Maverick Lobo Autocross Testing & Handling Upgrades

[Manning]

My notes from three autocrosses this year........
-The seatbelt hack is super effective for someone of average or smaller size. It's possible to cinch yourself down so tight as to restrict breathing. The seats are OK after doing this.
-Turning the headrest 180 degrees is a must.
-I've got the goodwin springs and the height and track width match exactly after careful measurements. The local hardcore SCCA club measured, OK'd it, and put the sticker in the doorjamb. Good to go.
-Tried Lobo mode with stabilty off on the first couple runs this year a couple months ago. After driving a few corners looking out the door windows I left it on for subsequent runs.
-Stock tires suck. Has anyone mentioned that? Running 40psi in the front otherwise they roll over onto the sidewall quite easy. Even with 2+ degrees of camber. I'll be stuck with the stock tires for the rest of the year.
-Goodwin rear bar on soft is a nice improvement.
-Tough to get meaningful rotation mid corner, I find that trying to 'force' rotation with a bunch of throttle ends up with a bad push and going much wider than intended. This is with stability on.

For this weekends event, I intend to retry Lobo mode with stability off. Now that I'm more used to the vehicle I might be able to stay on top of it.

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[NIKwithoutaC]

-Tried Lobo mode with stabilty off on the first couple runs this year a couple months ago. After driving a few corners looking out the door windows I left it on for subsequent runs.

I remember some of the big reviewers either downplaying or outright dismissing the claim that you can drift a Lobo. I wonder if they never turned off AdvanceTrac because it is my experience that you can 100% get these trucks sideways when you drive them hard enough.

 

[Manning]

Did the fourth event this year on Sunday.

I retried Lobo mode + stability off again. Made three runs with Lobo mode and stability on as a baseline and to learn the course, then three with stability off. Stability off was over a full second faster. I was shocked. Truck felt like it flowed much better. This was also with a Goodwin rear sway bar on soft.

The first event I did this year was on a very small lot, so it was super tight and twisty. I must have been really sawing at the steering wheel to get the rear of the truck sliding around so much. So it was probably PIO, pilot induced oscillation. lol

 

[Jroberts302s]

Would not bother with a strut brace. They do little to nothing in terms of actual measurable performance. Spend the money on better tires, or a nice dinner.

I disagree it made a diffrence my Steeda brace I could feel while in corners ( cause we have 3 xL FWD I drive them a couple days a week they’re boat

now on the AWD I could see what you’re saying.

my 03 cobra vert before I installed my 3 point brace you could see the windshield / cowl flex on hard acceleration

Brace & subframe connectors made a huge difference

 

[shadow_munk]

It may be placebo but once I added my front strut bar I felt like the nose dove less in corners

 

[SteedaZach]

I disagree it made a diffrence my Steeda brace I could feel while in corners ( cause we have 3 xL FWD I drive them a couple days a week they’re boat

now on the AWD I could see what you’re saying.

my 03 cobra vert before I installed my 3 point brace you could see the windshield / cowl flex on hard acceleration

Brace & subframe connectors made a huge difference

Happy to hear the feedback!

 

[Jroberts302s]

Happy to hear the feedback!

Thanks I installed my FWD rear sway bar last week

 

[DMS]

I disagree it made a diffrence my Steeda brace I could feel while in corners ( cause we have 3 xL FWD I drive them a couple days a week they’re boat

now on the AWD I could see what you’re saying.

my 03 cobra vert before I installed my 3 point brace you could see the windshield / cowl flex on hard acceleration

Brace & subframe connectors made a huge difference

Fair enough, but I'd separate "feels different" from "makes the vehicle faster."

Your Cobra example makes sense, as subframe connectors address a well-known chassis weakness on those cars.

The Maverick doesn't have that issue. I actually made a post earlier in this thread showing how extensively the strut towers are braced from the factory.

From my own track and autocross experience with this truck, chassis flex has never been an issue, nor have I seen it mentioned by others who use these trucks for HPDE or autocross events. Tires, alignment, suspension setup, and driver skill all have a much greater impact on performance.

 

[DMS]

The autocross season is underway, so it's time for a quick Maverick update.

Changes for 2026

Tires
Last season I ran Firestone Indy 500s. This year I'm running the updated Indy 500 V2 in a 255/45R20.

Unfortunately, there still aren't any competitive autocross tire options available in a diameter that works well on the Maverick. For this truck, you really want a tire around 29" tall or larger. Anything significantly shorter causes it to upshift into 3rd gear too early, which hurts acceleration and leaves you fighting the transmission to get back into 2nd.

Wheels
I also ditched the factory boat anchors for a set of 20x8.5 Fast FC04 wheels. They're a great budget-friendly flow-formed option and noticeably lighter than stock.

Maintenance
During my preseason inspection I found a few issues:

- Factory-installed oil filter was leaking around the seal despite being tight.
- Transmission vent tube had pushed out a noticeable amount of fluid, leaving oil on the undertray.
- Front pinion seal has a very minor leak.

Nothing major at the moment, but I'll be keeping an eye on all three.

First Event
The first outing was at my own StratoCross event, which is a higher-speed autocross format run on an oversized kart track.

We started with wet conditions before the track dried out later in the evening. The Maverick ended up 11th overall out of 35 entries.

The updated Indy 500s are a noticeable improvement over the previous version. They offer more grip and seem to tolerate heat better before getting greasy. Combined with the lighter wheels, the truck feels more responsive everywhere.

Based on initial impressions, the wheel and tire package is worth roughly a second or more over a typical AutoX course vs what I ran last season.

What's Next?
Honestly, the biggest area for improvement is still the driver.

I'm continuing to learn how to get the most out of the Maverick and work around its unique quirks, wheelbase, and weight distribution. There's definitely more time left on the table.

 

[Dr. Johnathan Alfred Zoidberg]

I got a clear photo of the factory strut tower brace while I had my wiper cowl off last weekend.

 

[NIKwithoutaC]

I got a clear photo of the factory strut tower brace while I had my wiper cowl off last weekend.

Something something a picture is worth a thousand words something something...

 

[hibred]

thanks for the picture of the strut brace. Looks like it is in a great place on the strut tower

 

[Chops]

I got a clear photo of the factory strut tower brace while I had my wiper cowl off last weekend.

Great pic thanks! As a former imaginary astronaut - I firmly believe in redundancy. Do you know if the OEM brace is steel or aluminum?

 

[Manning]

Just got back from an autocross this morning. First time with the Goodwin rear bar on full stiff.

Oh my. Now the Lobo will really dive into a corner with authority. So good.

Unfortunately I'm still on the OEM Goodyear tires......The turnout was light due to a small chance of rain, and the Hot Rod Power Tour was not far away, so we basically were hot lapping. After the 4th or 5th run I could smell the tires (while still in the cab). lol.

 

[Dr. Johnathan Alfred Zoidberg]

Great pic thanks! As a former imaginary astronaut - I firmly believe in redundancy. Do you know if the OEM brace is steel or aluminum?

It's connected to the firewall/cowl and welded to the strut towers. It's steel.

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