Stu's Wanna be Track Beast (Member Profile - Stu)

[SH30RB]

I won't deny kiks' beastly black wagon has been my aspiration

I think its safe to say that now kiks' wagon is no longer... we should all be using your car as aspiration Stu!

awesome car, and i cant wait to hear your verdict once all of the parts are in

[rooby]

I won't deny kiks' beastly black wagon has been my aspiration

I think its safe to say that now kiks' wagon is no longer... we should all be using your car as aspiration Stu!

awesome car, and i cant wait to hear your verdict once all of the parts are in

Me too, considering I have a number of the bits you have and will probably have all the same bits you have before the end of the year.

[Stu]

Are you going to inline steering & suspension in queanbeyan?
Highly recommended.

Yup Chris is the master there and has sorted out various cars for me over the years. Although I've heard through the grapevine he's unwell - would be a huge loss for the Canberra area performance car scene if he had to give it away

[Stu]

OK - Definitely time for a profile update.

I've been on a bit of suspension and brakes bender for a while, although delayed by slow and incorrect parts, the black beast is now back together. Also managed to get some Zaino Z5 so she looks the goods for her return to the streets. So this round of knuckle breaking, sweat and beers included:

• Ohlins DFV coliovers
• Eibach springs (400lbs/in front and 550lbs/in rear)
• AVO steel chassis braces front and rear powder coated "space blue" (looks like cusco but better), also coated the rear cross member supports and sway bar mounts while they were out
• Whiteline bushes - every single one (except sway bars using AVO bushes to properly fit the cusco sways)
• Whiteline rear adjustable control arms plus rear lockout bolts
• Whiteline front roll centre correction kit
• Diff rear cross member polished and bushes replaced
• Rear upper control arms sprayed "aluminium" and clear coated (faking alloy arms until I find some )
• Cusco steering rack brace
• DBA 5000 T3 series 2 piece rotors front and DBA 4000 T3 series rear rotors

With the harder springs in the rear the Ohlins have been adjusted all the way to the bottom of the height adjuster, whilst still keeping the recommended spring preload. The fronts are not so low and have a little room to spare, although my STI lip makes it into our garage with about 5mm to spare Once I've done about 100km I'll re-torque everything and then hopefully take her out to Inline.

So from here it's a question of whether I keep going with suspension stuff - thinking of JDM alloy rear trailing arms, welding up a rear strut to body X brace and maybe even changes to the rear subframe pivots. Also I'm going to need a new clutch sooner or later, I've promised myself a set of Federal 595RSRs and I'd really like a FMIC for the hell of it. Decisions, decisions.....

Oh and I finally got a decent camera (Canon 60D) so here's a heap of not so good pics - still learning Under car pics are camera phone Sorry!












Enjoy!

[jslayz]

Nice, In my setup (very similar) I ended up with the damping a couple of clicks harder on the front the get the best out of mine.

Get out and start throwing it it into corners at ludicrus speeds and be amazed .... provided your tires are up to it.

I was surprised.....to say the least.

Enjoy!!

J

[paggaz]

Wow Stu, this car is impeckably clean.

I agree with Simon's post above at the top, we should all be using your car as aspiration Love every bit of it!

[ndlibgt]

Awesome build there Stu. Can't wait to see stage 2

[Boostaddict]

Cars are not ment to be that shiny underneath..!!! VERY impressive.!!

When the missus lets me ....... Never..... I would love to have all those suspension goodies. Unfortunately she wants a bloody new house .

I will be using your car as inspiration when i win that 100 million on tues!! Hhehe

[Stu]

Thanks guys!

Currently running the factory recommended 10 clicks front and rear. Tyres are definitely not up to it - I think the original Bridgestones from the factory are still on the rear!

Anyone with Whiteline rear control arms, I'd like to know if there's a neater way to attach the headlight leveler? I've just used a strip of 1" aluminium, bent into shape - not too pretty but works for now.

[bates91]

very nice list, don't stop just yet

[rooby]

That is ridiculously clean underneath.

Get out and start throwing it it into corners at ludicrus speeds and be amazed .... provided your tires are up to it.

+1
The way they soak up mid corner bumps at higher than usual speeds is amazing.

Just takes a little while to man up enough to really push them

[bigBADbenny]

Are they alloy front lower control arms I spy?

[Stu]

Yep all the AuDM spec Bs should have alloy front arms. We missed the JDM alloy trailing arms (with JAPAN emblazoned on each side no less!) and rear upper control arms. Something for the shopping list one day to further cut unsprung weight by a few 100g's

Took her out for a drive today, something's not quite right in the rear. So I'll be re-torquing it all, checking everything and maybe doing a backyard alignment check until it's done properly.

[bigBADbenny]

Would lateral locks on the RSB help?
I wrapped the bushes and bar with 8" lengths of MTB inner tube to keep the grease in btw...

[Stu]

Would lateral locks on the RSB help?
I wrapped the bushes and bar with 8" lengths of MTB inner tube to keep the grease in btw...

Possibly might help a little, although the Cusco RSB has sharper curves (apparently) than the Whiteline model, so has much less lateral movement. Have to see if there's locks in 21mm.

I've seen the rubber tube on a few cars (maybe pics of yours) but my black Lib is a bit of wimp and doesn't go out much in the rain
I've been looking around at sway bar mounts with in built grease fittings which would make re-greasing quick and easy. Something like http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/pr ... rod=9.5161
or just tap and fit the existing mount with a grease nipple.