Got a track related question? I'll try to answer.

[redlined600]

On the cheap side I ran a Etx-9 all last year without issue. I was a bit skeptical that it would work, but since I had it laying around from my miata I figured I may as well give it a shot. Occasionally it wouldn't start the car if I left it off the tender for more than a week, so it would stay on the tender most of the time. I don't DD my car though.

[Uplink]

Originally Posted by ZionsWrath

I need a new battery. Should I just get a replacement or go for a lightweight one.

I usually just weekend drive my car so it sits 4-5 days at s time and parked maybe 4 months over winter.

I don't mind to buy a tender and remove the battery over winter. But i dont want to have to every week.

I'm in NY like you and have been on the Shorai with KC Machine bracket since April 2015. Car was outside all winter and ironically not driven on weekends, only during the week and never used a tender. Worst thing that ever happened was it took 3-4 cranks for the car to start after an excessively cold night/weekend of not being used but always fired up. CSG Mike suggested turning on the radio and some things to put draw on the battery first to warm it up.
Never gave me a single problem and would do it again in a heartbeat. Saved 23lbs up high in the engine bay too.

[Uplink]

Originally Posted by ja1217

I'm taking the plunge and going full race car with my FR-S, but I've run into a small issue. I got a new Sparco Circuit II seat and with the supplied Sparco floor mounts the seat is too high up and I am going to have clearance issues, especially with a helmet and a roll cage.

I've seen some people go with Buddy Club seat rails to lower the seat, but I'm not sure they are up to the task of doing wheel to wheel racing safety wise. I know some people have them re-welded to make them stronger, which is an option I'm considering, but I'm wondering if there is a better option out there for something to lower the seat while being strong enough to rely on in wheel to wheel racing.

Thanks!

I had a similar issue with my C4 Vette. Absolutely NO seat rails would let me drive the car in a helmet without pressing against the roof in my Sparco Pro 2000's. Not sure what the floor of the twins looks like but my solution was 1/8" channel steel. It's as flat as you can get with rigidity along the edges. Notch as needed, drill where appropriate and coat with Westley's undercoating for a factory finish look. Yes, you lose the ability to move the seat, but if 99% of the driving is done by you it doesn't matter.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by ja1217

I'm taking the plunge and going full race car with my FR-S, but I've run into a small issue. I got a new Sparco Circuit II seat and with the supplied Sparco floor mounts the seat is too high up and I am going to have clearance issues, especially with a helmet and a roll cage.

I've seen some people go with Buddy Club seat rails to lower the seat, but I'm not sure they are up to the task of doing wheel to wheel racing safety wise. I know some people have them re-welded to make them stronger, which is an option I'm considering, but I'm wondering if there is a better option out there for something to lower the seat while being strong enough to rely on in wheel to wheel racing.

Thanks!

Nagisa or Bride? (CSG carries both, as well as others).

Do your seats use standard L brackets for mounting?

If you go Buddy Club, re-weld their spot welds to ensure they don't break in a collision, or even long term use.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by LOLS2K

Please post your results in your build thread. A buddy and I have been going back and forth about lightweight batteries lately. Buddy wants to get something different than Odyssey this time around and they only other experience I have is with AntiGravity.

Try the KC Machine Shorai. Far, far more cranking power than Braille.

If you're set on a AGM battery instead of a LiFePO4, then get the Deka. Deka is the OE for Braille, similar to how Precision Instrument is the OE for SnapOn torque wrenches.

PM to order the Shorai.

[juliog]

Another happy KC Machine + Shorai kit user here

[ja1217]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Nagisa or Bride? (CSG carries both, as well as others).

Do your seats use standard L brackets for mounting?

If you go Buddy Club, re-weld their spot welds to ensure they don't break in a collision, or even long term use.

Yes, I believe that these are standard L brackets:



Could you send me links to the Bride and Nagisa rails? I couldn't seem to find them on your website. Would the circuit 2 fit in the nagisa rails? It is a wider seat and what I could find of the nagisa rails said that they don't fit wide seats.

Also, would you feel comfortable doing wheel to wheel racing with the Nagisa or Bride rails? I definitely want to keep the car safe and although I would prefer to have the adjustability of sliders I am ok going with custom mounts for my seat position, like @Uplink suggested, if none of the sliders are good enough.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by ja1217

Yes, I believe that these are standard L brackets:



Could you send me links to the Bride and Nagisa rails? I couldn't seem to find them on your website. Would the circuit 2 fit in the nagisa rails? It is a wider seat and what I could find of the nagisa rails said that they don't fit wide seats.

Also, would you feel comfortable doing wheel to wheel racing with the Nagisa or Bride rails? I definitely want to keep the car safe and although I would prefer to have the adjustability of sliders I am ok going with custom mounts for my seat position, like @Uplink suggested, if none of the sliders are good enough.

Do you have a width measurement?

[ja1217]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Do you have a width measurement?

Above is the size chart from Sparco. I measured the one I have and it came in right around 17 inches wide.

[Estey]

Mike,

Im planning my first track day at Streets of Willow, and I had a question about ride height. Im running buddy club racing spec coilovers right now, and my fender is 25.25 inches from the ground. My question is, how much should I raise my car to fully utilize the dampers? I believe Im 1.5-2 inches lower than stock.
also, I recently started to get a clunk in the front of my car, and I believe its due to bad strut bearings :/ Will this negatively affect the handling on the track?

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Estey

Mike,

Im planning my first track day at Streets of Willow, and I had a question about ride height. Im running buddy club racing spec coilovers right now, and my fender is 25.25 inches from the ground. My question is, how much should I raise my car to fully utilize the dampers? I believe Im 1.5-2 inches lower than stock.
also, I recently started to get a clunk in the front of my car, and I believe its due to bad strut bearings :/ Will this negatively affect the handling on the track?

I have no idea; I've never set up a car with the Buddy Club Racing Spec coilovers on this platform. If you can get me damper length, damper stroke length (with bumpstop), spring free length, spring compressed length, and spring rates, I can figure that out for you.

Strut bearings? Like the top hat?

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by ja1217

Above is the size chart from Sparco. I measured the one I have and it came in right around 17 inches wide.

Remind me to check on Monday...

[MaximeT]

Did someone had the opportunity to test the TRD front and side splitters track efficiency ? The prices for TRD are much less stupid out there than other options.

I would much rather have a lightweight plastic aero kit than a bullshit heavy carbon fiber one.

Edit with pictures :

Would this be a good track solution ? (With proper static oversteer/understeer setup to balance the wing)
Or is it just a marketing car ?
That would help me a lot clearing speed bumps if it works.

[Estey]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I have no idea; I've never set up a car with the Buddy Club Racing Spec coilovers on this platform. If you can get me damper length, damper stroke length (with bumpstop), spring free length, spring compressed length, and spring rates, I can figure that out for you.

Strut bearings? Like the top hat?

Sweet, I'll see if I can get those.

And yeah, in the top hat. I put my car up on stands and turned the wheel to replicate the clunking sound and I tracked it down to the top hats. I figured you would be the best person to ask. I plan on replacing them, but probably not before I hit the track.