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First Autocross with the "new" Caterham


Anker

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The first run I had a huge spin. At the end of the day I was doing better, but now as well as I would have liked.

 

There were actually two Caterham's on the course. Great to meet Jeff and see his ride.

 

 

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Anker,

Looks like a fun course. Thanks for posting videos.

 

The trick around here is getting registered for the autocross, online registration for the one next week filled up in under 2 minutes! I'm on the wait list with my fingers crossed.

 

Andy

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The first run I had a huge spin. At the end of the day I was doing better, but now as well as I would have liked.

 

There were actually two Caterham's on the course. Great to meet Jeff and see his ride.

 

 

 

Great to meet you (in the real world) also Anker. I saw your times improve as the day went on. I think you still have some seconds to squeeze out with experience driving the Seven. What a blast - huh?!

 

Here's a video of one of my runs, with the sound of a BDA driven in anger (BDA + anger = joy). You can see your car parked when I'm coming in after the run:

 

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It is one of the best in the country. You will have a blast! The courses laid out can be very fast. On my Porsche Boxster S I have hit the rev limiter in second.

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Today I disconnected the rear sway bar so I can see how that changes the way the car drives at the next autocross on Saturday. Will be interesting.

 

Very easy to connect, disconnect and adjust.

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  • 1 month later...

Mine has a really stiff suspension. The absence of the rear sway bar ensures that both rear wheels stay planted in high G corners. It should induce some understeer, but I haven't noticed.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Anybody want to discuss chassis set up for autocrossing? I just started autocrossing after road racing found my '99 Caterham DeDion had a lot of understeer under autocross conditions.

 

Under what conditions does it understeer? Corner entry? Mid corner? Corner exit?

 

What tires are you using?

 

 

dave

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Anybody want to discuss chassis set up for autocrossing? I just started autocrossing after road racing found my '99 Caterham DeDion had a lot of understeer under autocross conditions.

 

I find it curious too. Mine has no understeer. It does have snap oversteer on lifting or braking when cornering, but I am learning. Mine is extremely stiff and has adjustable dampers and springs. Because I don't have a LSD is disconnected the rear sway bar to ensure that the rear tires stay planted on the road. Normally that would induce understeer, but not in my case!

 

Also, what rims and tires are you using? I have 13" rims wearing 225/45R13 Toyo R888Rs on all four wheels.

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Anybody want to discuss chassis set up for autocrossing? I just started autocrossing after road racing found my '99 Caterham DeDion had a lot of understeer under autocross conditions.

 

Hi John

 

Dave's questions are on target since I know he is a superb autocrosser. This is definitely worth exploring - set up, antiroll bars, spring rates, tires, heat, pressures - all essential aspects.

 

Not sure we should hijack Anker's thread but he's a good guy and probably won't mind.

 

However, my first suspicion is that it may not be the car. The clue for me is your recent switch from road racing to autocrossing. When I have switched from road circuit work to autocrossing in one of my Caterhams it takes time to dial me in. Its a different form of driving and you have to be very precise in your steering inputs in time with weight transfer on to the wheel or wheels that need grip. Moving weight around the wheels in a road racing environment is slower than autocrossing - precision is essential in autocrossing for a quick time. My first run (ok...second too.....) usually sees me with bulk understeer caused by me as I do not have the weight sufficiently on the nose. So if you try to flick the car around a cone without the requisite weight on the nose, possibly on part throttle, you will get understeer. I need time to recalibrate myself as a driver. Play your runs back in your mind - is this possibly what you were experiencing? Hope you are not offended by me asking the question.

 

Cheers

mike

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