement by Koni (they charge me $135, ship the shock, and then refund the $ when they get it back and verify that its a warranty-able defect).

Keith Quistorff · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 1:25 pm

Not to contradict Chris Cline - he and his co-driver, Eric, certainly know how to set up and drive Chris's E36, but it's quite possible the best choice among the top ST class tires are somewhat car-dependent. My first set of ST tires in several years is the R-S3's I'm running now on my RX-8, and I chose those based on STX class drivers' feedback on the RX-8 forums. I've never run Star Specs, but I really like the R-S3's, and the new issue of GRM that showed up in my mailbox the other day agrees.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 1:29 pm

Brice, I think Chris's comments come from the fact that he runs a mcstrut car so the sidewall stiffness of the star specs is paramount. I think an RX8 can get away with the softer sidewalls of the RS3s if the grip/feel characteristics are desirable due to the double wish bone at 4 corners.

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 1:29 pm

MarcusMcRae wrote:

You might try this guy's shocks if you have the monies. http://fatcatmotorsports.com/FCM_Bilste ... lve_NC.htm

I have read nothing but good things about them. If I had the money I would ask him to build a set for the S2k.

Andrew and I have his NA shocks on our cars. I have 600# front springs on the Miata and it was still pretty livable on the street.

I have HP+s on the GTO and Miata, they work decent enough for autocross. Really I think just about any pad should work for AX you're only able to get so much heat into them in 60s of driving. For track HP+s are pretty poor, get a real track pad. I overheated the hell out of mine in the Miata. Once they wear out I'll be taking them off the GTO, the dust is just obscene.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2011 1:56 pm

A small comment about track pads. They are meant for, wait for it, the track. There is a saying about their noise and dust that goes something like "Do you want a quiet pad with no dust, or do you want to stop?" I can promise you at the end of the front straight at VIR at speeds over 110MPH you won't think about the dust or the noise.

FWIW, we run Hawk HP+ pads on the Lemons Prelude because we have to run street tires and we have no ABS. Otherwise we'd run a 'real' track pad like HT-10s or similar.

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RX8 CS setup for 2011

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