Suspension Review: Race Comp Yellow Springs

[Draco-REX]

Since this is now a catch-all for the RCE Yellows and "Starter Kit", I'll post these here also:

We have been gifted with lots of rain and clouds for this week, so I snapped a couple quick (and very dirty) comparison pictures.

The lighting is different, the angles aren't quite the same, etc. etc. But:

Before:


After:



Before:


After:


Looks-wise, the car is right where it should have come from the factory. The fender gaps are even and the car has a nice look. The fenders are just cut way too high on this car to get a really low look without compromising handling. So an even cut around the tires is a good way to go.

I've driven about 100 miles or so on the new suspension and it's very good. Even with my lack of much more negative camber in the rear, the car handles very well and very precisely. The "eager puppy" nature of the car has been toned a bit. It's like the puppy has gone to obedience school. Still eager to please, but buckles-down and does what's asked without excess enthusiasm.

Has it lost it's fun? Not at all. I can chuck it into corners just like before, but there's less "iffy-ness" and more positive grip. This I think comes from the better alignment and from springs better matched to the stickier tires I'm running.

The ride is noticeably firmer, especially in the rear. With the added spring rates the spring frequencies have gone up, which means the car pitches a bit more quickly over bumps which adds to the "sports suspension" feel. Harshness hasn't gone up appreciably at all. Bumps are felt all the same and maybe a bit more, but the dampers continue to round them off like stock so there isn't that sharp spike of a hit you'd get from a more aggressively compression-damped car. Essentially, you get a firmer suspension for only a fraction of the increase in roughness.

Turn-in is improved. I think part of that is the firmer rubber of the Whiteline tophat, and part is the increase in caster. The rear doesn't feel much firmer laterally that I can tell so far. But this kit only does the upper bushings, I'm still on the stock lower link. No NVH increase that I can tell.

Now, unfortunately, the next AutoX in my area is in October. So I won't have a good 10/10ths feel of this new setup for a while. Hopefully before then I can get the rear camber dialed in the way I want it.

[SWPBRZ415]

I'm hearing the same popping. checked everything, springs are seated, nuts are secure. Even brought it back to the shop, they said everything looks good shouldn't have any problems. But that sound is annoying, guess i'll just have to get used to it.
did about 200 miles already. Its such a different car compared to stock. Very happy with the setup.

[JoeBoxer]

Originally Posted by SWPBRZ415

I'm hearing the same popping. checked everything, springs are seated, nuts are secure. Even brought it back to the shop, they said everything looks good shouldn't have any problems. But that sound is annoying, guess i'll just have to get used to it.
did about 200 miles already. Its such a different car compared to stock. Very happy with the setup.

I'm assuming you have the top mounts too? Anybody having noise with just the springs?

[Draco-REX]

I have top mounts and springs, no noise. A popping noise when turning the wheel usually means the upper spring perch is not moving with the wheels.

[mechaghost]

Originally Posted by Draco-REX

I have top mounts and springs, no noise. A popping noise when turning the wheel usually means the upper spring perch is not moving with the wheels.

Did you install the springs yourself? Was their any extra lubrication needed?

[mechaghost]

Originally Posted by SWPBRZ415

I'm hearing the same popping. checked everything, springs are seated, nuts are secure. Even brought it back to the shop, they said everything looks good shouldn't have any problems. But that sound is annoying, guess i'll just have to get used to it.
did about 200 miles already. Its such a different car compared to stock. Very happy with the setup.

Do you get the popping when you turn the wheels?

[SWPBRZ415]

Had the car on jack stands, wheels off, popping is there when i turn the wheel. everything is moving as its suppose to. While driving, only when theres a bump in the middle of the turn. Sometimes when theres a big bump while going strait i hear a pop.

[SWPBRZ415]

Popping is coming from the top mounts forsure. Maybe cause the top mounts are still new? Can it be maybe the top nut is over tighten?

[Draco-REX]

Originally Posted by mechaghost

Did you install the springs yourself? Was their any extra lubrication needed?

I did all 4 struts myself. There is no added lubrication needed. After building the strut assembly, the tophat should spin freely with no resistance. I could literally spin the offset Com-C tophat by just wobbling the strut.

The only time I've heard popping noises from front struts was from two issues:

1. The camber plate I was using had corroded and the spherical bearing was binding, keeping the upper spring perch from moving. This is why I wanted to know if the nut up top was moving or not; in case the tophats were defective and the bearings were binding.

2. Someone installed the upper perches without the conical washer between the perch and tophat. But for the BRZ/FR-S Subaru had a moment of inspiration and welded this washer to the perch so it can't be forgotten.

But either way, the popping noise came from the spring winding up and then suddenly releasing to re-settle. So I think somehow your upper perch is binding up.

[mechaghost]

By the topnut moving does it need to move the same amount as I turn the wheel or just a little bit of movement. Also is the movement rotational or just slight movement.

Thanks for helping me trouble shoot eh

Originally Posted by Draco-REX

I did all 4 struts myself. There is no added lubrication needed. After building the strut assembly, the tophat should spin freely with no resistance. I could literally spin the offset Com-C tophat by just wobbling the strut.

The only time I've heard popping noises from front struts was from two issues:

1. The camber plate I was using had corroded and the spherical bearing was binding, keeping the upper spring perch from moving. This is why I wanted to know if the nut up top was moving or not; in case the tophats were defective and the bearings were binding.

2. Someone installed the upper perches without the conical washer between the perch and tophat. But for the BRZ/FR-S Subaru had a moment of inspiration and welded this washer to the perch so it can't be forgotten.

But either way, the popping noise came from the spring winding up and then suddenly releasing to re-settle. So I think somehow your upper perch is binding up.

[Draco-REX]

Originally Posted by SWPBRZ415

Popping is coming from the top mounts forsure. Maybe cause the top mounts are still new? Can it be maybe the top nut is over tighten?

Did your shop use an impact to tighten it? The struts can be rebuilt with just hand-tools.

[Draco-REX]

Originally Posted by mechaghost

By the topnut moving does it need to move the same amount as I turn the wheel or just a little bit of movement. Also is the movement rotational or just slight movement.

Thanks for helping me trouble shoot eh

The top nut should rotate the same rate as your wheels. There should be no resistance at all. If it isn't rotating or not rotating with your wheels, then the tophat is binding up and your upper spring perch is not rotating the same amount as your spring. That would cause the spring to pop.

Also, make sure there is rubber between the spring and the upper perch.

[SWPBRZ415]

Originally Posted by Draco-REX

Did your shop use an impact to tighten it? The struts can be rebuilt with just hand-tools.

Pretty sure they used an impact to tighten it. Will taking off the strut & rebuilding them mess up the alignment? Or can i just loosen the topnut & retighten them while its still on the car.

[Draco-REX]

Originally Posted by SWPBRZ415

Pretty sure they used an impact to tighten it. Will taking off the strut & rebuilding them mess up the alignment? Or can i just loosen the topnut & retighten them while its still on the car.

Removing the strut can change the alignment, especially since the crash bolts aren't set to max neg camber. (Are you sure they used them?) You can loosen the top nut a few turns, but do not remove it entirely.