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My 2005 WRX STi - 6/28/2016 dyno tune update 429 AWHP/377 AWTQ on 93 octane

Re: My 2005 WRX STi - epic/stupid suspension build pics top of pg 25

For Bio:

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And no it's not staying that way. Just cleaning underneath it.
 


Re: My 2005 WRX STi - epic/stupid suspension build pics top of pg 25

Super handling function > stupid ride height.

Grand prix is only so low because its a useless car
 
Re: My 2005 WRX STi - epic/stupid suspension build pics top of pg 25

More lows! :)

I am going to go a bit lower. Left front is currently sitting at 14" from the center of the hub to the fender, right it at 14 3/8" Both sides are going to 13.75" or maybe even 13.5". Rears are also going to be 13.5". RCE recommends 14" F 13.5" R but I called and talked to them and they said with all the extra castor I have now I can match the front and rear without any problems.
 


Re: My 2005 WRX STi - epic/stupid suspension build pics top of pg 25

Ride height is all uneven from left to right. da fuq?
 
Re: My 2005 WRX STi - epic/stupid suspension build pics top of pg 25

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Coilovers adjusted! Everything seems to be in good shape. Getting my alignment and new tires put on right now, then I'll be able to tell for sure.
 
Man you and my brother both have coils and still look rxr vs the stock gtp that os my pos

Android Fire
 
Re: My 2005 WRX STi - coilovers and everything else installed!

Better pictures to come, need to get them uploaded first. Just got my 235/45/17 DW's mounted today and got my alignment done. Camber is -2.0* front and -1.5* rear, 0 toe all around and 6* of caster. Feels really good, body roll and understeer are a thing of the past. It doesn't pogo anymore like it did on the stock rubber tophats. there's some new noises I have to get used to (just as a by product of stiffer bushings, solid endlinkscoilovers/camber plates) but other than that everything is great with it.
 


Re: My 2005 WRX STi - coilovers and everything else installed!

did you do any rear subframe bushings? its really your next step to clean up some slop. and they are cheap.
 
Re: My 2005 WRX STi - coilovers and everything else installed!

Already have the TiC's Clunk Killer (Rear diff and rear outrigger bushings). There's soething clunking in the back that I thought was the rear endlinks but the solids on on there now and it still does it. I think I need a pitch stop and engine/trans mounts.
 
Re: My 2005 WRX STi - coilovers and everything else installed!

This past week was my spring break so I took the whole week off from both of my jobs and busted out a ton of work on the STi. To follow are 55 pictures of the mayhem.

I'll start with the suspension build:
- RCE Tarmac 0 coilovers
- GTWorx GD style front camber plates
- GroupN rear tophats
- Kartboy solid endlinks, front (with spacers) and rear
- Whiteline BSF36XZ 24mm adjustable front sway bar
- Whiteline BSR37XZ 24mm adjustable rear sway bar
- Whiteline KCA359 Sport Anti-Lift kit
- TurnInConceprts Fender braces
- Doing the "free caster mod"

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two of my good friends came over Friday after I got home from work and we started tearing into everything. We had the front sway bar/endlinks, front coils/camber plates and inner fender braces all done within a few hours. The trouble came when I went to do the free caster mod, which involves flipping a mount on my aluminum control arms, 3 of the 4 steel bolts took the threads out of the aluminum with them. I ended up having to pull both control arms and take them to my friends uncles machine shop were he fixed them for me.

Since I pulled the control arms I decided to replace the ball joints. Mine weren't bad but I know that if I hadn't replaced them they would have gone bad within 5000 miles and I'd have to go back and do it all over. Once the control arms were back in everything went smoothly.

Here's the way the car sat before any work began:
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I started out taking comparison pictures of everything but I forgot all about the camera once I started getting into the work. Here's what I did take though.

Front sway bar:
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Inner fender braces:
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Front coilover:
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Rear coilover:
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Here's what the car looked like partway though (car was level, picture is crooked):
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Control arm fiasco:
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Ball joints (Old OEM, new OEM, Moog, I ended up installing the Moogs):
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I wasn't aware that my subframe H-brace wasn't going to fit properly with the ALK and spacers so i ended up mounting it above the subframe. It most likely isn't as effective, but mounting it below wasn't going to happen:
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The rest are just pictures of everything installed, I've made them small, click-able thumbnails:










I had my alignment done to my specs and my new tires mounted the other day. The car is a completely different car now.
 
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Re: My 2005 WRX STi - coilovers and everything else installed!

Now on to the detailing. I've been a Zaino user for years now, but I won't be bothering with it for this car anymore. This year and last year I ran into the same problem of the Z-2/Z-5 leaving streaks and not leaving as great of a shine as they did on the other cars I have used Zaino on. I don't blame the product, as the new pieces that I bought didn't steak up or haze over, it's something about the crappy old paint on the car itself. Anyhow, i ended up topping it all off with a coat of Collinite's 845 and couldn't be happier with the ease of use of the Collinite's. It's also extremely durable, I used it prior to this winter and water was still beading up on my car as I washed it for this detailing session.

Here's the process I used:
1. Washed car with Dawn
2. Claybarred with Zaino Z-18 using detail spray as a lubricant
3. Polished using Zaino ZPC and a Lake County orange 4.5" pad on my PC7424
4. 2 coats of Zaino Z-2 activated with Zaino ZFX flash cure additive, with a Z-6 wipedown after both coats
5. Collinite's 845 Insulator Wax applied

Overall I think the car looks good. it looked better before I used the Z-2. I should have just used the Collinite's to begin with. I partially debadged the trunk and also removed, cleaned under, repaired and reinstalled the spoiler. Yes it was off and yes I put it back on. Problem? I also replaced the front splitters and rocker panel covers with new, OEM, pre-painted pieces bacuse the splitter were beat up badly and the paint was coming off of the rocker panel covers in large flakes. I put my V-Limited replica lip back on as well.

Starting with the spoiler -
Spoiler removed:
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Washed:
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Claybarred:
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Polished and some touchup work:
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Some of the new pieces:
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Re: My 2005 WRX STi - coilovers and everything else installed!

And on to the finished product, this is also with all the parts installed except for the new tires, but they went onto the same wheels so the look is basically the same:
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Expect better pictures, at a better location than my driveway soon.
 
Re: My 2005 WRX STi - 55+ new pictures on page 26

clean up yo garage foo'

Nah I kid, it all looks so very very very good.

Nicely done Kyle!
 
Re: My 2005 WRX STi - 55+ new pictures on page 26

Friggin FANTASTIC!!! So clean, as always.

The trunk shows are phenomenal, I actually spent about 15 secs wondering what the hell was the little black box on the trunk before I realized that was a reflection, its too dam early, I need coffee, and that wax job is pro.
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^^^ But admit it, it looks like there is something on the trunk at first glance lol
 
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