My new 2010 Subaru WRX
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Taco15
I wear stretchy pants
nice man! you're the first person I 've seen actually post the way you do it.
how long was the job vs the amount of money for the parts? I should get my subaru back this weekend from my builder and handling is definitely my next target. only thing I have is coilovers so you're mods and reviews are definitely a big help
how long was the job vs the amount of money for the parts? I should get my subaru back this weekend from my builder and handling is definitely my next target. only thing I have is coilovers so you're mods and reviews are definitely a big help
there are inserts available too. see a full installation write up from Turn In Concepts here: 2008 Whiteline Rear Subframe Bushings (W0598) - Subaru Impreza WRX STI Forums: IWSTI.com
i made a little writeup with more info on my exact process on NASIOC here: 2010 WRX Rear Subframe and Rear Diff WL bushing install - NASIOC
a lot of people recommend the inserts over the full bushings because the install is MUCH easier, the inserts are cheaper and gives you maybe 90% of the effectiveness vs the full bushing. however i wanted to do the whole bushings. partly just to say i did it, and partly just because i like doing things all the way and not part way.
the job took me about 12 hrs start to finish. i had two friends helping for about the middle 8 hours of that. the bushings cost $300 for all of them. I did 3 different kits, the Subframe kit (4 huge bushings), front diff kit, and rear diff kit (press fit bushings).
im sure a shop could do it faster, but i can tsee them being able to do it in under 6 hours, and labor rates would be too expensive IMO.
i made a little writeup with more info on my exact process on NASIOC here: 2010 WRX Rear Subframe and Rear Diff WL bushing install - NASIOC
a lot of people recommend the inserts over the full bushings because the install is MUCH easier, the inserts are cheaper and gives you maybe 90% of the effectiveness vs the full bushing. however i wanted to do the whole bushings. partly just to say i did it, and partly just because i like doing things all the way and not part way.
the job took me about 12 hrs start to finish. i had two friends helping for about the middle 8 hours of that. the bushings cost $300 for all of them. I did 3 different kits, the Subframe kit (4 huge bushings), front diff kit, and rear diff kit (press fit bushings).
im sure a shop could do it faster, but i can tsee them being able to do it in under 6 hours, and labor rates would be too expensive IMO.
oh ive also swapped out the springs for stiffer ones with the same drop 
still running the Konis. though i had to replace all 4 of them because of different reasons (rears were leaking at the top adjuster, front drivers was leaking at the guide, front pass was clunking). i paid for the advanced replacement but Koni has refunded me that cost upon recieving the defective ones back.
still running the Konis. though i had to replace all 4 of them because of different reasons (rears were leaking at the top adjuster, front drivers was leaking at the guide, front pass was clunking). i paid for the advanced replacement but Koni has refunded me that cost upon recieving the defective ones back.
You definitely did it right going the full pull on bushings. I ended up taking the LCA's to the machine shop to remove the old busings from them when I did my hatch. I like the torch method, should have tried that - I drilled and sawzalled the MF's too.
Lots of work, but like you said - WELL worth the effort - tightens them up real nice.
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Why is that stuff gold and what is that Cobb thingie?
the "gold stuff" is DEI gold reflective heat tape. reflects something like 80%+ of radiant heat.
the COBB thingy, is a heat sheild that goes over the turbo. i put the reflective tape on the underside to reflect the heat down.
this is all because that top mount intercooler will sit directly over the turbo. trying to keep everything as cool as possible.
i am going to also put a turbo blanket over the turbo (then have that heat shield over it). get a bigger downpipe and wrap it in insulating heat wrap as well.
heres a pic of someone who already installed it.
see the 2 90* elbows on the bottom left of the intercooler? thats coming directly out of the turbo compressor.
the COBB thingy, is a heat sheild that goes over the turbo. i put the reflective tape on the underside to reflect the heat down.
this is all because that top mount intercooler will sit directly over the turbo. trying to keep everything as cool as possible.
i am going to also put a turbo blanket over the turbo (then have that heat shield over it). get a bigger downpipe and wrap it in insulating heat wrap as well.
heres a pic of someone who already installed it.
see the 2 90* elbows on the bottom left of the intercooler? thats coming directly out of the turbo compressor.
by itself? not much, with other parts and tuning, potentially a good bit. im not installing it until i get a downpipe, and some other goodies.
colder intake = more power potential.
this should also be able to support a larger turbo as a future upgrade if i ever have the desire.
and staying with a top mount reduces the need to have lengthy charge pipes that a front mount will have, reducing turbo lag. and many front mount setups require cutting of the bumper and bumper impact beam, as well as reducing the effectiveness of the radiator. some people dont care about these things, but i still consider them, even if im exaggerating.
I would agree and really suggest it's not over build, but simply doing it right.
.....sidenote,
less than a week, and the gf curbed one of the wheels...
RECOMMENDED DECISION TREE:
1) Is she a keeper?
.....A) Yes - GOTO question "2"
.....B) No - BitchSlap her and move on
2) What was the quality of the apology?
.....A) Life Changing, toes still curl when it comes to mind - Get over it ASAP (if the rash still bothers you, replace the fucking wheel) - bury the hatchet
.....B) So so - Table any action for now, re-evaluate question #1 in 6 months, if answer is "B) No" find a reason to dump her (BitchSlap still an option)
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spout of bad luck recently
got rear ended on monday by some asshat not paying attention in stop and go traffic. not fast maybe 10mph and no permanent damage that i can see. but a nice set of imprints from their license plate
got the chics ins info and left. didnt bother calling the cops because i didnt feel it was necessary for such a minor accident. would have just wasted time and caused more traffic. but in hindsight, looks like she may have given me some false information. she gave me a name, phone number and ins policy number and said her company was Nationwide (same as mine, but they told me the number she gave me did not match any policy, wasnt even the right format). she called "someone" to get the info, didnt have any ins card on hand. but i did take a license plate number down and gave that info to my ins company to investigate, so hopefully they should come through with something.
then today, im driving back from my gf's place (on the same stretch of highway no less) and i start to hear a thumping. pulled over and sure enough a flat tire on the left rear. the sidewals had the tell tale sign that i had been on the flat for a short while before noticing it. right before pulling onto the highway, i was fairly lowspeed due to traffic and street lights, 20-30 mph. if i suspected anything i would have pulled over sooner. sidewalls ruined, but no damage to the wheel itself at least
called AAA and got towed the rest of the way to work, about 20 miles. pulled it into the car shop we have at work, threw the donut on. found a nice shard of metal embedded into the tire
so im waiting to hear back from ins about getting my rear bumper resprayed, and now have to buy a new tire and have it shaved to match the tread depth of the others because of the AWD system. (either that or buy 4 new tires, but fuck that, nothing wrong with the other 3)
got rear ended on monday by some asshat not paying attention in stop and go traffic. not fast maybe 10mph and no permanent damage that i can see. but a nice set of imprints from their license plate
got the chics ins info and left. didnt bother calling the cops because i didnt feel it was necessary for such a minor accident. would have just wasted time and caused more traffic. but in hindsight, looks like she may have given me some false information. she gave me a name, phone number and ins policy number and said her company was Nationwide (same as mine, but they told me the number she gave me did not match any policy, wasnt even the right format). she called "someone" to get the info, didnt have any ins card on hand. but i did take a license plate number down and gave that info to my ins company to investigate, so hopefully they should come through with something.
then today, im driving back from my gf's place (on the same stretch of highway no less) and i start to hear a thumping. pulled over and sure enough a flat tire on the left rear
. the sidewals had the tell tale sign that i had been on the flat for a short while before noticing it. right before pulling onto the highway, i was fairly lowspeed due to traffic and street lights, 20-30 mph. if i suspected anything i would have pulled over sooner. sidewalls ruined, but no damage to the wheel itself at leastcalled AAA and got towed the rest of the way to work, about 20 miles. pulled it into the car shop we have at work, threw the donut on. found a nice shard of metal embedded into the tire
so im waiting to hear back from ins about getting my rear bumper resprayed, and now have to buy a new tire and have it shaved to match the tread depth of the others because of the AWD system. (either that or buy 4 new tires, but fuck that, nothing wrong with the other 3)
Also, Im going to make my own sway bar for the front and rear. Using parts from speedway Engineering, need to give them a call tomorrow for pricing. but im probably looking at roughly $300 per bar. which is more expensive than OTS bars, but this should be a more efficient design and take a lot of the slop out. currently im running the stock 21mm front bar and a OTS 22mm rear bar.
http://www.1speedway.com/standard_swaybars.htm
http://www.1speedway.com/Swaybar_Arms.htm
measured the rear to require a 40.5" bar.
in the rear, im planning to use a 1" OD hollow bar with .120" wall thickness. this will provide the equivalent stiffness of a 23mm. the next size up will be a 1.25" .095" wall, which provides the equivalent thickness of a 26.5mm solid bar. and a 1" solid bar is an option too, a 25.4mm bar. Turn in Concepts warned me not to go too stiff and that this chassis is sensitive to that. so i think the 23mm equivalent is a nice area to be.
in reality it will be slightly more stiff than a bar of the stock shape, due to the 90* arm attachments and reduced bending moments of the bar itself.
the rear will require about 5-6" long arms. i havent measured the front yet, but i can tell they will require longer arms, effectively making the bar "softer" for the same size. i may just run the same size bar for the front as well. arms will have to be customized (shortened) from the arms speedway sells.
this is a prototype that a suby race shop (Turn in Concepts) made, mine will be similar, but hollow and a splined end rather than hex like pictured.
i will have bronze bushings for decreased deflection and hopefully increased efficiency. poly bushings after a while build up dirt and gunk and the bushing itself can swell. causing more friction and actually restricts the bar from rotating. speedway offers bronze bushings with zerk fittings too to keep them greased.
this is a similar kit from ASR for the crx. i hope to end up with something similar, but with a smaller bar. ill probably build a bar(s) for the CRX too.
http://www.1speedway.com/standard_swaybars.htm
http://www.1speedway.com/Swaybar_Arms.htm
measured the rear to require a 40.5" bar.
in the rear, im planning to use a 1" OD hollow bar with .120" wall thickness. this will provide the equivalent stiffness of a 23mm. the next size up will be a 1.25" .095" wall, which provides the equivalent thickness of a 26.5mm solid bar. and a 1" solid bar is an option too, a 25.4mm bar. Turn in Concepts warned me not to go too stiff and that this chassis is sensitive to that. so i think the 23mm equivalent is a nice area to be.
in reality it will be slightly more stiff than a bar of the stock shape, due to the 90* arm attachments and reduced bending moments of the bar itself.
the rear will require about 5-6" long arms. i havent measured the front yet, but i can tell they will require longer arms, effectively making the bar "softer" for the same size. i may just run the same size bar for the front as well. arms will have to be customized (shortened) from the arms speedway sells.
this is a prototype that a suby race shop (Turn in Concepts) made, mine will be similar, but hollow and a splined end rather than hex like pictured.
i will have bronze bushings for decreased deflection and hopefully increased efficiency. poly bushings after a while build up dirt and gunk and the bushing itself can swell. causing more friction and actually restricts the bar from rotating. speedway offers bronze bushings with zerk fittings too to keep them greased.
this is a similar kit from ASR for the crx. i hope to end up with something similar, but with a smaller bar. ill probably build a bar(s) for the CRX too.
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