STX Rules and Setup Questions

[strat61caster]

Thanks again to @renfield90 @jwisjw & @Stang70Fastback for the insight, no more gimping myself with underperforming tire pressures, lots more grip than before and the car was much more consistent over the course of the run (or I've sorted something out psychologically).

[smg1138]

What ride height are you guys running this season? I keep going back and forth between 25mm and 30mm drop, but can't seem to decide.

[e1_griego]

Do you notice a difference in handling changing between the two?

My car is tall enough that I can pack up the back of the car to travel to events and still drive around without being too low haha.

[justinco]

Just had my first event on the new Rival S 1.5's over the weekend. I like the feel of these new ones compared to the original Rival S. They don't have the dead/vague feeling of the old ones.

Made 0 setup/suspension changes and the car worked pretty much the same as with the RE71R's. The feel is definitely different, seems like you can slip/slide with more confidence on the BFG's. I like them.

[e1_griego]

I've run the 1.5s for about 30 or 40 runs now and I agree. I've landed at the same tire pressures and shock settings but I think the 1.5s suit my hamfistedness better. You can get away with overdriving a bit more.

[DocWalt]

The v1.5s are definitely VERY easy to drive on IMO. The opld ones felt like gigantic marshmallows and the new ones have a lot more feel, but they keep the ability to handle HUGE slip angles. They let you get away with over driving, but that makes it easy to over do it without realizing it.

[renfield90]

Anyone running solid transmission and/or motor mounts and DDing the car? Do you regret it? Dealer fucked up the transmission when replacing my throwout bearing and I can't downshift while turning (or even just changing lanes) now. I figure something is moving around now and rather than ask them to unfuck it (and risk more fuckery), I figure I'll just make everything stop moving.

On that note, how much metal is in the differential bushings? Seems there's a couple replacement options (insert vs full replacement) and I want to make sure I choose a legal one.

[cjd]

Originally Posted by renfield90

Anyone running solid transmission and/or motor mounts and DDing the car? Do you regret it? Dealer fucked up the transmission when replacing my throwout bearing and I can't downshift while turning (or even just changing lanes) now. I figure something is moving around now and rather than ask them to unfuck it (and risk more fuckery), I figure I'll just make everything stop moving.

On that note, how much metal is in the differential bushings? Seems there's a couple replacement options (insert vs full replacement) and I want to make sure I choose a legal one.

I don't DD but we road trip with all the inserts and STI motor mounts. NVH is a little worse, especially (gear) noise. I think only the diff inserts are legal. The STI mounts don't add notable NVH but I already had most the other bushings/inserts when I did those (exhaust was making contact under acceleration)

Just motor/transmission mounts aren't as loud, I think it's doing both diff bushings is most of the added noise. Mind, it's quieter than RE71Rs on the highway, but louder than PSS.

I hope this fixes your issue. You'll appreciate the improvement in putting power down either way. More predictable.

C

[DocWalt]

I did the diff bushing inserts and the STI engine/trans mounts at different times.

I had no real NVH from the motor/trans mounts, just a more connected feel with a TINY bit of vibration at idle. Just enough to know the engine was there and running. If I was to do it again for an STX prepped car I'd do the Perrin engine mounts and deal with the slight vibration when first engaging the clutch. The Perrin mounts felt so much more responsive with less slack on throttle transitions on the car I installed them on.

The diff mount inserts... Man, they made a VERY audible whining on decel. I couldn't take it and immediately started playing with things to improve the noise. I ended up taking out the outrigger bushing inserts (the two front ears on the diff) and left the rears installed. Most of the benefits with none of the noise.

[renfield90]

Originally Posted by cjd

I don't DD but we road trip with all the inserts and STI motor mounts. NVH is a little worse, especially (gear) noise. I think only the diff inserts are legal. The STI mounts don't add notable NVH but I already had most the other bushings/inserts when I did those (exhaust was making contact under acceleration)

Just motor/transmission mounts aren't as loud, I think it's doing both diff bushings is most of the added noise. Mind, it's quieter than RE71Rs on the highway, but louder than PSS.

I hope this fixes your issue. You'll appreciate the improvement in putting power down either way. More predictable.

C

Thanks for the detailed response. One question, when you said "both" diff bushings, are you talking both of the cradle mount inserts or did you also add something like these? http://www.ft86speedfactory.com/whit...l#.WRCd_8tlDqA

These are full replacement, so we'd have to be careful with metal content. From the under car videos I've seen it seems like most of the movement is in the cradle bushings anyway.

[renfield90]

Originally Posted by DocWalt

I did the diff bushing inserts and the STI engine/trans mounts at different times.

I had no real NVH from the motor/trans mounts, just a more connected feel with a TINY bit of vibration at idle. Just enough to know the engine was there and running. If I was to do it again for an STX prepped car I'd do the Perrin engine mounts and deal with the slight vibration when first engaging the clutch. The Perrin mounts felt so much more responsive with less slack on throttle transitions on the car I installed them on.

The diff mount inserts... Man, they made a VERY audible whining on decel. I couldn't take it and immediately started playing with things to improve the noise. I ended up taking out the outrigger bushing inserts (the two front ears on the diff) and left the rears installed. Most of the benefits with none of the noise.

Interesting. Well I found a video of a drifter who installed the solid trans mount, the whine was pretty audible but I don't know what other bushings he has. Seems like I'm asking for a lot if I go all out with the bushings but I increasingly don't care how streetable the car is. SP is probably in my near future lol.

Rolling into work this morning I couldn't grab second while doing a heel toe in a straight fucking line. I'm beyond furious with my (ex) dealer but really scared of how miserable they could make my life at this point (which is already pretty miserable, long story). I don't have time to mess around with it so I'm just going to their the stiffest parts I can at it, damn the NVH.

[M0nk3y]

Originally Posted by renfield90

Interesting. Well I found a video of a drifter who installed the solid trans mount, the whine was pretty audible but I don't know what other bushings he has. Seems like I'm asking for a lot if I go all out with the bushings but I increasingly don't care how streetable the car is. SP is probably in my near future lol.

Rolling into work this morning I couldn't grab second while doing a heel toe in a straight fucking line. I'm beyond furious with my (ex) dealer but really scared of how miserable they could make my life at this point (which is already pretty miserable, long story). I don't have time to mess around with it so I'm just going to their the stiffest parts I can at it, damn the NVH.

No FRS related, but on my 128 when I just replaced the transmission bushings with 80A polyurethane, it sounded like a straight cut gear Porsche whine, and on decel the whole car would shake. It really ruined the DD aspect of the car.

But I didn't have 2nd gear denial from 3rd on a loaded turn so there is that...

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by renfield90

Rolling into work this morning I couldn't grab second while doing a heel toe in a straight fucking line. I'm beyond furious with my (ex) dealer but really scared of how miserable they could make my life at this point (which is already pretty miserable, long story). I don't have time to mess around with it so I'm just going to their the stiffest parts I can at it, damn the NVH.

It sounds like something else is fucked up, I can't fathom your issues being bushing related and not an error in the work or some busted parts. I'd put money on you replacing the transmission/diff mounts and the problem persisting.

Edit: unless you know the bushing is busted and needs to be replaced, I could see that, but if the OE bushing is still good I don't understand how changing that will change the transmission shifting issue.

[renfield90]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

It sounds like something else is fucked up, I can't fathom your issues being bushing related and not an error in the work or some busted parts. I'd put money on you replacing the transmission/diff mounts and the problem persisting.

Edit: unless you know the bushing is busted and needs to be replaced, I could see that, but if the OE bushing is still good I don't understand how changing that will change the transmission shifting issue.

On at least one occasion, I started slamming the shifter into random spots and did find second, but it was way to the right of where it should've been. So something is moving around. I agree, the mount probably did not go bad overnight, they screwed something up (maybe rear shifter bushing? I didn't look there so I'll check tonight). But stiffening the mount should prevent movement regardless of what they screwed up.