KartRacerBoy Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Pics added post #5. Ok, I didn't install them; my mechanic did. BTW, the mechanic drove the car after he installed it all and just was gaga about the car (stage 2). "A ticket machine." The poor boy mostly works on American vehicles. Anyway, I'm running 18x8 OZ Superleggeras with 225/40/18 W-rated AVS ES100 tires. Suspension installed 3 hours ago and already appears settled, but crank the steering wheel when parked and there is some noise but nothing as the car is moving (yet). There appears to be lots of room between my Perrin 3" y-pipe and the rear swaybar. I'm using stock endlinks front and rear. The rear swaybar is set on its softest setting. Maybe a fender rubbing issue up front. The drop looks much bigger than I anticipated - more than 1.5 inches! The edge of the tire looks flush with the front fender and if I hit a nice bump, it might rub. When I find a decent alignment shop, I'm hoping to dial in about -1.5 degrees of camber up front and -1.0 in back. I'm surprised somewhat that this might be an issue. We'll see. The car clears my typical suburban round curb driveway entrance IF I take it at a very shallow (nearly parallel) angle. Otherwise, scraping. Car has a very nice stance. Handling. It's early but I note that the nose pointing at the sky or diving for the earth under hard acceleration or braking is gone. Exceptionally flat on cornering. At 6 or 7/10 in 2nd gear, the power understeer is gone. I attribute this to two things. The car's nose does not climb for the heavens now under hard power and corners flatter. Both keep the inside tire planted, hence more grip, hence no spinning inside wheel, so a big reduction in power understeer on the street. I'm in an autocross school this Saturday at Tire Rack so I'll see if the reduction in power understeer applies in 9 and 10/10 situations. Ride on bumpy secondary roads with big patches on potholes is stiffer but no where near as bad as I thought it would be. Not jarring at all. My struts have 23,000 miles on them and have not been beaten on much. The ride is very close to stock and I was very wary of stiff springs since I liked the ride but hated the nose dive/climb characteristic. I thought of only getting front and rear sways and living with the dive/climb on braking/acceleration. Caveat. I have not driven the car more than 10 miles since the install. No expansion joints or potholes yet, but it is no where near as bad as my 1994 Volvo 850 Turbo on 225/40/17 W-rated tires (also on OZ Superleggeras). That car came stock extremely underdamped and danced on bumpy secondary roads at less than 60 mph (but smoothed out over 60 mph). The LGT wagon is still buttery smooth in comparison, but judgment is reserved until I get more real world miles and get my weekend autocross done. Pictures to follow because, as we all know, PICTURES ARE POSTED IN POST #5 BELOW. Edit: As to ride. I took a road that was as bumpy as it gets while still being paved (pavement not broken up but lots of small dips and front heaves on both sides of lane) and while the setup I have wasn't harsh, my wife, who wasn't in the car, wouldn't last long on that road wo getting car sick! But this was a rare road; that said, the old springs/sways were nonplussed by it. Just wanted to let you married guys know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyd2005 Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Subscribe. I am thinking about Swift or Ion springs combined with Cobb hollow swaybars... so I am very interested in hearing more and seeing more. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobY Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Power understeer is good in an AWD car. It helps you get out of trouble. Power oversteer on a 50/50 tq distribution AWD car= near complete loss of traction. Because unlike a rwd drivetrain the front wheels are being driven as well. Ideally for an awd drivetrain you want lift throttle oversteer and power on understeer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted June 2, 2006 Author Share Posted June 2, 2006 Sorry guys. Pics not coming anytime soon. I can compress my pictures' file size down small enough to post but the width and height are too big. Can't figure out how to change it and the darn PC freezes when I try to download. Just take my word for it; the car looks good. I would perhaps like it to be about a 1/2 inch higher both front and rear, but that's all. My Luddite nature defeats me again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted June 2, 2006 Author Share Posted June 2, 2006 pictures attached. I overwelmed my ignorance of computers with sheer effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suds2250 Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Wagons FTW! 335HP/360Tq VF-22/1820 clone with Meth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Awesome, man - easily my favorite wagon now! Some tint and I'd call it perfect! Seek first to understand, then to be understood. In other words: SEARCH before you post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansGT Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Awesome, man - easily my favorite wagon now! Some tint and I'd call it perfect! +1 tint the mutha then it's on of the best wagons and most rare. (5MT red) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted June 2, 2006 Author Share Posted June 2, 2006 Thanks guys. The plan now is to autocross on Saturday, and then install my front and rear STi Brembos on Sunday. That will be all my performance mods for the year, but I might tint depending on cost. I've thought about it but never checked price. Any idea what a ballpark cost figure on tint is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rc0032 Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Ok, I didn't install them; my mechanic did. Should have driven up, Boxer and I would have done it for free. I would like to go for a ride some time, im running swifts on SpecB struts and want to see how they compare I've thought about it but never checked price. Any idea what a ballpark cost figure on tint is?Deepfrezze has a place for under $150 not to far from you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted June 2, 2006 Author Share Posted June 2, 2006 ^Where are you located? I might take a day jaunt to give a ride. As to tint, I'd like to do a moderate tint, maybe just from the B posts back as my night vision alreadyt sucks at a young 44 years. And I don't want to make cops nervous! Always respect a man with a gun, I say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rc0032 Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Im just west of Chicago for now, soon in the city. The tint is on the south side. What I have seen looks really good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted June 2, 2006 Author Share Posted June 2, 2006 Lure me with tint all for a free ride. Evil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexster Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 looks great! the red wagon is killer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted June 3, 2006 Author Share Posted June 3, 2006 Thanks for the kind words. Just got done autocrossing and what a difference. A couple of autocrossers noted to me how flat my car cornered (a wagon!). And the limit feels much higher, although that's seat of the pants. Turns in very nicely and you can get a nice drift going; it surprised me and I just lifted and got into a mild tank slapper. Got the giggles for the rest of the course. Power understeer is still there at 9/10 or 10/10, but vastly reduced. Most of the understeer I encountered was induced by my overly late braking at times! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleBlueGT Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 Sounds like all is going well. Believe it or not better dampers will make your handling 100% better. You think it is good now, wait until you get some Bilsteins, or maybe the new KYBs. BTW what do you think of the ES-100s? I had them on my 00 Maxima and they handled very well, got a bit noisy after about 20,000 miles, but seemed to stick better then my current T1-Rs. The T1-Rs are better in rain and ride better too. Full tune of 68HTA, KSTech 73 MAF, Racer X FMIC and ID1000s................by the DataLog Mafia!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted June 3, 2006 Author Share Posted June 3, 2006 Oh, I'm waiting with baited breath for Koni Reds or adjustable KYBs. I thought about the Bilsteins, but decided new was too expensive and JDM takeoffs too risky as I don't trust the advertised mileages given when removed. I like the ES100s. Good handling, although this is my first summer tire so I have no similar tire to compare to. I loved the price from Tirerack. There is some noise but only from my formerly front, now rear tires that feathered somewhat due to the car being out of alignment. No noise from the other tires. Stretched onto 8" wide rims, they give the car very sharp turn in. I had them on my Volvo 850 Turbo and they tramlined alot on that car. Not much at all on this car. They are also very square shouldered on the 8" rims, and appear to be wide for their purported 225 section width, making the car look like a steamroller from behind. Very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaceComp Engineering Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 wow...looks very nice on a red wagon! - andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 Thank you sir. Your kiss up but honest words may buy my business! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaceComp Engineering Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Thank you sir. Your kiss up but honest words may buy my business! :lol: - Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndas Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Lookin good...hmmm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexster Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 i will likely have the same set up on my wagon, but i'm waiting for the adjustable koni sport inserts before i do springs. are you using stock endlinks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted June 6, 2006 Author Share Posted June 6, 2006 Stock endlinks, yes. Reading about all the clunking swaybars with aftermarket links, such links wearing out quickly, and their price (!!!) led me to keep the stock links and see how they work. I can see much better places to spend $200+ on the car. Oh yea, and I ran out of money... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndas Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Well I bit the bullet and ordered the full Cobb Set up (Front and Rear Sways) ... Brackets as well as end links...pheww! Other than that I will be running full stock...looking forward to see how it helps...as my daily driver is for work (Realtor) I cannot sacrifice my ride height or quality for the most part and this seemed like to best way to go to get a bit more performance for sure... I would love to hear any further feedback on the Cobb set up or any reccomendations (I see the rear should be on "Soft"...) and pending that I will let you know how they work out... Peace Out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KartRacerBoy Posted June 6, 2006 Author Share Posted June 6, 2006 I think you'll like the Cobbs. 95% of the time you'll notice no ride quality difference, but fun, fun, fun, on the twisties. I got the Swifts because I was tired of the rise and dive during hard acceleration/braking and for autocrossing. But the Cobbs themselves will make a large difference in roll. Do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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