*** Didz DC5R Street Special! ***

[Didz]

Well done on your PB mate

Not far off your goal time.......next one and maybe not too hot hey

Congrates on your PB Justin. No more fear.

Here on out you will only get faster!

Thanks guys. I have some things on the way which hopefully will help me reduce the whole body roll issue. I think I should have opted for stiffer springs from DMS to begin with =/

[Didz]

Rock the boat...


Ok so after winton i felt that my car could be stiffer. I have been looking at ways to do this and what I have noticed from all of the DC5's that ive had the honor of getting a lap in, have strut bars. Now when talking to these fine chaps they all tell me it's probably a barely noticeable difference. I see it like this.

We now all have coilovers, some of us have stiffer springs, some softer.
We all have fairly good tyre choices and the ones ive been in had semis
We all have reasonably similar power and I doubt there is a big enough difference in power to drastically alter times

Whats different?

Strut bars.

So i bought a Cusco Type OS front strut tower. Now i was looking at various designs and I went for the cusco because of 2 reasons.
1. It isnt overpriced like the Mugen or Carbing (both of which are solid piece and Carbing being the best ive seen)
2. It actually bolts to the firewall unlike some rando brands. this to me means that although it has bolts in the joints, the firewall connection would limit the flex from the bolt joints. Picture below:

Cusco Type OS


Other typical brands


You can see that logic would tell you that the firewall connection would add to rigidity. (Both are images of a strut tower to fit the DC5R)

After installing this and taking the car for a drive I noticed two things.
1. The front end felt tighter
2. The steering felt more direct and stable

So I think it was a good choice but the track will tell the tale.

Next up is the Whiteline 24mm Adjustable rear sway bar. This is getting installed this week and I am not sure if I will be able to judge before hitting the track.
So those who are interested, stay tuned!

[plAythiNG]

definately interested. I know im running entry level coilovers. Really want it to be stiffer on the track. I definately plan on getting a rear sway bar, possibly upgrading the front of mine. I wasnt sure of the strut bars though.... Curious question here:

Why did u get a front strut before th rear sway? or was it jsut because the front strut was shipped earlier than the rear sway? Have you also looked into the Floor bar?

for myself, im definately planning on getting a rear sway, other optional bars may include a front strut, a floor bar, and a rear lower brace also? not sure really.

[Didz]

definately interested. I know im running entry level coilovers. Really want it to be stiffer on the track. I definately plan on getting a rear sway bar, possibly upgrading the front of mine. I wasnt sure of the strut bars though.... Curious question here:

Why did u get a front strut before th rear sway? or was it jsut because the front strut was shipped earlier than the rear sway? Have you also looked into the Floor bar?

for myself, im definately planning on getting a rear sway, other optional bars may include a front strut, a floor bar, and a rear lower brace also? not sure really.

I actually ordered them at the same time so yeah, shipped earlier. I have looked into floor bars. I am trying to find ways to upgrade and add in braces and bars without affecting the car's interior. So floor bars and rear strut towers will come later.

Another reason I chose the front strut tower is that because it bolts on top of the two front struts, it helps to keep them in-line under hard braking. This is actually meant to limit the amount the springs and dampers compress, in turn limiting the level of camber and alignment change which occurs in the front end of the DC5's because of the Macpherson strut setup. How it does this? Because both struts are forced to compress together as the car has less flex. This means that more mass is required to have the same level of compression instead of one of them being under signifficantly more load than the other.

Im not sure if ive explained this right but it's the general "marketing" stuff which comes from these manufacturers.

All of this could be rubbish and i wont know until i take it to the track.

If someone has a better way of explaining, please feel free. Not a lot of sleep last night!

[plAythiNG]

Hmmm could sound right. I know what u mean about the rear strut bar... Really stuffs up the massive boot when carrying stuff in the boot. Hence why im considering either the 24mm whiteline, or the 25mm cusco.

[stevan]

nice bars man! if i had a choice i would personally just buy the rear strut bar, a lot of guys have said it decreases understeer noticeably which is something we all definitely desire

[crashprash]

would the front bar fit dc5s? clear gruppe M?..any mods required for the rear?

[Zakarados]

FYI, the rear strut does not change anything about space in the boot. I recently got a spoon one (gift) and installed it. Sits under the carpet nicely, although left and right trim around the struts will not sit in correct.

I also have the 24mm whiteline rear sway (installed on stiffest points), and BuddyClub N+ coils. Corners like its on rails, compared to stock. I installed these all at the same time, so i cant tell what which individual part did, but together they worked a treat (very limited understeer).

Hope this helps.

[plAythiNG]

Zakaroadoos.. Since u upgrsded the rear, what have you done to the front?

[Zakarados]

Nothing up front, and not planning to, the reduction in understeer is great. I dont want to introduce anything which will bring back the understeer.

[Didz]

nice bars man! if i had a choice i would personally just buy the rear strut bar, a lot of guys have said it decreases understeer noticeably which is something we all definitely desire

Yeah I will get a rear strut sometime before my next trackday I think.

would the front bar fit dc5s? clear gruppe M?..any mods required for the rear?

The only mods for the rear would be the interior plastic shit because it covers the rear struts completely. I have seen modded plastic with slots cut out for bars. Not sure about gruppeM. Sorry mate!

FYI, the rear strut does not change anything about space in the boot. I recently got a spoon one (gift) and installed it. Sits under the carpet nicely, although left and right trim around the struts will not sit in correct.

I also have the 24mm whiteline rear sway (installed on stiffest points), and BuddyClub N+ coils. Corners like its on rails, compared to stock. I installed these all at the same time, so i cant tell what which individual part did, but together they worked a treat (very limited understeer).

Hope this helps.

It does. Thanks! I want my car to be stiff and flat through the corners. Yeah I will get a rear strut soon I think.

[ChargeR]

I doubt that many people really need a stiffer sway at the front than OEM or the EP3 bar, but I would be the first to tell anyone that there are infinite ways to set up a car to go fas. Nice work Didz, good progress on the mods.

TeMp has the same front strut bar and from looking at it the Gruppe M won't fit with it in place. Will fit the DC5S but not correctly because it doesn't have the two studs on the strut tower where the 02-04 does.

[maracer]

Have you looked at any of the BEATRUSH products

[MYDC5R]

I got a cusco rear strut tower, i've just removed all my boot lining but left the carpet in...
Carpet sits on top...
I think all the Lining CAN go back in without modification but haven't tried as i cbf =)
What made you get the 24mm whiteline of the 25mm Cusco Rear Sway didz?

[Zakarados]

the sides wont go back in with a rear strut