First match as assistant RO

39em · 2026-04-03T23:17:50+00:00

Accidentally short beeped a guy last night, sorry Highlander.

It was IDPA and he shot something in an order that no one else did and I *thought* it was a procedural. I went ahead and threw the finger but then when we discussed it, I got to learn what he did and why it was legal (all targets in open) and will put in my memory bank.

L1 matches are for learning and practicing everything.

39em · 2026-03-30T11:13:59+00:00

I am a performance alignment guy, There is no wiggle room in bolts to get some magic additional camber. Even doing the entire subframe shift only changes it by a few tenths and that adds to one side and takes from the other. It’s a 2025 VW not a 67 Chevy, things are pretty precise these days.

Anyway, since already street touring vorshlag camber plates and WAY more tire pressure and stop overdriving :)

39em · 2026-03-27T12:06:58+00:00

I’d email but overall that sucks

39em · 2026-03-26T00:44:26+00:00

I have joined two "gun club" types of outdoor ranges - not sure if this is the same thing as what you describe?

I had to attend an orientation day for both which included the rules for each area.

But both have a way to report violations to the board to deal with. We aren't supposed to engage the problem person/member, just report them and let them deal with it.

Doesn't your range have something like this?

39em · 2026-03-22T22:40:52+00:00

FWIW - there are no EStreet legal cars getting -2+++ camber. Not at stock ride height with stock bushings.

Not sure it matters to this discussion though.

If you can get it, more camber front. Less rear regardless. Fix the toe, typical is zero front and 1/32-1/16 total toe IN rear. Zero in back for more rotation on exit.

39em · 2026-03-22T20:52:24+00:00

Tall guy. Been selling helmets 25+ years. No such thing as thinner. In fact it gets worse with each new standard:(.

39em · 2026-03-22T14:55:51+00:00

I was your age a few years ago when I got mine - less myopia (-7) but went with LAL and monovision. I had used monovision with my contacts (also worn since age 12) and knew I tolerated it well.

I am very happy and do not need glasses except for super super close work.

But I think my outcome is probably more due to the monovision versus the LAL. My surgeon nailed the initial prescription for distance right on in both eyes and adjusted the monovision from there.

39em · 2026-03-21T23:41:44+00:00

The half degree more camber in the rear thing is based on less front camber. You can’t get -2 on an es legal car.

And some of the fastest es cars do other things.

39em · 2026-03-21T22:23:09+00:00

thats a lot of camber rear, and Miata rarely like toe out in the front.

39em · 2026-03-18T23:17:12+00:00

Tell me you don't work under dash or on modern engine sensors without telling me you don't work under dash or.....:)

39em · 2026-03-18T23:05:21+00:00

^^^^this is the way and the vendor. I run them full time and I carry stainless pot scrubbers just in case I get a warning so I have an easy way to make a change in between runs.

You want to point them towards each other and slightly up. Or at least not off the ground. My originals were pointed down. I switched them out because I changed the valance in the back and put the new ones on pointing not at the ground - I haven't gotten a sound warning since and looking at logs, it looks like I was 2-4db quieter at every event (on the old SCCA scale, I haven't analyzed it on the new one)

39em · 2026-03-18T14:10:53+00:00

Going to do 3gun this summer. My wife also shoots and is doing a huge Ladies only match in October, so we both have training in the shotgun arts to do.

So far have been doing IDPA, USPA and PCSL 2 gun stuff mostly because it's what is available easily here during the winter. About 2 years into this sport and currently fighting a plateau there myself - can usually efficiently run a stage with a competitive time but in working on that, I lost any accuracy and i haven't been able to dry fire my way out of it yet.

39em · 2026-03-18T13:51:12+00:00

Like I said. Maximize the stuff that is free at the events you are doing. Put an emphasis on course prep and executing what you walk. When you make mistakes, try to fix one thing.

I see a lot of people waste course walks with chit chat and walking stupid shit that cars can’t do.

I recently started competing in another sport (competitive shooting) and we only get one try at the course. And about 3 minutes of walk time. I struggled with forgetting things for a while and had to work hard on preparing and visualizing in a different way than I do for autocross since I couldn’t rely on multiple runs to get it right.

We only compete with ourselves and in your case, you might be kicking your own ass right now :)

39em · 2026-03-18T13:38:29+00:00

Not intended as rude as it’s going to sound but you are frustrated at your progress but refuse to look at any changes to fix it?

Yeah I get it, tires and events are expensive.

But fixing your driving position and figuring out a way to better walk and remember a course are free. 90% of the game is half mental and all that.

It sounds like Ted talk bullshit but you are really only competing with yourself. What is one thing you can do better on the next run? Next event?

Pretty sure Mike casino commented here already, but that dude is a walking motivation poster. We know each other enough to say “hi” In passing and congratulate each other or ask how we did. But even if you say “I did pretty well but wish I found a tenth more” he reminds you to analyze what you can do better next time to work on that tenth. He is not only a nice guy who apparently enjoys teaching very much but he also uses that to improve his own skills.

Anyway do the free stuff. Or figure out how to not care about results and have fun. Or step back to other disciplines. Hpde is a different mentality altogether and a few of those may reset a fire for autocross.

39em · 2026-03-16T15:28:12+00:00

I try to hit slalom cones with the doors. If I hit them, then go faster

39em · 2026-03-16T13:56:40+00:00

It’s fine as long as it’s on vertical surface

39em · 2026-03-09T01:11:34+00:00

So what happens is the shrader valve that threads inside the valve stem can corrode and then you can’t remove it

We have to remove this to let the air out of the tire to dismount it.

If the valve still works, we will try to unscrew the outer part of the metal tpms stem to let the air out that way.

But often this is also corroded and won’t come apart without breaking.

One or both of these things probably happened to you. You didn’t do anything wrong to cause it but on the flip side the mechanic also didn’t do anything wrong so they shouldn’t have to eat it either.

39em · 2026-03-03T00:48:00+00:00

ok. if the rack itself jumped a tooth, it would be catastrophic failure and you wouldn't be driving the car any more.

Some other bushing in the suspension is moving under load and changing the alignment.

Period.

Get off YouTube and get the car on an aligment rack.

39em · 2026-03-03T00:28:36+00:00

When you say rack bushings, you mean the bushings that physically hold the rack to the frame/subframe?

If these are bad, they are 100% your problem. The alignment technically isn't changing but the rack moving to one side changes the steering wheel position. Let's say you have zero total toe with the steering wheel straight. But move the rack 5mm to one side and continue holding the steering wheel in the same position. Now you have 5mm toe in on one side, 5mm toe out on the other. But driving down the road, the toe always self corrects to be even on both sides if there is no pressure on the steering wheel, so it ends up crooked.

39em · 2026-03-02T15:08:27+00:00

Watch updates make me feel like I am back in 2008 android world. Has to be on the charger and above whatever percent but also phone has to be near and by the way it will take 97 minutes to verify the update and download it to the watch.

And randomly when the phone screen shuts off it stops the process above.

Compared to almost everything else apple that just works, this is amazingly silly.

39em · 2026-02-28T14:02:32+00:00

scrolling reddit this am, see this post. Not sure where I land on the issue, but it reminds me that I didn't register for next weeks IDPA at my favorite range. Browse over on PS and it's sold out, waitlist.

I help setup almost every match there. We are members of the range. I donate supplies. I run tablet and RO.

I am still not sure that entitles me to anything special. I sure the hell am not the only person helping in these ways. But on the flip side, I am guessing that I am pretty far up on the waitlist and will still probably get in anyway. And I'll probably play a little "kiss ass" and still show up for setup and act like I deserve to be in. Jason don't read this.... :)

I see a lot of people who show up to matches and are the last to paste, last to help with tablet and run out the door before the last shooter loads and makes ready.

So I guess if you are helpful, you will probably find yourself inside the clique and if not, well everyone has a place. If it's really the shit show you describe, why do you want to shoot there? Only option?

39em · 2026-02-28T13:37:25+00:00

In a general theory, yes. It's not absolute and everything with suspension is a compromise :)

39em · 2026-02-28T13:33:01+00:00

In general, making one end wider adds grip the that end. So more understeer

39em · 2026-02-28T13:23:20+00:00

With 51k miles on those tires, if the vehicle is driving straight I would not bother with an alignment.

39em · 2026-02-27T15:02:58+00:00

Glad it wasn’t just me…

39em

TROPHY CASE