MCA Suspension "Traction Mod"

[autoracer86]

Originally Posted by Chris Edwards

Anyone know where I can get a pair of the MCA brackets?

2 left in stock hurry
https://www.fensport.co.uk/products/...QZgVG8wSLFhlaP

[rande]

Originally Posted by autoracer86

2 left in stock hurry
https://www.fensport.co.uk/products/...QZgVG8wSLFhlaP

From an email I received advertising Fensports Easter sale.

Fensport Easter sale from 6pm on Thursday 17th to midnight Monday 21st 🎉🥳

Use discount code EASTER for up to 10% off most products.

[Tatsu333]

A quick note on durability of the MCA Traction Mod. I just noticed when under the car installing other stuff that they have rusted badly in the 3-1/2 years (but only 14,000 kms or so) since I've had them on. The surface layer with the powder coat is basically floating above the rest of it. I didn't take any pictures, but was pretty disappointed to see that...

Bear in mind, though, where we live it's wet about 2/3 of the year, but my car doesn't get driven in snow hardly at all. They do salt the crap out of the roads here when we get the slightest bit of snowfall though.

Anyway - just thought I'd mention my observation...

[Tokay444]

Originally Posted by Tatsu333

A quick note on durability of the MCA Traction Mod. I just noticed when under the car installing other stuff that they have rusted badly in the 3-1/2 years (but only 14,000 kms or so) since I've had them on. The surface layer with the powder coat is basically floating above the rest of it. I didn't take any pictures, but was pretty disappointed to see that...

Bear in mind, though, where we live it's wet about 2/3 of the year, but my car doesn't get driven in snow hardly at all. They do salt the crap out of the roads here when we get the slightest bit of snowfall though.

Anyway - just thought I'd mention my observation...

Pull ‘em out. Sand blast them. Hit them with 3 coats of Tremclad.

[autoracer86]

Originally Posted by Tatsu333

A quick note on durability of the MCA Traction Mod. I just noticed when under the car installing other stuff that they have rusted badly in the 3-1/2 years (but only 14,000 kms or so) since I've had them on. The surface layer with the powder coat is basically floating above the rest of it. I didn't take any pictures, but was pretty disappointed to see that...

Bear in mind, though, where we live it's wet about 2/3 of the year, but my car doesn't get driven in snow hardly at all. They do salt the crap out of the roads here when we get the slightest bit of snowfall though.

Anyway - just thought I'd mention my observation...

Good to know thanks ! I wonder if there is any difference between the v1 and v2 when it comes to powder coating.

[new2subaru]

Originally Posted by Tokay444

Pull ‘em out. Sand blast them. Hit them with 3 coats of Tremclad.

Bingo. Piece of cake.

[RotARy15]

Installed the MCA TMv2 along with STI trailing arms and subframe bushing inserts. Ride quality is much better. As others have said, feels like a properly sorted car now.

I haven't tested balance at the limit since the street offers little room for that but the couple of turns I can play with on the way to work seem to suggest improved rear traction out of a 20mph right hand turn so... that's a good sign.

I elected to simply bend the handbrake bracket to accommodate. Keep in mind that as the suspension compresses, the bracket pinches the brake cable even harder. So I jacked the knuckle up to ride height while I bent the bracket in a bench vise and test fit several times. Then I test fit with my ARC8/R-S4 for clearance. Had over an inch of room so that wasn't a problem at all. The bracket ended up really only limiting lateral movement of the brake cable. Seemed a good result since I expect actual suspension compression would obviously make the angles even worse.

Very happy with this mod. The change in ride quality is enough that even if this induces understeer, I'm happy to correct that by other means. I don't want to remove this mod from the car.

[smackrel]

Originally Posted by RotARy15

Installed the MCA TMv2 along with STI trailing arms and subframe bushing inserts. Ride quality is much better. As others have said, feels like a properly sorted car now.

I haven't tested balance at the limit since the street offers little room for that but the couple of turns I can play with on the way to work seem to suggest improved rear traction out of a 20mph right hand turn so... that's a good sign.

I elected to simply bend the handbrake bracket to accommodate. Keep in mind that as the suspension compresses, the bracket pinches the brake cable even harder. So I jacked the knuckle up to ride height while I bent the bracket in a bench vise and test fit several times. Then I test fit with my ARC8/R-S4 for clearance. Had over an inch of room so that wasn't a problem at all. The bracket ended up really only limiting lateral movement of the brake cable. Seemed a good result since I expect actual suspension compression would obviously make the angles even worse.

Very happy with this mod. The change in ride quality is enough that even if this induces understeer, I'm happy to correct that by other means. I don't want to remove this mod from the car.

Thanks for sharing your experience with this.

Makes me wonder if the rear subframe really is from a WRX? Seems kinda krazy since Toyobaru spent so much time/$ developing this car. Then again, there's has to be concessions made in some places. Manufacturing a car is ridiculously hard.

[RToyo86]

Wouldn't be surprised if there was some level of cost savings. The rear suspension works, and in some ways accentuates the having a fun low power tail happy car.


I've done a couple of lapping days with this setup with a few recent added parts like subframe bushings and SS1 coils. Car is very compliant and predictable. I can see how some may want to stiffen rear sprin rates depending on track/driving style.

Personally like how the car feels right now, my local track at calabogie has a lot of hill/elevation changes with corners and I like having the rear end be more neutral and predictable to lay down power.

For the rust potential, I soak everything metal with fluid film up here in Canada and find that generally helps keep stuff from looking crusty. I cleaned it recently while doing the subframe inserts and paint was still in good shape.

[Wangspeed]

Following up here after a few years. I have the GP Sport relocation kit. It does NOT work with the FDF traction arms. The FDF arms are tall and wide, and the GP sports relocation kit moves it more than the MCA or similar ones. As a result the traction arm and wheel have very little clearance. I ended up machining the lip of my wheel…





I made a trackside change to move the arms back to stock location. What I found is that the change was not really noticeable. I think it was more impactful when I was on 400 lb/in rear springs, but now that I’m at 625, I think it just doesn’t compress enough to make much of a difference on track. I curb hopped like I always do at VIR and everything pretty much felt normal

[Ohio Enthusiast]

That sucks. I'm assuming that happens only at full compression? So hard to verify with the car on stands.

Originally Posted by Wangspeed

I curb hopped like I always do at VIR and everything pretty much felt normal

The traction mods are supposed to reduce anti-squat geometry, so would allow more squat on acceleration. There would probably be some second-order effects as well(Mazda used anti-geometry in the latest update of the Miata (ND3) to get better handling), but being able to put the power down better is the main one. Curbs shouldn't behave any differently, IMO.

[Enigmeerkat]

Just bought the V2's. Will update once they're on the car.