CareBear

Hi all!

I'd like to improve my RX-7 FD to be an even better drifting car, I realize that other cars are better subjects (like the FC) but I wan't to have an FD as they are rarely used for drifting and I'm tired of looking at Nissan "Cosworths" (200SXs).

Does anyone know some good forum threads, web sites, etc. with specific details on how to configure and build the FD into a mean and lean drifting machine?

Running Tein coilovers with Swift springs, while the rest of the body is in original shape. So please give me some pointers and tip!

rx7rcer09

gut it and go for power. get a new rear end and some aftermarket axles, and fyi there is a lot of FD's drifting just look around

Tatakai

iTrader: (2)

reason why there aren't that many in drifting is because there aren't even that many in existence. its a rare car itself, ive only seen a couple FD's irl, and less than a dozen FC's, and a few FB's.

Wezzmo

ummm... ok :/



for second gear stuff the stock twins would be fine imo (even slow 3rd gear stuff)... boost controller, fuel pump, exhaust and a fmic and you'll be close to 300hp which is plenty..

stock rear end will be fine, but you'll need a 2 way diff, torsen diff is pretty lame, also you may need to look at upgrading you power plant frame to a mazdaspeed or RE one as these are known to break from clutch kicks..

one of the big problem is steering lock... FD's have sfa... get some steering rack spacers, and/or if your feeling rich grab some modified knuckles from someone like haruguchi...

FD handbrakes are very average, so id look to upgrading it to a hydrolic.. depending on how serious you are looking at getting...

Rotaries dont like overheating aswell, so get a good radiator... if you have a FD with the stock twin oil coolers you might be ok, but additional oil coolers never hurt too...

also a decent clutch helps too...

CareBear

Thanks for all the tips, I'm currently running around 280 rhwp, think a sweetspot would be around 320 rhwp.

Is there much point in a boost controller when I already have Power FC? Greddy FMIC, APEXi intakes and 3" exhaust is there already. The important details is the driving and suspension, I can take care of the engine :-)

Where do I get some steering rack spacers that fits the FD?

What is knuckles? Hehe ...

Hydrolic handbrake is on my list of things to buy, the original handbrake is useless for drifting at the moment, not enough effect to make it loose grip.

My FD had 1 oil cooler, but there is an extra installed but has never been wired up. I will wire it up soon and hopefully that will help some on the heat. Having some serious problems with heat on my FD, even with a brand new KOYO radiator.

Thanks again!

CareBear

There are loads of FDs around here in Norway, at a recent streetcar event there was at least 7-8 FDs and a Cosmo (3-rotor)! Saw one single FC which is owned by a drifter.

burtoncr

Upgrade the brake pads and the ebrake becomes useful. Use a more street friendly pad that doesnt require alot of heat and has alot of initial bite (ie Hawk HP+).

You don't need that much power, it just makes it easier. With lower power you just have to use different methods to initiate/hold a drift (ie more clutch kicking, shiftlocking, ebrake) and you have to be more aggressive with the throttle to hold the drift. People drift stock KA S13s and S14s and those things make no power.

The keys to building an FD for drift:
1) more steering angle, solution: https://www.rx7club.com/potential-advertisers-223/superangle-tie-rods-fc-fd-724090/
those get you about the same angle as a stock 240 (S13), which should be fine.

2) Removing snap oversteer. This is all suspension/tire tuning so you need adjustable coilovers and sway bars. Go out on whatever size tires you can spin. with 280rwhp I would suggest something like a 235 front, 235-245 rear. Also, tires that dont chunk and fall apart are nice. Federals/Nexens are both cheap and dont fall apart drifting.

Those were the two biggest things that have helped me learn.

Also, I have no idea on engine reliability stuff, I fixed all that with an LS2. But it is definitely in your best interest to sort out the engine before you think about going to an event.

tragic00

alright i've been sliding my fd for two years and i've never slid an easier car than mine.

i have buddy club d1 spec coilovers, adj sway bar endlinks, adj tie rods, trailing arms, and toe links. i'm making close to 300hp and its never been easier, braking system is completely stock other than hawk pads, wheels are stock, the entire car is gutted.

it really doesn't take much at all to make an fd a comp car. gut it, get coilovers on and some other minor stuff and a roll cage if you want to compete. thats seriously all you need plus a little bit of power if you like showing off

CyborgRyu

iTrader: (8)

I think your car is pretty well setup already, just need to learn some technique to doing it sonny.

7syawedis

iTrader: (1)

its almost too easy. you dont need a shitload of power, unless you suck or something. stock is fine, but basics will give you more than enough. mainly just go for some good coils and an lsd, more steering angle if you like.

Turbo II Rotor

iTrader: (2)

A racing seat will also help and you will not be trying to keep yourself from sliding around and can concentrate more on driving.

Sindregutt

I never tried your car, did i carebear?
Anyway, you`ll probably learn to use it just the way it is BUT your progression will be much better if you tweak it some.
Did you have the Tein`s at gardermoen? if so they are far away from stiff enaugh. I might have some springs for you.
You should also get rid of the stock diff and get a LSD/welded one.
As for the power side you need some more but if i were you i would`ve started with less power than optimal. You`re skills will be far better when you start tune it.

All in all, that car just need to be stiffer. Run higher pressure in your wheels too, if you havnt tried that yet. If you go for an e-brake thats good. Using the e-brake form the early beginning is the best you can do! I still got the crappy stock FC one (i need new pads :P).. its pissing me off!

Ranzo

The diff is the first thing I would buy. Then a bucket seat. The rest you will learn over time by driving etc. You do not need to worry about the steering angle for a long time.

CareBear

Yes my car was very well setup and it's been pretty decent to drift with, but I was running it with road-plates so it was a bit of waste doing all the upgrades to it (as we have to pay immense ammount of registration taxes in Norway).

Instead of going further with my old FD, I've just bought a new one which is track-rigged and ready to go. I need a few improvements to make it a perfect at drifting.

I was running Tein dampers with Swift springs earlier, they were pretty hard and good. But enough of that, the old car is gone and the new one arrives this weekend!

CareBear

I had the Tein's on at Gardermoen yes, and that was the first time I did some real drifting so I learned a lot from that day. As I mentioned in my previous comment, I've already bought a new car and hopefully it will be a lot stiffer (it comes with a cage). If not, I'll probably go looking for some better coilovers.

Will look into a better LSD, will probably have to build a lot on the car this winter to make it ready for PowerDrift Pro next year. The cage needs some work cause it's forcing the seats to be places to close to the dash and there is little room... (I've not seen the car yet, but the guy picking it up for me just told me).

You remember my e-break? I didn't have effect AT ALL, but I've replaced the pads, but actually haven't tried drifting with the e-brake after changing. Anyhow, that car is gone, and hopefully I can use the stock e-brake on the new car, or else I'll install a hudralic one sooner or later.

From now on I will probably run some decent tires as well, cause 215x45x16 is way to small. I had 255x40x17 on my old car, and will probably run between 225-245x17 with my new setup and I've just bought myself 11 new rims which I can use for drifting.

Thanks!

CareBear

My new car has some great bucket seats, but a new diff will come before next season. Until then I need to get hard intro practice and just drive as much as I can... I have no sponsors so it's an quite expensive hobby, but I enjoy it tremendiously!

Here are two photos of my new drifter:





325 RWHP should be nice, a bit more than my previous 280 RWHP


I'm gonna look into this thread and see if I can buy some parts to improve the steering angle: https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=724090

CareBear

Things I think I should get:

Super angle steering knuckle


Tie rod end kits


Inner tie rods


Some coilovers that does this? Or is it just the top-plate I need to buy?

akinaspeedstars1

those look like adjustable camber plates on a OEM coilover they work great for adjusting camber which is something ull need for drifting

Turbo II Rotor

iTrader: (2)

Yep, those are just redrilled so he could adjust castor.

Oun

iTrader: (3)

i had a BRIDE seat, KG parts diff brace, secret element tie rods, rod ends, BPU, and most importanly a vented hood. i also had STANCE coilovers that Rishie hooked it up with. my setup was 12k/12k 17x10 +25 225/45/17 front 235/45/17 rears. just rolled fenders. it greatly helped when my fronts were setup slightly softer than the rear.

Wezzmo

This is my old car...

They are super-now castor/cambertops.... but they are for a FC...

having adjustable tops doesnt do anything on FD's.....

Oun

iTrader: (3)

FD's have double wishbone suspension, we cant run camber plates.

CareBear

So what are the modifications I can actually do to the FDs suspension? This is for track only, so it doesn't have to be road-legal.

speed rII

My mods

- Tein super drift coils, front adjusted quite soft and rear really hard.
Spring pre load is turned up on rear, theres about 30mm out travel.
- act clutch
-EBC Red Stuff brake bads
- v-mount
- Intake
- full exhaust
- pfc
- 291 rwhp on dynodynamics dyno, will burn 225/45 17 tyres on 3rd
- inner rod spacers + modified inner rod ends +- 10mm more travel on steering rack. Requeres modified piston ring (aluminium) on steering hydraulic piston (sorry my english)
Need more angle, mostly driving on full steering lock.
-Stripped interior, full fia regulations rollgage, momo racing seat and 6.point belts.
- And most important, Fire extinguisher......

akinaspeedstars1

im pretty much gunna copy ur setup for my first drift setup thanks for the post