Tatsu333's 2020 BRZ Sport Tech RS

[Tatsu333]

Bashed the crap out of one corner of my STI front lip - ground it on a curb alongside a parking spot I was turning into. So instead of tuning or other mods, the next $500 CAD I'm spending is to replace that.

Good news, I guess, is that it's just the easily replaceable and unpainted lip that's damaged rather than the painted bumper cover.

Some pics (car is also filthy due to the winter road conditions here):








On another note, on my 225/45R17 Michelin X-Ice snow tires on the stock wheels, the car is quite capable in snow as long as it has clearance. The back end will shimmy a bit here and there, but the traction / stability control is VERY effective at keeping it in check.

Since it's more winter-capable than I had foreseen, it makes me kind of lean back towards the idea of some KW or ST / RCE (both KW-based) coilovers with the 15mm spring spacers installed (which KW support says is fine) to get back to within 5 mm of stock ride height at max height for the winter while still being able to drop it the 30mm or so lower than stock that I have it currently for the rest of the year.

Otherwise, I was also considering swapping stock springs back in each winter (or the complete stock spring/shock assemblies). We'll see...

[DarkPira7e]

Eh hit it with some old shoe shine, won't even be able to tell. Sucks to see though, sorry to hear

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Tatsu333

Since it's more winter-capable than I had foreseen, it makes me kind of lean back towards the idea of some KW or ST / RCE (both KW-based) coilovers with the 15mm spring spacers installed (which KW support says is fine) to get back to within 5 mm of stock ride height at max height for the winter while still being able to drop it the 30mm or so lower than stock that I have it currently for the rest of the year.

Otherwise, I was also considering swapping stock springs back in each winter (or the complete stock spring/shock assemblies). We'll see...

RCE SS1s + snow = good times.

- Andrew

[Tatsu333]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

RCE SS1s + snow = good times.

- Andrew

Nice!

My only concern with the SS1's is the corrosion potential on the galvanized bodies vs. stainless on KW V3's or RCE Tarmac 2's. Living up here on the wet coast, we get a LOT of rain year-round, plus the few weeks of snow we get each winter. Might not be a big deal, but I don't know. The local KW / ST dealer of course recommends the V3's...LOL.

SS1's are still top of my list if I do go coilovers though.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Tatsu333

Nice!

My only concern with the SS1's is the corrosion potential on the galvanized bodies vs. stainless on KW V3's or RCE Tarmac 2's. Living up here on the wet coast, we get a LOT of rain year-round, plus the few weeks of snow we get each winter. Might not be a big deal, but I don't know. The local KW / ST dealer of course recommends the V3's...LOL.

SS1's are still top of my list if I do go coilovers though.

The stainless of the V3s and T2s is pretty incredible.

I will say on my SS1s after 3 or so winters and plenty of salt, everything still adjusts nicely, no stuck collars or anything close to that. They don't look as nice as a T2 would but no change in function.

- Andrew

[Tatsu333]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

The stainless of the V3s and T2s is pretty incredible.

I will say on my SS1s after 3 or so winters and plenty of salt, everything still adjusts nicely, no stuck collars or anything close to that. They don't look as nice as a T2 would but no change in function.

- Andrew

Would it be possible to get T2's with the spring rates of the SS1's? I presume the adjustable damping has enough scope to deal with the softer springs - if not, then it's not an option, I guess.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Tatsu333

Would it be possible to get T2's with the spring rates of the SS1's? I presume the adjustable damping has enough scope to deal with the softer springs - if not, then it's not an option, I guess.

Yup, definitely possible and we've done it plenty in the past.

- Andrew

[Tatsu333]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

Yup, definitely possible and we've done it plenty in the past.

- Andrew

Great! I'll definitely be in touch RE: that option if I do end up going the coilover route.

[Tatsu333]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

The stainless of the V3s and T2s is pretty incredible.

I will say on my SS1s after 3 or so winters and plenty of salt, everything still adjusts nicely, no stuck collars or anything close to that. They don't look as nice as a T2 would but no change in function.

- Andrew

If you have an opportunity to take a pic of how your SS1's look in their current state and PM it to me, I'd appreciate it. Could help me make up my mind on whether to go with those or T2's.

No worries if it's too much hassle though!

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Tatsu333

If you have an opportunity to take a pic of how your SS1's look in their current state and PM it to me, I'd appreciate it. Could help me make up my mind on whether to go with those or T2's.

No worries if it's too much hassle though!

This is from beginning of this year, so 3 or 4 winters and plenty of snow driving. Lots of installing and uninstalling when testing other parts, no issues.



- Andrew

[Tatsu333]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

This is from beginning of this year, so 3 or 4 winters and plenty of snow driving. Lots of installing and uninstalling when testing other parts, no issues. - Andrew

Thanks for that - looks pretty good! Hmmm...might make my decision easier.

EDIT: Just thought of this while reading your thread on the new SS2's - is it possible to get the parts to use stock front top mounts on the SS1's if I want to run them with the 15mm KW spring spacers to get ride height within 5mm of stock for winter?

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Tatsu333

Thanks for that - looks pretty good! Hmmm...might make my decision easier.

EDIT: Just thought of this while reading your thread on the new SS2's - is it possible to get the parts to use stock front top mounts on the SS1's if I want to run them with the 15mm KW spring spacers to get ride height within 5mm of stock for winter?

We don't sell them without the camber plates but yes it is possible to get the parts to do that.

- Andrew

[Tatsu333]

Just a few pics of my car encased in ice from the freezing rain we had. At its peak, there was over 1 cm (about 1/2") of ice completely encasing my car! This is after it had already melted off quite a bit, as I was in the middle of scraping off the remaining 1 cm thick sheet of ice on my driveway and got close enough to my car to take the pictures.

My car narrowly escaped disaster the night before after my wife's SUV started sliding backwards down the driveway after we had parked it, missing my car's rear left quarter by just a couple of inches.

[Tatsu333]

Originally Posted by Tatsu333

Thanks for that - looks pretty good! Hmmm...might make my decision easier.

EDIT: Just thought of this while reading your thread on the new SS2's - is it possible to get the parts to use stock front top mounts on the SS1's if I want to run them with the 15mm KW spring spacers to get ride height within 5mm of stock for winter?

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

We don't sell them without the camber plates but yes it is possible to get the parts to do that.

- Andrew

How about running something like the Subtle Solutions 1" Lift Kit spacers that fit between the top mounts and the body to bring the ride heights back up for the winter while leaving the camber plates / top mounts in place and spring collar settings the same?

Obviously I'd need to get the alignment done whenever these are swapped in/out, and this would be for street use in the winter only, not for track use or even really any "spirited" driving since I'll be on my snows when running this setup anyway.

Any concerns I may not be thinking of?