Shoot me a pm as you gather more info. Very interested.

 

I am running the stock swaybars in the front and back currently. I have drilled extra holes in the front and have some awr links, but haven't used either. The front does have whiteline bushings.

 

Doing the GB now.

 

I've signed up for the group buy and have the Koni's but I'm very open to the idea of Bilstein HD's with a revalve and adjustable perches. I don't need them to be adjustable but that would be nice. Some spherical upper mounts would be nice too.

 

Team, I figured that since the HD's come with a helical perch that sits on a circlip, I could have those perches turned to fit over the bilstein coilover kit (B4BOA0000117) and sit on the threaded perch instead of the circlip.

I am prepared for the NVH but as far as the maintenance on the spherical bearings, what should be done to keep them in working order the longest? Should I be prepared to call aurora every 3-6 months for bearing replacements?

 

More results on the Progress Track Springs from yesterday:

http://www.iowaregionscca.org/result...ltown_pax.html

Note that my best time yesterday was more than 2 tenths better than my last event at this same track, this is the go-kart track I have referred to before. We had rain in the morning, and the track wasn't really "right" until my last couple of runs. My time yesterday, was the fifth best pax time this year with the guys and cars being ahead of me all being National-level competitors and one national champion.

So, with just the Progress springs and my wheels and tires, the car seems very good. I can't imagine what could be done with another 25 horsepower and a few more tweaks (probably a front bar). Getting the koni's revalved might help too.

There are problems with using a go-kart track, obviously, but it allows for better comparisons than results on various tracks in that it removes one of many possible variables.

Just an FYI. As I write this, I forgot to do the measurements Chike wanted, and I will do those. Otherwise, I am packing the RX8 up for the winter.

Brent

 

BTW, my goal was a low-buck STX conversion from BS. So, this year I spent:

$450 Brand new 17x9 5zigen wheels (ebay includes shipping)
$350 Dunlop star specs shaved with 20+ runs 255/40/17
$300 Progress track springs.

$1100 Total spent. Tires will have many runs left next year. The wheels and springs hold their value to some degree. This is pretty cheap racing for a regional-level guy like myself. Bonus is that the car is so much more fun now on the street.

Brent

 

Brent,

That's some serious bang-for-your-buck right there, and if someone doesn't have konis, used sets typically sell for $250-$300 on this forum.

Any more action pics?

 

This picture is pre-springs:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3025516...n/photostream/



This is post-springs:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3025516...n/photostream/


Not a perfect comparison, but there is a noticeable difference in body lean.

There are more pictures of it on flickr.

 

Yeah, lots of body lean...

You might want to use less body-english in the corners. Hold your head in place relative to the car. Your pitch, yaw, and roll sensors are in your head and moving it around make it harder for your brain to compute.

 

Really, because I totally meant to be leaning in that direction. What great advice. No wonder I have been so slow.

I will now be national champion because of your advice.

Woo hoo.

Bleh...

 

Finally measured these:

LF/RF: 13.5"
LR/RR: 13.25"

Brent

 

I am very close to pulling the trigger on this group buy! Thanks for designing springs for handling! I also can't go too low because my car will be used in the snow.

Question: I have only had this stock RX-8 a month and no time on the track, but I have found it very easy to get the back end sliding. I don't want it to be more tail happy at high speeds - my home track (Brainerd International Raceway)has two corners that are 120mph and 115mph respectively. i need stability in high speed corners. The other track I will be going to is Road America, another high speed track.

I don't want the car to be a handful in the winter. i will run snows but ... tighter suspension on slippery surfaces don't nec line up...

Thanks for any feedback.

 

You should be able to make the car handle how you want with an alignment. Mine was a lot less tail happy after.

 

Camber changes are what helped me most on my '97 M3. I had -3.2 front and -1.5 rear. With that it was not as neutral as the RX-8. This car has a dealer alignment of 0 (zero!) front and -1 rear. Still gets loose! Yes, I can feel it understeer going into corners, but it takes noting to get the back end to come around.

Before tracking it, I plan to put stiffer springs on it and change the front camber to -2 or better. I am assuming for my first event I will match the front and rear camber. But the math in my head does not yet compute given my experience in the M3.

 

I'm on the list!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!11
Come on guys, get in on the group buy....