Ok guys I don't know if this will get you all flamish but here goes. Since I have read about the S5 Suspension being "soft" and "disconnected" feeling. I was thinking about any possibility of using S4 stuff on it. even though my Sport needs new suspension I love it and can out handle just about anythign I have seen on the road including an MR2(rear engine is supposed to be better?) so I wanted to know if I could just get some S4 components and put them on. What components from the S5 make it soft? All of them? I know it doesn't really matter when your dealing with upgraded aftermarket suspension components but I have a whole set of suspension parts from my S4 parts car which I can change into it if they are any better. The S4 car also has less miles on it so I would thing the parts are a little better off than the S5's suspension which has around 20k miles more than the S4. So what do you all know about the S5's suspension setup?


Santiago


PS- I know that you all are just going to say " buy some aftermarket stuff and shut up" but I want to tinker with the car damn you! :P

 

I think it's all the same (except for the rear bar) unless you have a base model?


-Ted

 

The S4 is a GXL and the S5 is my TII.

 

Then it doesn't matter.
The components all should be the same (except for rear bar).
I would think the shocks are dying (check for leaks) or your bushings are falling apart.


-Ted

 

I think the "disconnected" feeling of the S5's is just the slightly extra weight and the engine speed sensing power steering. I'm not sure if the S5 TII's retained the vehicle speed power steering though.

But you aren't running power steering anyways right? If so, then an S5 shouldn't feel too different.

 

Yeah I tossed the PS stuff out already.

And I am going on a "conservative" light weight program to get it down to ~2700-2800. But its great to hear that the suspensions are the same. Is the S5 rear bar bigger or smaller?

 

You might be glad to head that we got one of the S5 turbo drift FC's to scale down to 2510 lbs.!  I couldn't believe it either, but you should have no problem hitting that target vehicle weight.


S4 versus S5, the bar shape design is totally different, and you cannot interchange them without serious custom modification.


-Ted

 

Well the weight thing is a great thing to hear.


Other than the shape of the bars they are the same size? diamiter I mean.


Santiago

 

Yes, they should be.


-Ted

 

Might I ask, how did they get that S5 drift down to 2510lbs?!?

 

All the typical things were stripped out...
AC compressor, condensor core, AC lines in engine bay
All interior panels and compartments
All interior heater/AC controls and components
All wiring harnesses gutted - essentials (headlights, turn signals, wipers, power windows) were rewired.
All stereo components
All carpet
Rear strut towers cut out.

What was left...
Power steering (it's a drift car, so the owner wanted it intact)
Sound deadening is still there!
Both stock seats are still there!
All glass intact.
All door metal is still there - none were cut.
Stock sunroof was still there.
Dashboard + instrument cluster still working, but most everything
underneath was pulled.

What was swapped out...
Stock ECU control (and wiring) for Haltech E11V1
Modified exhaust system
Koni Race (yellow) shocks
GC coilovers
Racing Beat(?) sway bars

Original thread...
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...hreadid=207392



-Ted

 

I know exactly what you mean on the "soft/disconnected" feeling. The convertible feels much more connected & dialed in to the road which I "believe" may be due to the OEM rear strut tower bar/linkage. I don't think it's weight related.

My TII - even with race coilovers feels a bit more sedanish in the feeling. I'd like to eventually try front & rear strut tower bars on my TII just to see if this restore the connected feeling.

 

You wrote: Since I have read about the S5 Suspension being "soft" and "disconnected" feeling.

Suspension components like shocks/struts don't last forever. When a car's suspension feels "soft" and "disconnected", than it's probably time to start replacing some parts. Also, don't overlook the suspension bushings. The bushings need to be replaced on a regular basis, i.e. semi-annually, due to wear/weathering, and also I'd highly recommend dumping the rear steer bushings and replacing them with aftermarket polyurethane bushings.

Hot_Dog
90 RX7 GXL
02 Acura RSX-S

 

Semi annually? That means twice a year. I dont even think dedicated track cars would change their bushings twice a year. Maybe if someone did donuts every weekend for half a year they would get worn out very quickly.

 

Sorry about that, I meant to write bi-annually. Thanks for catching that mistake.

Hot_Dog
90 RX7 GXL
02 Acura RSX-S

 

Yeah my 165K body miles TII probably has stock worn out bushings, end links, subframe end links, & DTSS "rear steer" bushings. That might account for some of the reason coilovers & new shocks didn't make a difference in "connected feel." They did improve handling drastically though

I'll definitly how much of a difference a complete suspension restore vs only shocks/struts will make soon. On my convertible, I'm doing new RB vert springs, Tokico "blue" non-ajustable shocks, bushings, & DTSS eliminator bushings, swaybar endlinks, subframe end links, and a full re-allignment. I'm not doing rear A-arm ball joints though as the new ones I bought seemed just as loose as what's in there.