Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding (Post 3424707)

I'm a little surprised that rack bushings don't get more love. Mine were my first install and those seemed to make a noticeable difference. Adding a degree and and a half of camber to them was just short of transformational. Guess I'm the sensitive type. ;)

Originally Posted by RToyo86 (Post 3424552)

Camber bolts up front.



If you want crisp front end turn in a summer tire may be a better choice. Stiffer sidewall will flex less.

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering (Post 3424846)

I like the Perrin Steering Rack Lockdown a lot for the money and ease of install.

How many miles on your car?

- Andrew

Originally Posted by Broz (Post 3424494)

...The steering input/response and oversteer/tail happiness are what I love most about the car.

I’d like to make it even better.
Any suggestions for the first mods to tighten up the steering feel and turn in alittle more.
With moderate expectations:)
Avoiding any additional jarring or bouncing around. A little more NVH is understandable.
Keeping in mind I'm now switching from stock 215/17s to 245/18s (either Yokohama Advan Sport A/S+or Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ Tire)...

Originally Posted by RToyo86 (Post 3425229)

I actually just ordered a set of those stabilizers from japanparts. Hoping to stiffen the doors to help with creaks and rattles. Some added chassis rigidity is a nice bonus.


I did my handling mods in stages. It gave me a much better practical understanding of what every part does.

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding (Post 3424556)

On the bushing/insert front, I suggest the steering rack, front and rear sway bars, and differential. FWIW mine are all Whitelines. I also have a set of rear subframe bushing inserts, a shifter bushing and a rear trans mount bushing sitting in my parts box. The shifter and trans mount I'm putting off until I need to pull the transmission. The subframe, I'm on the fence about. I'm trying to balance NVH and handling precision and think I may have found my personal sweet spot where I am. Not sure yet. It feels substantially more crisp (if that makes sense) without the jarring you seem to have experienced with your WRX.

Originally Posted by RToyo86 (Post 3425229)

I actually just ordered a set of those stabilizers from japanparts. Hoping to stiffen the doors to help with creaks and rattles. Some added chassis rigidity is a nice bonus.


I did my handling mods in stages. It gave me a much better practical understanding of what every part does.

Originally Posted by Plumbus (Post 3425789)

Can you do a review once you get them? I have heard mixed things about them and they are extremely expensive for what they are, but if they offer some improvement they could be a last mod to burn money on for those of us obsessed with handling and feel.

Originally Posted by Plumbus (Post 3425789)

The shifter and trans mount were extremely easy to install without needing to drop the transmission, you just need to support the trans with a jack while you remove the trans support bracket. The diff bushings which I assume you have installed also were super easy to install and brought little to no NVH. The subframe inserts are the ones you have to think about, they are intermediate difficulty because of fragile bolt threads but also they increase rear stiffness substantially. in exchange, you get reduced or no wheel hop and a significantly more responsive and feeling rear end.

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding (Post 3425885)

Thanks! The steering rack, sway bar, and diff bushings were cake. It wasn't that the transmission needed to come out for the tranny bushings, looking at the install convinced me to put the two trans bushings, along with my MTEC shifter springs off until I needed to pull the trans. I may rethink that now.

WRT to subframe bushings, I think I've figured out why the bolts get cross threaded and how to avoid doing that. What's your experience with NVH?

Originally Posted by 7 skulls (Post 3424988)

TRD door stabilizers made a difference in initial turn in for me. https://www.trdparts.jp/english/part...tabilizer.html

Originally Posted by Plumbus (Post 3425899)

I did three things to prevent the bolts from cross threading. 1. lift car level front to back, 2. Used a wire brush to clean the threads, and 3. Support the subframe by the diff, unscrew all 4 bolts around 20-25 turns each (maybe more, maybe less, can't remember), then carefully lower the jack. 3 bolts should always be threaded at any given time, and the 4th bolt is off to insert the inserts. After placing an insert, thread the bolt BY HAND, then do the next bolt. After doing all 4, raise the subframe with the jack and thread all bolts by hand again. At this point you can remove one bolt at a time and add threadlocker, and/or just tighten the bolts with your torque wrench.

The idea is to keep the bolts as straight as possible as they are threaded into the hole without impacting against the subframe. If they don't go in by hand, stop, and try to straighten the subframe so it does. If you can do that the install is actually not difficult at all, it's just a matter of preparation really. I also removed the wheels btw.

The NVH is not really bad in terms of noise or vibration, but the harshness does increase noticeably. Between changing to HKS SPs from '17 sachs dampers, and from the SPs to the inserts, the inserts made a bigger difference in harshness. Dips and potholes became significantly harsher after inserts. BUT, the car feels like a racecar. very responsive, and the feedback is substantial. I think they're the perfect in between before going to solid bushings which I would probably never do even in an actual racecar.

Overall I love it, but only because it's exactly what I was wanting the car to feel like. :iono:

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding (Post 3426097)

Thanks. I had concluded the "loosening all 4 bolts" was the key to getting them correctly realigned. Otherwise the additional thickness of the insert cocks the subframe slightly creating a misalignment that leads to the cross threading.

I'm still on the fence about the subframe. My goal is to create a tight GT car. The added harshness you report leads me to reconsider installing the subframe inserts. At present it's smoother over expansion joints and pavement seams than my wife's Camry. I don't want to screw that up. With its current mods (camber bolts; 17x8 40et Konig wheels w/ 225 Conti ECS tires; steering rack, f&r sway bar, and diff bushings) plus a substantial amount of sound damping in the trunk it's pretty close to where I want it.

I'm thinking now that the shifter bushing/trans mount insert, the Mtek springs, and a set of Bilstein B6s will finish out my drivetrain/ suspension mods

Originally Posted by Plumbus (Post 3426174)

Maybe I didn't explain myself well but you are correct, you want to loosen all 4 bolts enough for the inserts to be inserted and for the subframe to be level. but there should always be 3 bolts partially threaded since you are only holding the subframe with a single jack in the middle. There should be more than enough thread in the bolts to squeeze the inserts without "cocking" the subframe alignment or needing to force it.

As far as the feeling, it could very well be tolerable for you. It took me a bit to get used to it but now I don't even notice, it's like a racecar for the street. I also have the damping set to the middle so it could be even softer. I would urge you to find someone nearby with inserts in their car and ride shotgun to see how you like them.

Originally Posted by grumpysnapper (Post 3425978)

Just want to double check if you are being serious or not?

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding (Post 3426247)

Actually, I think you explained your procedure very well. I had read the cross threading horror stories and wondered why so many had that problem. I looked at the inserts and the subframe and concluded that if you loosen only one set of bolts (front or rear) and lower the jack to install the inserts the added thickness of the insert will position the subframe at an angle compared to it's original position. As a result, the bolts will be lined up at a slight angle with their holes and cross threading becomes really easy.

I concluded the way to avoid that is to loosen all 4 bolts (just as you advised). That makes it much easier to get the bolts properly aligned with the holes and hand tightened. I was just trying to explain my thought process and congratulate you on reaching the same conclusion. Apparently, I didn't do such a great job.:bonk:

Originally Posted by RToyo86 (Post 3425229)

I actually just ordered a set of those stabilizers from japanparts. Hoping to stiffen the doors to help with creaks and rattles. Some added chassis rigidity is a nice bonus.

Originally Posted by Plumbus (Post 3425789)

Can you do a review once you get them? I have heard mixed things about them and they are extremely expensive for what they are, but if they offer some improvement they could be a last mod to burn money on for those of us obsessed with handling and feel.

Originally Posted by NLSP (Post 3426591)

I've had the TRD door stabilizers installed for a while now; I also have the TRD front strut bar installed for even longer (they were installed at separate times).

It's similar/adds to the effects of installing a front strut bar in terms of making the car feel a little more sharp, solid and planted when driving spiritedly/hard. Would definitely recommend if you're a "feel" chaser; would not necessarily recommend if you're a lap time chaser.

As a bonus, they both help with uneven pavement feel less crashy (more refined).

Originally Posted by 7 skulls (Post 3426344)

Yup. :D. Could definitely feel it but then again I've always been a sensitive sort.:cry: To paraphase Niki Lauda, I've got an OK brain, but a great ass.

Originally Posted by RToyo86 (Post 3426351)

I can see how there may be a difference with the stabilizers. Toyota shows a graph where they show less chassis deflection when turning sharply/hard.
Probably nothing huge. 5%? 10%? 15% better feel?
You'd need to be quite comfortable with the current setup of the car to potentially notice anything.

Originally Posted by grumpysnapper (Post 3426672)

I'm not trying to offend and I know people feel very strongly about some of these mods, (and I'm not questioning their ability to tighten the door in its aperture) but in the context of the original OP's question, are expensive and highly contentious door stabilisers a good route to pursue... given all the other options available?

It worries me that claims are made by these mod manufacturers that are completely unsupported with any actual measured data being supplied.
These claims are very easily measured and published, especially if it's your business to make and sell these things. But they don't do they?

I know part of the argument is about "feel", but if you can feel a change in something, you can measure it. (Particularly if your paying through the nose for it claiming to physically change something). If a racing driver has great feel in the wet, they are faster in the wet.

If the thought about the extra "feel" of these mods is because some drivers have an extra sublime ability to "feel" the difference, while the rest us us don't, is being more than a little presumptuous.



The graph (on the TRD website door jam page) doesn't relate to chassis deflection, but is a strange "steering angle" graph... that doesn't really say anything at all without a lot of (un-supplied) clarification.
A graph showing a change in "chassis deflection" could actually prove or disprove their potential usefulness.
5%, 10% or 15% better "feel" is an enormous improvement in a car... any car manufacturer would kill for an easy increase like that. So you have to wonder why they haven't all rushed to build tighter door jams into their own cars.... or even into the updated twins?

Originally Posted by grumpysnapper (Post 3426672)

So you have to wonder why they haven't all rushed to build tighter door jams into their own cars.... or even into the updated twins?