Member Profile - starship303 (3RB wagon)

[starship303]

Thought I’d stop posting my cars progression in my intro thread and start a member profile thread…

Model:
2005 MY06 6MT Liberty 3.0R Spec-B wagon, Obsidian Black

Exterior mods:
- TCP Auto quad mufflers
- Racing Hart C4 multi-piece semi forged wheels (18x7.5 et42) *not yet fitted*
- Kumho KU31 Ecsta SPT (215/45R18)
- STi front splitter
- Mesh grill
- Tint
- Debadged
- Tow bar…

Chassis mods:
- STi Pink springs
- Re-valved Bilstein struts to match STi Pink’s
- Fulcrum/SuperPro lower control arm kit/bushes
- Whiteline swaybars front & rear
- AVO Heavy duty rear swaybar mount/link kit

Interior Mods:
- Axxess AUX/iPod input (AIP-CL-ID model - more info)

Photos: (will be updated when exhaust & wheels are fitted)







One of the many reasons for the choice of wagon…


*3o3

[starship303]

Photo of my Racing Hart 18's + TCP Quads that I picked up on Saturday...



The Racing Hart's are 18x7.5 et42. These are genuine Japanese made Racing Hart's that I bought in Japan and got shipped out to Aus (thanks to PhillB Enterprises). Japanese Racing Hart wheels are unfortunately not made anymore, although there are cheap remakes/fakes available. This particular C4 model isn't the one-piece cast but the much rarer multi-piece forged model (the outer rim section is forged). Surprisingly light considering they aren't really a tuner/racing rim! I will try and weigh them before fitting, though I don't have access to scales.

More photos...







Unfortunately, although they look brilliant from a distance, up close on a couple of them there is some sort of corrosion/oxidisation on the lip/rim section of the wheel. They are (I believe) anodized lips for protection and shine but although the wheels themselves are totally unmarked and have rarely, if ever, been used (they still have the 44,000 Yen price tags on them!) they have obviously been lying around for some time, and some sort of oxidisating has occured on the anodized surfaces. Anyone seen anything like this before??



I had a go at lightly rubbing some of the corroded sections and then polishing it with Autosol Metal Polish. Whilst this worked in removing the oxodization it cut through thr ano and left two types of (shiny) metal finishes visable.

Before-ish... (had a little go on the rim edge before this photo)


After...


Seeing that I can't remove the oxodization without removing the ano, I am now considering rubbing back the lips (with 800, 1000, 1200, 1500 then 2000 grit wet sandpaper) and polishing them up (then possibly wax them to seal). Its a very common method in bringing alloy wheels back to life.

Anyone have any other ideas??? Pretty sure there aren't any chemical solutions to this...

Cheers,
*3o3

[starship303]

Installed the quads last night. They sound great! Drivers side slotted on perfectly within 5mins. Unfortunately the passenger side wasn't so kind. Its sitting against the far outside of the bumper cutout. Took it off and on 3 times to see if it was because of my fitting process but to no avail.

(doesn't look like it but it is touching)


I will say that the quality of the TCP quads is great, and the note is exactly what I was after (a deep, throaty note down low, and a slightly angry but still quietish sound up high). Whether the misfitment is due to the new or old is hard to say. I figure this is just what happens sometimes when you buy an off the shelf product that is designed to fit thousands of vehicles produced over a number of years. You can only produce one welding jig, so its bound to happen at some point.

Looks like I will have to get my stock y-pipe heated and bent at an exhaust shop, which makes me thing... For not a heap more cost should I just get an x-force centre and y-pipe installed. Hmm...

Not having much luck with this car stuff at the moment

*3o3

[Robbks]

I'd head and "massage" the inner hanger on that passenger muffler to effectively shorten it and that should pull it into the centre.

[blacktop™]

nice car mate

i also had racing harts on my wagon back in the day although they were the type CR model. they too suffered from that oxidisation problem but i guess im not as anal as you cos i just didnt bother about it!

good luck with the mufflers, TCP's are always a bit shit on the passenger side.

[cruisn]

Do like the wheels!

[SubMeister]

+1

[SH30RB]

Looks like I will have to get my stock y-pipe heated and bent at an exhaust shop, which makes me thing... For not a heap more cost should I just get an x-force centre and y-pipe installed.

The X Force center and Y pipe can be had in mild steel from Best Mufflers in Sydney for $220
http://www.bestmufflers.com/bshop/produ ... e7dce5d478

[starship303]

Thanks guys. I've always loved the Racing Hart C4's so had to jump on them when they popped up, particularly being the multi piece forged versions. They just happened to be a good fitment for a Lib too which was meant to be! (in my head) Not sure if they might be a little too dated for the car but we will see. Nothing wrong with a little bit of ol' skool.

I'd head and "massage" the inner hanger on that passenger muffler to effectively shorten it and that should pull it into the centre.

Hmm, might give it a go but whilst bolted up its physically very hard for me to push the muffler into the correct position. The muffler will stay in the correct spot till I tighten the lower bolt on the flange connection. Once it starts to align with the existing y-pipe flange the tips move outward. This is why I recon the solution lies in my exisitng y-pipe alignment.

The X Force center and Y pipe can be had in mild steel from Best Mufflers in Sydney for $220
http://www.bestmufflers.com/bshop/produ ... e7dce5d478

Yep don't I know it! Been looking at that link for some time... Any idea on installation costs if done at Best Mufflers? I know its a possible DIY job, but if there are any alignment issues that will be a different story.


Cheers,
*3o3

[rooby]

I like the rims too.

Sorry if you mentioned it but where did you get the quads? Second hand or new?

The first batch of tcps had a faulty passenger side and should have been replaced by TCP when the next batch arrived.
See viewtopic.php?f=43&t=8203&start=195#p186043 (although yours doesn't look like mine did so it probably isn't that).

I had a bit of trouble with mine in the past not sitting straight, but not that extreme. It was fixable with some fiddling. You can also try removing the muffler and reinstalling it. That might get it sitting right and it's only a 5 minute job.
(I also have the tcp centre so that might make things a bit different).

[starship303]

I like the rims too.

Sorry if you mentioned it but where did you get the quads? Second hand or new?

The first batch of tcps had a faulty passenger side and should have been replaced by TCP when the next batch arrived.
See viewtopic.php?f=43&t=8203&start=195#p186043 (although yours doesn't look like mine did so it probably isn't that).

I had a bit of trouble with mine in the past not sitting straight, but not that extreme. It was fixable with some fiddling. You can also try removing the muffler and reinstalling it. That might get it sitting right and it's only a 5 minute job.
(I also have the tcp centre so that might make things a bit different).

Hey rooby. Yeah the Hart's aren't as aggressive a fitment as I was initially looking at for new wheels (not as aggressive as yours... oh.. wait.. ), but although they are only 7.5" wide (meaning I can run my basically brand new KU31 215's) they will actually sit out 19mm further than stock, so should be pretty flush.

The quads were bought new. Your passenger side definitely sits different to mine in those photos. I tried refitting it a few times, but no dice. The final try I jammed a cloth between the tip and bumper cutout which forced the muffler in-board, to the correct position, then I tightened up the flange bolts. This did set it in the right spot, until I removed the cloth. A dirty rag hanging from my left quad looked a little too ghetto for my tastes...

One last thing I am going to try is use a large o-ring clamp to force the inboard mounts closer together, then bolt the flange up and hope it holds. I might even use a couple of o-ring's just to make sure.

*3o3

[rooby]

touché.

Yeah, that muffler went in the bin. The new one is good.

Too bad you haven't been able to fix it, maybe you could get a centre made to fit it. Or replace the muffs. Or maybe tony from tcp can get you another one? Maybe it's faulty.