Hasbro's Build Journal

[USAF EP3]

Just to throw this out there but have you looked at getting Todd's (DaVinci) designs caster plates? He made a few extra and I just put a deposit on a set for me a few weeks ago. I would HIGHLY recommend them as all the track oriented RSX's over on clubrsx use them and have nothing but amazing things to say.

Also a member over there has the front PCI bearings that press into the front LCA bushings and those add more caster as well. With our type of suspension the more caster you have the better! Caster = more dynamic camber during turns!

EDIT: I just read your last post! Doh!
If you need to save that travel why not look into a quality coilover that uses the body of the shock to lower and not lose shock travel such as Zeal or Bilstein? Not saying that your Koni/GC setup isn't quality, by far it's one of the best setups without having to spend 3k+ on a coilover.

[Hasbro]

Just to throw this out there but have you looked at getting Todd's (DaVinci) designs caster plates? He made a few extra and I just put a deposit on a set for me a few weeks ago. I would HIGHLY recommend them as all the track oriented RSX's over on clubrsx use them and have nothing but amazing things to say.

Also a member over there has the front PCI bearings that press into the front LCA bushings and those add more caster as well. With our type of suspension the more caster you have the better! Caster = more dynamic camber during turns!

EDIT: I just read your last post! Doh!
If you need to save that travel why not look into a quality coilover that uses the body of the shock to lower and not lose shock travel such as Zeal or Bilstein? Not saying that your Koni/GC setup isn't quality, by far it's one of the best setups without having to spend 3k+ on a coilover.

Haha! I don't need to respond as you've answered all of your questions!

Todd's are gorgeous but they steal 3/4" of travel from my top set up.

The Konis have been slightly altered for more travel. The swifts are 8" but travel as much as the 6"Eibachs due to thinner wire. Same weight, too, lighter alloy.

I'm holding off on solid offset bushings due to driving my brother around and needing a gentler ride. He actually prefers it to the stocks. It's my desire anyway to go as soft as possible and work my way up.

I really don't see any benefit for upgrading dampers right now. Earlier in the first pages - very wordy pages - I state that a better system will be considered at a certain point of the EP's "transition". If I can afford it (which I can't) I would look into some digressive rally shocks but that's waaaay far away in another solar system. I will say that I am really impressed with the Koni/Swift marriage.

Thanks for your feedback. I enjoy reading your build, by the way.

25-26 lbs. Wilwood kit.


R lcas, 11 lbs. I almost feel sorry for the installer, Scott. I have a whole list telling him what to do. He's a really good guy, so he'll really enjoy it.

[Powers]

Hey man do you think that 11.75 kit will clear 16x8 rpf1's?

[Hasbro]

Hey man do you think that 11.75 kit will clear 16x8 rpf1's?

Probably, 37 offset? Call Brian at FastBrakes.com and he will ask you for measurements. 602 323 2110

[Powers]

It's 38 offset I wouldn't mind running a small spacer if thats all it would take and I don't have the wheels yet I don't want to order them until I'm sure they will clear.

[Hasbro]

It's 38 offset I wouldn't mind running a small spacer if thats all it would take and I don't have the wheels yet I don't want to order them until I'm sure they will clear.

Well, it's Friday and Brian doesn't answer his phone on weekends so you have a couple of days. My install won't be finished until tomorrow morning. I'll see how they fit on mine, which are 16x8.5, 37 offset. I think RPF1s are pretty roomy but not sure. You might ask over on ClubRSX on their RPF1 thread. They get a lot more traffic and there are some real RPF1 freaks over there. They can at least tell you if the big brake kit fits and take it from there.

[Powers]

Well, it's Friday and Brian doesn't answer his phone on weekends so you have a couple of days. My install won't be finished until tomorrow morning. I'll see how they fit on mine, which are 16x8.5, 37 offset. I think RPF1s are pretty roomy but not sure. You might ask over on ClubRSX on their RPF1 thread. They get a lot more traffic and there are some real RPF1 freaks over there. They can at least tell you if the big brake kit fits and take it from there.

Alright thanks man ill be awaiting that message.

[Hasbro]

Alright thanks man ill be awaiting that message.

So, They sent me the four bolt hat instead of the five bolt. Hopefully Brian can mail me the five bolt soon and this wil lget done asap. Yes, was very pissed but shit happens. The installers at Brake Max have been fantastic.

[Hasbro]

A Gentle Note To Self;

When;

... you've just changed your suspension geometry earlier and...

... you've just 15 minutes ago changed the tire pressure from 33f/32r to 36f/33r and...

...you've just gone through a wet cold car wash and...

... it's a bit chilly out...

Do Not;

... go ripping around a corner...

...and do a complete spin out...

..cuz you might not be so lucky next time, Dumb Ass.

Moving on.



The handling from the new lcas and alignment is so much better, especially when the tires are warmed up. The caster and wider track is immediately noticeable.

Alignment;

front
camber -1.6/1.8
caster 1.8/1.4
toe .03/.02

rear
camber -1.0/-1.0
toe - .01/-.01

Front Track - 60 7/16"
Rear Track - 60" approx.


Sorry for poor quality pics. Blue painter's tape shows how far in tread is rubbing on fenders, lol. Shorter tape shows 1" out to get a feel for how far to pull fend ers. For right now pulling about 1"+ should work.

Edit, 3/25; pulled left front out about 3/4", which works. A bit crude but it's a start. Rears will need more.

Rear


Front

[Hasbro]

Started pulling rear fenders to quickly give me full travel. Fronts were easy. I'm using a mesquite branch, which works great (hey, I'm an arborist). The results are pretty crude but that's ok as I anticipate numerous shape changes until actual width is figured out. SHG is helping me on final width. Not messing with pulling the edge lip out yet. Looking a bit of a track rat! Pics after brake install.

Waiting on 5 bolt disc hats to install Wilwoods. After that come the caster plates, Dunlop ZIIs, corner weighing, and weight removal - hopefully 180lbs, mostly off front within a few months.

Playing with calculator trivia; at 2250 lbs., will require 17whp to equal 14.7 lbs/whp, JDM CTR specs. Hondata, cai, exhaust, little bit of headwork/stage 1 cam... can't wait.

[B]Edit;[/[B] forgot to mention final heights at lift points; 6 1/4f. 6 1/2r, with the the front left and right rear about 1/32" higher for weight balancing - even though it's not corner balanced.

[HondaFreak]

Curious questions.

1- What's up with that toe on the front? Is that toe in?
You know when your suspension compresses your wheels go toe out, right?

2- I've been told adding caster is not possible. Can you explain how you got 1.8? As well as tell me how your going to use caster plates. I've been told this is also not possible.
I'm running ITR LCA's with offset sphereicals and I only managed 1.0 caster.

Just curious.

Christian

[Hasbro]

Hey Christian,

Thanks for noticing, , I left the minus signs out. Fixed. I told the guy to get the toe to 0 or a little toe out up front and toe in in the rear as per Zzyzx' recomendations for street. I wasn't being fussy (including getting the caster equal on both sides) as it gets corner weighed very soon. http://www.ephatch.com/forum/showthr...eet-Alignments

I've read stock EPs can get as much as .75 caster and heard the lcas add about 1 so I was very pleased. Maybe someone more knowledgable can chime in.

Todd's plates add, what, 4 or 5, something like that? Hotchkis camber plates, when swithched to the other sides, become half camber, half caster (Scott). As of next week I'm going to find a machine shop to make an all caster plate instead of camber plate. I will be very bumbed if it doesn't work. Maybe trying to fit the stock springs for caster wouldn't work as they would hit the firewall due to their being so wide? Aside from the solid offset bushings, the subframe can also be shimmed for a bit more caster (Mustclimb). If for some reason the plates don't work I would do the solid bushings and subframe shims but was hoping to avoid these for the time being.

If Zzyzx or SHG were to chime in...

Edit; today's psi is 32.5f/34.5r. Will try mid settings on Konis tomorrow, haven't played there yet and increased travel will make for a nice mix, methinks. I so dig adjusting them!

Read through all of my 59 subscribed threads that have been saving over the years. Really got me thinking about what to do with the K20A3, among other things. I think I would like to build it to the "middle area" of about 175- 180whp. Nothing crazy, solid, long lived. 35-40% more power to weight. At 2250 lbs. that would give me 12.5-13 lbs. per hp. That's nice. Nice clean, quiet, mandrel bent exhaust with a double loop at the end. Nice head work, mild cam, tct, flipped pin something or other, etc. 5.1 final, 6th overdrive gear, lsd. *cough Ba82EP3 cough

Edit, next day; Konis 2 1/2 turns front, right in the middle. Rears, one turn of three from soft. This felt really good for as far as I was able to take it. A little rubbing still in the back, fronts are fine.

[Hasbro]

Suspension adjusted as per above feels so good, really rung it out today. It really transitions well in spite of stock bushings and a slightly less crisp steering feel than it will be eventually. The R lcas make such a difference. *I could almost stop here and be satisfied. *Ok, not really but it does feel good!

All the fenders have been pulled to different degrees in different ways - trying to feel them out. Still not sure how much wider they will be.

A little more drop from the next tires and that's it;


Left front is pulled the farthest out, left rear the least. The rear lip, when pulled, will "shrink" fender diameter about 3/4";


Right front pulled about 1/2" less than left front. Front lip will pull down fender about 10mm;

[gtimportfanatic]

Curious questions.

1- What's up with that toe on the front? Is that toe in?
You know when your suspension compresses your wheels go toe out, right?

2- I've been told adding caster is not possible. Can you explain how you got 1.8? As well as tell me how your going to use caster plates. I've been told this is also not possible.
I'm running ITR LCA's with offset sphereicals and I only managed 1.0 caster.

Just curious.

Christian

SHG Easy E runs caster plates that give him adjustments.. def not something to do with the stock dampers but def is possible with the plates.

[gtimportfanatic]

as for what to do with the engine, if you plan on doing something with the A3, you have good options, i thought that the VTEC killer setup i had was quite the head turner (works well esp if you have a good sounding exhaust) because it was very peppy after i got it tuned and my only down about it was the gas mileage, which kinda defeats a part of the goals you have for the engine.. i would say my city driving fell about 1/3 of its efficiency . Overall though that did not change my thoughts on it because with the 6spd and the 4.7fd i was quite happy, would have loved the 5.062 but im not a complainer. So, my advice to you, cheap route, VTEC killer for sure, proven power maker.