Author Topic: GrantC's auto-x build ||| Project over, car gone ||| RIP "Soobie" (Read 100165 times)

dub c · « **Reply #375 on:** May 27, 2010, 01:29:15 pm »

Plus the only decent place to reloc. the battery into the trunk is on the driver side.
I reloc. mine a while back, the pos. wiring weight is nothing to be worried about haha.
You should just pick up a smaller 12v sealed battery to use on track days.
^LOL just read back a few posts. I bought a "no name" little sealed 12v last year and it has held up pretty good. Didn't cost more then $100.

Wow your garage floor looks sexxxxxxxxayyyy. Haha

mars636 · « **Reply #376 on:** May 27, 2010, 02:01:00 pm »

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=933866&Ntt=933866&catalogId=&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=117852&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber

GrantC · « **Reply #377 on:** May 27, 2010, 02:04:25 pm »

Oooh... but 15lbs vs. 6lbs. Need to find terminals & tie-down for it too...

It's so tempting though, just for the "Home Depot Racing" aspect of it.

GrantC · « **Reply #378 on:** May 28, 2010, 10:37:18 pm »

So I was getting a weird pop/clunk from my front suspension when I turned the steering wheel & around some corners... It sounded like front endlinks or something.

After work I decided to "shake the wheels" and see if I could find any clunks, etc.
When the car was on the ground, nothing.
But when I lifted the front drivers corner I found ~1mm of camber gain/loss as I wiggled (ie. holding the tire @ 3 and 9 o'clock there was no play, but holding @ 12 and 6 o'clock I could rock the tire back and forth)...

Well crap! I have an auto-x this Sunday, I don't wanna deal with a balljoint replacement!

It could be wheel bearings, but I didn't hear the "roaring" of a bad bearing, and it seemed weird to only be along one axis...
Pulling off the wheel to check if it was a balljoint let me see what the problem was, and it wasn't a balljoint.

The coilover was rocking back and forth in the middle, I could see light between the bottom piece, and the coilover perch. My coilover perch had loosened off & the coilover was self-adjusting itself longer/shorter as I turned the steering!

(The play & clunking was just the slop in the threads.)

So I measured/adjusted the coilover to match the other side, and then locked down the perch snugly.
No more clunking!

So, the moral, as you probably guessed is to not just ignore "odd" noises, or assume you know what they are... Aftermarket parts are a tradeoff... I realized I was trading off comfort (and probably longevity) for speed/handling, compared to OEM parts... What I didn't realize was I was also trading off "ease of maintainance".

Jeebus, it feels like a re-run of this: http://www.westernsubaruclub.com/smf/index.php?topic=6135.msg150967#msg150967

(Sorry for the lack of pics, didn't think of it until later...)

GrantC · « **Reply #379 on:** May 30, 2010, 10:12:04 pm »

(linked from GregC's photobucket)

(linked from GregC's photobucket)

Lessons from todays very wet auto-x.

*Tires matter*

In heavy wet:

Star Spec >= RE-01r > RE-11 >> Kumho XS (I don't have a comparison for Advans or Falkens...)

Full tread "high performance" A/S tires were also a great choice today...

Here's my favorite shots from today that show how wet it was:

Wronks · « **Reply #380 on:** May 31, 2010, 12:41:09 am »

I bet it was a blast in the rain!

GrantC · « **Reply #381 on:** May 31, 2010, 06:19:13 am »

Driving, "yes!"

Marshaling, setup, teardown, photography... "Eeeehhhhhh...."

GrantC · « **Reply #382 on:** May 31, 2010, 08:43:10 am »

Another weekend, another auto-x!

With the weather forecast, and in fact the heavy falling snow on Saturday I was *very* worried about this event. But I just kept psyching myself up with:
1) If was +20 the week before, there's no way the snow can suck enough heat out've the ground to stay on the pavement, or freeze
2) "It's only rain" <--- repeat to yourself/others incessantly

In the end, I was right! It was only the wettest Auto-x I've ever been to!

The only reason it wasn't the coldest Auto-x I've ever been to, is because of Winter Auto-x...

Oh well, important lessons learned.

Grip levels in the wet are way, *way* higher than I thought they would be. So I drove like a chicken all day...

Only I didn't know how much of a chicken I was until I heard the results at the drivers meeting. (7th in RAW, 6th in PAX... behind a civic a type-r and even a mustang?!) In the fun runs I "manned up" and decided that if I slid, I'd be fine to catch it (it's a Subaru afterall). (Fun run FTD RAW, and FTD PAX, boo yea!)

Time for some RX-7 club auto-x next weekend. And then a break from driving until the 20th of June.

(50 auto-x runs on these tires)

jer · « **Reply #383 on:** May 31, 2010, 08:53:08 am »

you mean the 19th, right?
http://www.westernsubaruclub.com/smf/index.php?topic=15607.0

GrantC · « **Reply #384 on:** May 31, 2010, 09:01:50 am »

Quote from: jer on May 31, 2010, 08:53:08 am

you mean the 19th, right?
http://www.westernsubaruclub.com/smf/index.php?topic=15607.0

I get back from my Vacay on the 19th @ 1830hrs... So I mean the 20th...

You'd think I could manage to make my own darn regional at least once since being on the committee...

pistachoo · « **Reply #385 on:** May 31, 2010, 05:45:14 pm »

Quote from: GrantC on May 31, 2010, 08:43:10 am

In the end, it was only the wettest Auto-x I've ever been to! The only reason it wasn't the coldest Auto-x I've ever been to, is because of Winter Auto-x...

Bah... buncha panzys.
In Vancouver they call it the Slush Series:

I've heard their course design is dependent on puddle placement, and they always include at least one big splash for their resident photog...
Also, apparently their standard driver's meeting includes specific instruction so everyone marshaling knows to call in cones that were *hit* and not those that have splashed / floated out of the "chalk" box, along with stern warnings to rechalk frequently (fyi: chunks of drywall > giant yellow/white wax candles > actual chalk) .

GrantC · « **Reply #386 on:** May 31, 2010, 08:54:09 pm »

Quote from: pistachoo on May 31, 2010, 05:45:14 pm

(fyi: chunks of drywall > giant yellow/white wax candles > actual chalk) .

Yup, that's what we use.

jackal · « **Reply #387 on:** June 01, 2010, 12:49:48 pm »

Tires sure did make the difference last weekend. I was super happy with mine. You looked pretty tight out there Grant.

GrantC · « **Reply #388 on:** June 04, 2010, 09:12:19 am »

Upcoming plans:

Help ultimatt yank his motor/ roll my fenders (with a borrowed fender roller, thanks jackal!)
Help snackers with alignment/ install my rear swaybar mounts/ visit Stratotech Park to see what hardware Terry (EvoTell) got to come out to the RDSCC lapping day, and see the CSCC Solo1 lapping day (and play photog)?
RX-7 club auto-x. <---- Getting some points for the "WSC Challenge"
P1HPDE lapping evening. <--- Not just playing photog!
Leave for vacation (Montreal for F1, and to eat like Anthony Bordain. Toronto to visit family.)
Return, too late in the day to go to my own clubs regional.
ASA Challenge Cup Sunday the 20th.

Sounds like a good plan to me! Shouldn't I be packing for my trip somewhere in there? Wonder when I'll find time to bleed my brakes after Stratotech but before the Challenge Cup?

Man, I love summer & auto-x/track season.

JasonrMorrow · « **Reply #389 on:** June 04, 2010, 09:34:35 am »

I got offered a spot at the Saturday RDSCC event, I'm working though and have my own RCMP lapping day
Sunday night.

By the way, you interested in a road trip to Packwood Washington for the August 7-8 National Tour Event ?
4-5 SASC guys going and I'm considering it.

No other Autox that weekend or the long weekend before that. It would be about 6 nights away though to make it somewhat
leisurely to drive down. If I go I will take the Evolution condensed school on the 6th for $70, it gives you more seat time and makes the driving worth while vs 6 runs only.

We could even jump in my car and just co drive the whole weekend. And share driving duties down there to condense the trip.

GrantC · « **Reply #390 on:** June 04, 2010, 09:43:30 am »

There's an ASA event on Aug 8th... And some CSCC Solo1 lapping at Stratotech on the 7th.

GrantC · « **Reply #391 on:** June 04, 2010, 07:19:13 pm »

These are off:

These are on:

w00t!

mars636 · « **Reply #392 on:** June 04, 2010, 11:41:17 pm »

Looks good, i will have to see if i could replace my cobb ones with a set of those. My cobb ones are looking like your old ones

GrantC · « **Reply #393 on:** June 04, 2010, 11:45:02 pm »

They're lighter than the ones I took off, maybe even lighter than stock.

They're super rigid, and even a little beautiful in their extruded aluminium shapes... Like a Lotus Elise gas pedal.

GrantC · « **Reply #394 on:** June 05, 2010, 06:11:28 pm »

Quote from: GrantC on June 04, 2010, 09:12:19 am

Upcoming plans:

~~Help ultimatt yank his motor/ roll my fenders (with a borrowed fender roller, thanks jackal!)~~ <- didn't happen 'cause 1) I suck, and 2) the fender roller wont go short enough to do my fenders while I have my coilovers mounted... Don't feel like adjusting coilovers, or swapping struts, so I guess I'll roll those fenders come fall.
Help snackers with alignment/ install my rear swaybar mounts/ ~~visit Stratotech Park to see what hardware Terry (EvoTell) got to come out to the RDSCC lapping day, and see the CSCC Solo1 lapping day (and play photog)?~~ <- done the first 2, packing instead of doing the 3rd & 4th
RX-7 club auto-x. <---- Getting some points for the "WSC Challenge"
P1HPDE lapping evening. <--- Not just playing photog!
Leave for vacation (Montreal for F1, and to eat like Anthony Bordain. Toronto to visit family.)
Return, too late in the day to go to my own clubs regional.
ASA Challenge Cup Sunday the 20th.

Sounds like a good plan to me! Shouldn't I be packing for my trip somewhere in there? I guess I found out the answer to that.... ----^ Wonder when I'll find time to bleed my brakes after Stratotech but before the Challenge Cup?

Man, I love summer & auto-x/track season.

I ended up doing another mod that wasn't on the list.

silent · « **Reply #395 on:** June 05, 2010, 06:22:49 pm »

Any more stickers and you'll offset the weight savings from your battery.

GrantC · « **Reply #396 on:** June 05, 2010, 06:23:46 pm »

But it matches my numbers!

^---- ricer logic

ultimatt · « **Reply #397 on:** June 05, 2010, 06:30:52 pm »

It doesn't look like it matches...

GrantC · « **Reply #398 on:** June 05, 2010, 06:45:30 pm »

Quote from: ultimatt on June 05, 2010, 06:30:52 pm

It doesn't look like it matches...

You'll see tomorrow, wont ya?

JasonrMorrow · « **Reply #399 on:** June 05, 2010, 07:16:42 pm »

Glad you have some stickers. I should have the lower part of the doors completely covered by the 12th or 13th.

I didn't want to be the only one with decals on the car at events.

Note to others: These are all magnetic decals so we DO NOT run them on the street.

Author Topic: GrantC's auto-x build ||| Project over, car gone ||| RIP "Soobie" (Read 100165 times)

JasonrMorrow

JasonrMorrow