Hi, and GS prep - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

jmauld · 04-01-2003, 07:51 PM

Hi, my wife and I just picked up a '95 240sx SE. Here are some pictures of it. http://www.4g61t.com/jason/photos/240sx/

Well anyway, the car needs new shocks and front brakes. I was thinking of going with the Hawk HPS front brakes with Brembo rotors, and probably Koni shocks, as I've had a horrible experience with the AGX shocks on my other car.

I'm planning on leaving the car in GS for at least a year, so that my wife can get experience with car control. At the same time, if I happen to race it, I want to be competitive with the local veteran GS drivers.

Does anyone here have much experience with preparing a 240 to the limits of stock class?

Also, what SP class does the car go to?

Kaizen · 04-01-2003, 08:26 PM

iirc 240sx is listed under scca as DSP... i might be wrong though

edit: oh yeah... and welcome to zilvia.net

*sykikchimp* · 04-06-2003, 11:57 AM

I believe it ddepends on region, but I know theLinja is in GS..

I would go with Axxis Ultimates for auto-x. I hear great things about them from the auto-x guys..

Also good street tires.. Like the Azenis' is a must to be competitive.. there are other good brands, But make sure you have some rubber.

Make sure you fix any of the busted bushings on the car. They are pretty common on older 240's, and will make the car handle funny at the limit.

preping for stock class generally consists of:
1. good brake pads, and rotors, and fluid, with them bled very well
2. Good tires.
3. Make sure stock suspension is performing properly, and everything is tight.
4. Tune up the car, and make sure your gettin all the power you can.
5. HAVE FUN!! she'll have a blast in the 240.

-charles

jmauld · 06-27-2003, 08:27 AM

Well, I have the Koni's installed and new front brakes. I still need to replace some front end bushings.

I raced it for the first time last night. #1 rule, DON'T lift in a corner!

My first run out the rearend was all over the place, since I've been driving a FWD car for quite sometime. After considering what I need to change about my driving, I drove much better.

I had my koni's set on full soft on the front and about 1/2 way in the rear. What kind of air pressures do you guys run in the tires? I was running 45fr and 40rr, and with this setup, the car was balanced fairly well, as long as I didn't overdrive it. Once I did, it would get loose in a hurry.

Now it's time for some stickier street tires. Should I bother doing any of the allowed hp mods for GS, or are they just not worth the hassle?

AKADriver · 06-27-2003, 09:05 AM

A cat-back might be worth it. K&N drop in probably isn't worth any power but it's nice to have for maintenance.

jmauld · 06-27-2003, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AKADriver
A cat-back might be worth it. K&N drop in probably isn't worth any power but it's nice to have for maintenance.

I was thinking of getting a cat-back, simply because when my wife raced it she spun off course once and damaged the rear section of the muffler.

*LanceS13* · 06-27-2003, 10:20 PM

I use the AGX's and I don't have a problem with them at all...I think they're pretty good. I guess if you already have Konis, then that's taken care of. I hear there's more hassle with them to adjust them as opposed to the AGX's turn-dial adjustment...but I'm not sure; I have no experience with Koni.
Here's some suggestions for setup:
Handling--If you're planning on staying in GS for a while, buy another set of wheels and get some R tires. Axxis or Hawk brake pads wouldn't be a bad idea either. I run my AGX's full stiff front and 1/2 way in rear. This gives good turn in while minimizing transitional oversteer. My springs are alot stiffer than stock, so your settings may differ somewhat, but that might give you an idea of where to start.
Engine--for stock class, definitely take advantage of the cat-back rule (SCCA). A stock 240 feels choked up and doesn't really pull past 5500rpm. A good exhaust oughtta let it pull up to 6200-6500 and give you a little more usable power band. If you plan to stay N/A, a straight-as-possible, mandrel-bent, 2.5" exhaust oughtta give noticeable results.

jmauld · 06-27-2003, 10:34 PM

Thanks for the info.

I actually ran my front shocks at full soft to get more traction in the front. It seemed to work well, although next time out I'll move them to full stiff to see how that works.

We're gonna stay on street tires for now. The reason is that I'm trying to let my wife learn how to handle the limits of the car (I've been autocrossing for 5yrs now), and street tires are the best way to do this. Although, I will probably move to a set of Azenis as soon as these tires start chunking away.

Does anyone know if we can use Camber bolts in stock class? I know it depends on if Nissan allows them to be used to correct camber problems, but I'm not sure where to find this info.

*LanceS13* · 06-28-2003, 12:30 AM

I don't have my rulebook in reach right now, but I'm about 99% sure that's a big ol' negative on the camber bolts for stock class.

Yeah, I agree on the street tires for the 'newbie'. I just switched to R's not long ago...the grip is absolutely awesome, but when it goes...well, it's gone. It'd be a steep learning curve for a beginner.

I guess you'll just have to play with the shock adjustment until you get something you like. I did shocks/springs at the same time, so I don't know how AGX/Koni's and stock springs work together...my suggestion may be invalid. But you never know until you try.

Rennen · 06-29-2003, 03:29 PM

wait a minute. AGX are legal in G Stock

because I just blew one of my stock shocks and that would be great if I could upgrade to something like an AGX.

-Matt

thelinja · 06-29-2003, 07:19 PM

If you're competitive in GS class, I'd say go for the performance mods. Who knows, a few extra horses may put you on top. As far as tires go, I'm running Azenis (40psi in front and 38psi in rear) and I would definitely recommend them. I didn't really think about how much I benefited from them until I did CenDiv in my street tires and got spanked into oblivion by five Minis that I am usually really close to.

*LanceS13* · 06-30-2003, 12:13 PM

Matt,
yes, shock upgrades are legal in Stock.

jmauld · 07-25-2003, 11:09 PM

I've had a chance to get a few more autocrosses in with the 240. (I actually just got back from a night autocross.) I currently have the koni's set on full soft in the front and about midway in the rear. Tire pressures (sucky street tires) are 50psi front and 38psi rear.

With this setup, it's fairly easy to overdrive the front tires, but if you're patient and set the car up correctly it will reward you with a very controllable amount of rear turn-in.

The next purchase for the car is going to be a set of good street tires, but beyond that, does anyone have any recommendations?

Has anyone upgraded to a slightly larger front swaybar. I know that this may lead to more understeer, but if it keeps the front of the car flatter, it may help the stock suspension retain grip in the front. Any thoughts on this? Keep in mind, I'm staying in GS for now, so I can't upgrade very much.

Rennen · 07-26-2003, 12:35 AM

I'm also just getting started in G Stock. After about 5 autocrosses on my all season tires I have found that about 45 psi front and 38 rear has been neutral in the faster corners, but seems to still plow in low speed ones.

Next on my "mods" will be a set of Azenis. Another idea I have been throwing around is a smaller/lighter battery in place of the stock one. This will take some weight off the front of the car and make its handling balance a little better. I dunno if its legal though

-Matt

*LanceS13* · 07-27-2003, 12:42 PM

Battery mods are not legal in Stock...sorry

jmauld · 09-24-2003, 11:27 AM

I haven't posted in a while so I thought I would give an update.

I've done the following to the car since we purchased it.

- Koni struts
- Kumho Ecsta MX tires
- Front ST swaybar
- Plugs/wires/driver's back exhaust.

The car handles much better then it then when we purchased. Mainly due to the Koni's. The front swaybar induces more understeer, but it also raises the handling limits of the car.

With these parts installed, I've been placing near the top in the local street tire class and have got 1st place at the last two events.

The problem I'm still running into and was hoping that the front swaybar would fix, is that I'm still eating up the outside edge of the front tires. I'd like to stay in GS, but it's going to get expensive replacing tires as often as the car is killing them.

Does the factory sell camber correction bolts for the s14's? This car needs them badly!

Rennen · 09-24-2003, 12:15 PM

Congrats on the good finishes, its nice to see someone successful in G Stock.

I'm not sure if Nissan made camber bolts. If I recall correctly, either they have to come stock on the car, or there has to be a Nissan Service Bulletin saying they are required, for camber bolts to be legal in the stock class.

Its weird, but I haven't been eating up my fronts all to much, its the rears I am worried about. I run around 45 front 38 rear and the car is quite neutral now that I learned how to throw its weight around. My front tires tend to "scallop" the edge, but it doesn't wear it off real bad. Pic:

I was hoping a stiffer tire like an Azeni or MX would fix the problem of the fronts rolling over in low speed turns, what pressures are you running your MX's at?

-Matt

jmauld · 09-24-2003, 12:21 PM

45 front, 35 rear.

Next event, the fronts are going up to 50.

*AceInHole* · 09-24-2003, 01:09 PM

i've been running my fronts at 40 (with an R-compound) with around 2.5deg of camber up front (slotted strut mount) and i still heat up the outsides pretty bad. My thought is it's just the overall body roll of the car. Maybe try stiffening up the front struts a bit??

jmauld · 09-24-2003, 02:35 PM

I agree, with the amount of roll and the lack of camber adjustment, the car corners mainly on the outside edge of the tire.

Do the SE and non SE cars use the same strut bolts?

I still haven't had the car aligned. Maybe adding some additional toe-out in the front will help with the wear on the outside edges.

04-01-2003, 08:26 PM	#2
Kaizen Leaky Injector Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Vallejo, CA Age: 39 Posts: 100 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	iirc 240sx is listed under scca as DSP... i might be wrong though edit: oh yeah... and welcome to zilvia.net __________________ "you was a still born baby: momma didn't want you, but you were still born" - cannible ox

04-06-2003, 11:57 AM	#3
sykikchimp WOW addicted Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: the moon Age: 40 Posts: 6,518 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I believe it ddepends on region, but I know theLinja is in GS.. I would go with Axxis Ultimates for auto-x. I hear great things about them from the auto-x guys.. Also good street tires.. Like the Azenis' is a must to be competitive.. there are other good brands, But make sure you have some rubber. Make sure you fix any of the busted bushings on the car. They are pretty common on older 240's, and will make the car handle funny at the limit. preping for stock class generally consists of: 1. good brake pads, and rotors, and fluid, with them bled very well 2. Good tires. 3. Make sure stock suspension is performing properly, and everything is tight. 4. Tune up the car, and make sure your gettin all the power you can. 5. HAVE FUN!! she'll have a blast in the 240. -charles __________________

06-27-2003, 08:27 AM	#4
jmauld Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cary, NC Age: 45 Posts: 362 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Well, I have the Koni's installed and new front brakes. I still need to replace some front end bushings. I raced it for the first time last night. #1 rule, DON'T lift in a corner! My first run out the rearend was all over the place, since I've been driving a FWD car for quite sometime. After considering what I need to change about my driving, I drove much better. I had my koni's set on full soft on the front and about 1/2 way in the rear. What kind of air pressures do you guys run in the tires? I was running 45fr and 40rr, and with this setup, the car was balanced fairly well, as long as I didn't overdrive it. Once I did, it would get loose in a hurry. Now it's time for some stickier street tires. Should I bother doing any of the allowed hp mods for GS, or are they just not worth the hassle? __________________ Jason '95 240sx SE

06-27-2003, 10:20 PM	#7
LanceS13 AutoX Junkie Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: MS Age: 39 Posts: 2,044 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I use the AGX's and I don't have a problem with them at all...I think they're pretty good. I guess if you already have Konis, then that's taken care of. I hear there's more hassle with them to adjust them as opposed to the AGX's turn-dial adjustment...but I'm not sure; I have no experience with Koni. Here's some suggestions for setup: Handling--If you're planning on staying in GS for a while, buy another set of wheels and get some R tires. Axxis or Hawk brake pads wouldn't be a bad idea either. I run my AGX's full stiff front and 1/2 way in rear. This gives good turn in while minimizing transitional oversteer. My springs are alot stiffer than stock, so your settings may differ somewhat, but that might give you an idea of where to start. Engine--for stock class, definitely take advantage of the cat-back rule (SCCA). A stock 240 feels choked up and doesn't really pull past 5500rpm. A good exhaust oughtta let it pull up to 6200-6500 and give you a little more usable power band. If you plan to stay N/A, a straight-as-possible, mandrel-bent, 2.5" exhaust oughtta give noticeable results. __________________ 1992 240SX Fastback #47 DSP MS SCCA RX-7 ITS Project FOR SALE

06-27-2003, 10:34 PM	#8
jmauld Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cary, NC Age: 45 Posts: 362 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Thanks for the info. I actually ran my front shocks at full soft to get more traction in the front. It seemed to work well, although next time out I'll move them to full stiff to see how that works. We're gonna stay on street tires for now. The reason is that I'm trying to let my wife learn how to handle the limits of the car (I've been autocrossing for 5yrs now), and street tires are the best way to do this. Although, I will probably move to a set of Azenis as soon as these tires start chunking away. Does anyone know if we can use Camber bolts in stock class? I know it depends on if Nissan allows them to be used to correct camber problems, but I'm not sure where to find this info. __________________ Jason '95 240sx SE

04-01-2003, 07:51 PM	#1
jmauld Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cary, NC Age: 45 Posts: 362 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Hi, and GS prep Hi, my wife and I just picked up a '95 240sx SE. Here are some pictures of it. http://www.4g61t.com/jason/photos/240sx/ Well anyway, the car needs new shocks and front brakes. I was thinking of going with the Hawk HPS front brakes with Brembo rotors, and probably Koni shocks, as I've had a horrible experience with the AGX shocks on my other car. I'm planning on leaving the car in GS for at least a year, so that my wife can get experience with car control. At the same time, if I happen to race it, I want to be competitive with the local veteran GS drivers. Does anyone here have much experience with preparing a 240 to the limits of stock class? Also, what SP class does the car go to? __________________ Jason '95 240sx SE Last edited by jmauld; 04-01-2003 at 08:07 PM..

06-27-2003, 09:05 AM	#5
AKADriver Post Whore! Join Date: May 2002 Location: Springfield, VA Age: 39 Posts: 3,112 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	A cat-back might be worth it. K&N drop in probably isn't worth any power but it's nice to have for maintenance.

06-28-2003, 12:30 AM	#9
LanceS13 AutoX Junkie Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: MS Age: 39 Posts: 2,044 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I don't have my rulebook in reach right now, but I'm about 99% sure that's a big ol' negative on the camber bolts for stock class. Yeah, I agree on the street tires for the 'newbie'. I just switched to R's not long ago...the grip is absolutely awesome, but when it goes...well, it's gone. It'd be a steep learning curve for a beginner. I guess you'll just have to play with the shock adjustment until you get something you like. I did shocks/springs at the same time, so I don't know how AGX/Koni's and stock springs work together...my suggestion may be invalid. But you never know until you try. __________________ 1992 240SX Fastback #47 DSP MS SCCA RX-7 ITS Project FOR SALE

06-29-2003, 03:29 PM	#10
Rennen Zilvia Addict Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: WichitAr, KS Age: 38 Posts: 877 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: Rennen Feedback Score: 0 reviews	wait a minute. AGX are legal in G Stock because I just blew one of my stock shocks and that would be great if I could upgrade to something like an AGX. -Matt __________________ '89 Nissan 240SX fastback: #23 DSP/RallyMod2/Track Slut '95 BMW 540i 6 speed: Ultimate Commuting Machine PFM Racing www.solo2.org www.midwest240sx.com

06-29-2003, 07:19 PM	#11
thelinja Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,466 Trader Rating: (3) Rides Gallery: thelinja Feedback Score: 3 reviews	If you're competitive in GS class, I'd say go for the performance mods. Who knows, a few extra horses may put you on top. As far as tires go, I'm running Azenis (40psi in front and 38psi in rear) and I would definitely recommend them. I didn't really think about how much I benefited from them until I did CenDiv in my street tires and got spanked into oblivion by five Minis that I am usually really close to.

06-30-2003, 12:13 PM	#12
LanceS13 AutoX Junkie Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: MS Age: 39 Posts: 2,044 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Matt, yes, shock upgrades are legal in Stock. __________________ 1992 240SX Fastback #47 DSP MS SCCA RX-7 ITS Project FOR SALE

07-25-2003, 11:09 PM	#13
jmauld Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cary, NC Age: 45 Posts: 362 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I've had a chance to get a few more autocrosses in with the 240. (I actually just got back from a night autocross.) I currently have the koni's set on full soft in the front and about midway in the rear. Tire pressures (sucky street tires) are 50psi front and 38psi rear. With this setup, it's fairly easy to overdrive the front tires, but if you're patient and set the car up correctly it will reward you with a very controllable amount of rear turn-in. The next purchase for the car is going to be a set of good street tires, but beyond that, does anyone have any recommendations? Has anyone upgraded to a slightly larger front swaybar. I know that this may lead to more understeer, but if it keeps the front of the car flatter, it may help the stock suspension retain grip in the front. Any thoughts on this? Keep in mind, I'm staying in GS for now, so I can't upgrade very much. __________________ Jason '95 240sx SE Last edited by jmauld; 07-25-2003 at 11:13 PM..

07-26-2003, 12:35 AM	#14
Rennen Zilvia Addict Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: WichitAr, KS Age: 38 Posts: 877 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: Rennen Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I'm also just getting started in G Stock. After about 5 autocrosses on my all season tires I have found that about 45 psi front and 38 rear has been neutral in the faster corners, but seems to still plow in low speed ones. Next on my "mods" will be a set of Azenis. Another idea I have been throwing around is a smaller/lighter battery in place of the stock one. This will take some weight off the front of the car and make its handling balance a little better. I dunno if its legal though -Matt __________________ '89 Nissan 240SX fastback: #23 DSP/RallyMod2/Track Slut '95 BMW 540i 6 speed: Ultimate Commuting Machine PFM Racing www.solo2.org www.midwest240sx.com

07-27-2003, 12:42 PM	#15
LanceS13 AutoX Junkie Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: MS Age: 39 Posts: 2,044 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Battery mods are not legal in Stock...sorry __________________ 1992 240SX Fastback #47 DSP MS SCCA RX-7 ITS Project FOR SALE

09-24-2003, 11:27 AM	#16
jmauld Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cary, NC Age: 45 Posts: 362 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I haven't posted in a while so I thought I would give an update. I've done the following to the car since we purchased it. - Koni struts - Kumho Ecsta MX tires - Front ST swaybar - Plugs/wires/driver's back exhaust. The car handles much better then it then when we purchased. Mainly due to the Koni's. The front swaybar induces more understeer, but it also raises the handling limits of the car. With these parts installed, I've been placing near the top in the local street tire class and have got 1st place at the last two events. The problem I'm still running into and was hoping that the front swaybar would fix, is that I'm still eating up the outside edge of the front tires. I'd like to stay in GS, but it's going to get expensive replacing tires as often as the car is killing them. Does the factory sell camber correction bolts for the s14's? This car needs them badly! __________________ Jason '95 240sx SE

09-24-2003, 12:15 PM	#17
Rennen Zilvia Addict Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: WichitAr, KS Age: 38 Posts: 877 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: Rennen Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Congrats on the good finishes, its nice to see someone successful in G Stock. I'm not sure if Nissan made camber bolts. If I recall correctly, either they have to come stock on the car, or there has to be a Nissan Service Bulletin saying they are required, for camber bolts to be legal in the stock class. Its weird, but I haven't been eating up my fronts all to much, its the rears I am worried about. I run around 45 front 38 rear and the car is quite neutral now that I learned how to throw its weight around. My front tires tend to "scallop" the edge, but it doesn't wear it off real bad. Pic: I was hoping a stiffer tire like an Azeni or MX would fix the problem of the fronts rolling over in low speed turns, what pressures are you running your MX's at? -Matt __________________ '89 Nissan 240SX fastback: #23 DSP/RallyMod2/Track Slut '95 BMW 540i 6 speed: Ultimate Commuting Machine PFM Racing www.solo2.org www.midwest240sx.com

09-24-2003, 12:21 PM	#18
jmauld Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cary, NC Age: 45 Posts: 362 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	45 front, 35 rear. Next event, the fronts are going up to 50. __________________ Jason '95 240sx SE

09-24-2003, 01:09 PM	#19
AceInHole Autox Technician Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: New Haven, CT Age: 40 Posts: 3,961 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: AceInHole Feedback Score: 0 reviews	i've been running my fronts at 40 (with an R-compound) with around 2.5deg of camber up front (slotted strut mount) and i still heat up the outsides pretty bad. My thought is it's just the overall body roll of the car. Maybe try stiffening up the front struts a bit?? __________________

09-24-2003, 02:35 PM	#20
jmauld Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cary, NC Age: 45 Posts: 362 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I agree, with the amount of roll and the lack of camber adjustment, the car corners mainly on the outside edge of the tire. Do the SE and non SE cars use the same strut bolts? I still haven't had the car aligned. Maybe adding some additional toe-out in the front will help with the wear on the outside edges. __________________ Jason '95 240sx SE

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