Projects at hand - Page 2

n00b on demand · #16 07-29-2005, 02:02 PM

your car is going to feel completley different !!

TomsSVX · #17 07-30-2005, 01:14 AM

I can only promise myself one thing with this purchase, my bank account is gonna feel completely different!!!!

Tom($ spending member)

TomsSVX · #18 07-30-2005, 12:30 PM

Hey guys. A little question for all of you who have done the swap. it is gonna cost me another $310 to buy new mounts. SHould I just reuse the old ones? I don't see why not

Tom

Subafreak · #19 07-30-2005, 03:28 PM

Well I got all new ones when I did mine, acctually I had a clunk in the front so I changed those when I put in new stock struts and then 20K miles later I got new rear mounts when I changed over to the Konis. So I would say if you have no clunks in the front I would say you are safe to use the mounts you have. The rear mounts are gonna be used in a wrong manner to hold up the springs. It will push the rubber of the mount all the way up so it might me a good idea to get new ones. I would try to get new rear ones now becouse they are harder to get to after, and don't forget to put a washer to space the rear strut shank. Then if you have any problems with the front mounts it's really easy to change them after.

TomsSVX · #20 08-04-2005, 02:23 PM

Ok, Just an update. I am waiting on My GC to arrive to finish the suspension. I have the RX7 wheels mounted and balanced waiting to go onto the car. I also scheduled an apointment to get the alignment done on tues when I have the project finished.

In my journies I think i have found a way to get the rear mount a little stiffer, so keep your fingers crossed I will let everyone know how it utrns out when I am done

Tom

AvPPoW · #21 08-04-2005, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomssvx

In my journies I think i have found a way to get the rear mount a little stiffer, so keep your fingers crossed I will let everyone know how it utrns out when I am done

Tom

Does this have to do with the impreza mount I was telling you about? Fix your crossmember first!

TomsSVX · #22 08-04-2005, 08:28 PM

no, it has nothing to do with that. I have an Ace up my sleeve on this one

Tom

TomsSVX · #23 08-05-2005, 01:29 PM

Ok, I got the new strut yesterday and got it bolted into the prepped housing. All I need now is the GC coilovers to make my baby drive again. I can't wait to see how my car rides after all of this work. I hope to god it pays off

Tom

SVXRide · #24 08-05-2005, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomssvx

no, it has nothing to do with that. I have an Ace up my sleeve on this one

Tom

Tom,
Talk to the "other Tom" -- I think we've already implemented a good "fix" in this area on my car. Good luck with the GC/Koni set up!!
-Bill
p.s. did you weigh the RX-7 rims before you mounted your tires on them?

TomsSVX · #25 08-05-2005, 01:38 PM

no, sorry. I do believe they are 16lbs a peice though

Tom

SVXRide · #26 08-05-2005, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomssvx

no, sorry. I do believe they are 16lbs a peice though

Tom

Tom,
Yeah, I think that's what my "race" set runs. I just got another set to use on the street and I now believe that Mazda had two production runs with the first one being a lighter version that they beefed up in the second run. Why do I think this? Well, the set I just got weigh in at only 12# a rim!

(making them definitely "street only" as far as I'm concerned...)
-Bill (who will now be very aware of any potholes in the road....)

newsvx · #27 08-05-2005, 02:44 PM

Tom,
Sorry I am just catching up and reading your thread on what you are doing. A lot of work, my man, but it will be worth it, I think.

Regarding the "soft rearend". Something I did some time back - WITH A CAUTION. You know the subframe that holds the front and rear suspensions? Those isolation rubber washers / gromlets compress with age and loosen up, and tightening the mounting bolts do wonders for the feel of the car. HOWEVER, there is a "shoulder" on the bolts that will allow the bolt to be tightened only so much. Over-tightening the bolt, one in the rear was rung off (it had no more threads and bottomed out. And with an air gun, it didn't take a great deal to ring it off. What a PAIN to replace that bolt. The broken one had to be drilled out and another nut put in place for another bolt to attach to and secure the rear end.

But pulling up on those subframe bolts do really make a difference. However, if I had known they had shoulders on them, I would have replaced them first. Now you may be talking about the mounting for the differential only and not the subframe, but I thought I would mention it to you.

Enjoyed you keeping us up on your progress.

Harry

TomsSVX · #28 08-05-2005, 09:34 PM

It is the subfram mounts I am not impressed with. I might as well spill the beans. I am looking to get a set of bushings relatively the right size. Since these have a should in them, over tightening them is useless. I want to find 4 bushings(1 on top and one on the bottom on both sides) that will fit over the shoulder yet are wide enough to hold the outer edges of the subframe. These bushings should keep the subframe from rocking like it does now. I could go by new bushings for it and hope they are not soft but that wouldn't be a "modification" now would it?

The overall mission I am trying to accomplish is to stop that subframe from moving as much as it does. This will makes for a less pleasant ride but it will be much firmer and will stop taking power from my launches and shifts. Not to mention the car shouldn't buck anymore while driving slowly. I still need to get to the parts store with some dimensions and see what I can turn up. I wouldn't mind just having a block of poly and cutting them myself. I will see what I can do. I will also do a writup for anyone else that is interested if this project works out for me.

Tom

newsvx · #29 08-06-2005, 06:25 AM

Tom,
Let me know what you end up doing. Sounds interesting. Just tightening the bolts made a big difference for me, and I have also thought about making it SOLID. Now THAT'S the ticket!! But like you said, it would be a pretty rough ride with it that way. The poly bushings (even self-made) sound the way to go. Good luck on it!!

Harry

TomsSVX · #30 08-06-2005, 11:33 AM

Well the "other Tom" beat me to a simple solution. But mine is a bit more complex and will only cost about $5. I called NAPA today to see if they had anything for me with the dimensions I gave them. They told me they didn't have anything like that. So I asked if they knew where I could get some poly. The guy suggested I use a hockey puck and cut it to my size. My buddy is gonna pick 2 up for me on his way over to the Island today so I will let everyone know how it goes hopefully tomorrow. I will be cutting 4 disks each 3" wide and 1/4" think. I will also be drilling the appropriate size holes in them. Wish me luck.... you tend to get bored waiting for parts so you work on other stuff.

Tom