How Many Gen 1 Auto-x

Bakernator

Bakernator

Member
I am looking to get into Auto-Xing with my gen1 and was curious as to how many do it? I get a lot of flack about wanting to do it with a truck. Does anyone have any suspension tips and tricks for setting the truck up? The biggest thing I can see is the steering seems to have a lot of play in it from side to side. I have driven a few different Fords with over 100k on it they all feel that way. Is there something I should look into replacing, or is it just a "Ford Thing"
 
Dewd, I think I remember a trick where the slop in the steering gear box can be adjusted out, that may not have been a Ford however I remember looking for a bolt with a jam nut on the gear box.

AS far as suspension setup up on a Gen1, I really can't help out other than point you to RUSlow. He makes springs and rotors and other goodies as well. In a nutshell, stiff suspension and semi-aggressive brakes will get you by in the AutoX. Just go, have fun, and if you really dig it, then do some homework on 'your' ideal setup. RUSlow is a supporting Vendor here on NLOC. He has his own forum and he is top self all the way.

I have seen bone stock cars with a good driver tear up race prepped cars with a ok driver. The important thing to remember is just to have fun the first few times. Don't sweat any truck 'hate' you might initially encounter, they will get over it. They always do!
 
well I took the L out autocrossing for the first time this weekend and LOVED IT. I really need to get rid of the spool and tune it up though. I did get a few "what is a truck doing here" looks, but it was all good. Myt best time was only 10 seconds under the leader, (who had a stock Irocz). I still have a lot to learn but it was a fun time and I did get a few compliments on the truck and how it went around the course. Everyone loved the seats in it, and one of my friends said that the truck didn't really have any bad attributes to it, and didn't do everything well, but didn't do anything really badly either. I have a couple tweaks I want to do to it as soon as I get my IROC running, but I am hooked.
 
I would like to get into Auto-X soon, as there's a nice venue 5 miles from me. We'll see how I can do with stock suspension, since I really don't want to drop it any.
 
i auto cross my truck and does great!!! i love it and everything one else will to everyone will stop what they are doing just to watch the truck run around the track. i have video's of my runs pm me ill send them out.
 
I was hoping there would be more of a response to this thread. It seams like everyone drag races gen 1's but barely anyone auto-x's.
 
I love to watch auto-x and I have a gen1 too. I to hope to take my truck on the track. I think a good drop kit by Bell tech and slotted rotors with good pads would be a good start to Auto-x. Along with some sticky tires but maybe after you get hooked you can spend more money on sticky tires and stiffer shocks(like bilstein). Just my 2 cents. I have never autox before.
 
I have been doing a lot of site surfing lately and started to put together a "wish list" of modifications for it. I will start with the handling parts, let me know what u guys think:

Bilstiens front and rear
2" rear drop shackles
1" front drop springs (might go 10 or 20% stiffer)
17" Black Steelies with Nitto 275/50/17's (track only)
Poly Bushings all around
Alignment with 1 degree negative camber
1-1/8" front sway bar (is it worth it?)
Stainless steel brake lines
Greenstuff front pads (how do they compare to the hawks?)
Powerslot Rotors
 
Bakernator said:
I was hoping there would be more of a response to this thread. It seams like everyone drag races gen 1's but barely anyone auto-x's.
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Very few people here are into the Auto-Xs. I am because I've been able to watch quite a bit of it (and even see it at our local venue while I'm driving on I-95), and have a friend with a Porsche who wants to get into it.

Then again, you also have very few people on the board that come into these little sub-forums. I even forgot about this thread until I did a "New Posts" search. ;)
 
This isn't a very good pic, but here's my Gen 1 autocrossing. My advice to you is to get some chalk (a big piece like for drawing on sidewalks) & draw a line on your tires from the top of the sidewall to the tread. After you run, look to see how much of the chalk you wore off to determine what pressures to run in your tires. if the chalk is wiped off the sidewall, the pressure is too low... If it is stil lon the side of the tread, it is too high. Watch out for overdriving the power steering pump, hit your apexes & have fun!
 
Bakernator said:
I see that AGR makes an upgraded power steering pump. Is it worth it to get the upgraded Ford pump?
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AGR? ... NOOOOO! When I rebuilt my front suspension, I put an AGR gear and pump on it thinking that I was upgrading... neither part lasted 6 mos & they would not warranty it. They told me that I installed it wrong, I brought them a part out of a junkyard, etc... I drove down there & talked to them in person, no change... They have crap products & they know it because they will not even stand behind thier own products. Other members have had similar experiences. If you want a more powerful pump (more pressure & greater flow) get a saginaw pump & the bracket off of an E-Series van with a 302 or 351.. easier, cheaper & better.
 
I didn't know the e-series had the saginaw pump. Is there anything in the plumbing that needs to be changed, or is a bolt in swap?
 
Bakernator said:
I didn't know the e-series had the saginaw pump. Is there anything in the plumbing that needs to be changed, or is a bolt in swap?[/QUOTE

You will have to change to the plumbing from the van, or modify your own to fit... That's it though. If you buy lines for a van everything will bolt right up. The saginaw should give you about 500 PSI more pressure & about twice the volume so you won't overdrive the pump & lose pressure.
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Just for grins I ran out and took a pic.

pspump.jpg


The top bracket/pump was pulled off 90's ford van, the lower is my stock 94 bracket. I believe the van bracket locates the pump a little further outboard so you will need a slightly long belt as well

Edit - FWIW, apparently Cardone is remanufacturing a saginaw steering pump with an adapter ring (pn = 206244) that will bolt in place of the stock c2 steering pump. Looking at rockauto.com the price is $82 + 45(core). Even with buying a rebuild kit, you should come out way ahead with the junkyard bracket/pump. I got the one as pictured for under 50 bucks.
 
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i would like to see it done with a t-bird/markviii IRS conversion in the rear the nice thing about that is if your good 2 guys with some battery powered impacts can change the pumpkin in 30min or less have your street gears to drive to the event and your race gears holy back from the dead thread sorry didn't see this was 4 months old
 
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