JCH13 - Turbo Miata Build/Auto-X Prep - UPDATE 4/29/2011 MOAR VIDEO!

[JCH13]

My other issue is my 205s rub on my fenders now with some minor fender rolling. When I swap in my new springs I'll raise the car back up some and hopefully fix that. I'm all over the place on what tires I want to get. I'd like to just get star specs but tirerack is now the only place that sells them and they are more expensive than I would like. Have the old falken 615s now and they are about dead. This weekend's autox should finish them off.

I'll let you know how the RS3s are when I get them around the end of the month. If you want RS3s order them now and you may still be able to get a set out of the next shipment, but I don't know for sure.

 

[PseudoSport]

Almost forgot, I also have a set of 225/45/15 RS3s on 15x7 C1M wheels on the way from TireRack. The RS3 is a heavily recommended Miata race tire (somehow it's street legal too) but is currently out of stock. Should arrive at the end of August.

So you ordered a set of CM1’s with 225/45/15 RS3’s kind of like these:



Lol, just checking.

 

[JCH13]

Haha, yep, but in silver with a slightly lower offset, 30mm vs 40mm IIRC.

 

[thedarkwolf]

I'll let you know how the RS3s are when I get them around the end of the month. If you want RS3s order them now and you may still be able to get a set out of the next shipment, but I don't know for sure.

I'm leaning towards them again after looking around last night lol. Thinking either the rs3s or kumho ecsta xs. The tirerack warehouse near me is suppose to have some rs3s in stock tomorrow so I may order them then. Rightnow the only one that has them in stock is on the other side of the country and they want $100 to ship from there.

Well I ordered a set of the RS3s while they were in stock at the nearby warehouse. Was afraid they would run out if I kept putting it off.

 

[JCH13]

I'm leaning towards them again after looking around last night lol. Thinking either the rs3s or kumho ecsta xs. The tirerack warehouse near me is suppose to have some rs3s in stock tomorrow so I may order them then. Rightnow the only one that has them in stock is on the other side of the country and they want $100 to ship from there.

Well I ordered a set of the RS3s while they were in stock at the nearby warehouse. Was afraid they would run out if I kept putting it off.

Sweet! Mine shipped on the 18th, well ahead of the 8/31 estimate. Looks like I'll have RS3s on C1Ms and RA1s on Konig Heliums to choose from for the autox!

 

[JCH13]

Tonight's update comes in three parts. The first one is pretty simple, I installed a strut bar. It really does a good job of tying the front end together, it feels much more solid and sure-footed over hard bumps now.

Woo!

 

[JCH13]

The second part is the application of a fastener type that I've never used before: riv-nuts. The bottoms of both front fenders don't have any studs left to hold them on, so they had been attached with sheet metal screws that liked to pop out occasionally and rattled like hell. So a riv-nut a blind nut that you can pop-rivet into sheet metal. I bought a kit from Amazon, it's pretty snazzy.

Like pop-rivet you poke a hole in the sheet metal, uni-bits/step drills work great.

You thread the riv-nut onto the installation tool and then pull it, like a pop rivet. Don't wait for a pop though... that would be bad news.

The end result looks something like this. I found I was able to put quite a bit of torque on the riv-nut using a screw-driver and it held fine. Way fewer shakes and rattles from the front fenders now that a real bolt is securing them.

 

[JCH13]

The third update is the Miata got new shoes! TRM C1Ms with Hankook Ventus RS3 tires.

225 RS3 compared to 195 S.Drive

You know a tire is serious business when it picks up gravel when you roll it along the ground.

TireRack even included a set of new lug nuts and lug nut socket.

Always apply anti-seize before installing alloy wheels IMHO.

Rear fitment:

Front fitment:

Traction, even as they break in, wildly exceeds the S.Drive's. I should do pretty okay in the upcoming auto-x

 

[punjabiplaya]

what's the treadwear rating on those? I was eyeballing a set

edit: 140 nm, just the reg v12 evo k110s maybe then

 

[thedarkwolf]

My RS3s showed up today too. They look pretty bad ass sitting in my living room. Nice to see they aren't bulgy like I was worried about on 7" rims. Probably wont' have mine installed till next week since I also need to swap my springs out this weekend. The 140 treadwear rating scares me a bit too so I'm going to try to swap my stock rims and all season tires on a bit more often.

 

[JCH13]

Got an alignment today. Everything was all over the map before, but the mechanic did a great custom alignment for $80. He told me what I already knew: suspension bushings need replacing. Now I have no excuses! My new alignment is:

Front:
4.1deg caster
-2.5deg camber
1/16in toe out

Rear
-1.5deg camber
1/16in toe in

The car feels much more alive and responsive with this setup, perhaps a little "darty" but that will be nice on the auto-x course, I think.

 

[JCH13]

what's the treadwear rating on those? I was eyeballing a set

edit: 140 nm, just the reg v12 evo k110s maybe then

StarSpecs? They'd be better for a DD performance tire, especially in the rain.

 

[JCH13]

Forgot my camera (fail) but to make a long story short, JLee and I replaced both front brake calipers and brackets on my Miata last night. One had been dragging and the other was about to crap out. Glad to have that all working now.

 

[JCH13]

A set of these is on its way to me! :awe:

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

A set of these is on its way to me! :awe:

What will those do for you?

 

[JCH13]

What will those do for you?

Approximately 30% increase in torsional chassis stiffness, a solid frame rail to put a jack under, protection for the stock frame rails and protection for my exhaust.

Not bad for 13lbs of stainless steel

 

[manimal]

Approximately 30% increase in torsional chassis stiffness, a solid frame rail to put a jack under, protection for the stock frame rails and protection for my exhaust.

Not bad for 13lbs of stainless steel

Wow nice!

Did you get any hop exiting fast corners or does your car now exhibit any flex?

 

[manimal]

Tonight's update comes in three parts. The first one is pretty simple, I installed a strut bar. It really does a good job of tying the front end together, it feels much more solid and sure-footed over hard bumps now.

Woo!

Wow sexy just sexy!!!!!

 

[JCH13]

Wow sexy just sexy!!!!!

Thanks!

 

[JCH13]

I slacked off a bit in last month or so of summer and hardly got anything done on my Miata. Several events including hurricane Irene and about 8in of snow scrapped the last 2 months of the autox season, so there wasn't much to do.

Right now the car is at Bonky's garage, waiting in a lift bay for the lift to get finished so I can work on her over the winter. I'm going to be starting a new thread for that, but the list is as follows right now:

Body-
derusting and repairing front 1/4 panels and their mounting points
derusting underbody and repairing passenger frame rail damage
derusting trunk, repairing battery mounts, repairing drain holes, sealing with bedliner
repairing rust around roll bar mounting locations and on roll bar
derusting rockers near rear wheel well
installing FM framerails

Brakes/Suspension-
remove, derust, repaint, and install new bushings in, all suspension links
weld on custom made sway bar link brackets to replace breaking factory mounts
install NB rear suspension mounts to match front
paint brake calipers
repair/replace broken e-brake linkage on passenger side
replace all brake soft lines with stainless braided lines
inspect and possibly replace brake hard lines
investigate brake booster, possible damage from turbo pressure

Fuel/Engine/Transmission-
replace all fuel hard lines and soft lines (rotting)
replace fuel filter
eliminate extra hard line that is no longer required
check compression, if failing pull and rebuild engine
reseal leaking oil pan
replace valve cover gasket
replace failing water pump
build/buy real exhaust system
flush/change transmission fluid
relocate MS to free up room in center console
mount tuning/DAQ laptop
debug mystery wiring issue with headlights and running lights

I might be missing something... but clearly I'll have my work cut out for me.

 

[MotF Bane]

Wow... you're going to be busy.

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

yeesh, good list. will take a while. but thats the point right

How are you planning to "de-rust"?

 

[JCH13]

Sandblasting, wire wheel on an angle grinder, wire wheel on a die grinder, needle scaler, electrolysis, and good old-fashioned "cut out and replace" :biggrin:

 

[Toastedlightly]

With all you are doing I'll be ashamed if I don't have a driving car by April! If only the threat of unemployment hadn't slowed me down

 

[JCH13]

With all you are doing I'll be ashamed if I don't have a driving car by April! If only the threat of unemployment hadn't slowed me down

Ah, that'll happen... It really helps to get a few friends together and go gang-buster for a long day or two.

I'm head coach on an FRC team, which means no work in January and little work in February. I might not have it finished everything by April... we'll see!