Are lowering springs allowed in STS?

[LedZep244]

I have a 91' 318is with H&R sport springs, bilstein sports, and a chip. I am trying to figure out my class. I know I can run DSP. I also believe I can run STX, but I will get beat by at least 5 seconds in either of these classes. I simply cannot run against a lightly modded STI.

Ive read the rules for STS, and it seems the chip and shocks are fine, however the part about springs is unclear. It says you can only alter ride height with suspension adjustments, but says u can add stuff like leaf springs (lord knows what cars run with leaf springs). Does this mean running sport springs instead of stock bumps me out of STS?

If so, damn this is frustrating. My 318is is my daily driver and is barely modded, and certainly cant hang in STX with the rex's or in DSP with the stripped trailered in VW's.

Help. Thanks.

[NOMAD]

Springs ok, shocks ok, chip ok, exhaust ok, front swaybar ok (can't remember if rear bar is ok), intake is ok with MAF in stock location, body kits are ok, strut bars ok, stiffer bushings ok, offset CAB and increased camber strut mounts might be ok, header ok, larger wheels up to 7.5" wide ok, wheel spacer up to 2mm? ok, timing bump or cam timing adjustment ok, SSbrake lines with stock brakes and better pads and stock proportion valve ok, brake cooling ducts ok, actually, adjustable perch coilover springs are ok too.

But... if you have a factory LSD then you are bumped to STX and you are SOL.

Have fun driving and don't worry about all of that. The beauty is that you can still mod the crap out of your car and get better at driving and measure your progress against others.

What car runs with leafs? Corvette, older cars too.

[LedZep244]

Thanks so much, that was the perfect answer. I guess that makes me rethink picking up a lsd diff instead of my open one.

[nando]

you know what? don't worry about it. it doesn't matter.

unless the local guys are horrible drivers, or you are a driving god, you aren't going to be competitive in any class with a 318is. so just do the stuff to your car that makes you enjoy it more, and don't worry about what class you are in. just go to have fun and improve your driving. take it from somebody else with an oddball car..

[LedZep244]

you know what? don't worry about it. it doesn't matter.

unless the local guys are horrible drivers, or you are a driving god, you aren't going to be competitive in any class with a 318is. so just do the stuff to your car that makes you enjoy it more, and don't worry about what class you are in. just go to have fun and improve your driving. take it from somebody else with an oddball car..

So a 318is simply cannot be a competitive autocross car? What is the reason for this? Lack of power, or is it just poorly classified by SCCA. I always thought these were pretty good handling lightweight cars. Thanks

Daniel

[MikeE30325i]

So a 318is simply cannot be a competitive autocross car? What is the reason for this? Lack of power, or is it just poorly classified by SCCA. I always thought these were pretty good handling lightweight cars. Thanks

Daniel

they are lightweight and they do handle well, but they lack that power factor stock that other cars have.

[joshh]

I agree it's not going to truely be competitive in STS but not because of power. The Civak only has 90 hp.
Although I don't know anyone that has seriously tried.

[backtrail69]

I run in stx with my eta. I just don't have the power to keep up. With sways, springs, shocks, 15x7.5s with 215/50s, lsd and all those kinda things. I just don't have the power. It is a blast none the less, but It would be really hard to win without another 50+ hp. I am going to upgrade my tires soon and see how that helps.

[iNetMANN]

Don't believe it, your 318is can be competitive , but the first step is to quit working on the car and start working on the driver.

I AutoX an '85 318i with an M10 engine (unboosted) in Street Mod class and do very well. I did start with the driver though. My first 1.5 years were spent on the driver. Then I spent a year on some engine mods, then this last year I built the crap out of the suspension and pretty much am dialing it in at every event so far this year.

I live in Spokane and race locally, in Tri-Cities, Yakima, Packwood and I'm going to Montana this weekend. You can take a look at the car, results, videos and mods at my website www.M10Racer.com

A few frontend tweaks and you'll get the car to oversteer instead of push and then it'll be balls to the walls from there. If my 2200Lb, 101HP, 4cyl 8valve can compete yours surely can!!!

Go for it,

RODD

[NOMAD]

yeah, what he said.
Are you going to win nationals? Probably not, but locally, a great driver can beat most.

I'm tired of hearing "if only i had..."

Tell that to this guy who was smokin fast...

[Zya8187]

Dude it's all about the driver. I have a buddy that is freaking amazing. he has a stock NB miata and he beats almost everything other that STI's, S2k's and vette's.

[Hick]

round here the 318is is in DSP, maybe im in the wrong class :shock:

[hoyabmw]

the OP's car is STX legal. Because of the stock LSD in the 318is, it's not STS legal. Just stay on street tires and go have fun. As others have said, learn to drive first, then worry about fighting for class lead (and getting 'the right' car for a class is not necessary)

[Jordan325iC]

It's all about the driver. Slap on some sticky street tires and drive like a tormented banshee.

[rsafier]

Yeah AutoX is 80-90% driver. If your running local events its really doesn't matter what class you are, just drive. Regionally and Nationally you do sadly have to have the "correct" car for the class you which to run if you want to place. Mainly this is because the guys running there already are very good drivers, guys that would generally be running top 10% of the overall times at there local levels already so the car setup starts to become more important.

Best thing is to just gauge your progress thru the season. Are your times for the event all pretty close or all over the place? If the latter try to get more consistent. Try to find someone that seems to run about like yourself and use them as a measuring stick.
Autocross is fun as it is, winning requires driving skill and a lot of times sadly who has more money in it for the top positions, especially at higher levels of compitition.