Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Add a resonator to the new downpipe.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

I don't know if there's room as I have a large canister muffler where the car was. If the downpipe doesn't fix it, I'll put this other muffler behind the first one.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

I remember when people were making fun of me back in the day saying my exhaust was going to be a bunch of mufflers welded together.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Hah! Exhaust looks almost like stock! Wolf in sheep's clothing :)

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Just turn up the metal \m/

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Makes me want to get my '95 done with that same muffler. I've only been sitting on one for like 3 years. lol

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Car looks better than ever, Steve! Really would like to take a look at it again someday, the best color 1g they ever made!

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Thanks!

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Got in some shiny new parts yesterday, a new downpipe from RRE with a 2nd bung for my wideband. It's a very nice piece, I was pleasantly surprised how well it fit and the quality overall. Put that on to replace the old worn out Apexi DP on there before. It didn't quiet it down as much as I'd hoped, but I can hear the engine itself a little more, so it must have been good for something. Plus, it looks cool, for those of us who like to lay on the garage floor to see it.

Also, with that, I finally can use my wideband again. I've already noticed it goes pig rich when I get into it, so time to do some street tuning and get this Green tuned in. I'm guessing it'll be pretty close to my Shane tune from last summer. Now onto all the other little projects like big brakes, front camber plates, rear subframe rebuild, etc.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Steve, you should hear the exhaust now that it's done on my Lexus. It's a single Vibrant 3" muffler and a single inline 3" Vibrant Ultra Quiet resonator by the drive shaft. It's pretty deng quiet. Not stock quiet, but pretty nice.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

We should meet up, I'd like to hear it.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

It's crazy quiet, perfect for a Lexus.

Are you going to take it back to Shane?

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Now that summer's almost over and proving grounds is coming up, I'm finally getting to the project I was planning about five years ago, pulling the rear subframe, replacing all bushings with poly, weld in the toe eliminators, and replace both rear bearings. Welding up the clearancing I did for the 17x9's and painting everything also gets done. Can't wait to get this thing nice and tight again, should make a real difference on the road course.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Might as well do the Evo8 rear diff mod while I'm in there as well. This thing is going to rotate like a 911. :D

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Car looked great at the cookout man.

That evo looks mint!

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Yeah, I like to have the Evo in the background, makes the GSX look good in comparison.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

my recommendation: delete the rear subframe bushings. Very few options for them, and if you want tight, weld them solid. if you still have suspension bushings the feedback shouldnt be too bad (although active toe elim. would create a solid junction from suspension to body)

Our car rotates like you wouldn't believe - maybe too much :P

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

This is a street car, so I need the bushings. I actually already had sourced them, poly front and rear and then I have weld in spacers from 13 years ago for the ATE.

I've also got the Suspension Techniques rear bar, so it should be pretty tail happy with that Evo clutch pack rear. Of course I've got a sub box and and dynamat everywhere, so mine's a bit heavier than yours. :D

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Success! A little rustier than I would expect for a car that hasn't seen snow since 1994, but not bad. Time for real clean and final removal of garbage ABS stuff.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Not leaving until winter? We only have 2 months maybe until salt season

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

I wanted it done before PG2, the biggest reason is one bad wheel bearing though. Surprisingly, the bushings look pretty good. I forgot that Shindley had replaced all the control arm bushings with poly back in the 90's, makes my job a bit easier.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

^hahaha that's awesome!

ah I didn't know, those parts will make PG2 a bit more fun.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Yeah, and if I get the Evo rear in it by then, I can drift FnF style around the corners.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

What events you planning to run it in?

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Roadcourse, possibly drag race.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Geez, got the whole rear end apart expecting the toe in bushings to just crumble but they're in perfect condition. Rubber is still nice and pliable. I almost full guilty hacking these up to weld them solid when they look like new. I guess this job isn't bad on a 23-year old car if it's never driven in snow.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

What method did you use to yank them out of the trailing arms?

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Did you run this at PG?
Let me know how bad this is, I still need to do my rear subframe.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

A little WD40 and two flat blade screw drivers to get it out just a bit, than a long bar through the bushing and a rubber mallet. They actually came out pretty nice compared to other pictures on the web of people burning them out. I'm glad it was in good shape as I only had to cut off the mushroom part of the rubber to put the Taboo Speed Shop solid bushings on. Now to weld them in place and paint it up.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Ha, no. I was traveling for work the whole week before PG so I didn't get it done. I'm taking my time cleaning up and painting all the parts so it'll look nice as well. I've got it completely disassembled and now it's starting to go back together. I'm really shocked how good of shape most of this is in, I was convinced the bushings were completely shot all around.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

It looks like you had previously put some polyurethane bushings in the bushing at the subframe interface, and the taboo pieces are just 2 collar halves you weld in place?

My only concern is that the trailing arms don't move up and down in a single plane, they also move in and out as the suspension travels, 2 total axis'. With the solid interface and stiff bushings your suspension might do some weird things with binding/unbinding and might make your handling unpredictable. I really like using rod ends at that connection, no play but allows for free suspension movement.

They also have the added benefit of extra toe adjustment, which I actually needed the last time I aligned my car. It was lowered enough that the stock cam bolts didn't allow for enough adjustment to bring toe back into spec.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

The whole idea of the collars is to eliminate the second plane and only allow up and down movement. I like the solid bushings, but I wanted just a bit of compliance, so I don't shake my fillings out, hence the poly everywhere. I've read a lot of good reviews on using these for handling and drag before the solid ones came on the market.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

That's what i'm worried about... maybe I wasn't clear but as part of the suspension design, it needs the second plane otherwise your suspension will bind. The poly has some flex, maybe it would be okay but I used rod ends to eliminate the chance altogether.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Hmm, I see what you're saying. I'll have to look at the range of motion once it's all together. I'm just not picturing why I need the second plane with the triangulation of the upper and lower control arms. In fact, that's pretty much exactly what I'm trying to eliminate, the side to side movement of the trailing arms causing toe changes in cornering.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

The upper and lower control arms move in an arc - so the vertical positions of the outboard ends of the control arms is always going to move - it is a byproduct of the design of most multi-link suspension systems. It does change your toe and it is just the name of the game - depending on where your control arms sit in their arc of travel will dictate what happens to your toe - whether increase or decrease.

I believe with a dsm, if your car is pretty low, you get more toe-out during suspension bump, if it is stock you get more toe-in.. I could be wrong.

The compliance bushing/flex link on the leading edge of the trailing arm is unnecessary for proper movement of the suspension and creates yet MORE toe-in, so that is why people eliminate it.

You might be okay, just see how freely your suspension moves with your trailing/control arms installed but he strut/spring out or not connected. Preferably no sway bar either.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

That's what I'm thinking, putting it together so I can see the full motion of the suspension travel.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Mmm, all cleaned up and painted with new bearings, rod ends, poly bushings and the toe eliminator kit. Almost a shame to put this baby back under the car. :D

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

No adjustable upper links?

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

I have some, decided not to put them in as my lowers are shortened and there should be enough adjustment in the stock eccentric bolts. I had zero rear camber but then remembered that I had the alignment guy set it at zero for drag racing years ago.

Also found out that putting in the rear assembly by yourself is a real bitch. I fought balancing that whole thing on a standard jack for an hour before I got it in. I wish I had one of those platform scissor lifts, would've made it way easier. That also gave me the idea to build a small platform to put on my jack with a rubber pad on it for projects like this.

Re: Comfort comes home-Project Lexus GSX
 

Yeah, you don't really need much if your car isn't slammed and you're mostly street driving. Our car really likes almost 3.5* of rear wheel camber for racing. I can actually get that with the stock eccentric bolts at the ride height we're at.