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Street Touring Hatchback (STH) discussion/setup

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
I agree on the GS trim GTI vs STH. Opening up the rules leaves more knobs to turn, but that comes at the cost of having to learn what works / doesn't. Street class was great in the fact that it limited everything. I loved the GTI in stock trim and never even went super in depth with alignments or anything (which in hindsight would've made it even more fun/competitive).

I've been trying to challenge the "full build" aspect of the class rules since I started in STH. Doing mods in steps has helped me understand what makes the biggest impact while keeping budget in check. Some people have budget to go from zero to full build in a single season, and I guess I'm sort of taking the time to learn for myself (and with this chassis in particular) what is really necessary for autox. I think I'll end up with what I would consider a full build well before I run out of rules to bump up against + parts to bolt on.

From previous Subaru STX and STU builds, I've learned that you can get 95% of the way to competitive in ST with wheels/tires, sways, neg camber, DP, tune, alignment, without going full build.
 

sackofcheese

New member
Location
Kentucky
My NC Miata would have won both CS and STR class championships
My NC Miata would have won both CS and STR class championships in its full CS trim. It was a top 5 pax every event and faster than all the local STR cars. It was dialed after 2 years of development.

I jumped the shark and moved to STR, with a full prep effort, but in the first 6 months, I was being outpaced by CS and well back in STR. I never got the car sorted and ended up selling for a GTI, because a full STR prep Miata is a terrible daily driver. Lol.

Took very little to sort the GTI for GS, with top 5 pax finishes with just tires, rear sway, and zero toe in the rear.

STH seems harder to crack and I'm not doing a full build. Did crack top 10 pax and win class in the last event of the year with an 11 psi split to the rear. I've got to loosen up the rear more and replacing the stock rear pads with something more aggressive solved the massive understeer under braking I was having since moving to the Macan front brakes.

I never tried my GTI in GS. My normal autocross car was my NA Miata that was classed into STR because HPDE car with a Torsen diff. I realized that car wasn’t ever going to be competitive when I have a National’s level prepped ND1 Miata that runs STR locally. I initially modified my GTI to make it a more fun daily, but had to use it for an event when the Miata was broken and waiting on parts. Now I’m going to need another daily if I keep it up.
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
I never tried my GTI in GS. My normal autocross car was my NA Miata that was classed into STR because HPDE car with a Torsen diff. I realized that car wasn’t ever going to be competitive when I have a National’s level prepped ND1 Miata that runs STR locally. I initially modified my GTI to make it a more fun daily, but had to use it for an event when the Miata was broken and waiting on parts. Now I’m going to need another daily if I keep it up.

If any car can do both, it's the GTI. Just don't go crazy with the spring rates and exhaust, and you should lose very little daily driving manners.
 

marka

Ready to race!
Location
Youngstown, OH
Car(s)
2017 GTI
Howdy,

I already have Konis, springs, and Camber plates. I was going to pick up some Falken RT660s to mount on my stock wheels this spring. I’ll probably just remove the JB4 for the nationals event then. I doubt I’ll be competitive. The last one I went to in my ES prepped NA Miata I took 2nd to last, only beating my Co-Driver 😂

If someone protests you for running a JB4 on a mk6/mk7 in STH you should congratulate them on being the biggest jackass in the Solo World and drive home with a smile on your face. :)

That rule is written that way because at the stupid crazy autoxer end of custom modifications piggybacks allow you to run a full standalone and nobody wants that to be required. They're allowed in older cars as a compromise for grandfathering / stuff that can't be flashed.

Generally speaking, most folks in national solo aren't jerks. _MAYBE_ someone protests you if you're taking money (contingency) from them, but my guess is that even then... Probably not.

Mark
 

marka

Ready to race!
Location
Youngstown, OH
Car(s)
2017 GTI
Howdy,

What tunes does everyone run on their cars. I want to be class legal, and my warranty has been over for a while now. I was leaning towards a Cobb AP for a stage 1 tune. I know a few people with EQT tunes on the Cobb AP. However they’re all wannabe drag racers that only care about maximum power. Very open to other ideas on which way to go. There is an APR/Eurodyne dealer in my town, and a buddy has an IE powerlink that I can use. I’m getting a surprise Christmas bonus from work and the Minister of Finance (fiancée) said I can use it all on car parts.

Ran an EQT Stage 1 93 tune via an AP last year. Next year w/intercooler and DP I'm almost certainly going to try the stage 3 AP tune first before I spend money on EQT. As long as there's no knock / driveability issues, I'll stick with it. I'm not worried about the last 2 hp or whatever for autox.

Mark
 

bfury5

Autocross Champion
Location
CT
Not really an update, but just sold my daily set of wheels and tires and picked up a set of FK510s to throw on my 17x8.5 wheels to use as my new daily setup. Here's hoping Apex ramps up on the 17x9 group buy or else I'll have to get an order in with Forgestar 😑
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
Not really an update, but just sold my daily set of wheels and tires and picked up a set of FK510s to throw on my 17x8.5 wheels to use as my new daily setup. Here's hoping Apex ramps up on the 17x9 group buy or else I'll have to get an order in with Forgestar 😑

The FK510's seem to have a lot of release compound, it does burn off quickly though. They are comfortable in the street and have really good grip. What size did you go with?
 

bfury5

Autocross Champion
Location
CT
The FK510's seem to have a lot of release compound, it does burn off quickly though. They are comfortable in the street and have really good grip. What size did you go with?
I went with 235/45-17. They should fit nice and tight on the 8.5" rim. It was either these or the General GMax RS (which I had before) for daily use. They're both dirt cheap so I figured I'd try out the Falkens
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
I went with 235/45-17. They should fit nice and tight on the 8.5" rim. It was either these or the General GMax RS (which I had before) for daily use. They're both dirt cheap so I figured I'd try out the Falkens

I'd be interested in which you like better. Those were the 2 I narrowed my choice down to.
 

bfury5

Autocross Champion
Location
CT
I'd be interested in which you like better. Those were the 2 I narrowed my choice down to.
The Generals were great for the price. Sidewall was pretty soft but that made them pretty comfortable for a daily. They also wore extremely well for a summer tire, but they're 360tw if I remember correctly.
 

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
The Generals were great for the price. Sidewall was pretty soft but that made them pretty comfortable for a daily. They also wore extremely well for a summer tire, but they're 360tw if I remember correctly.

Do your Fak510's feel stiffer?
 

JackRabbitSLIM

Go Kart Champion
Location
OHIO
Car(s)
MK7 GTI

GTIfan99

Autocross Champion
Location
FL
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