Found my unicorn!
03-25-2021, 01:56 PM
#151
Administrator
iTrader: (9)
Looks more like it's on a piece of plywood.
Hotchkis?
Hotchkis?
03-25-2021, 02:08 PM
#152
I wanted to compare it to the OEM unit, which I don't quite have enough hands to do *and* take a picture while under the car.
Yes, Hotchkis - had the rear bar on for a while, first time I've had the time to have the car up on jacks in a while. Wife keeps thinking our house has to be spotless inside and out before the new windows are installed.
I need new links front and rear as mine are sloppy - but makes a nice difference at autocross speeds. Friday I should get some higher speed turns as I've got a 2-hour interstate trip.
Question: I see the front shock/spring assy is held on at the bottom by the link through-bolt; if I unbolt the top and the brake line, do they drop out easily, or do I have to remove a control arm?
Yes, Hotchkis - had the rear bar on for a while, first time I've had the time to have the car up on jacks in a while. Wife keeps thinking our house has to be spotless inside and out before the new windows are installed.
I need new links front and rear as mine are sloppy - but makes a nice difference at autocross speeds. Friday I should get some higher speed turns as I've got a 2-hour interstate trip.
Question: I see the front shock/spring assy is held on at the bottom by the link through-bolt; if I unbolt the top and the brake line, do they drop out easily, or do I have to remove a control arm?
03-25-2021, 02:28 PM
#153
Administrator
iTrader: (9)
As far as I remember watching my old mechanic do this 8 years ago 
, it slips into place. You don't have to remove the control arms.
, it slips into place. You don't have to remove the control arms.
03-27-2021, 07:47 AM
#154
So highway off-ramps (tightening and climbing curve) are now more fun than iffy. Didn't get tire squeal until almost 80. I'm going to call that a win for the swaybars. Looking forward to getting the NISMO springs on there.
03-27-2021, 08:02 AM
#155
Administrator
iTrader: (9)
^^^ thats about right.
You can take sweeping highway on/off ramps at a higher speed and with more confidence. And you can hold that line without losing control or having TC slap you back. Such a simple and inexpensive mod... match that with high performance summer tires, and the G becomes quite a good driver's car.
Other things like poly engine/transmission/diff mounts, and various added bracing bars, they will add to this, but honestly those are all just incremental mods. The real gains are swaybars and proper tires. IMO
You can take sweeping highway on/off ramps at a higher speed and with more confidence. And you can hold that line without losing control or having TC slap you back. Such a simple and inexpensive mod... match that with high performance summer tires, and the G becomes quite a good driver's car.
Other things like poly engine/transmission/diff mounts, and various added bracing bars, they will add to this, but honestly those are all just incremental mods. The real gains are swaybars and proper tires. IMO
03-27-2021, 08:48 AM
#156
TC? TC was off LOL. Wanted to see what the car would do since there was good runoff on the outside of the curve in case I borked it. Not hard enough that I was sawing the wheel in and out of traction though, like I would with the racecar.
The poly diff mount was an uprepair. Diff was smacking the bottom of the car on hard launches or transitions. Made the car feel more solid in throttle transitions. Still have OEM engine/trans mounts... Might replace them with new when I hit 100k but I'm not building a track car here so the additional NVH I'm not sure is worth it. IE - some NVH losses are worth it for sure (FI exhaust) and like you said, some are incremental so maybe not as useful. The Kumho PS91s are loud too, but they stick pretty well. Finally got them to talk to me instead of just slip-and-grab when the car wallowed.
I'm pretty sure, based on bounce and wallow and the wheel arch heights, that my oem springs are toast. Had that issue with my first first gen RX-7 - put on lowering springs and gained 1" of ground clearance.
The poly diff mount was an uprepair. Diff was smacking the bottom of the car on hard launches or transitions. Made the car feel more solid in throttle transitions. Still have OEM engine/trans mounts... Might replace them with new when I hit 100k but I'm not building a track car here so the additional NVH I'm not sure is worth it. IE - some NVH losses are worth it for sure (FI exhaust) and like you said, some are incremental so maybe not as useful. The Kumho PS91s are loud too, but they stick pretty well. Finally got them to talk to me instead of just slip-and-grab when the car wallowed.
I'm pretty sure, based on bounce and wallow and the wheel arch heights, that my oem springs are toast. Had that issue with my first first gen RX-7 - put on lowering springs and gained 1" of ground clearance.
The following users liked this post:
Rochester (03-27-2021)
03-27-2021, 08:56 AM
#157
Administrator
iTrader: (9)
Surprisingly, in this car there's not much added NVH with poly engine mounts. One unexpected result... it lowered the engine about a 1/2 inch. Good, bad... IDK, but that happened.
I wish the TC button was on the center console.
I wish the TC button was on the center console.
03-27-2021, 09:37 AM
#159
Administrator
iTrader: (9)
Dude! 
Are you seriously relocating you TC switch?
You're my hero.
Are you seriously relocating you TC switch?You're my hero.
03-27-2021, 02:59 PM
#160
This cuts power to the yaw sensor all together. I think @4DRZ had the same thing. Have to power off the car to reset it, so it's a bit more intentional than just the TC button.
Wires go to the small silver (for now) trim panel to the left of the steering wheel. Haven't decided what switch to use - I've got standard aircraft potted switches with the red cover, locking switches, and even a C-141 engine start switch (push in, lights up, latches until some external trigger releases it). Ultimately will be either a multi-pole switch or a simple single board computer (Arduino zero or the like) so it can trigger other things into 'track mode' too.
Wires go to the small silver (for now) trim panel to the left of the steering wheel. Haven't decided what switch to use - I've got standard aircraft potted switches with the red cover, locking switches, and even a C-141 engine start switch (push in, lights up, latches until some external trigger releases it). Ultimately will be either a multi-pole switch or a simple single board computer (Arduino zero or the like) so it can trigger other things into 'track mode' too.
04-12-2021, 09:37 AM
#162
No dyno runs yet (I will hopefully be getting a dyno tune at Z1 this fall, if everything falls into place). I can tell that some of the power drops I felt with the FI high-flow cats and catback are gone, but that's not really quantitative.
Given that I basically moved the air intake pointonly about 12" from stock and added a freer-flowing filter, while smoothing out the turbulent areas - I doubt seriously I *lost* anything.
I'm not really looking at it as a $$$ gets me X HP piecemeal equation - this is in support of the whole engine project - freer exhaust, freer intake, VQ35 upper manifold, upper and lower manifolds ported, throttle bodies contoured and smoothed. With the VQ35 manifold, I actually expect to lose some top end HP - the runner difference shifts the torque peak down some RPM, and therefore HP drops. Some, and not in a range that I use much on a street car - where the torque peak should move to a place that is more usable for me.
Looks like you're going down a similar path, by the pictures. Good luck!
Given that I basically moved the air intake pointonly about 12" from stock and added a freer-flowing filter, while smoothing out the turbulent areas - I doubt seriously I *lost* anything.
I'm not really looking at it as a $$$ gets me X HP piecemeal equation - this is in support of the whole engine project - freer exhaust, freer intake, VQ35 upper manifold, upper and lower manifolds ported, throttle bodies contoured and smoothed. With the VQ35 manifold, I actually expect to lose some top end HP - the runner difference shifts the torque peak down some RPM, and therefore HP drops. Some, and not in a range that I use much on a street car - where the torque peak should move to a place that is more usable for me.
Looks like you're going down a similar path, by the pictures. Good luck!
The following users liked this post:
ngolbuff (04-13-2021)
04-13-2021, 10:57 AM
#165
Administrator
iTrader: (9)
Awesome rotors, and they will look fantastic behind any wheel. However, temper your expectations regarding any performance gains with the weight reduction. You really have to dig hard in quick, low-speed situations in order to realize you've got more control. In other words, the benefits aren't really a daily driver consideration, and so subtle that the new normal will erase any eyes wide open moment.
Hindsight.
Hindsight.