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Church

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Posts posted by Church


  1. EDIT

    Ouch, somehow this messed up in my head with main car battery issues. Edited that out. Though regarding fob battery .. replacements that i bought (by different brand) lasted as long as original panasonic one. So again not sure it's battery/panasonic/toyota fault. Imho it's just that smart-key uses more energy then just basic alarm fobs of past, that transmit only when you press button, not all the time (as i get impression that ours do, for that proximity detection). So imho it's convenience of not having to reach out for it to open/close/start engine vs shorter lasting of battery, not weakness of battery per se.


  2. Depends on how many things thus how tight packed, how soft are they and how smart they are packed. In most cases they shouldn't produce much noise, unless one goes over big bumps, but in later case that noise will drawn in other noises (of this car relatively cheap and rattlish interior) anyway. I keep in glovebox many things that might get handy within cabin, such as sunglass pouch, parking clock sign, pass, usb flash (have rerouted usb connector from mid console to dash), alcohol tester, hardprint map and such (mid console recess for me usually is filled with coffee thermos anyway).


  3. Sometimes one tries to find anywhere but real source. It took long time to find that those were steel braided brake lines that added some creaking noises on bad roads on some type of road defects even at small travel of suspension, far from bottoming out, that it was not shocks or suspension bushings or something in interior trim or something in boot or boot lid. Took long time for me and servicetech to locate/pinpoint real culprit doing test drives, shaking car, and only after 15min of lifted car (for alignment) and shaking rear suspension/LCA by hand by standing below car, with better hearing direction of close-by noises to something a bit higher and more to wheel side .. and then YES! finally, even by  simple slight pull/twitch of brake lines-only noise was replicated and culprit found. I never thought that brake lines might be it, never included checking those in most of diagnosing path.

    Major PITA.

    Some obscure culprits can be relatively easy pinpointed only if one had done one-mod-at-a-time. Much harder, if to save time/money, one did many mods at one go. Or if problem propagates only after quite some time of driving, when other mods had happened, or when one starts to think if it's not due common wear of some other parts.


  4. At 8" wheel going wider then 235 imho will compromise steering feel sharpness a bit due excessive sidewall flex resulting in less responsive steer-in. If one wants go for wider tires, worth upping also wheel width .. though that of course will up spendings/budget. Not sure i'd wish to go for wider then 9, as in some cases with some tires at some alignment setups 9.5 is on verge of rubbing.

    Then again 245/35 is a bit closer to stock wheel-tire overall diameter thus will change gearing ratio less then 235/40. Wider tires in general might be more suspect of aquaplaning even at lesser speeds, and of less profile height may cost more, though later is more attributable how common some specific sizing in general is, as that often governs specific sizing cost more. You haven't specified what tire model you are running now, only their size, but imho tire compound matters by far more then width. If your current tires already are grippy, i'd first check if current tires might actually be sufficient. Also, winter is not completely ended, and if it's still happen to be cold & dump outside, it may reduce grip of most summer tires, so i wouldn't write off that lesser grip as "insufficient". IIRC TD stage1 turbo kit wasn't some overkill insane one, but of mild gains. If current tires are some chosen by cheaper price and maybe high threadwear, then already mentioned MPS4S (also GY Eagle F1 Supersport and Contis Sport Contact 6) might be nice upgrade in grip, even in same sizing.


  5. It's just subconsciousness at work, with associating F1/lambo countach and alike supercars barrel wide tyres as something required to go fast, or as something that fitted to car will make it "fast"/"supercar-like cool". In most cases result is neither and even have several illeffects, but it "feels" that it's right thing to do by hunch. And that's what often guides purchase decisions.


  6. As for retrofitting instrument gauges themselves, IIRC one had to repin harness, reprogram odometer mileage (stored in this) and add switches to operate this cluster (normally with restyle's buttons on steering wheel). Imho too much hassle, even if one gets cluster itself for reasonable price (probably used from totaled MY2017 car). Pre-restyle dash with digital speedo imho is already good enough. If anything, i'd wish also oil temp gauge, but just for that alone extra hassle & spendings seem not worth enough.

    Track mode retrofit from another hand in my eyes has more desirability, don't know habits of others, but VSC sport is what i'm driving mine 95% of time (trc long press or pedal dance only on track), and if track mode as per reviews is of a bit better chosen compromise (have never driven restyle myself, just impression from user reviews of it), seems one of nicer things updated in kouki (especially as EUDM misses rest of tehnical goodies like updated airfilter/intake/exhaust headers/tune/different FD, getting only less important audio headunit/steering wheel buttons/changed bumpers & lights).


  7. Hmm, if only to/back from track .. i'd think of Tein SRC coilovers. And as car is more track oriented/used, i guess i'd build it a bit more fit for track. Starting from BBK (and much more track oriented pad choice), and adding multiple sport safety set things of cage/bucket seat/multipoint harness, also removing lot of comfort things, like interior, sound insulation, audio, aircon, install lightweight battery. And for tires .. probably would think of something like Michelin Cup 2 / Yokohama A052. And buy pirometer to dial alignment just right for specific setup/tires. And invest in some logging solution.

    EDIT. Oh, and if very sticky tires, i'd think of some accusump/dry sump oiling solution & something to prevent fuel starvation in long curves with high side-Gs.


  8. Well, i'd probably invest more in actual tracking and track wearables like tires & pads, then in modding out car. Imho "driver experience mod" cuts down laptimes most of any car mods :). Seen also cases where one invests hell of a lot to make car "track ready" in his eyes .. and never actually go to track :D, while there are plenty old beaters close to stock in trackday. Including taxis & delivery vans, lol

    Quemadillo: in your case i'd first go for a bit more minimal approach.

    Get parts for performance alignment (eg. for front: SPC 81305 camberbolt set (optionally also Whiteline KCA416 camberbolt set), PED-580096 top mounts, Powerflex front LCA bushings PFF69-801G, for rear some from cheaper adjustable aftermarket LCAs (eg. stock-alike stamped steel clones like from SPC/Whiteline/Eibach)) and then dial performance alignment better fit for track. +more track oriented pads that will work better even at higher temps. (btw, the more track specialized, the more pads may have issues with off track daily driving use, like squaling noise/dust/extra rotor wear/worse cold stops, thus imho preferable approach is to have two pad sets, one for daily driving, another - for trackday, and switch between pad sets according use, to have best of both and to not suffer deficiencies of neither).

    If moving up for even grippier tires, if going for even longer track sessions, then i'd think of BBK. (but not needed for me, as due my age, i get tired some even with 15min sessions, after that 100% concentration starts to drop, thus prefering after that to drive back to cool brakes, drink coffee, smoke cigarette :), with no felt wish to keep driving non-stop 20-30min long no matter what.

    And only then at some point in future considering aftermarket coilovers. Not sure if some like KW ClubSport ones, as imho those are too expensive, and may compromise comfort for dual-used also daily driven car, and extra adjustments also mean ability to adjust/dial wrong, and unless one drives each lap very consistently, it is hard to properly test/evaluate changes to dial better, as one might not know, if logged lap time was from suspension adjustment, or from doing less costly mistakes in that session :). Coilovers by themselves don't improve times that much. And are not requirement for camber adjustment.

     


  9. Even on stock primacies stock brake pads are a bit insufficient imho. So i'd change pads & fluid anyway. On primacies with rbf600 & ds2500 fade started to appear if at session i kept driving after 15min.

    Then again, brake fade isn't something catastrophic. Usually doesn't happen suddenly like on/off switch, but at one point starts to appear and increase, signaling driver that it's time to slow down pace and go for brake cooling lap, and in next session drive for minute or two less (with same brake usage intensity).


  10. Lauren: Essex kits (sprint & endurance) are popular in US AP-racing race caliper front-only BBKs by known in field brake shop, that retain braking bias with rear stock brakes, and have common & thick brakepad shapes, letting to use wide pad selection & save a lot on wearables on top of usual BBK benefits (of thermal capacity/cooling/weight reduction). Race calipers though, so not that good for DD, at least where there is winter with roadsalt. And US based shop, thus less competitive offering on this side of pond.


  11. Performance alignment in short:

    On track you have much higher side G-forces vs driving on public roads (within legal limits), so tires/their sidewalls flex more, resulting in uneven/unoptimal contact patch limiting grip and and mostly wearing tire outsides, ones car "leans on" on such flexed to side tires. By taste of relatively many, most cars (including ours) with stock alignment are also tend to be more understeer biased (as vendors often consider it "safer", as many average drivers don't know how to deal with oversteer).

    So most common performance alignment bit for car is to add overall static negative camber to compensate that tire flex in turns and as result get "just right" contact patch in turns on track, providing most grip. Another bit many change - add camber & grip more in front, to change car grip bias closer to neutral vs stock grip bias. That "just right" also wears tires evenly. As to what is optimal camber depends on where/how one drives and where most tire wear happens. If one goes to at least 5 trackdays per year, i guesstimate that 2/3rds or more tire wear to happen on track then on daily driving where they wear relatively little despite much more miles covered, thus it's beneficial to have alignment more oriented for track.

    Stock alignment for twins is 0degrees front camber, -1.2dg negative rear camber. "Track" alignment often is front camber -3 to -3.5dg, and rear camber -2 to -2.5. Our cars stock have only toe adjustment, hence i listed few options to add camber adjustment/extra camber. I didn't like pillowball camberplates for NVH reasons, so tried to gain extra camber in other means to retain rubber topmounts.

    ===

    CG-lock will not give one much, it just a bit fixates belt in lap area, won't fixate in eg. shoulders area. Then again it's cheap, and can be used with stock safety belt. Regarding safety, i suggest to not get just some "sport" bits. Safety things work in car as set/system. Mixing bits usually compromises safety and may make car more dangerous (long story/explanation how/why), hence why often not allowed on track or makes car non street legal. So all-stock, with stock seats/belts/airbags, or all-sport, with rollcage/bucket seat/multipoint harness/helmet, not something from both.

    ===

    Hmm, rsr 595 .. no own experience, from googling they seem a bit more track oriented (220tw?), but in that area people mention other tires more often. My view though is to run a bit lower grip tires, for reasons as such imho are better for learning (for grip loss/breakaway to happen at slower speeds and in more linear fashion), should taxate less brakes and work better with softer rates of stock suspension, tires (and other things like brake pads) will last longer (cheaper trackday budget) and work better in wet too.


  12. Imho you skipped stating one of most important bits that affect most others, suspension & brakes choices included. - What tires you are running on.

    I doubt a bit that rotors are "bent". In most cases "warping rotors" is moot, what makes impression of such - uneven pad material deposits on rotors. Rebedding or resurfacing & rebedding, in most cases takes care of that. As for how to reduce chance of such, usually enough to cool them off properly by some cool down low pace lap & to not leave on brakes in paddock.

    Essex APR kit is popular by price/performancy for track crowd in US (actually biggest twins market) and good .. but there is big but - it's by US vendor. Shipping/importing makes pricing less competitive, and high turnaround times due overseas shipping robs "locality bonus", that you can benefit when eg. sending in brakes for rehauling, getting spare parts and such.

    I don't know much about Reyland kit, so won't comment on it. Except most aftermarket vendors usually offer downloadable brake fitment template that you can print out, glue on carton, cut it & use on your wheels (or in some wheel shop on wheels you are evaluating to buy) to measure clearance. Dig around their website, if nothing else, contact/mail/call them for such template.

    As for other options, i'm most familiar with stock brakes (more forced to, due local regulations to keep car road legal). They do the job just fine, IF you keep track sessions not too long and if you use fit for job brake pads (imho DS2500 are a bit short for track use with stock brakes (they work better on track for Lauren, because with BBK they probably run less hot) on not too grippy tires (worked for me on PSS or PS4 215-225 wide for 15min sessions). For first few track days in general they might do, but one may quickly outgrow them, they are not real track pads, more of hybrid, OEM+. As saving grace, they do fine in daily driven car and even in winter/cold. They won't stand well against hardest abuse on track though, especially if you have went for much grippier tires). Also one can get a bit more out of stockers with brake ducts, and they are much better then most BBKs with wheel clearance, allowing eg. fitting R16 wheels for winter (though that might not be gain that matter for you in Spain).

    If those mods are really your only mods that you listed, you missed important bits, track use wise.- You hadn't done more track oriented alignment (also missing some parts to enable to dial such alignment). If you plan to use stock coilovers/springs for a while, then suggest to get bits to allow get more camber and camber adjustment in general (especially front, but worth also for rear). THE cheapest would be getting camberbolt set for front lower 14mm hole & reuse stock bolts from there in upper, 16mm, next cheapest would be adding to those 14mm camberbolts another camberbolt set (16mm specific), next added aftermarket rear LCAs, Pedders topmounts and/or powerflex camberbushings, or go to camberplates. Stock front camber is very unfit for track use, that will reduce car grip in curves, add understeer and tires will be worn very uneven (worn/ripped front tire outer side).

    From cheap extras track use wise, i suggest to bring along air pressure gauge (even cheap should do), CG lock. From safety equipment, to not seek from whom to borrow or to not lease it every time, to buy some helmet and gloves. Helmet that fits just right is nice thing to have, and gloves really help with steering wheel grip when hands get sweaty.


  13. Hmm, am i wrong grouping similar to tyre reviews site:

    conti premium contact 6/goodyear f1 asymmetric 5/michelin ps4 in street class,

    conti sport contact 6/goodyear f1 supersport/michelin pss & ps4S / ad08r in hybrid class

    goodyear f1 supersport R/bridgestone re71r / yokohama a052 / michelin pilot sport cup 2 in track tires

    (leaving track/race slicks completely aside).

    My own choice would be PS4S .. but it's sold in 17" only in US, we have only non-S .. which, as from my experience from past year, also imho runs a bit short for track use, also can be overheated. Hence considering for oncoming summer PSS or AD08R ..


  14. ApexGT: Well, don't go to lengths to force yourself to that. There is no obligation for you to go that far. There are people that have different priorities/taste. And even if car shines for specific use, what good is if in actual use for some owners it may never see that. For example, twins are nice on track .. i don't think that even one per twenty twin owners been to trackday even once. One's usual roads may also never include "interesting roads/routes" to drive, with just boring city/highway commuting.

    While these cars are nice for technical twisty road/track driving .. one is not obliged to force himself to change habbits/routes just for car, nor obliged to have specific feelings for specialized car. Also cars are very subjective thing. One can dislike some specific car even though others say it's good, even if technically 'on paper' it fits the bill of one logically thinks that one should like and cannot put finger on what exactly one doesn't like, doesn't feel similar to what others felt.

    This time it seems, that wrong type of driving/routes resulted in different feels about car, after all most reviewers prising it, if one pays attention, did testdrives on track or twisty roads that are forte of these cars, while very few did eg. long multi hour commuting, or spent few hours in city traffic jams in these, and as most here on this forum agree on, twins do shine for different use, even though many do generic daily driving theirs too .. but one certainly should force one for that .. it will rob enjoyment/fun, will result in opposite imho.


  15. My guesses are:

    It may depend a lot on where and how test drive happens. It indeed is not that uber car for daily driving in city or in long straight highways. Less practicality & comfort, no push-in-seats acceleration, sucky stock audio, noisy with little insulation. Other thing if on twisty back roads or track, dropping down two gears. It's high revving engine, that has no power down low, it should be spun, cogs rowed through, to keep in powerband

    It may depend on when testdrive happens - if now, then it's possible on all seasons or winter tires, which add lot of lagginess, rob a lot of directness in steering feel. If driving w/o pushing due little grip in wet/cold , again it may feel dull/powerless, not in powerband and such. Was a bit funny to see, when i let friend, who got along to trackday, to have one session, how he upshifted by habbit too soon, driving 2K-5K, never braked hard .. of course, car will feel less capable, and right at torque dip.

    Was car stock? Wasn't it overmodded in some ways by chance? Like dropped low, with too sticky & wide wheels & tires (many may shun stock primacies, but they indeed are well balanced with car) or maybe even staggered setup? You did mention few minor visual issues, but how with things that do matter, what is car mechanical state and what tires are? Some may install tires, on which car is "tramlining" (at least at legal speeds) .. that certainly changes character vs car that chirps tires here and there, rotates rear and such

    Testdrive itself, if with owner or dealership manager as passenger, may also put shackles a bit on really pushing it in twisties and redlining :). One shouldn't hoon too much at such after all.

    That aside .. car really and certainly is not for everyone, and daily driven with comfort & economy in mind may more show it's faults/shortcomings in comparison to other cars. About the only thing better then most, that should be there all the times, imho is ergonomics for driver, how controls are placed, seat/steering wheel/pedals/shifter. When it should give "those smiles", is on twisty roads and track, when you enjoy that high redline, communicative & direct steering, less roll in roundabouts, that slight grip give-in/play when driven closer to limit (not that high if on stock primacies, which should ease getting more fun at more legal speeds :)). In winter - on ice track, sideways :).


  16. BTW, how are you guys using handbrake? Do you keep it pulled all the time when parked? I've been tought to not stretch out cable and to reduce chance of seizing of freezing, to leave car in gear (on MT). I pull it only by habbit for short period when i start up engine, when parked on slope of hill or temporarily, when waiting long at traffic lights. Never when normally parked for longer period of time on flat parking spot.


  17. I'd check also if there is no problem with parking brake. It's not always main brakes at fault. Meanwhile, can you (eg. using emergency jack) lift car and pinpoint which exactly wheel is not free spinning? Front? Rear? Left? Right?

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