We're taking his "Low Roll" strategy to the next level. :)

Crap... and I've already got the 250# springs in stock too... :D



I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a touch concerned about this bar pulling the bolts out of the frame up front. The frame is only .120 thick with m10 bolts threaded into one layer of it. The Ridetech mounts use the two factory sway bar mount holes and you then drill and tap a third hole a bit further up for the part that goes over the bar. When I put the first Ridetech bar in, I popped the threads out of one hole in the frame on the passenger side when tightened the bolts up. I was lucky as I could get a nut on the back side and used that to secure the mount. The ones on the driver side are completely boxed in, no way to get a nut on the backside of the frame there. Only fix is to weld a new nut into the frame.

If the same thing happened during the install of this new bar, or worse yet...during the event...I'd be screwed. It's not something I can't fix, but it's not something I want to be thrashing to fix so soon before or worse during the event.

Quit making excuses, trust the man and get to work! :underchair:

Just from analyzing photos of the car I completely agree with the rear spring rate increase.

That bar looks like it could control the USS Missouri in rough seas. :D

Can you make a hole saw cut forward and away from the stress zone on the frame horn that would allow you to feed a thick washer and nut to the mount bolt location with piece if bendable wire? Hot melt glue the washer to the wire to position it, same with the nut. :headscratch:

I don't think cutting a hole in the frame is the answer, I believe if it did occur, the best response is to drill out the hole in the frame and weld a nut into place in the hole. This would give much more meat for the bolt to grab onto from then on...as long as the welder didn't blow out the frame in the area during the process. :underchair:

I just don't have the free time to take care of an incidental such as this should it occur before June 5th. As much as I would like to have it on, I don't think it's the right move for me.

Too many other things occupying my limited free time between now and then.

But please...continue badgering me into it...it shows me that you all care and only want my car to be as fast as it can be!! lol...

I think I have sway bar envy. :confused59:

I think this is what...Stage 4 of the Ron Sutton Race Technology secret sauce improvements...

:gitrdun: :thankyou: :cheers: :excited: :hapdance: :dance:

I'm certain it'll be every bit as successful as Stages 1-3 have been.

I love big sway bars. I had one on the front of my 4th gen and it did wonders in the curves. I most likely will be changing the front and maybe rear bars in the TA. I think stock WS6 leaves room for improvement. I need to make sure my springs are good first though.

Glad to know the car is working well for you, Lance!

So with a big track day coming up, I took this weekend to tidy up some loose ends. First job was to replace the rear hard brake lines on the axle. My old ones had had the exhaust dropped on them a few too many times.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Q...0524151723.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D...524151723a.jpg

Think this will make a difference in brake performance?

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-M...0524151754.jpg

I then flushed the old DOT3 out and replaced it with fresh Motul 600 and bled the brakes (with the wife's help).

Today I tidied up the trunk area a bit and then snugged the body bolts back up. 5-6 of them were a 1/2-3/4s turn loose.

As i was putting the rear tires back on I looked at the lug nuts and said to myself "Self, you really should replace those, they are looking kind of ragged" and then I promptly pulled the threads out of when when snugging it down.

Lugnuts are a wear item and after 250 or so torques tight (some of take our wheels off A LOT), they probably should be replaced.

Anyway, feel a lot better about the car being ready for the USCA at NCM. Now it just needs a good cleaning and some TLC in some details areas for some extry points in the D&E portion.

Oh...and I did NOT put the new sway bar in... Much as I would like to, I just can't chance an issue with it before the trip. We have a party at our house this Saturday and a local race on Sunday...then just a few days before we leave for Kentucky. No extra time to deal with issues or incidentals...

So the trip to USCA at NCM went pretty well I guess...car did good, driver did okay...there are a couple of videos and pics on my event report thread.

On the cool down lap of the third session of the road course, I heard a slight grinding noise speed related. I put the car on the trailer at that point and decided to diagnose when I got home. Upon inspection today, I found this.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LV...=w1378-h775-no

Driver side front inside wheel bearing was just starting to eat itself. The grease in that bearing was cooked.

Here is the pass side next to it, pass side was still tight and rotated smoothly.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/M9...=w1378-h775-no

Super glad I stopped when I did, it would have surely completely failed in just a couple more laps at speed.

Since I had it all apart anyway, I pulled out the brake pads to inspect. These are EBC YellowStuffR pads that are about a year and a half old with maybe 200 autocross runs on them and 1 and a half track days.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Td...=w1378-h775-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/JG...=w1378-h775-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4g...=w1378-h775-no

There is still plenty of pad left, but they are glazed over and actually starting to come apart around the edges. The rear pads look similar.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/q3...=w1378-h775-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uO...=w1378-h775-no

As I was checking the rotor temps during my post session stat taking, I noticed the rear rotors were about 100 degrees hotter than my fronts. I'm assuming this is because they are hidden behind dust shields and the front rotors aren't. Check out how hot the rear pads got...

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/qE...=w1378-h775-no

It actually starting boiling the coating off of the back side of the pad.

Thankfully these are all pretty easy repairs and fall under the "wear and tear" category. New bearings, seals and pads will go back on soon.

The other issue will take a bit more thought...and money...to fix.



Driver side is better which makes me think the diff itself is starting to come apart. This is a 9" with a 31 spline tracloc diff that was refreshed with new bearings and seals about this time last year. I've been driving through the posi coming out of both left and right autocross turns, lifting and spinning the inside rear tire. Time to seriously consider some sort of upgrade here.