Suspension/Wheels/Tires/Brakes

FD Suspension upgrades, after thoughts? Experiences?

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Old Mar 21, 2008 | 04:47 PM
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FD Suspension upgrades, after thoughts? Experiences?

I have only 2 FC's, felt very nice in the handling department. The thing is, when the tires broke loose on my FC's I could hold the car in a straight line.
As for my FD this is not the case, I start spinning the tires and the car feels like it wants to do a 180 and just turn around. Has anyone else experienced this? Have you found a solution to this? What are your thoughts?
Now what I was thinking of doing is to replace the toe links and trailing arms. Also maybe replace all of the suspension bushings in the process. My car has 66k miles, and everything is factory from what I know for my suspension.

http://www.rx7store.net/product_p/megan%20toelinks.htm

These Toe-Control Arms adjust the Toe In/Out of the rear axle. This has a great effect upon the straight-line stability of the car and how easily the car will rotate as well as the stability of a turn or drift.

So I would believe if I replaced my OEM toe link's with those in the link above, the car should be more stable when traction breaks loose. Just want to see what your thoughts are, if you have had the same situation/problem, and what do you suggest? Thank you!
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Old Mar 21, 2008 | 06:28 PM
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i know how u feel

my FC's are much more predictable and controllable

my FD feels very loose and unstable.. and it tank slaps like crazy.. and can easy spin...


i'm also in teh process of changing all the bushings with urethane, new pillowballs and new shocks combo..

i'll let u know how it goes after that
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Old Mar 21, 2008 | 06:37 PM
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Yes exactly, I wish it felt how my FC did. That's why I am inquiring about this.
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Old Mar 21, 2008 | 07:36 PM
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Someone I talked to said it could be the differential, due one of the wheels getting to much power and thats what could be causing this. So next week when I change my oil I might as well change my trans and differential fluid as well. I am getting tuned saturday so will see if this problem is still there after the tune.
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Old Mar 21, 2008 | 09:07 PM
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The third generation RX-7's handling is light years beyond the 2nd gen's strut suspension.

You're best bet is to make sure your car is aligned properly, has good condition street tires and invest in a track day or two. The best mod you can make to your car is to tighten the nut behind the wheel.

Paul
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Old Mar 21, 2008 | 09:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Gadd
The third generation RX-7's handling is light years beyond the 2nd gen's strut suspension.

You're best bet is to make sure your car is aligned properly, has good condition street tires and invest in a track day or two. The best mod you can make to your car is to tighten the nut behind the wheel.

Paul
I would expect the handling to be far better as well, the car is aligned properly. My tires are just fine, the whole point of this thread is to try and remedy this. If I am holding the wheel straight going in a forward direction, I do not want the car to try and turn around on me when I put the pedal down.
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Old Mar 21, 2008 | 09:56 PM
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Bump, I know I am not the only one with this problem.
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Old Mar 21, 2008 | 09:57 PM
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Originally Posted by skir2222
If I am holding the wheel straight going in a forward direction, I do not want the car to try and turn around on me when I put the pedal down.
Take the vacuum line to the map sensor off, and you will have no problems keeping the rear end behind you when mashing the pedal.

The FD is trickier to drive than the FC, no doubt about it. The easiest thing to start with though is your tire pressures. What are you running front and rear?
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Old Mar 21, 2008 | 10:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Mahjik
Take the vacuum line to the map sensor off, and you will have no problems keeping the rear end behind you when mashing the pedal.

The FD is trickier to drive than the FC, no doubt about it. The easiest thing to start with though is your tire pressures. What are you running front and rear?
Yea I agree with you there 100% I run 30psi all around. I want to try and get some new rubber soon, thinking bridgestone potenza's. I have 18" SSR's integral a2.
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Old Mar 21, 2008 | 10:09 PM
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Try running your rear tire pressure 2-3 PSI lower than the front for starters.
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Old Mar 21, 2008 | 10:14 PM
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Thank you Mahjik, I will do that. Saturday it gets tuned, I will be making a lot more power then my old T04R setup since now I am running a ported motor and R85. I really would love to track this car, I want to have some fun in this thing. This car takes all of my time and money.
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Old Mar 22, 2008 | 05:30 PM
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Bump. anyone else have this symptom?
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Old Mar 23, 2008 | 03:26 AM
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I'm not a great driver, but had already spent a couple years autocrossing a Subaru before I bought my 3rd Gen so I felt like I was somewhat competent. In stock form, I spun the car at the first few races I brought it to. Then I had someone else drive it (someone who has won nationals at least twice in multiple classes). They told me the car was very neutral, recommended I buy better tires and leave everything else alone.

Some time later the front swaybar mounts bent, damaging the swaybar and endlinks as well. I replaced them with Mazdaspeed upgraded mounts, Mazdatrix endlinks, and a Racing Beat front sway bar. The car is now easier to drive (oversteers less) than it was with the OEM setup. It doesn't feel like it's pushing more, if that makes sense, but the rear somehow feels less likely to try and swing around when you get on the power. It will still spin if you are too aggressive with the throttle.


By the way, are you sure your "problem" isn't just because a stock FD has so much more midrange power than an FC? It took me a while to learn that you need to gently ease into the throttle mid-corner, smashing on the gas pedal immediately after the apex makes these cars go from neutral to tail-happy.
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Old Mar 23, 2008 | 07:03 AM
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By the way, are you sure your "problem" isn't just because a stock FD has so much more midrange power than an FC? It took me a while to learn that you need to gently ease into the throttle mid-corner, smashing on the gas pedal immediately after the apex makes these cars go from neutral to tail-happy.

Great point! lots of track time gives you insight how to drive an FD fast.
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Old Mar 23, 2008 | 02:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Gadd
The third generation RX-7's handling is light years beyond the 2nd gen's strut suspension.

You're best bet is to make sure your car is aligned properly, has good condition street tires and invest in a track day or two. The best mod you can make to your car is to tighten the nut behind the wheel.

Paul
what do mean to tighten the nut behind the wheel?
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Old Mar 23, 2008 | 02:40 PM
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Originally Posted by ArmenMAxx
what do mean to tighten the nut behind the wheel?
Make the driver better, not the car.
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Old Mar 23, 2008 | 03:54 PM
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when you talk about the tires breaking loose- are you talking about when accelerating in a strait line, or going around a corner?
if you're going strait, the tires start spinning, then the back end goes out sideways, thats your diff. if you're saying the car is hard to drift, thats something else im sure.
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Old Mar 23, 2008 | 05:34 PM
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Yes, it's very important to know and understand the difference between power on oversteer and oversteer. They are two different animals and take different approaches to tuning to make them managable. Oversteer is when you're only maintaining neutral throttle and the back end wants to step out, this is much different than power on oversteer, which is when you're understeering around a corner and give it a bunch of gas and the rear tires start to spin and that causes the back end to go out.
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Old Mar 24, 2008 | 08:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Josh18_2k
when you talk about the tires breaking loose- are you talking about when accelerating in a strait line, or going around a corner?
if you're going strait, the tires start spinning, then the back end goes out sideways, thats your diff. if you're saying the car is hard to drift, thats something else im sure.
Straight line.
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Old Mar 24, 2008 | 08:12 PM
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I have taken the car from stock to a single t04r and now ported R85. I am going to change my diff fluid get some shocks, trailing arms, toe links, and some springs. Should make the car handle much better, since all these parts are original. I am confident after I change some parts on it, it will be perfect.
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Old Mar 24, 2008 | 08:33 PM
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the torsen diff will make the *** kick out when going strait. mine does it every time to the right. if you're more into drag or drift, as opposed to cornering grip, you might wanna swap in a T2 diff.
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Old Mar 24, 2008 | 09:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Josh18_2k
the torsen diff will make the *** kick out when going strait. mine does it every time to the right. if you're more into drag or drift, as opposed to cornering grip, you might wanna swap in a T2 diff.
Yea that's what I was figuring after I upgrade the suspension, if no improvement I will more then likely grab me a S4 TII differential and swap mine out for it.
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Old Mar 24, 2008 | 10:08 PM
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Originally Posted by skir2222
Straight line.
Based on your description...
Your problem is NOT handling. Your problem is TRACTION.

Handling is whats going on around corners. Traction is whats going on in a straight line. You added lots of power and now can't put the power down.
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Old Mar 24, 2008 | 10:37 PM
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Originally Posted by gracer7-rx7
Based on your description...
Your problem is NOT handling. Your problem is TRACTION.

Handling is whats going on around corners. Traction is whats going on in a straight line. You added lots of power and now can't put the power down.
Yes I agree I stated that above, with my previous FC's I could spin and spin and still stay straight. With the FD I can spin and keep it straight, but it really wants to turn around on me. So I just do my best not to spin the tires, after these upgrades to the suspension I am sure the car will handle much better and drive better.
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Old Mar 25, 2008 | 10:22 AM
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I think you may want to do some research on using an S4 Turbo II diff before you spend your money and wind up with the same results.
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