Autocrossed an STi

[Nick M3]

Damn, that was strange. The STi is basically a nasty combination of completely power on understeer, with terrifying trailing throttle oversteer. If I owned one, I think the first thing I would do is delete the front LSD. Or maybe get a quaife.

The engine is nice, though, as are the brakes. IMHO, it seemed like a much better street beater than a performance car.

[Doug]

:rolleyes: "blah, blah, blah..."

[stuka]

I thought with the STI type AWD, you just throw it around turns (while keeping it floored) and it does the rest?

Isn't it front biased?

[Nick M3]

:rolleyes: "blah, blah, blah..."
Regular WRX handles better. The STi front diff makes the car REALLY hard to drive. And this car had a pretty good suspension setup on it.

[Nick M3]

I thought with the STI type AWD, you just throw it around turns (while keeping it floored) and it does the rest?

Isn't it front biased?
Nope. doesn't work. It can be front or rear biased, depending.

[Jeff_DML]

Regular WRX handles better. The STi front diff makes the car REALLY hard to drive. And this car had a pretty good suspension setup on it.

when I test drove a STI I didnt like the front lsd too, I could feel it tugging at the steering too much( moving around the torque I assume)

[Nick M3]

when I test drove a STI I didnt like the front lsd too, I could feel it tugging at the steering too much( moving around the torque I assume)
The issue is really that an LSD up front puts a LOT of stress on the outside front tire. Subaru made it worse by putting a fairly heavy duty diff up there, instead of the quaife/helical types that are usually used in front wheel driving applications. It's really a diff that's intended for off road conditions.

[John V]

Yep, they are miserable to drive hard. Supposedly with really high quality shocks and a proper alignment (involving toe-out at both ends) they can actually hustle. They certainly have the power.

My main issue with the STi is the power delivery really sucks. It's all or nothing, and you are never really sure when the turbo will hit you like a sledge in the back of the head.

I have found that the toss and catch style works for the WRX but doesn't work with the STi, probably for the reasons you mentioned. For what it's worth, the guys who are really fast in them leave the diffs in Auto. Mucking with the DCCD totally screws the handling up (more than it already is).

[DamnYank!]

i must be a bad driver or not have driven my STi hard enough... with a set of springs and an alignment to my specs, i did not have issues with understeer or oversteer; the car was fairly neutral. the gears are all pretty close, i never really had an issue keeping it in a power range where i knew what it was going to do.

[John V]

The powerband is not an issue, it is always making good power. But on an autocross course you really feel the lag. There is a ton of turbo lag with WRXs and STis. My biggest complaint with them, actually, is the turbo lag. Everything else wonky you can sorta tune out.

[Doug]

I can see how in an auto-X situation the turbo lag could be an issue

[Nick M3]

The powerband is not an issue, it is always making good power. But on an autocross course you really feel the lag. There is a ton of turbo lag with WRXs and STis. My biggest complaint with them, actually, is the turbo lag. Everything else wonky you can sorta tune out.
Sunday's course pretty much tuned out the lag. :p

[Nick M3]

Yep, they are miserable to drive hard. Supposedly with really high quality shocks and a proper alignment (involving toe-out at both ends) they can actually hustle. They certainly have the power.

My main issue with the STi is the power delivery really sucks. It's all or nothing, and you are never really sure when the turbo will hit you like a sledge in the back of the head.

I have found that the toss and catch style works for the WRX but doesn't work with the STi, probably for the reasons you mentioned. For what it's worth, the guys who are really fast in them leave the diffs in Auto. Mucking with the DCCD totally screws the handling up (more than it already is).
Oh yeah. I tried it with the DCCD set full rear for my first run. Net-net, that got the tail out on AND off throttle - On throttle, well, the suspension just isn't designed for it. Off throttle, it was like pulling the e-brake, almost.

[John V]

I think something was wrong with how that one was set up then, if it was that loose off-throttle and that pushy on-throttle.

[Nick M3]

I think something was wrong with how that one was set up then, if it was that loose off-throttle and that pushy on-throttle.
It tightened up a LOT with DCCD set to auto. Both on and off throttle. Even with completely the wrong instincts, I was quick enough that I don't think the setup was too far off.

[Jeff_DML]

lag wasnt a problem on most tracks/turns for me and that is with the wrx wider spaced 5MT.

[John V]

I can see how on the track it wouldn't be an issue. But track driving is like slow-motion autocrossing. Turbo cars + autocross = frustrating.

[lemming]

they revised the front differential between the 2004 MY car and later cars, i believe. i almost think that they put in a helical unit as opposed to the original one......anyway.

i felt like the car had odd handling (spooky) at the limit, also and yeah, i'd agree some of that is the front LSD unit at work.

[Nick M3]

they revised the front differential between the 2004 MY car and later cars, i believe. i almost think that they put in a helical unit as opposed to the original one......anyway.

i felt like the car had odd handling (spooky) at the limit, also and yeah, i'd agree some of that is the front LSD unit at work.
Interesting. The car I drove was an '04, so I wonder how a later one would drive?

[lemming]

dunno.

i think they got enough grief about the lack of front end bite on the 04 and revised it accordingly. i didn't enjoy mine enough to keep it obviously...but i've also not driven an '05 anywhere close to the envelope where i could tell the difference to say for sure that it alleviates this issue.