Quote:
Originally Posted by Roto'sFRS
I am selling another one of my toys and thinking about dumping the proceeds into the FRS. I'll probably end up with around $4K. I bought the FRS two weeks ago and it is bone stock. I would like to tighten up the handling even more than it is so some wider wheels are in order. I would like to address the torque dip too. I would like to keep any exhaust upgrades in the mellow end of the sound spectrum. Best ways to stiffen up the chassis? Suspension?
What would you do with a $4K budget and a stock FRS?
Jeramie
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Wider wheels/tires will not tighten up the handling (much wider ones will actually have the opposite affect!)...you need lighter weight wheels with a better MOI and stickier stock sized tires to help tighten up handling (read as increased agility.)
I would do this for tightening up the suspension:
1. Replace the factory steering rack bushings with 2 piece solid Delrin ones ~$60. The factory rubber bushings are so soft and have so much slop that the steering rack physically moves around quite a bit, and you feel that weird mid-corner hesitation in turns. Completely cured with a properly stiff bushing with no slop!
2. Grimmspeed Strut tower bar ~$150... really helps with a better ride quality - lessens the harsh impacts from bad road conditions and stiffens the feel of the front end.
3. Nice, lightweight, inexpensive 17x7.5 or 17x8 wheels (15-17lb weights and ~$800 set)
4. Maximum Performance tires in either 205/45-17 for 7.5" width wheels or 215/45-17 for 8" width wheels. (~$400-$500 a set for nice budget friendly brands like Continental, Kumho, or Hankook) 205/45-17 tire with 17x7.5" wheels is my total preference since you get better acceleration, less weight, and actually physically lower the car's CG with zero other changes - resulting in a more planted feel compared to stock size. Tire contact size will be around stock size, yet performance will be greatly improved because tire compound and tread pattern is everything (tire width is hardly anything for adding performance in comparison...compound is what determines how much traction you have, not the width of the tire). Cannot recommend the Kumho Sport LE enough in 205/45-17 size... contact patch wider than stock by .2" and best wet weather tire I've ever run. Turns circles around the stock tires and is absolutely planted in high speed turns (at triple digit speeds...) ... Only lasted about 10k miles for me until worn down to slicks, but well worth it for the performance they give and being as inexpensive as they are (~$80 each at the time, I actually paid $280 for the full set with rebate...). Excellent wet weather performance all the way down to the wear bars...
So ~$1500 for meaningful handling changes.
Exhaust changes for torque dip would mean a very good EL header and tune at a minimum. From what I've seen that would be around $1,500 to 1,800... personally I would not bother with this as I see no issue with "torque dip" but have a much bigger and real issue with the driving ergonomics that I would rather concentrate on.
So I would apply funds to changing out the not so great stock seat for something much better (which I'm currently in the process of doing [custom fabbing the mounting system right now])... Recaro Sportster CS runs ~ $1,500 + rail system and base, so ~$1800. Your butt, thighs, and spine will thank you along with being positioned much more securely "in" the seat for cornering as opposed to being "on" the stock seat and sliding all around. The stock seats, like virtually every other base factory seat, are not the best ergonomically and are made to a lower cost point. Spend the money and get a no-compromises true ergonomic seat...especially in a drivers car such as this, sucks to drive it in discomfort everyday!
With the $700 left over I would get the TRD lightweight flywheel and JPM Coachworks Alcantara shifter and handbrake boots (because it would totally be wrong to install a Leather/'Alcantara' Recaro Sportster CS drivers seat and still have the thin, extremely cheap looking vinyl factory boots!)...
That's how I would spend the $4k.