autocross

[2000xjclassic]

My Dad always talks about how he used to take his 71 cj5 to autocross races and race it in low range. I have already found a car/racing club in the area. I was wondering if any one has had any experience doing autocrosses. My jeep is a 2000 xj w/ three inches lift 31 inch tires exhaust and intake. So I'm just wondering if any one has any experience here. Hi or Low range? What class/cars did you run with?

Thanks
Chris

P.S. already searched

 

[tealcherokee]

youre joking..... right?

 

[Alademuerte]

youre joking..... right?

Seriously?



Like actual auto-x? Like tuned suspensions for getting around a track as quick as possible with rx-7's, and civic's and wrx's and whatnot??

Or like a mud pit??

 

[j99xj]

You would destroy your transfer case driving it on pavement like that in 4 wheel low, or 4 hi for that matter. Unless your talking about dirt or mud.

 

[DiRtY]

not a chance, they wouldnt let u race for safety issues, like rolling over...
besides u race against time, 4.0 is not fast in anyway and then to try it in 4 low.... thats funny!

 

[WTF_LOL]

I am not sure what autox event would have 4x4's?

In general, autox is on a large peice of flat pavement some place like an airport, kart track or parking lot with cones setup. The idea of the track is to stay at apeeds that you would normally encounter (like under 70 mph) and the course is generally all corners. Usually one turn directly after another. Here is a quote from somebody talking about some SCCA guidelines..
"Almost any car (or truck) will do, as long as it passes the tech inspection. Certain "tippy" vehicles such as Jeep Wranglers or Suzuki Sidekicks are not allowed because of the increased risk of rollover. People autocross everything from modified Porsches to stock Toyota Tercels to Lincoln Town Cars! "

In general the vehicle are tuned prety highly at a street level. It is a time attack type of event. Here, a picture is worth a 100 words. Here is a video. It isnt the best but it will give you the idea.....
CLICK HERE

Would absolutley destroy a jeep!

Now, I must say. I have heard offroaders talk about "autocrossing" offroad trucks and they where refering to basically a set up course with the same idea as above just in a mud pit. I don't know much about what exactly that i called or if it is a "real" event...

 

[2000xjclassic]

Yeah, Didn't really put a ton of thought into it, so after hearing this I am realizing its not a good idea for a reason. Thanks for talking some sense into me.

Thanks
Chris

 

[streetpirate]

Im gonna auto-x my xj....


but im building it for that purpose.


well.... more open road racing than auto-x, i can hold some intense g forces in the corners, but with the high center of gravity, its a little hairy whipping it from left to right and back quickley.

 

[karter74]

this thread is hilarious. They will NEVER allow SUV's to autocross unless its been properly lowered to reduce its chance of flipping out. Why would you want to anyway, it will be in no way competitive.

 

[seanyb505]

I thought some autocross functions were based more on personal measurement, not actual competition. Kinda like test and tune at the drag strip. As far as racing a jeep, nothing is impossible, only really funny/awesome to see. I hope someone tears it up with an XJ somewhere. It'll be a victory for us all(me anyway).

 

[Michaelarchangelo]

Why would you want to anyway, it will be in no way competitive.

Just because....

 

[2000xjclassic]

When I first thought about it, I was just thinking about something to do on a boring saturday. But now that I have heard people who know what they are talking about, it doesn't really make much sence unless you are going to modify your xj to do it.

Chris

 

[WB9YZU]

I used to Parking lot Autocross. Very fun and if done right, a great 40-60 second rush.

Use your lifted Cherokee on a roll course? I wouldn't. I have a pix some where of my old (stock) Rabbit leaned over and on 3 wheels

As far as competitiveness, these things are class related and more than a couple cheap mods will put you in modified class. Your vehicle will be clumped together with vehicles of about the same performance and it really is up to the driver to make the most of it. Still, you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear. Once you make the neccesary suspension mods, tires, wheels and reinstall/upgrade your roll bars, you will be, once again, hopelessly outgunned on the pavement. It would really bite being beat by a tricked out Volvo wagon!

Now, that said...
The SCCA does have off-road races, like down forest roads and such. THere was a fellow a while back in WA or OR a while back that did this and had an absolute blast beating up on the Suburus. You still have to lower it a tad, but the rules didn't appear as restrictive as Parking lot racing.

 

[Alademuerte]

Not to mention totally swapping axles.. Butterfly suspension > Solid Axle in doing crap like that..

This will be you man, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nxcNrCEkL0

 

[streetpirate]

The problem is that the biggest stock swaybars for an xj are not quite big enough, so custom ones have to be made. which isnt too horibly expensive. and the other problem is the high center of gravity. look at the front axle to oilpan clearence on a stocker, you really cant lower xj's all that much in the front. im undecided whether im going to try to make a custom clearenced oilpan, go 2wd front axle, or both.

 

[j99xj]

If your serious about doing this, don't use an XJ or any Jeep for that matter.

Use an 80s AMC Eagle station wagon with full time AWD.

The have a much lower center of gravity and an independed front suspension.

Then swap in a fuel injected 4.6 stroker engine in place of the 258 (4.2) carbureted engine.

 

[streetpirate]

But then i'd have to swap in a solid front end to prove my point!

 

[streetpirate]

Just because....

damn straight michael!
im gonna do it because all you naysayers tell me not to, when i know i can pull it off. like i said, maybe not really technical parking lot stuff, but if i got the jeep into a c-prepared trans am event wooooo baby look out!

 

[j99xj]

If you can do it, more power to ya. It would be very expensive and time consuming but with the proper tools I'm sure anything is possible.

I understand completely about the superiority of the solid axle because in turns the tires stay square with the road (kind of a "go kart" effect).

But I think dollar for dollar you would have a much more competitive machine with the AMC eagle. (and save a crap load of time)

The Eagle is an ugly vehicle, but I think it would be funny as heck seeing it whoop @ss against WRX's an other modern road cars.

 

[tealcherokee]

as far as the lowering the jeep, 2wd xj axle wont help you lower it any, because its the tube that will hit the pan not the diff, and you cant do anything about the pan, because the crank is there.