Getting STX legal

[sperry]

Well, I started the process of undoing my off-season mods. No more grounding kit, no more oil catch can, no more STi hood scoop, no more STi grill. I still gotta pull off the rear diff bushings.

At least the SCCA is really looking out for the competition... keeping oil out of my intake, and preventing premature wear on my differential were really unfair advantages that made me soooo much faster.

No... not bitter here.

[Dean]

Damn, there go my protests...

Don't forget the MBC...

There was somehting else... Did you take off your dust shields?

I'm not going to protest piddly stuff, but come divisional time, we all need to be spot on.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

Damn, there go my protests...

Don't forget the MBC...

There was somehting else... Did you take off your dust shields?

I'm not going to protest piddly stuff, but come divisional time, we all need to be spot on.

MBC goes away w/ my reflash.

Dust shields are off, and that's legal:

Brake rotors may be replaced with any rotor of equal or larger
diameter made from a ferrous or aluminum alloy. Calipers are
unrestricted, but must mount to the original attachment points.
Drum brakes may be replaced with disk brakes of a diameter equal
to or greater than the inside diameter of the standard drum part.

I'd like to see someone install some 13" brake rotors under the stock heat shields.

[Dean]

This is one of those areas where they should just adopt the SP wording to avoid confusion. I agree with you, but if you read the rule literally, there is no provision for removing the shields. And unlike SM, ther is no provision for making minor mods to allow a legal mod.

The SP wording is very clear...

15.6 BRAKES
Vehicles may only exceed the allowances of 13.6 as specified herein.

A. Any brake line, single or dual master cylinder, vacuum brake
booster, or brake proportioning valves may be used. This does not
allow multiple separate cylinders, but does allow for any single,
dual-circuit cylinder. “Safety brakers” and units such as the “Brake
Guard System” are permitted. ABS braking systems may be disabled,
but not removed; brake boosters may be removed or added.
Air ducts may be fitted to the brakes, provided that they extend in
a forward direction only, and that no changes are made in the
body/structure for their use. They may serve no other purpose.
Backing plates and dirt shields may be modified or removed.

B. Cross-drilled and/or slotted brake rotors may be used, provided the
replacement rotors have the same dimensions as standard rotors
and are of a standard-type construction and of ferrous metallic
material. This does not permit the use of a two-piece hat/rotor
assembly unless the standard configuration is two-piece.

[sperry]

STX specifically allows larger than stock rotors. Therefore they have to allow the dust shields to be removed, or that rule would be impossible to implement. If someone wants to protest my missing dust shields, they can go for it, because I guarentee they'll lose.

The dust shields aren't even a big deal, since the added cooling from them being removed isn't really necessary at autoX speeds. I just don't want to have to take my friggen calipers back off to reinstall 'em.

Now here's where things get jinky... here's last year's wording:

Brake rotors and calipers are unrestricted, but must attach to the original attachment points.

I wonder why they changed it.

[Kevin M]

To exclude carbon/carbon fiber rotors, because some dumbasses think they are a good idea for autocross.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by BAN SUVS

To exclude carbon/carbon fiber rotors, because some dumbasses think they are a good idea for autocross.

I dunno why anyone would care if someone decided to run a brake that would never get to temperature... hell, let them spend $10,000 on useless brakes, that makes my well spent dollar go farther than the competition.

What's kinda weird though; the new rules disallow smaller brakes! What if I wanted to run some tiny 13" rims for a gearing advantage... I guess it's not legal anymore to step down to smaller brakes.

[Kostamojen]

Diff bushings are illegal for ST-X??? WTF? I didnt know that.

[Kevin M]

I'm fairly certain the adjustable control arms are illegal too.

[Kostamojen]

Im sure those are. But its ok, ill be in SM here eventually anyhow.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by BAN SUVS

I'm fairly certain the adjustable control arms are illegal too.

Define control arm...

In STX, basically, you get a choice of one, camber/caster plates, camber bolts, or adjustable length arms for strut based cars.

In the front, I have camber/caster plates, and the rear, adjustable lateral links.

Scott has front camber plates, and rear camber bolts.

Since stock, the car has camber bolts, theoretically, you can have them plus one of the others. Or so I have read.

[Kevin M]

I just looked, I didn't see any provision for adjustable control arms, except to correct obviously poor camber from lowering... but since all the rest of us with lowered Subarus and no control arm adjusting are okay, that definition won't hold.

[sperry]

Okay, here's all the relevant text fromt he '04 rules:

14.8 SUSPENSION

...

B. Suspension bushings may be replaced with bushings of any materials
(except metal) as long as they fit in the original location. Offset
bushings may be used. In a replacement bushing the amount of
metal relative to the amount of non-metallic material may not be
increased. This does not authorize a change in type of bushing (for
example ball and socket replacing a cylindrical bushing), or use of
a bushing with an angled hole whose direction differs from that of
the original bushing. If the Stock bushing accommodated multiaxis
motion via compliance of the component material(s), the
replacement bushing may not be changed to accommodate such
motion via a change in bushing type, for example to a spherical
bearing or similar component involving internal moving parts. Pins
or keys may be used to prevent the rotation of alternate bushings,
but may serve no other purpose than that of retaining the bushing
in the desired position.

C. The following allowances apply to strut-type suspensions. Adjustable
camber plates may be installed at the top of the strut and the
original upper mounting holes may be slotted. The drilling of holes
in order to perform the installation is permitted. The center clearance
hole may not be modified. Any type of bearing or bushing
may be used in the adjustable camber plate attachment to the
strut. The installation may incorporate an alternate upper spring
perch/seat and/or mounting block (bearing mount). Any ride height
change resulting from installation of camber plates is allowed.
Caster changes resulting from the use of camber plates are permitted.

D. Camber bolts may be installed providing these parts use the original,
unmodified mounting points and meet the restrictions specified
in 14.5.B. Caster changes resulting from the use of camber bolts
are permitted.

E. Addition or replacement of suspension stabilizers (linkage connecting
axle or De Dion to the chassis that controls lateral suspension
location) is permitted. Traction Bars or torque arms may be added
or replaced. A panhard rod may be added or replaced. Methods of
attachment and attachment points are unrestricted.

F. Camber kits may be installed on vehicles that do not have
McPherson strut type suspensions. These kits may include replacement control arms or other parts that are designed specifically to
compensate for camber changes resulting from lowering the car.
These parts must use the original attachment points.
...

14.11 STX
A. The STX class expands the vehicle eligibility limits beyond those
specified for STS, and adds a limited number of allowed modifications.
The allowances are as follows:

1. All allowances in STS carry over, including street tires, emissions,
etc. except as follows:

...

B. Replace 14.8.E with “Camber kits, also known as camber
compensators, may be installed. These kits consist of either
adjustable length arms or arm mounts that provide an adjustment
to the effective length of a control arm. Alignment
outside the factory specifications is allowed. The following
restrictions apply:

1. On double/unequal arm suspensions, only the upper arms
OR lower arms may be modified or replaced, but not
both.

2. On arm-and-strut (MacPherson/Chapman) suspensions,
the lower arms may be modified/replaced OR other methods
of camber adjustment as allowed by paragraphs 14.8
B., C., or D. may be used, but not both.

3. On swing or trailing arm suspensions, the main arms may
not be modified but locating links/arms may be modified
or replaced.

4. The replacement arms or mounts must attach to the
original mounting points. All bushings must meet the
requirements of 14.8 B. The knuckle/bearing housing/
spindle assembly cannot be modified or replaced.

So it looks like Dean's on the money... you can use links as long as you're not using offset bushings, adjustable top mounts, or camber bolts.

[Dean]

Minor correction:

Originally Posted by Dean

Since stock, the car has FRONT camber bolts, theoretically, you can have them plus one of the others IN THE FRONT. Or so I have read.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

Minor correction:

I wonder if aftermarket front camber bolts + adjustable top mounts is legal? Or can you use two only if the camber bolts are the stock ones?

[Dean]

Originally Posted by sperry

I wonder if aftermarket front camber bolts + adjustable top mounts is legal? Or can you use two only if the camber bolts are the stock ones?

All stock parts are legal, period. I have never seen a rule requiring you to remove a stock part to use an allowed other part.

Anything non stock falls under these rules, so if you use aftermarket camber bolts you can't use plates or arms. At least that is the way I would read it. But then I have been wrong before.

[tysonK]

Hey can I take out my Foglights and still Be legal in STX?



I'm bored. But I will save a few pounds.