The OTHER Stranoparts STX FR-S - build thread

[Sccabrz192]

Originally Posted by apexaddict

From my calcs, it shouldn't be. A 17x9 +42 with a 245/40/17 Dunlop Z1 fits snugly up front (only a few mm between the perch and the tire), but you'll have issues dialing in any sort of camber.

Thankfully, in STX, your options are open - you can take camber *out* with the lower bolts and then use camber plates up top. A bit more expensive, but certainly less expensive than coilovers.

This... or the little fact you aren't tied to a particular offset requirement in ST... Just go with a small spacer and longer studs. Fixed.

[Kido1986]

Originally Posted by Sccabrz192

This... or the little fact you aren't tied to a particular offset requirement in ST... Just go with a small spacer and longer studs. Fixed.

I may have to go with that. May have to just poke a bit.

[forwallblakmail]

Originally Posted by apexaddict

- Cost-effectiveness
I've been down the "money build" road a couple of times before, and I don't want to do that here. I've owned no less than two STU Evos that have had Moton or AST shocks, one-of-one sets of ultra-light 17x9 SSRs, or fancy custom sway bars made for them. I'm all for shiny cool things, but I've done that already and I personally think it was a colossal waste of money. I think there's a lot more value in a handful of well-selected, bang-for-the-buck parts than just throwing money at the car for every little detail and hoping it

^Exactly why I got rid of my STi.
I look forward to seeing your car at NORA this spring, I'll have to jump in for a ride. Do you plan on going to the Toledo Pro again and Wilmington national tour?

[apexaddict]

Well, as of yesterday, the car is now officially an STX car. I headed to Sam's shop in Brookville, PA on Friday afternoon, and we worked into the night to get the initial setup done to the car.



We learned a lot about the car in a few hours, with the most important of those things being the likely solution to the uneven rear camber issue. Lots of people have been reporting their rear camber settings to be pretty different from side to side - in some cases, up to a full degree difference. However, when we went to put in the Whiteline rear subframe inserts, we noticed that the rear mounts in the subframe actually have an oblong hole through their bushings. This would mean that you could jimmy the subframe around, and it's own alignment could affect the alignment at the wheels. So we did what we could to ensure the subframe was bolted down as evenly as possible, and when we put the car on the alignment rack the next day, the rear camber was damn near spot on; -2.59 on one side, -2.60 on the other.

I would recommend to anyone having rear camber symmetry issues to install the Whiteline collars - if you're going to mess around with the subframe, you may as well put them in. They are very inexpensive, the install is easy, and they should make it easier to correctly locate the subframe's positioning.

http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...252&ModelID=37





The next day, we put the car on the rack and started playing with ride height and alignment. Another interesting note about the rear suspension is that it is VERY sensitive to ride height. Sam's personal FR-S has about -2.2 camber in the rear - my car is less than 10mm lower and measured at -2.6. With that kind of camber change, I think a big key to getting the handling of these cars right will be in the rear spring rate. We'll see.



The alignment was pretty much dictated by the non-adjustable rear camber, so we ended up going with a bit more camber up front than I wanted (-3.0) to free the car up. That was the absolute max we could run on the KWs with the Whiteline hats, and the absolute max I was willing to run on a daily driver.

So far the car is a lot more fun and a lot more responsive, we will see how it does at a test-and-tune in Columbus on 3/30. Hopefully before then I will also have a couple more things, like a tune and possibly an exhaust.

[Simmons]

Looks good,
you can get more front camber if you use the subaru camber bolts also. (-4) Not that you want to run that on the street.

The rear suspension changes a lot with ride height, and during lift throttle.

The front toe doesn't change much at all with ride height or camber.

Simmons

[GTB/ZR-1]

Car looks great! Thx for the tip on the rear camber issue. I'll need to get these from Sam ASAP.

[GTB/ZR-1]

Originally Posted by GTB/ZR-1

Car looks great! Thx for the tip on the rear camber issue. I'll need to get these from Sam ASAP.

Thanks again, Andrew & Sam--just ordered the bushings abt an hour ago--just in time for Dixie!

[NYC BRZ]

OP are you signed up for the NJ Pro? I thought I saw a Strano Parts FRS on there.

[apexaddict]

Originally Posted by NYC BRZ

OP are you signed up for the NJ Pro? I thought I saw a Strano Parts FRS on there.

That would be me, yes.

[NYC BRZ]

Originally Posted by apexaddict

That would be me, yes.

Cool I'll have to check out the set up when I'm there. Sam's bar is going on this weekend. I'll be at Metlife for the first NNJR event of the year.

[ButtDyno]

Originally Posted by apexaddict

I've been down the "money build" road a couple of times before, and I don't want to do that here. I've owned no less than two STU Evos that have had Moton or AST shocks, one-of-one sets of ultra-light 17x9 SSRs, or fancy custom sway bars made for them. I'm all for shiny cool things, but I've done that already and I personally think it was a colossal waste of money.

Hey, I resemble that remark

Subscribed, definitely want to see how this goes. It's a really good mission statement, something everyone building something like this should take a look at.

[Sam Strano]

First day for Andrew's car, and he let me come play too. Great battle, he got me by .134. Couple of National Champions having at it, lots of fun (even though I lost). , er..I mean

I'm sure he, and I, will have more to add soon.

[heeltoe86]

Haha...I was thinking the rear subframe moved on me after having gone off track at well over 90mph twice. I have uneven -3.6rr and -2.6lr. Will be ordering those whiteline collars and make the adjustments needed.

[SVThis]

Question on the rear subframe. I'm having my car aligned this week. If running stock suspension can you still adjust the sub frame orientation without the Whiteline bushings if there is a camber discrepancy left to right? If you can what would be the procedure to do this? Thanks.