NA first drive days for BRZ? This week?

[bcj]

They added speaker, wiring and control module weight then add extra engineering expenses.

To make the car sound zoomy inside? Take off eh?

[Yoshoobaroo]

I wonder if you can wire a pot on the ground wire of the speaker and use it as a volume knob.

[AnalogMan]

Is there a separate, dedicated speaker for the ‘engine sound’? I would assume it’s just piped in through the regular audio speakers, as I think it is on BMW’s.

A separate speaker would take only seconds to unplug. But piped into the audio system would take hacking (unless Subaru already enables turning it off).

[trippinbillies40]

Originally Posted by AnalogMan

Is there a separate, dedicated speaker for the ‘engine sound’? I would assume it’s just piped in through the regular audio speakers, as I think it is on BMW’s.

A separate speaker would take only seconds to unplug. But piped into the audio system would take hacking (unless Subaru already enables turning it off).

It is but it's behind the dash, so just really depends on how easy the wire is to get to.

[Frost]

Originally Posted by trippinbillies40

I think you're making a lot of assumptions based on people that don't drive well. I've seen plenty of people drive loose cars into massive understeer. Also, you seem to contradict yourself. You say the GR86 is better for competition because of the oversteer, but then say you need to get an alignment to dial out some of the oversteer?

Well, there was more than one reviewer who outright said they weren't into the "dark arts of oversteer" and the roster of the journalists they brought seem to be far more tame in terms of describing the event.

You definitely can drive a loose car into understeer: just crank the steering suddenly and too much. No arguments there.

What my point is that Subaru seems to have gone the original BRZ vs FRS route and made the BRZ much less livelier with OEM equipment that I would otherwise have to change out.

Regardless of whether I buy a BRZ or GR86, I would do an alignment to maximize cornering speeds but if the BRZ limits my entry to understeer, I'll pick the GR86 for oversteer on entry and correct with contact patch management. If I buy a BRZ with that set up, I have to change the parts it came with (front and rear sway bar) which I get penalized for in Ontario Time Attack (as a modification).

GR86? Just the basic alignment which the BRZ would have gotten anyways.

Hope that clarifies that point.

[bcj]

Originally Posted by AnalogMan

Is there a separate, dedicated speaker for the ‘engine sound’?

Yes. They seemed abnormally proud of it for some reason or other.

[SockMonkey]

Originally Posted by Blighty

Remember, lotus, who are completely anal about weight reduction, have kept a heavy iron wheel knuckle across the elise, exige, evora... They believe in it, even though thing like the last evora is fully aluminium and composite materials - except the wheel knuck.

So I think there is something to consider about selecting older tech for specific reasons.

I've seen this brought up before but never justified beyond "But lotus does it". I'm not saying there isn't a benefit, but I can't think of one. What possible benefit does added, unnecessary un-sprung weight possibly have? People go to great lengths such as lighter rotors, calipers, and forged wheels to lower the un-sprung weight. So that can't possibly be the answer. And aluminum knuckles aren't known to fail. The only logical explanation is they wanted to save some $. I'm not saying that is wrong or bad, but they shouldn't pass it off like that wasn't the intention all along.

Unless I'm wrong and someone can give me a different explanation..

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by SockMonkey

I've seen this brought up before but never justified beyond "But lotus does it". I'm not saying there isn't a benefit, but I can't think of one. What possible benefit does added, unnecessary un-sprung weight possibly have? People go to great lengths such as lighter rotors, calipers, and forged wheels to lower the un-sprung weight. So that can't possibly be the answer. And aluminum knuckles aren't known to fail. The only logical explanation is they wanted to save some $. I'm not saying that is wrong or bad, but they shouldn't pass it off like that wasn't the intention all along.

Unless I'm wrong and someone can give me a different explanation..

Probably that iron is a harder metal than aluminum. Theoretically, less deformation at the knuckle would equate to better steering feel and less loss of camber when cornering. That said, I’m also curious to hear more (and see empirical data if available) to see how much of a difference it really makes because a reduction in unsprung mass by switching to aluminum is really tempting.

[Yoshoobaroo]

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

Probably that iron is a harder metal than aluminum. Theoretically, less deformation at the knuckle would equate to better steering feel and less loss of camber when cornering. That said, I’m also curious to hear more (and see empirical data if available) to see how much of a difference it really makes because a reduction in unsprung mass by switching to aluminum is really tempting.

I’d buy that if every single one of the links are connected by spherical bearings and there’s not a single bushing between the knuckles and the steering wheel. The stiffness of any metal knuckle is orders of magnitude higher than the bushings used in the suspension.

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by Yoshoobaroo

I’d buy that if every single one of the links are connected by spherical bearings and there’s not a single bushing between the knuckles and the steering wheel. The stiffness of any metal knuckle is orders of magnitude higher than the bushings used in the suspension.

Yeah that’s a good point.

[SockMonkey]

Originally Posted by Yoshoobaroo

I’d buy that if every single one of the links are connected by spherical bearings and there’s not a single bushing between the knuckles and the steering wheel. The stiffness of any metal knuckle is orders of magnitude higher than the bushings used in the suspension.

Exactly.. And if the knuckle was deforming enough to change steering feel, it's deforming enough to fatigue and would fail.

[timurrrr]

Originally Posted by Frost

Regardless of whether I buy a BRZ or GR86, I would do an alignment to maximize cornering speeds but if the BRZ limits my entry to understeer, I'll pick the GR86 for oversteer on entry and correct with contact patch management. If I buy a BRZ with that set up, I have to change the parts it came with (front and rear sway bar) which I get penalized for in Ontario Time Attack (as a modification).

GR86? Just the basic alignment which the BRZ would have gotten anyways.

Is swapping sway bars between same-platform cars allowed in OTA?

Are front camber bolts allowed?
My intuition is that BRZ will be pretty neutral with some front camber, whereas the GR 86 will become too tail happy.

By "alignment to reduce oversteer", I presume you primarily mean toe?

[Stonehorsw]

Originally Posted by SockMonkey

Exactly.. And if the knuckle was deforming enough to change steering feel, it's deforming enough to fatigue and would fail.

Not a correct assumption.

[SockMonkey]

Originally Posted by Stonehorsw

Not a correct assumption.

Are we talking in an actual race car or a cheap econobox someone might throw around an autox course with coil overs? Cuz I'm pretty sure in the later, it's a correct assumption, specially considering what Yoshoobaroo pointed out.