RAAMaudio ST, street, track, dog hauler, grocery getter, ultra low weight audio.....

[RAAMaudio]

I never got around to deciding what camera to get or getting one, it is on the list, wish I had one out there!

 

[wspec]

Can you notice an uncomfortable level of harshness from the PowerFlex urethane bushings? I am thinking of replacing them all but I still need/want it to be a nice daily.

 

[RAAMaudio]

If anything it rides better but I only drove the car a few miles before I started all the work on it.

What I like is they do not bind like glued in rubber bushings, they all rotate freely so your suspension will be more linear.

I ordered the race spec ones but they made a mistake and sent the street ones but I decided to install them and they are great.

The stock business are very solid on this car, part of why it handles great stock, but these are better I am sure and I have done this on Toyota, Scion, Subaru, Corvette, BMW, etc....always happy with the results, sometimes different brands though.

The rear front control arm bushing, the vertical one, I think is only in race version if I recall, it has a hard monoball in a sleeve, I think it might be the most important one. With it you can add or take out more castor, I decided to add more, it only goes two ways.

Make sure they have the updated metal inserts for the rear axle bushings, when I got mine the whole was to big in them and they had to make a new set and air mail them from the UK.

When I first got the bushings it was the first time I took a serious look at the stock ones and realized they were so solid and thought I may not of needed to do this but the way my car handles and rides far better than stock with these and the race spec coilovers I am glad I did it

I did a complete set, 18 bushings, on a C6 vette and the improvement was huge over stock bushings, I am sure part of why my car is so great is because of these powerflex ones now in it but I just do not have experience with a stock car to say absolutey.

 

[wspec]

Thanks, thats what I needed to know. Not so much the difference between stock, but really if its bad with them installed.

I am kind of going to be in the same boat I will be installing a lot of stuff at the same time (although I have put 7k miles on mine already) but all at once it will be getting wheels, tires, bc coilovers, sway bars, upper strut brace, 6 point lower brace and bushings (plus power hardware). So I really won't have a good clue which individual thing did what to the car.

 

[razorlab]

Yea I think the larger offset castor one is the one to get if you are only thinking of doing one set.

I'm going to purchase an extra set of control arms to do this at my leisure. They OEM arms are only $41/each with the balljoints and OEM bushings.

RAAM, so the other bushings I see aren't specified as ST on the powerflex site, only mk7 Fiesta. I'm assuming they fit fine?

 

[RAAMaudio]

I ordered them via Modbargains site where they show them listed as ST fitment.

Everything fit well once I had the right sleeves for the rear, the first set were to large in internal diameter so PF made a set and air mailed them from the UK.

The front bushings were pretty easy to install compared to some cars I have had to basically melt bushings out of....

The rear is the hardest and a bit hard to handle, I ended up tying it to my tall transmission jack and making some extra parts for my press, just awkward more than anything.

Great price on the control arms!

I probably should buy a set to carry as spares in case I bend one, or two.

I decided to run the stock front bar for now with the Steeda adjustable links, I was going to make my own links but not worth the bother at their price.

I do have the PF race front sway bar bushings to make it a bit more effective and more linear.

I have a custom 5-wya rear bar I have not tested yet.

 

[razorlab]

You are just talking about the front a-arm bushings right? The front and rear, rear being the offset castor bushings.

Did you do the rear beam (rear of the car) connection bushings too?

 

[RAAMaudio]

The front A arm bushings were not to hard to do, front horizontal and rear castor ones.

It was the rear twist beam axle that were a bit hard to do because of the size of the axle, handling it and getting the old ones out and new ones it a bit tough but glad I did it.

Another nice thing is you do not have to weight the car to tighten the bolts like with stock bushings

 

[RAAMaudio]

I wanted more rear camber and different than stock toe so I spend a huge amount of effort to change it by cutting and welding the axle flanges.

I also needed the camber to run 15x9 wheels and 225 DOT race tires in the rear with just rolled fenders.

I also flipped the knuckles forward so the calipers are in front, a bit higher than preferred, helps a little on unsprung weight but not much, it was to make it easier to make the parking brake cables fit the 4 piston WW calipers with PB ears, I have to make some parts to get this to work still.

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After all that effort, took four times to get the alignment right due to a faulty camber gauge and how I was placing the axle in position, it seems to flex differently left to right side.

I found out from a rally team the none ST rear axle has the camber I wanted and bolts right on.

I am not sure about toe and most likely would have to run a sway bar as it is not as stiff.....but I already have the custom DIY modded 5-way rear bar....

Just in case anybody wants more rear camber, which I wanted due to prior experience in a beam axle car, and, or, wants to run wider rear tires.

 

[razorlab]

So in your experience, do you need to take the rear beam completely off the car to upgrade the those two bushings?

 

[RAAMaudio]

Good question.

I have a big C clamp ball joint press with many fittings that I have used to press out and in many suspension bushings, on a car, off a car, etc...I did not try using it for this job but it might work out, take out the springs, hook the shocks back up, pop off a some cable, hose, etc mounts...pull the bolts for the bushings and lower it then use a big clamp or other tool....it might work. Might even be easier in some ways if working from jack stands than on a lift.

I have a tall hydralic(spelling?) transmission jack and a lift, it was not hard to drop it that way but I did take off the brakes, etc.....so I just pulled the whole axle off.

All that considered, if you have the tools do it on the car, it should be easier.

 

[RAAMaudio]

Ordered a Mishimoto radiator today, http://www.mishimoto.com/mishimoto-toyota-celica-aluminum-radiator-94-99.html

Got it on Amazon Prime for just $259 shipped, best fitting one I could find so it will not be that tough to install but the filler neck might be in the way of the air box inlet but mine is sealed off anyway. Others could have the neck cut off and welded shut if needed, I will take pics to show how it goes.

I may of been fine with the cooling mods but this was part of the plan, to buy a direct bolt in but none were available though I saw today Joe's can be ordered but in a few hours work I can save a lot and DIY.

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Panda is tuning the car right now as well, I have to make another logged run in the AM on what Matt just sent me

I was DIY on the tuning a bit an making great power but other things looked like they need attention and I am just not going to spend the time to learn this stuff as it is very involved, time for the pro tune.

Once the 91 tune is done then will work on an E30 tune unless he recommends otherwise.

I was going to get a higher octane booster tune as I have to go 100 miles for E85 to mix to E30 but leaving here before long and found I can get E85 easily where our new home base will be and just carry some with us if we go to areas without any. It is far less costly than the octane boosted method!

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[razorlab]

For sure let me know how that Mishi radiator goes

 

[RAAMaudio]

Will do

It seems most of the height over stock is the filler neck, the hoses fittings are a bit bigger but the stock and aftermarket hoses might go on with some lube and a bit of work, most likely will.

Lots of mounts for a shroud or fan mounting, bottom gussets that might if lucky line up and the rest is just bending some aluminum and drilling holes to mount to the car, condenser, etc....

The main issue with most radiators was width as the AC lines are on one side but over about an inch and on the other side the core support is close so this one is going to be easy in that regard.

 

[Sourskittle]

Def have to make a "how to" at least post a lot of pics Rick

 

[RAAMaudio]

I will post up some pics of any harder issues, etc and a bit more of course

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[RAAMaudio]

Just arrived

-Arc Audio 12 subwoofer
-Arc Audio Black Line tweeters
-Qt, Torco Accelerator, real octane booster

On the way, due on Friday

-DAYTON AUDIO ES180TI-8 7" ESOTERIC SERIES WOOFER 8 OHM, 2.8lbs each, these are going to be incredible!
-Mishimoto Radiator

I was going to use one of the Arc 10 subs I have here but the 12 is only a few lbs added weight and more fun. My enclosure uses some of the stock tire well walls and the rest will be baltic birch plywood so the sub and enclosure will only weight around 18lbs.

The amp is under 5lbs 10 oz, for 5 channels of really good power, processor is 1lb 12 oz, cables are really short, battery right next to it all. Midabasses are very light, high output very high end sound, tweeters are practically nothing, I love to build ultra low weight audiophile systems and it will be modular for quick pulling for track duty.

My entire system, not counting stock HU, will be around 32lbs plus wiring which will be just a few lbs and sound deadening, another 10-12 lbs as very carefully done. Then take out all the stock speakers so there is a bit more savings, total installed weight under 40 lbs with around 26 lbs easy to pop out for the track. I might end up leaving it in as ballast though, working on my class setup for TT events and might need a bit of weight, great place for it!

 

[RAAMaudio]

Working on the 91 Octane tune today, loaded 5 tunes, getting better but right now have to fix a throttle closing issue at higher RPM. It was fine at a little less boost, it will be sorted out.

 

[RAAMaudio]

More tuning runs today, the car is really getting quick now, once we finalize the 91 then onto Torco at 102 octane or E30 but most likely Torco due to logistics issues of obtaining E85 to make E30.

I will post the rear results when done

The engine seemed to like 21 degree weather for some reason

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Dayton Esoteric mids came in, far nicer than the pics on the sight, these are going to be incredibly good

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More plugs on order so I can #1 indexed right as it has some timing issues.

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Ordered the top line Mishimoto OCC, I have a modded one from one of my ex vettes but I just want one of the best for my great car.

Mishimoto radiator came in as well, it is for a Celica but the closest I can find.

I will then have their OCC, radiator and IC and that IC is great!

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[RAAMaudio]

Mishimoto OCC arrived, what a superbly made product that you can just look at and see how great the design is

I also have HID projectors on they way for a DIY install, I think they are going to be to big but the supplier seems confident I can make them work and bigger is better in many cases. The are Bi-Xenon so high and low beams, I am looking at making the stock high beams into either LED DLR's or driving lights wish some super powered LEDs.

I have to head to AZ to finish remodeling my daughters car but need to do a major timing belt and tune on the V8 4Runner I am taking to her first as well as finish getting the Studevette project ready for the shipper to pick up, I have to do these things before the radiator swap so that may happen when I return in a couple of weeks after I leave here. I either have to drain the radiator and block as it has just water wetter and distilled water and at the most 10 percent antifreeze in it. I heat the garage to 45 or so when not working but a power out on a really cold night could be a disaster if I leave that mix in it.