RS*R Sports-i Coilover system installed (pics)

[R0ME0]

Found this on the RSR website. Looks like these are all ready to go.

http://www.rs-r.co.jp/e/script/items...ZC6&suspension

[ESBjiujitsu]

very awesome!!! great find! the aftermarket companies are really jumping on this car. i feel that was one of the down falls of the rx8.... the aftermarket world just didnt invest.

[Moto-P]

Today, following last Friday's Cusco parts install, my FRS went into the facility of RS*R USA to fit my other purchase, the Sports-i suspension system.

This unit is a variant of the not so well-known RS*R i-Shock, specifically designed for the FRS/BRZ/86.

After a few days of hard, all out track, autocross, and casual canyon drive, as well as driving through downtown Las Vegas last month in the Pre-Production Final Product spec, and also through 8 days of various city traffic and highways in my own 9 day old FRS. I have had plenty of time in the original setup, born of Mr.Tada and his team, of the original suspension.

While I am pretty fond of the FRS's OEM suspension, I asked RSR, my long-time source for the nicest Japanese made custom made suspension firm, to see if they had something I can purchase. A bit of waiting, the president of RS*R, Mr.K.Terai, brought over personally from Japan, a set of customized FRS set.

For those who don't know much about RS-R's i-Shock line, the suspension system can be ordered with custom valving, spring sets, piston lengths, and from a database they have of vehicle specific applications. Their standard product is tailored to your needs, if specified, and if not, they come in RS*R's own well-tested setup. It's a bit more expensive than most of your generic coil-over systems, but it features the patented monotube design with billet alloy parts, along with RSR's patented internal valve. This all translated to increased piston travel over the more common twin tube internals, and adjust-ability range that is quite useful on many street cars, that see track use often.

Because of the mono-tube RSR design, the dampers' initial rate of compression is quick, yet very even through further loads. And what this translates to is the ability to have lower overall damper setting, without sacrificing effectiveness of the full motion damping rate. The damping rate is very uniform, and therefore stiffer springs can be combined but still allow for very compliant ride due to shocks not needing to be very high on compression damping or rebound valving.

One of the constraints for the FRS's original suspension is the costs prohibiting such exotic and expensive damper units. Though the FRS exhibits fine driving attitudes on both road and track, and much more refined than any previous Toyota perhaps, it isn't a $50,000 car either, and can't be equipped with things like this out of the box. High-end cars like the Porsche 911 and many exotics do use similar advanced valve mono-tubes, and for the FRS, I chose to see if RSR can better the already superb but cost-limited production twin-tube FRS setup it came with.

A Japanese mechanic, nicknamed "Steve" Shinichi Yamazaki from RSR-Japan who happened to be in town for Formula D, took great care in installation for me today. Starting with corner weighting, marking alignments, and even weighing me (the driver) to install and carefully adjust the suspension to 32mm drop at front and 28mm at rear. From a previous talk I had with CE, Tada of Toyota, his recommendation for suspension lowering of -20mm+/-15mm for dynamic alignment of the arms, I went on the lower height end of the spectrum just for kicks.

One of my small (tiny) complaint about the FRS was its jittery, easily upset, balance of the car by Los Angeles' rough, less ideal pavement gaps and fillers, which tended to take your steering a bit more than I liked... (Tuned very aggressively for the track, the lower cost factory unit could not cover for both scenarios too perfectly I guess? as OEM is really perfect for the track, amazingly enough for a production car from Toyota)

The RSR's Sport-i, despite the higher spring rate, actually proved to be more compliant for the streets, due to the much more sophisticated damper valves. The car instantly became as comfortable and composed as many, and more expensive European car, and all the precise motions of the car seemed to be intact. I haven't had a chance to put it to the test on the raceway just yet, but with added capability of spring tuning, and fairly useful and wide range of damper settings, I can almost feel that the Sport-i will prove to be just as fun on the track, given I know what the heck I shall be doing. (I have a rough idea but it's not easy to improve on the performance end of the FRS as it came) But at least for now it seems the jitter and tracking of faily stiff city ride OEM damper is now calmed with the expensive damper which the $25,000 MSRP car, originally could not be equipped.

Here's some photos of the install, and I will write more when I get a bit more time behind this on the raceway and other venues or conditions. So far so EXCELLENT. You get what you pay for at RSR.

Now I need to look for some 18" wheels and tires as recommended for this application by TRD and RSR.


Corner Weight Scale by Moto@Club4AG, on Flickr


Untitled by Moto@Club4AG, on Flickr


RS*R Sports-i for Scion FRS/Subaru BRZ by Moto@Club4AG, on Flickr


RS*R Sports-i for Scion FRS/Subaru BRZ by Moto@Club4AG, on Flickr


Untitled by Moto@Club4AG, on Flickr


RS*R Sports-i for Scion FRS/Subaru BRZ by Moto@Club4AG, on Flickr


Corner Weight Scale master display by Moto@Club4AG, on Flickr


RS*R Sports-i for Scion FRS/Subaru BRZ by Moto@Club4AG, on Flickr


RS*R Sports-i for Scion FRS/Subaru BRZ by Moto@Club4AG, on Flickr


Untitled by Moto@Club4AG, on Flickr


Oppps, I forgot to take a photo of how the car looks with this chosen height! I'll add that later this evening.

[Moto-P]

One thing I forgot to note: The FRS/BRZ's OEM suspension arms are really long, which is ideal for lowering by aftermarket applications, as dynamic alignment does not change much over a wide range of articulation. Another nice (and more expensive but sport oriented) method that Chief Tada and his team, from Subaru and Toyota, made sure was incorporated in the FT86 chassis, to allow for various aftermarket firms to play with without ill-effects.

Man I like this car more and more each day!

[mark7s4]

Will they be available for purchase in the USA?

[ESBjiujitsu]

how dare you tease us and not post up finished pics!!!! LOL It looks absolutely amazing!!! thank you for pioneering so many things for the community!!!

[Moto-P]

Originally Posted by mark7s4

Will they be available for purchase in the USA?

Yes, they are special order items, which require your call to RSR USA, and any choices and options (through their recommendations if you don't know enough about specifying details on suspensions, to have them custom configure something that will closely fit your needs/desires)

Because of this, it may take a couple of weeks in configuring, but what you get at the end of this, is a pre-set, customized damper systems that fit exactly your needs, and quality of something made by a firm with lots of passion, a rich history, and pretty big resources and experience in motorsports and automobile user-needs.

Prices depend on these selections/options, and how fast you want it drop shipped to your door, or at your qualified shop for installation. I highly recommend a professional install that includes corner weighting, and alignment recalibration as that will ensure your investment will come to life the best way possible.

[Fussy08X]

Originally Posted by Moto-P

One thing I forgot to note: The FRS/BRZ's OEM suspension arms are really long, which is ideal for lowering by aftermarket applications, as dynamic alignment does not change much over a wide range of articulation. Another nice (and more expensive but sport oriented) method that Chief Tada and his team, from Subaru and Toyota, made sure was incorporated in the FT86 chassis, to allow for various aftermarket firms to play with without ill-effects.

Man I like this car more and more each day!

hello, are you saying that lowering the car wont negatively effect its handling abilities?

[Moto-P]

Originally Posted by Fussy08X

hello, are you saying that lowering the car wont negatively effect its handling abilities?

Yes, I am saying that with PROPERLY designed suspension sets that are as worthy or better than OEM parts, the dynamic alignment can and will stay ideal over a wide range of ride-height with stock arms and sub-components. That was one of the design goals built into the car.

However, this is not to say that a cheap "look-at-me" eBay coilover purchased for $1000 or less, will make any improvements... And might sure ruin something if you aren't careful, as coil-overs may seem similar in shape from the outside, it is VERY different in construction, materials, design, application setting, and final configuration by designers/installers/and users.

[Moto-P]

Originally Posted by ESBjiujitsu

how dare you tease us and not post up finished pics!!!! LOL It looks absolutely amazing!!! thank you for pioneering so many things for the community!!!

LOL! Well teasing wasn't my intentions as much as I was just way too thrilled at already curing something that ever so slightly bugged me about the FRS, which is the somewhat harsh city ride, and that politics-legal-PD-induced monster truck ride height....LOL Good thing Tada-san was clever enough to work around it by specifying arms and rods that work over wide range of height, and secure dynamic travel that is consistent through motions. He even touched on the fact that the FRS/BRZ/86 suspension arms are ideal at 20mm drop!!

[powertrip]

Is RS*R planning on releasing an exhaust? I had their Ex Mag GT II on my Evo and absolutely loved the design and sound on it. THey had it slip on style with spring fasteners instead of bolting it together.

[ZetaVI]

Thanks for info! I got alot out of it.

[Moto-P]

Originally Posted by powertrip

Is RS*R planning on releasing an exhaust? I had their Ex Mag GT II on my Evo and absolutely loved the design and sound on it. THey had it slip on style with spring fasteners instead of bolting it together.

As of now, RS-R has stopped R&D and manufacturing of exhaust systems due to the overly aggressive ways that competitors copy, clone, and resulting consumers getting short end of the shaft, as well as general consumer trends just not opting for enough of them with the flooded marketplace. This may change in the future, but such is the state of tuner industry today.

They have concentrated resources on advanced suspension designs and RANUP surface modifier that works with lubricants. Both products that are truly beneficial to any owner who wants true quality products.

[Moto-P]

Originally Posted by ZetaVI

Thanks for info! I got alot out of it.

You're welcome, I hope to bring more in-depth knowledge of how some modifications can be justified with a bit of truth and investment worth your hard earned money.

My wish is to develop this FRS/BRZ in ways that will add more pleasure to your long term ownership, and hopefully to see this more like a long-term relationship with the car, like the AE86 has been and still is after 27 years...

And to keep people in the loop at the most detailed of knowledge, so as to understand the beauty that is designed into the FRS/BRZ/86 well beyond the surface, specs, and simple, current trends.

The Passion, CE Tada was speaking of, is not shallow at all, and it goes deep into the 6 years of his team's hard work at Subaru and Toyota.