Getting her back on the road again (and sitting pretty..)
12-05-13, 12:37 PM
#326
troubleshooting sucks
Thread Starter
i was almost falling asleep at the wheel on the way to the garage. i think i may be a tad worn out. got there in one piece anyway and got cracking, i just wanted to check if my suspicions were correct. i changed out the last ground cable for a nice new fat one and popped in the spark plugs and cables and connected my freshly charged battery.
she started straight away and seemed to go ok! that was all i wanted to know so ill be going down there tmrw with a stroboscope to see what i can get done.
i have read alot of threads about air conditioning and power steering removal, but i have not noticed that anybody has mentioned one of the greatest things about it. and its really simple. it seems like im definagtely not the first person to have to do repeated de-flooding procedures and the easy accessability of the spark-plugs once the a/c and p/s are gone is golden.
more tomorrow! sorry i havent been putting up pictures but tbh i havent had anything worth putting up. that will change soon i hope..
she started straight away and seemed to go ok! that was all i wanted to know so ill be going down there tmrw with a stroboscope to see what i can get done.
i have read alot of threads about air conditioning and power steering removal, but i have not noticed that anybody has mentioned one of the greatest things about it. and its really simple. it seems like im definagtely not the first person to have to do repeated de-flooding procedures and the easy accessability of the spark-plugs once the a/c and p/s are gone is golden.
more tomorrow! sorry i havent been putting up pictures but tbh i havent had anything worth putting up. that will change soon i hope..
12-06-13, 12:04 PM
#329
troubleshooting sucks
Thread Starter
Cheers guys!
It snowed today. Ferk. All aspirations i had of going to the garage today dissapeared with the first flake to settle on the ground. I cannot express how much i hate snow. I can literally hear my teeth grinding together when i hear people saying " yay its snowing oooh its so cosy".
Ill definately be going tomorrow cos i agreed to play hockey with my mates that live close to the garage plus i have to help joel with his car
Too..
Geuss ill spend the evening in repairing my work trousers which decided that i needed extra ventilation around the crotch area in minus temperatures.
Thanks work trousers..not.
It snowed today. Ferk. All aspirations i had of going to the garage today dissapeared with the first flake to settle on the ground. I cannot express how much i hate snow. I can literally hear my teeth grinding together when i hear people saying " yay its snowing oooh its so cosy".
Ill definately be going tomorrow cos i agreed to play hockey with my mates that live close to the garage plus i have to help joel with his car
Too..
Geuss ill spend the evening in repairing my work trousers which decided that i needed extra ventilation around the crotch area in minus temperatures.
Thanks work trousers..not.
12-06-13, 01:04 PM
#330
Feelin ya on the cold hate, bro.
Hasn't been over 10° here in days.
We have legal weed and the internet though, so I've decided I don't really care.
A few years ago I bought a pair of thermal lined Carhartt overalls for weather just like this.
Yes, they are warm.
They are also so stiff that they'll almost stand up by themselves.
Half my energy went to just moving around in them, like a spacesuit or something.
Also, as it turns out, the outer canvas fabric is abrasive enough to scuff paint.
So yes, I was warm but on the other hand, I wasn't very agile and could trash parts just by brushing against them.
A real "glass half full" situation.
Hasn't been over 10° here in days.
We have legal weed and the internet though, so I've decided I don't really care.
A few years ago I bought a pair of thermal lined Carhartt overalls for weather just like this.
Yes, they are warm.
They are also so stiff that they'll almost stand up by themselves.
Half my energy went to just moving around in them, like a spacesuit or something.
Also, as it turns out, the outer canvas fabric is abrasive enough to scuff paint.
So yes, I was warm but on the other hand, I wasn't very agile and could trash parts just by brushing against them.
A real "glass half full" situation.
12-07-13, 01:28 PM
#331
troubleshooting sucks
Thread Starter
i checked to see if she would start just to make sure that last time wasnt just a fluke and she gladly obliged. that is a least a weight off my my mind. i havent had any leaks so far. no fuel, cooling mixture or oil to be seen. lovely. i dont know if i mentioned it before but i solved the problem with the freezeplug in the end. i asked for advice from one of the fellas that has a garage by me and he said i should put ginger powder in the cooling system. i must have had a skeptical look on my face cos he told me not to worry and that he had done it himself a couple of timees on his own cars. quick fix and a lasting solution! it bloody worked as well. i was not in the mood for pulling off the oil pump to get to it at all..
anyway, on the way i was considering what options i have as to how i sould go about continuing the project.
as i said before, no leaks and ive had her up to operating temperature several times now with no overheating and the oil pressure seems fine. (saying that, i WILL be installing an aftermarket oil pressure gauge and water temp gauge. loosely translated from swedish, my mate called it a good "engine insurance")
all thats left engine-wise is to adjust the ignition timing which i have to do outdoors. this is what is making me unsure as to what i should do next. the forecast says that were going to have some plus temperatures next week but my working hours are weekdays 08:00-17:00 and its pitch black at about 15:45 and its quite cold by then. so, freezing and dark.
richard is going to be working on his v70R. he started working on changing the head gasket today with his uncle and i know he is going to do things properly so it could take a while. thing is that the volvo is in the painting box ( i dont know what its called but its a room with fans where you can respray cars)
i had originally thought of just running some pipes from the exhaust straight to the fans so that i could have the car running indoors while i set it up but now this wont be possible.
whilst typing this im wondering if the garage beside us has something like that. they just moved in a couple of months ago. considering they are a proper car garage i can imagine that they might have something like this. they work weekends sometimes. maybe they could help me out.
thing is, even if i were able to solve this somehow, the snow from yesterday has settled and already become a mixture of hard-packed ice and snow. and i only have two alloys with spiked tyres on that fit the seven. before you ask what the fuss is about, our garage area is on a kinda "shelf" beside the main road with a surprisingly steep hill going from it up to our garages. no problem when its dry but add snow to the equation and it can be a real problem. plus i noticed today that they have put down salt and gravel in the whole industrial area and i really dont think that my mid-80's chassis and salt are exactly a match made in heaven. well, they are if rust is the desired result.
are you starting to see why i hate snow so much?
so my other option is to wait until the spring to do the final adjustments on the engine and concenrate on the rest of the project. everything i have left to do can be done inside in the warm so as you can imagine, this is highly appealing to me.
thoughts?
12-08-13, 04:10 AM
#332
I assume even Swedes ask rhetorical questions.
"Shall I tinker with a minor adjustment and most likely die or shall I finish up some other stuff in the comfort of my sauna whilst dining on herring?"
If I didn't dislike herring so, I'd consider this a no-brainer.
"Shall I tinker with a minor adjustment and most likely die or shall I finish up some other stuff in the comfort of my sauna whilst dining on herring?"
If I didn't dislike herring so, I'd consider this a no-brainer.
12-08-13, 04:50 PM
#333
troubleshooting sucks
Thread Starter
Haha when you put it that way.. yeah i geuss ill go with the latter. =]
I geuss the next stage will be ordering my bushings which i will try to do tomorrow or the day after. It kinda just sunk in today that i have made it to a point where i can start thinking about the rest of this little project and its really encouraging! I havent completely given up hope on being able to adjust the timing this year though. Apparrently there will be a few warm days (and nights) next week so hopefully with a lamp and some warm clothes i might even be able to get away with a couple test drives if the snow melts..
Ill also be going to see robban with my alloys. I just started a job in the same industrial area as him so i work in walking distance from him now. I can easily pop over with them at lunch.
Reckon ill be going with 17x11+16 at the back and 17x9+19 at the front.
Im basing these on another car i found on the net and the fitment looked good even though he had 18's at the back which i think looked a little bit too big.. at the same time 16's are a tad too small imo so i reckon itll be just right. (Heavy emphasis on reckon)
I geuss the next stage will be ordering my bushings which i will try to do tomorrow or the day after. It kinda just sunk in today that i have made it to a point where i can start thinking about the rest of this little project and its really encouraging! I havent completely given up hope on being able to adjust the timing this year though. Apparrently there will be a few warm days (and nights) next week so hopefully with a lamp and some warm clothes i might even be able to get away with a couple test drives if the snow melts..
Ill also be going to see robban with my alloys. I just started a job in the same industrial area as him so i work in walking distance from him now. I can easily pop over with them at lunch.
Reckon ill be going with 17x11+16 at the back and 17x9+19 at the front.
Im basing these on another car i found on the net and the fitment looked good even though he had 18's at the back which i think looked a little bit too big.. at the same time 16's are a tad too small imo so i reckon itll be just right. (Heavy emphasis on reckon)
12-08-13, 05:31 PM
#334
What size tire are you planning on and how did you decide on those wheel sizes?
I bring it up because I think we tend to romanticize "big rubber" and ignore/minimize the downsides.
We went through 4 or 5 sets of wheels & tires on the swapped FD and by far, the square set up with 235/17 on 8" Bullit wheels was the best (at one point we had 275s up front and 315s on the rear).
Not a scientific evaluation of course, but I still think it's worth considering.
That said, the steamroller look does have its appeal.
I bring it up because I think we tend to romanticize "big rubber" and ignore/minimize the downsides.
We went through 4 or 5 sets of wheels & tires on the swapped FD and by far, the square set up with 235/17 on 8" Bullit wheels was the best (at one point we had 275s up front and 315s on the rear).
Not a scientific evaluation of course, but I still think it's worth considering.
That said, the steamroller look does have its appeal.
12-09-13, 12:35 AM
#335
troubleshooting sucks
Thread Starter
What size tire are you planning on and how did you decide on those wheel sizes?
I bring it up because I think we tend to romanticize "big rubber" and ignore/minimize the downsides.
We went through 4 or 5 sets of wheels & tires on the swapped FD and by far, the square set up with 235/17 on 8" Bullit wheels was the best (at one point we had 275s up front and 315s on the rear).
Not a scientific evaluation of course, but I still think it's worth considering.
That said, the steamroller look does have its appeal.
I bring it up because I think we tend to romanticize "big rubber" and ignore/minimize the downsides.
We went through 4 or 5 sets of wheels & tires on the swapped FD and by far, the square set up with 235/17 on 8" Bullit wheels was the best (at one point we had 275s up front and 315s on the rear).
Not a scientific evaluation of course, but I still think it's worth considering.
That said, the steamroller look does have its appeal.
the alloys i have on there right now are from a nissan gtr r32. they are 16x 8" wide and im pretty sure that they are made of forged aluminium. i kinda effed up the tyre sizes when i put them on trying to "fill out the wheel house". but according to a forum member they werent the optimal tyre size for the wheel. thing is i dont really have a clue about what would be optimal for me.
joel says that that for the track the wheels are perfect but im definately leaning towards the aesthetic side of things. the dimensions i was going to copy were from some ssr proffessor p1 alloys. im thinking that i want the steel wheels to be deep dish too so i reckoned it would turn out good that way.
i really really want the rear tyres to be fatter at the rear but at the same time when looking on the "*** shot thread" i noticed that when lowered enough, it doesnt really seem to matter but 16 still feels a bit small.
aaaargh i gotta go work i wanna type more ill write more at lunchtime =)
12-09-13, 01:08 PM
#336
troubleshooting sucks
Thread Starter
ok i spent lunch eating lunch and forgot to continue.
right. so the alloys i have now are steel wheels from a dodge kaliber which are 17x6.5. my main goals with them are to widen them as much as possible in the rear purely for the sake of looks. as far as i have seen from other fitments, it is only possible to fit 9"s up front and considering that i have taken away the power steering i dont think i would want to go any wider anyway.
and the widest i have seen fitted so far are 11"s at the rear though i think it was a teensy weensy bit too large to be honest.
i also want the 'deep dish' effect. i am after all, a european and im really fond of the whole german deep dish style thats very popular among 'folk-wagon' and bmw enthusiasts. i am also aware that this is no new thing. if i understand correct they passed legislation in america banning steel banded wheels? i dunno but i dont think its illegal here. yet. i have seen alot of people on the net saying that its cheaping out and call them disposable wheels but i honestly couldnt give a monkeys. its my car and looks-wise, i fully intend to do what looks good to me,providing its not dysfunctional and/or damaging to the seven.
so, to recap ( if i have made any sense at all) 10.5-11 inches wide and deep dish. at least as deep as the ssr professor sp1s, i want a little bit of poke (sticking out a bit from the wheel housings) and then ill be doing a bit of rolling and pulling on the fenders and sretching the tyres a bit. basicly its gonna be a stance setup but it has to be functional. rubbing will not be tolerated.
if you can see anything glaringly wrong with this that would result in some kind of annoying problem, please let me know im appreciative of all the advice i can get!
right. so the alloys i have now are steel wheels from a dodge kaliber which are 17x6.5. my main goals with them are to widen them as much as possible in the rear purely for the sake of looks. as far as i have seen from other fitments, it is only possible to fit 9"s up front and considering that i have taken away the power steering i dont think i would want to go any wider anyway.
and the widest i have seen fitted so far are 11"s at the rear though i think it was a teensy weensy bit too large to be honest.
i also want the 'deep dish' effect. i am after all, a european and im really fond of the whole german deep dish style thats very popular among 'folk-wagon' and bmw enthusiasts. i am also aware that this is no new thing. if i understand correct they passed legislation in america banning steel banded wheels? i dunno but i dont think its illegal here. yet. i have seen alot of people on the net saying that its cheaping out and call them disposable wheels but i honestly couldnt give a monkeys. its my car and looks-wise, i fully intend to do what looks good to me,providing its not dysfunctional and/or damaging to the seven.
so, to recap ( if i have made any sense at all) 10.5-11 inches wide and deep dish. at least as deep as the ssr professor sp1s, i want a little bit of poke (sticking out a bit from the wheel housings) and then ill be doing a bit of rolling and pulling on the fenders and sretching the tyres a bit. basicly its gonna be a stance setup but it has to be functional. rubbing will not be tolerated.
if you can see anything glaringly wrong with this that would result in some kind of annoying problem, please let me know im appreciative of all the advice i can get!
12-09-13, 02:09 PM
#337
troubleshooting sucks
Thread Starter
What size tire are you planning on and how did you decide on those wheel sizes?
I bring it up because I think we tend to romanticize "big rubber" and ignore/minimize the downsides.
We went through 4 or 5 sets of wheels & tires on the swapped FD and by far, the square set up with 235/17 on 8" Bullit wheels was the best (at one point we had 275s up front and 315s on the rear).
Not a scientific evaluation of course, but I still think it's worth considering.
I bring it up because I think we tend to romanticize "big rubber" and ignore/minimize the downsides.
We went through 4 or 5 sets of wheels & tires on the swapped FD and by far, the square set up with 235/17 on 8" Bullit wheels was the best (at one point we had 275s up front and 315s on the rear).
Not a scientific evaluation of course, but I still think it's worth considering.
i have mainly focused on the looks of the the whole car height/poke/stretch package and not on the functionality. i thought i would get the wheels done and then use Tyrestretch.com - Because Size Matters! to work out which ones would look the best.
most of the cars on this page served as an inspiration for me especially the one in the middle of the three pictures upped by tomat in post #9. trouble is i cant see how deep it is cos i cant see from the side and i really dont know how i would go about working it out. the whole 'ET' thing still kinda evades me...
https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generati...hread-1012269/
what kind of downsides would you reccommend that i avoid?
what were your goals for the fd when choosing tyres?
12-09-13, 04:10 PM
#341
troubleshooting sucks
Thread Starter
12-09-13, 04:52 PM
#342
Good luck with that, there is no FD build thread.
I was simply trying to point out that wheel size/stagger seriously affects the cars handling (durrr...) and it would be worth the effort to explore as many options as possible before committing to a custom wheel.
I do understand that stance>logic here however and it's almost certain that the "best handling" setup would not be the "best looking" one.
One must respect others priorities though, so I'll accede to yours.
Begrudgingly.
I was simply trying to point out that wheel size/stagger seriously affects the cars handling (durrr...) and it would be worth the effort to explore as many options as possible before committing to a custom wheel.
I do understand that stance>logic here however and it's almost certain that the "best handling" setup would not be the "best looking" one.
One must respect others priorities though, so I'll accede to yours.
Begrudgingly.
12-10-13, 03:16 PM
#346
troubleshooting sucks
Thread Starter
woah! i really thought that i had single-handedly contributed to the instantaneous death of this build thread when i dropped the s-bomb hehe 
its heartwarming to see that you guys still got my back on this nomatter how much it may differ from your tastes. differences in style is one of the things that this busted up old skateboarder (yes, to my dismay i am considered by the skaters of today as old) learnt to appreciate in the end
rats. it would have been a good read..
I am actually deserving of that duuuhh because i actually didnt think of that. im thinking.. a fuckload of understeer? maybe not so good.
trouble is, while completely convinced that i was going to maintain some kind of budget (yeah... that went well
) i thought that the most economic method of achieving the look i wanted without breaking the bank would be widened steel wheels with flipped centres. (there really doesnt seem to be a universl term for this, at least i havent found it yet which has made my searches on the net for information on this quite limited.) anyway, being the impatient, outrageous time optimist i have learnt from the gradual erosion of dissapointment not to be, (kinda) i had already gone and bought steel wheels for a dodge kaliber so i geuss i kinda committed to them quite early https://www.rx7club.com/build-thread...1030202/page3/ see post #52 in the link provided.
its definately a challenge keeping the balance between aesthetics and functionality but im gna try my best...
im kinda starting to see that now. i dont think ill be going 11 but i wont be going any lower than 10.5 in the rears and then as per clokkers advice if i dont want too much of a staggered effect, (i actually thought staggered meant a difference in diameter, not width. everydays a schoolday..)i geuss ill have to go with the 9"s in the front.
its a bit of a shame really, during the course of the project i have observed the the gtr r32 alloys from many different angles and i think they are actually quite nice. the only problem being that they really do look skinny from the back imo. i also cant seem to convince myself nomatter how hard i try that they fill out the wheel housings, hence the 17" steelies. im quite jealous of 1st gen owners, it seems like they have so much more choices for their particular bolt pattern and the arches look proper lovely when flared. it would be of course so much more convenient to keep the nissan alloys but i really have my heart set on the steelies. when fantasising about the completed look of my seven whilst pretending to give my girlfriend attention, the steelies are always there so i geuss they just stuck somewhere along the line.
joel and his brother bought a fender roller this summer which his brother promptly went to work on his bmw e28 with, with quite good results. joel has already said i can borrow it anytime so thats covered.
fully adjustable coilovers and some camber should sort out the rest. after all, i have a whole swedish winter ahead of me.
speaking of the winter, is started really late this year. the latest since i moved here. this makes me worried. im thinking if winter is late, then spring will be too like it was this year. usch. the very thought terrifies me..
just so you know i look like this when i think about stretching tyres
i know..im a fasetious little rotter...
kiitos! now that is exactly the kind of fitment i want my seven to have!
to be honest when i say stance, i really mean this. i have seen the exaggerated stance fitments people have done and i dont want to go that far. this is one of the cars that has been most inspiring for my fitment goals. at the back, the deep dish is perfect. the question is, would i be able to copy these dimensions but adjust them somehow to make the fronts deeper as well?
once again thanks guys i was really starting to feel like i was on my own on this one
at the moment im battling a cold. theyre furkin irritating (i would give anything to just be able to breathe through my nostrils for five minutes) and are almost never convenient apart from the rare occasions they release a new grand theft auto.
its never really reccomended to be off sick in the first weeks of a new job so i geuss im gonna have to slog through this one.
theres also been another fire in örebro this time and they called me to come help clean up on the weekend. a most timely opportunity to make some good extra money towards the seven so i had better be well by then.
chicken soup, hot toddy and early night mode....ON!
its heartwarming to see that you guys still got my back on this nomatter how much it may differ from your tastes. differences in style is one of the things that this busted up old skateboarder (yes, to my dismay i am considered by the skaters of today as old) learnt to appreciate in the end Good luck with that, there is no FD build thread.
I was simply trying to point out that wheel size/stagger seriously affects the cars handling (durrr...) and it would be worth the effort to explore as many options as possible before committing to a custom wheel.
I do understand that stance>logic here however and it's almost certain that the "best handling" setup would not be the "best looking" one.
One must respect others priorities though, so I'll accede to yours.
Begrudgingly.
I was simply trying to point out that wheel size/stagger seriously affects the cars handling (durrr...) and it would be worth the effort to explore as many options as possible before committing to a custom wheel.
I do understand that stance>logic here however and it's almost certain that the "best handling" setup would not be the "best looking" one.
One must respect others priorities though, so I'll accede to yours.
Begrudgingly.
I am actually deserving of that duuuhh because i actually didnt think of that. im thinking.. a fuckload of understeer? maybe not so good.
trouble is, while completely convinced that i was going to maintain some kind of budget (yeah... that went well
) i thought that the most economic method of achieving the look i wanted without breaking the bank would be widened steel wheels with flipped centres. (there really doesnt seem to be a universl term for this, at least i havent found it yet which has made my searches on the net for information on this quite limited.) anyway, being the impatient, outrageous time optimist i have learnt from the gradual erosion of dissapointment not to be, (kinda) i had already gone and bought steel wheels for a dodge kaliber so i geuss i kinda committed to them quite early https://www.rx7club.com/build-thread...1030202/page3/ see post #52 in the link provided.its definately a challenge keeping the balance between aesthetics and functionality but im gna try my best...
its a bit of a shame really, during the course of the project i have observed the the gtr r32 alloys from many different angles and i think they are actually quite nice. the only problem being that they really do look skinny from the back imo. i also cant seem to convince myself nomatter how hard i try that they fill out the wheel housings, hence the 17" steelies. im quite jealous of 1st gen owners, it seems like they have so much more choices for their particular bolt pattern and the arches look proper lovely when flared. it would be of course so much more convenient to keep the nissan alloys but i really have my heart set on the steelies. when fantasising about the completed look of my seven whilst pretending to give my girlfriend attention, the steelies are always there so i geuss they just stuck somewhere along the line.
joel and his brother bought a fender roller this summer which his brother promptly went to work on his bmw e28 with, with quite good results. joel has already said i can borrow it anytime so thats covered.
fully adjustable coilovers and some camber should sort out the rest. after all, i have a whole swedish winter ahead of me.
speaking of the winter, is started really late this year. the latest since i moved here. this makes me worried. im thinking if winter is late, then spring will be too like it was this year. usch. the very thought terrifies me..
just so you know i look like this when i think about stretching tyres
i know..im a fasetious little rotter...
to be honest when i say stance, i really mean this. i have seen the exaggerated stance fitments people have done and i dont want to go that far. this is one of the cars that has been most inspiring for my fitment goals. at the back, the deep dish is perfect. the question is, would i be able to copy these dimensions but adjust them somehow to make the fronts deeper as well?
once again thanks guys i was really starting to feel like i was on my own on this one
at the moment im battling a cold. theyre furkin irritating (i would give anything to just be able to breathe through my nostrils for five minutes) and are almost never convenient apart from the rare occasions they release a new grand theft auto.
its never really reccomended to be off sick in the first weeks of a new job so i geuss im gonna have to slog through this one.
theres also been another fire in örebro this time and they called me to come help clean up on the weekend. a most timely opportunity to make some good extra money towards the seven so i had better be well by then.
chicken soup, hot toddy and early night mode....ON!
12-11-13, 02:50 AM
#348
troubleshooting sucks
Thread Starter
I dunno man. My buddy with the porsche just sorted some bbs with 11.5 at the rear hehe. Superfat! I like the gtr wheels because they are forged aluminium and cost me a left indicator from my gtr. Cheapest thing ive got for the seven so far. I dont really know what the difference in weight would be between them and the steelies but im kinda leaning towards a street car anyway and i decided not to obsess over weight too much from quite an early stage.
Im starting to get some ideas on how im gonna measure up for the steelies. i may have draw on my nonexistant carpentry skills...
I like the gtr wheels because they are forged aluminium and cost me a left indicator from my gtr. Cheapest thing ive got for the seven so far. I dont really know what the difference in weight would be between them and the steelies but im kinda leaning towards a street car anyway and i decided not to obsess over weight too much from quite an early stage. Im starting to get some ideas on how im gonna measure up for the steelies. i may have draw on my nonexistant carpentry skills...
12-11-13, 08:27 AM
#349
OK buckaroo, time to decide.
What's good for the goose is decidedly not good for the gander in this case.
Every improvement for the track subtracts from utility on the street, it's a zero sum equation.
Wheels/tires are a perfect example.
Wider sticky tires are a great advantage on the track but can be a serious detriment on the street.
They weigh more, so your suspension works harder to control them (wheels/tires are unsprung weight remember).
Wider is worse in the wet.
As you gain more traction, you place more stress on the diff and axles.
Bigger, wider and stickier costs more and since we're talking track performance you also want lighter and lighter always means more expensive.
Any decisions you make are OK, but only as long as you're ruthlessly honest about the consequences and are willing to live with them.
What's good for the goose is decidedly not good for the gander in this case.
Every improvement for the track subtracts from utility on the street, it's a zero sum equation.
Wheels/tires are a perfect example.
Wider sticky tires are a great advantage on the track but can be a serious detriment on the street.
They weigh more, so your suspension works harder to control them (wheels/tires are unsprung weight remember).
Wider is worse in the wet.
As you gain more traction, you place more stress on the diff and axles.
Bigger, wider and stickier costs more and since we're talking track performance you also want lighter and lighter always means more expensive.
Any decisions you make are OK, but only as long as you're ruthlessly honest about the consequences and are willing to live with them.
12-11-13, 12:40 PM
#350
troubleshooting sucks
Thread Starter
OK buckaroo, time to decide.
What's good for the goose is decidedly not good for the gander in this case.
Every improvement for the track subtracts from utility on the street, it's a zero sum equation.
Wheels/tires are a perfect example.
Wider sticky tires are a great advantage on the track but can be a serious detriment on the street.
They weigh more, so your suspension works harder to control them (wheels/tires are unsprung weight remember).
Wider is worse in the wet.
As you gain more traction, you place more stress on the diff and axles.
Bigger, wider and stickier costs more and since we're talking track performance you also want lighter and lighter always means more expensive.
Any decisions you make are OK, but only as long as you're ruthlessly honest about the consequences and are willing to live with them.
What's good for the goose is decidedly not good for the gander in this case.
Every improvement for the track subtracts from utility on the street, it's a zero sum equation.
Wheels/tires are a perfect example.
Wider sticky tires are a great advantage on the track but can be a serious detriment on the street.
They weigh more, so your suspension works harder to control them (wheels/tires are unsprung weight remember).
Wider is worse in the wet.
As you gain more traction, you place more stress on the diff and axles.
Bigger, wider and stickier costs more and since we're talking track performance you also want lighter and lighter always means more expensive.
Any decisions you make are OK, but only as long as you're ruthlessly honest about the consequences and are willing to live with them.
i geuss my plans for the seven have always been that it would be a streetcar but in retrospect it seems like the modifications i have considered/done would make it seem like i intend to track it. in fact, i thought that i would keep the gtr alloys for track use if i ever got the chance to go to a track day.
the most honest reason i could give for wanting my wheels to be this way is definately looks. i think it would take quite a while for me to even attempt to push her to the limits, i have been driving my trusty old 1 litre nissan micra for at least 3 years now and i doesnt run that great so im assuming it has maybe 40 horses at the most. its not exactly a white knuckle ride hehe
this leads me to assume that ill be pretty pleased with a car that actually accelerates normaly unlike my micra which i have to redline just to keep up with normal traffic. convincing myself that its cheap and cheerful is wearing thin now.
i geuss in terms of handling i just want a proper solid, go-kart feel like my old e36 325i had. to hell with my lower back! ( i already regret saying that.)
my memories of the short period that she was driveable were not really good ones. the handling felt absolutely appalling. it felt like a ship at sea on the motorway pitching and yawing all over the place. yuk. this is why i thought that the wider tyres, new bushings and coilovers would really make it feel nice and stiff. i never really felt like i got so much information from the steering wheel, it always felt a bit late. i thought it was the bushing that some cars have on the steering shaft that was worn but im pretty sure it didnt have one.
it can be any number of things but i think that a general freshening up should fix it. if it persists after i have installed the coiloves and new bushings ill have to go from there and see what else is causing it.
im thinking maybe the reduced weight of having
"stretched tyres" should offset the added weight of the steels or at least help a bit. (i hope)
its a bit crazy but when i think about it, i mostly fantasize about how my seven will look, not so much driving it. wierd...
i think my cold is actually clearing. more chicken soup and another early night should senfd it packing then i can start getting some stuff done =)