Joel's LS1 FC parts list/swap thread (remixed)

[frijolee]

Spring Rate Change
 
While I was in there I upped my spring rates from 6/5 front rear (kg/mm) to an 8/6 split.  It almost looked like I could use the former front springs in back but then I figured out I would get coil bind with the spring perch all the way up so I ordered both.  Tein coilovers are easy because you don't have to mess with anything topside, it can all feed off from the bottom.
 

 
 
After measuring a bit I cut my bumpstops down a bit too (shaft protected with multiple layers of tape to avoid scratches.)
 

 

[frijolee]

Driving Impressions
 
FYI:  I've only really had the car driving for a couple weeks now, so long term impressions will have to wait but I wanted to post up some early thoughts on the new suspension bits. I suspect I?ll need an annual teardown and lube going forward (that already was the case with my driveshaft and camber links). The sphericals in use are all self lubricated so that'll just be a matter of life expectancy.

The best way to describe the difference in feel with the new suspension is to say that the car just feels really planted. It takes a lot more bump to upset the suspension now than it did before, which I assume means the suspension is tracking the surface of the road with a somewhat faster response rate than it had previously. Even better is the fact that there's really no additional noise or harshness to the setup. I'm not saying I'd do a solid mounted engine or diff, but the tires and shocks give you enough compliance that additional noise is simply a non-issue.

I just had the swaybar shortened and resplined so hopefully I'll be able to get that in pretty soon so I can get back out to the autocrosses. At the moment there no front swaybar on the car so I can't push it at all (that would just make for some crazy oversteer). I knew that the s4 control arm attachment was different than s5 but I didn't realize the mounts themselves are different widths. This just means I can't use the same attachment links I was running with my RB setup and the new spherical links wanted to bind at full travel due to how I had the RB relocated.

[frijolee]

Custom S5 Tow Hook
 
On the random front:
 
I built my own tow hook to use the factory s4 hook mount point on the frame rail but snake around stuff and out into the s5 mouth.
 

[frijolee]

Power Coating Track Wheels
 
Mike (65imp) helped me out powder coating my track wheels...  He's getting pretty damn good.
 

 
 
I'm super stoked on the end result although frankly just about anything would have been an improvement vs. the chipped rattle can black these wheels came with.
 

[frijolee]

Mandeville Big Brakes Version 2.0
 
I have a couple friends who?d been asking me about brake kits for a long time.   I finally caved and built up the two spare kits I?d originally created.   In the process I remade a few pieces that been I?d been wanting to tweak clearances on because I found that wheel bearings allow more motion of the disk relative to caliper than I?d expected (suddenly the reasons behind pad knockback become pretty obvious).  Anyways, short version: there?s two more of my 4 wheel kits out there on the road.  I made both my friends sign pretty gnarly waivers but they?re out there. 
 
For my own car I decided to drop back down to a front kit only and run a prop valve.  The front/rear bias of the other version was just about perfect (shifted toward the back by 0.5% vs. stock) but I figured I didn?t need the heat capacity out back and I?ve been watching un-sprung weight so I decided to keep it simple.  I also decided to try out slightly more hardcore front rotors.  I?m really hoping to start legitimately flogging the car on track and I wasn?t that excited about having to re-machine rotors every time I changed discs.  That meant two piece rotors.  Looked at Stoptech, Ferodo, and ended up going with Girodisc.  Why Girodisc?  Stoptech?s direct replacements seem to be having some issues with cracking, Ferodo?s turned out to be the most expensive I looked at, but Girodisc has the combination of a great rep from track day hounds with relatively inexpensive replacement rings.
 
Two piece rotors weight 16.5 lbs each compared to 20.5 lbs each for the single piece 350z fronts.  I seem to recall that the stock rotors are about 10-11 lbs each so the added mass is not trivial.
 
Version 2.0 of the brakes wouldn?t be complete without adding a little bit of bling.  Huge thanks to 65imp for helping me powder coat calipers.  I got to spend some time helping fit internals in Mike?s carbon fiber doors.  The SoCal crew tried to make sure the love gets around. 
 
This ended up being a full day effort and a pain in the neck but it looks sweet (hot tip, plug the line opening while laying powder but pull it prior to placing parts in the oven avoids a piston blowing out under pressure once air on the backside heats up  (not that we?d know anything about that).   
 
I did two full sets of calipers because I had them (spares are good right?) and I won't even tell you how long I spent standing at Mike's blasting cabinet...
 

 
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Once everything cooled down I rebuilt the calipers (see post below) and started on assembly.
 
Decided to make the mazda logo's pop out a big more so I shaved down the powercoat locally...
 

 
 
Assembly:
 

 
 
Ready for install:
 

 
 
Final version:
 

[frijolee]

Speed Bleeders
 
Last tweak in this round of brakes was the addition of speedbleeders prior to install.  I finally had a chance to try these out on a friend?s car (one of the other Mandeville BBK guys).  Couldn?t BELIEVE how easy it made bleeding brakes and had to have them.   Correct part numbers are SB8100 front, SB7100 rear, and SB3824 for my remote clutch line from Monster. 
 
Note, if you're running a clutch extension you may need to verify the type of line you're using.  I found mine used a fitting that disables functionality of the speed bleeder.  With the bleeder loosened it just leaks around the nut portion of the line instead of being forced through the check valve.
 

 
Maybe I can pot the surrounding area in JB weld and heat shrink?  We?ll see?

[frijolee]

Rebuilding RX7 Brake Calipers
 
A side note that I did during the brakes job above:
 
Powder coating meant I needed to rebuild all the calipers (dust boots get coated etc).  The rebuild is fairly straightforward.  Front calipers use spring clips on the OD...
 

 
 
Rear clips are tucked in on a lip on the ID.  Rears are definitely harder than the fronts.  For the rears, I found you need a really long nose set of circ clip pliers to get the threaded internal piece out (there?s an o-ring on the backside).   
 

 
 
Once the internals behind the piston are out you don?t need to undo anything else for the e-brake to get the pivoting shaft out.  Just plug the spring and the whole assembly slides out straight through the rubber grommet.
 

[frijolee]

Adjustable Proportioning Valve
 
Because I dropped down to stock rear brakes I also added an adjustable prop valve.  I took a cue from 65imp and installed mine through the face of the rear bin right where the rear brake line tees into left and right.  I can reach it from inside the care so tuning is easier but it's not really setup for on-the-fly adjustment.  This is a Russell valve and if you decide to put it here make sure you go as high as you can as the toe link gets pretty close with suspension compressed...
 

[frijolee]

Track Day Brakes Feedback
 
I attended a high speed HPDE event (~150 mph on front straight) and finally had the track day I'd always wanted.  No sign of fade, I was one of the fastest guys in my sessions, and generally had a blast.  I can officially say that these brakes function very very well.  I did however, still manage to get them hot enough to get the powdercoat sticky.  They picked up some brake dust so they're not quite as pretty as before but I like them none-the-less.
 

 
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A couple pics w/ track wheels per request...  Props to Addison Weeks for the photography.
 

 

 

 
The vette convertible was the only car to pass me on the entire day.  I finally gave him the point by after a 6-7 lap duel.  My favorite other competition remains Robert Baltazar (he of the rotary infatuation).  I started a session behind him and had a couple points I thought I was on him, however I got black flagged because my passenger had a hand out the window, before we could settle it properly so he prefers we call this match a draw.
 
For all of the above I was on 225/45/17 v700 victoracers take offs.  They were still stickier than my 255 street tires but it doesn't exactly give your car an intimidating presence from the back.  Compare me to this GTR and you'll see what I mean. 
 

 
 
So am I done screwing with brakes?  Almost.  I managed to get my hands on knuckles for all four corners with ABS provisions so I?m really hoping to do my own version of ABS someday.  In the short run I want to try out the 929 MC/booster combination. 
 
-Joel

[frijolee]

That?s pretty much it for the old thread.  Hope the re-work and re-organizing was worthwhile.  I'll work on fixing all the hot links up front later...  I?m planning to head for SNS Davenport with the car on a trailer so I?m working on a few more things to show off.  Some of it is done already and some is work in progress.  Naturally, I?ll post up all the details when the event is done.

[cholmes]

Joel, that's absolutely freakin' awesome. Your info was some of the most valuable stuff on the old forum, and I'm greatly relieved to see it here. Thanks very much for your hard work on this.

[frijolee]

Thanks.  It took a while to bring it all together.  I've got 8 or 10 old post topics consolidated into the above in addition to reorganizing the build thread itself...  There are a bunch of new pictures etc.  Half the reason I built this car was to see if I could.  Same principle applies for documenting the heck out of it. 

[frijolee]

All hot links in the first post have been added.  I fixed most of the links within the thread and made all the videos embedded as possible.  If you find anything that not working let me know.
 
I'd say I have ~30 hours just into this edit and remix. 
 

[frijolee]

 

[frijolee]