Road Race Build - SCCA T4

[Totemo_Hayai]

My Touring 4 (T4) FRS build to compete with the car @rice_classic is building here and others. We coordinate on a lot of things but there are differences in our builds so some of the details may help others considering a similar build. For the most part, @rice_classic blazes the trail and I try to keep up, at least in the build process. Hopefully others in the Northwest will also embark on building T4 cars.


T4 for is a great platform for the FRS/86/BRZ because the prep is much less intense compared to Improved Touring (IT as in ITA, ITS, etc.) cars which are generally considered entry level racecars. Building a top notch IT car is a costly endeavor. Building a T4 car is also costly, but the advantage is that it requires less custom fabrication, the cars are more modern, and you can compete in national level events. My build, including the purchase of the car will be in the low $20's. I think a car "starting point" car could be built for $15k including the cost of the car.



I'll be updating this thread and my Instagram as the build proceeds. Things are going much slower than I'd like, but it will get finished. Here is the progress so far:


Purchased the car from a local dealer in November 2018 -

Removing the Stage 2 clutch, one of the many parts that have to be removed in order to be legal for T4 -

Interior removal in preparation for the rollcage -

Driving the car down to Portland in the snow for rollcage fabrication -

Completed rollcage with paint -

[rice_classic]

I can’t wait!

[Totemo_Hayai]

Originally Posted by rice_classic

I can’t wait!

Thanks for the help with the wheel bearings. I'm feeling pretty good about getting everything done in the next few weeks for the SCCA Majors events. Hopefully the inaugural NW86Cup event on May 11th and 12th becomes a reality.

[Totemo_Hayai]

1st Lesson Learned - Try sitting in race seats before purchasing a seat. Unfortunately, there are few if any show rooms that would have every seat of interest available to sit in. If it were in the middle of the race season I would have gone to race and asked to sit in other people's seats. Keep this in mind if you are interested in buying a seat because many people at the track will let you sit in their cars.

This Sparco Circuit II is a little too big for me and the car. Cushions will be needed to support the sides of my torso. The other problem is that the halo of the seat interferes with the cage preventing the seat from sliding back farther. Luckily, it gives me just about the right amount of room. If you're about my size or smaller you definitely want a regular Circuit instead of a Circuit II. For reference, I'm 5'10" and 155 lbs with a 32" waist.

[Totemo_Hayai]

I'm having a lot of trouble removing the rear wheel bearing. Anyone have suggestions on how to get this off? I've tried heating it and cutting slots so I can pry. It hasn't moved at all in any direction. I also may need to take the whole upright off so tips on how to remove the upper ball joint would be helpful as well.

[Tristor]

I don't have any grand ideas, but I've found an air hammer with a chisel bit helps a lot in getting wheel hubs/bearings out, especially if you've already resigned yourself to replacing it.

[Rampage]

Check this video at 9:34. This is how I have done hubs before. I have not done this on a Subaru/FR-S but I have done this on Toyotas.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71Y-H8ZVx04"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71Y-H8ZVx04[/ame]

You may have to use the punch and hammer on more than one bolt. I have actually had to hit all four before it would break loose if badly rusted. Use lots of penetrating fluid around the hub.

[Totemo_Hayai]

Originally Posted by Tristor

I don't have any grand ideas, but I've found an air hammer with a chisel bit helps a lot in getting wheel hubs/bearings out, especially if you've already resigned yourself to replacing it.

Unfortunately, I don't have an air hammer handy. I think one could help loosen things by vibration. If it were a sure bet I'd go find one. Maybe I'll give my hammer drill a shot.

Originally Posted by Rampage

Check this video at 9:34. This is how I have done hubs before. I have not done this on a Subaru/FR-S but I have done this on Toyotas.

You may have to use the punch and hammer on more than one bolt. I have actually had to hit all four before it would break loose if badly rusted. Use lots of penetrating fluid around the hub.

I'll try this also. I might be difficult for me to swing hard enough laying down under the car. I have hit it many times with a slide hammer secured to the back of the bearing.

[snoxracer183]

Take the whole spindle off and take it to a press rather than messing around. My local Advanced Auto has a machine shop in back and the guy charges me $20 to do it. Hate rusty WI cars and I just don't mess around with it even any more.

[Icecreamtruk]

Oh I had the same problem with mine. I ended up removing the whole piece that holds the wheel hub (so disconnecting it from the lower control arm, upper arm and toe-arm), and then hammering it out. I did it with a 5lbs hammer agaisnt another hammer against the wheel hub. It took several full strenght swings (both arms, someone else was holding the other hammer and the wheelhub in place) before I even it saw it move. If yours is as stuck as mine, you wont get it out of there without taking it off the car first (short of cutting it off).

[TMF]

Looking forward to watching your build! Any luck with the wheel bearings?

[Totemo_Hayai]

Originally Posted by snoxracer183

Take the whole spindle off and take it to a press rather than messing around. My local Advanced Auto has a machine shop in back and the guy charges me $20 to do it. Hate rusty WI cars and I just don't mess around with it even any more.

This was the plan. I finally got the spindles off and took them to the machine shop today. Unfortunately, he said they couldn't push them out with their press. I don't fully understand why he was unwilling to do it, maybe it just isn't worth their time.

Originally Posted by Icecreamtruk

Oh I had the same problem with mine. I ended up removing the whole piece that holds the wheel hub (so disconnecting it from the lower control arm, upper arm and toe-arm), and then hammering it out. I did it with a 5lbs hammer agaisnt another hammer against the wheel hub. It took several full strenght swings (both arms, someone else was holding the other hammer and the wheelhub in place) before I even it saw it move. If yours is as stuck as mine, you wont get it out of there without taking it off the car first (short of cutting it off).

Now that the spindles are off the car I will probably try some variation of this. First I'll try to drop them off at a local auto repair shop. If they won't take them then I'll start my Saturday morning off by smacking them with the hammer.

Originally Posted by TMF

Looking forward to watching your build! Any luck with the wheel bearings?

Thanks, hopefully I'll have some progress to share this weekend. No luck with the wheel bearings yet, they're really impeding the project. The front wheel bearings did come out with the slide hammer and the new bearings are installed.



Lastly, for anyone trying to remove the rear upper ball joint, use OTC puller 7314A. Any standard size Pitman Arm puller will probably work as well.

[Icecreamtruk]

For what is worth. The dude that helped me take them out also had access to a press at his garage, but said that for these completely seized cases, hammers are the best. It was hard work but the thing came off after 2-3 minutes of hammering it. It was so hard that I though at some point that the spindle was going to brake or bend.

[Evan55]

love this! great looking cage.


In my SM I used a regular circuit, and Im 6'2" 200 lbs, I can see how a circuit 2 would be too big for you!