This past week I was running an auto cross event and was wondering if anyone has any tips on ways to improve my car to be more competitive. Currently running a 04 rx8 with 245/35/18 federal rs-r tires. Thinking about koni's and a sway bay would help. Also the rear seems to sag a little. Had anyone had problems with rear coil springs?

 

Keep the car stock for now, you'll be more competitive in your class. When you start changing parts, you generally end up classed against other modified cars, which makes it more difficult to compete if you're not willing to make the same investments they have. Plus the RX8 is a way better chassis out of the box than most cars. Invest in more seat time with an instructor

Not sure how experienced you are, but one thing that would be beneficial is to learn to balance your tire pressure for best cornering behaviour. You want to find the pressure which translates to the most grip (you can measure tire temperature after the run to see if you're getting it up to the optimum temperature for your tire). Then, more pressure in the rear = more oversteer, more pressure in the front = more understeer.

 

I had my first autox even the other day and got first place in my class. Heres what helped me the most!
1. Know the track. My first two times were terrible because I did not know where to get on it and where to let up.
2. Watch other drivers. You will learn a lot just by watching the other drivers and seeing where they excel and lose time. Relate this to your driving and either do what they did or avoid it.
3. If you have a GoPro record yourself. Yes, yourself. Not whats going on outside of the car. Watch how your hands move on the wheel and evaluate your transitions. I rode along with a supercharged mustang which was clearly more built then my car and he lost way too much time because of his sloppy steering. You need to control the car in order for the car to maintain control on the course.

 

Your rear springs are most likely not sagging. The front sits higher than the rear stock, so I wouldn't worry about that.

Seat time would be the biggest thing you want to start with when it come to getting better behind the wheel. One of the hardest things to get use to at first is "looking ahead." Ride with faster drives in your own car if possible. Not sure of your local region, but most of them have novice schools or something for newbies.

When it comes to modding the car you can get away with changing 1 sway bar, drop in filter and those Koni's and still be in stock class. Until you build your skills behind the wheel those mods won't help all that much.

Let me know if you had any other questions about driving or parts. Have been racing for over 12 years and we have access to all the major parts you would be curious about.

 

As already stated seat time is the best mod you can do, but also if you want to do reading about how everyone sets up there cars for autocross go under the rx8 racing section in the forum and read the cs/bs solo recipes. For stock or street class as it is called CS, you can change tires, wheels up or down one inch in diameter but the width has to stay the same and the offset can only change +or- 7mm, many people run 17x8 wheels for more acceleration and less weight, brake pads and the factory alignment can be changed as long as only the factory settings are adjusted. Some people are able to get 2 degrees negative camber in the front this way. You can also change the other parts listed previously. From my experience tires are the biggest factor and I know currently people are gaining seconds from the new best 200 treadwear tires out there like the bridgestone potenza re71-r and the bfg rival s. As far as the rear springs I know there are plenty of threads on this forum about how the rear springs do like to wear out first.

 

Thank u all for the input. I do realize that the best way to improve is more seat time. But I figured the best way to learn my car would be to set it up the best I can so I'm always used to how it handles. I run a stock class so we are only allowed to run 1 oversized sway bar, shocks, cat back exhaust, brake pads but stock rotors, tires that meet specs per event, and alignment with only stock adjusters.