suspension and braking upgrades, how and what to do?

[CerealKiller]

Ok, I've pretty much got a stock set up braking and suspension wise except for Bilstein shocks, Eibach springs, A'PEXi rice bar (front strut )

What I want to do is upgrade various parts but I'm not sure what would be best and how to do it. I don't have a lot of money so I'd be doing things over time...a long time. I've decided that I'd upgrade the stopping power and handles of the car rather than the engine (I'm saving for one / waiting for the RB20 to die).

Anyway the car is daily driven but I do plan to get out on the track every once in a while - that's the plan anyway.

This is basically what I've thought of doing:

- braided brake lines (racebrakes)

- slotted DBA's (4000's I think)

- rebuild Bilstein shocks

- reset springs

- whiteline adjustable sway bars (front and rear)

- rear strut bar

- hicas lock bar / remove hicas power steering lines

I think that should be sufficient for the occasional track day right? Or should I get things like tension rods, castor rods etc... Not sure what to do guys so your input would be great appreciated before I go broke from trial and error (something I only know too well of).

btw, I'm using stock rims (16x6.5 with 225/50/16, but thinking of going to 205/50/16 or 215/45/16 for the fronts)

[Roy]

Yeh swaybars and the alignment settings make a big difference.

I wouldnt bother with DBA4000s in the std diameter unless your front rotors are shagged. If they are dead i would seriously look at selling your front brake calipers to an S13 owner and upgrading to R34 fronts with their 310mm rotor .

Even then of your keen id be looking at a jap replacement rotor before the DBAs, perhaps Project U/Endless etc etc make their rotors with curved vanes...thats what i would be going for.

As for re-setting springs, i would be inclined just to flog them off to someone looking to lower their car and start from scratch with springs.

My car is nothing special at all at the track, but its very easy to drive, very balanced and with decent rubber has some pretty good grip. I wouldnt waste money on all the flash adjustable caster rods etc etc...new bushes are cheaper, nicer and offer the performance and adjustability you will need.

And seriously, i drove my cat back R32 GTST at the track for 6 months before touching it with another mod, hell the jap pads in it were even ok.

So you dont need to do anything other then service your car if you are doing an occassional track day...the setup you have sounds fine.

And coming up to the cooler period of the year, id say you dont even need to bother with an oil cooler, With std ECU and turbo etc, i made it thru 2 years of track days without one...lucky?!?!? Also use to run 14-15psi so i dunno, but servicing and checking over a 12-15year odl car just to be sure is more important in my eyes...things like fuel lines, radiator hoses etc

...and lol, the RB20 will never die, you will have to do somehting hamfisted to it to kill it:)

[Duncan]

sounds good....great to see someone looking at handling instead of power.....its no good going fast in a straight line

I reckon your list looks pretty good, but I would skip the braided brake lines, and put in a fully adjustable bush set from somewhere like Noltec instead

[predator]

like Roy said - any R32 is pretty tough. I have taken out out my stock R32 on the track once so far (on a hot 37 deg track temp day), and it stayed fine and to be honest I don't think its heating up the oil or water any worse than a sit in traffic or squirt up the mountains. People are too scared about their cars blowing up.

I'd be going out there first and seeing which items you think are letting the car down, and which bother you - rather than doing it all first, and not knowing which things *you* are prepared to spend the money most on.

Of course it could be *better* to have all the options there but you're not going to end up spinning off the track or anything. Depends how much ego you care about.

p.s. roy has a worrying brake fettish I have been noticing for a while.. soon he is going to be running F1 brakes on his R32, and then looking for "that next step up"

[benm]

Brakes:

A set of high temp race pads.

Afew bottles of Motul RBF600

Suspension:

Spend as much as you can afford and then some

I was out at Wakefield on the weekend spectating at the UAS trackday and whilst some cars handled very well others did not. The best handling would have had to be a white "HKS" R33 GTR. The suspension on that thing just hugged the road (pity he wasn't giving it much stick).

[Roy]

LOL...white HKS car, blue detailing with Bride seat etc etc. Tom / Paul, both have far too much respect for the R33 and R34:)

Shame i wasnt able to make it Wakefield, should be good to go to make it to Eastern Creek next Friday, then have to drive the car back to Melb to get the car tweaked and sprayed for another assault on Sandown...but before i go i need to give the keys to Cereal Killer so he can take it for a thrash... dont expect to change his mind, but he might grow some respect for the old RB20, and he can get an idea of what some bushes and swaybars do for an R32:)

[benm]

I have respect for the RB20, it starts at about 5,000rpm and finishes extremely quickly at about 7000rpm

I'll come out and spectate at EC (gotta find a fire extinguisher first )

[CerealKiller]

Ben - what happened one your first track day? I recall loosely that it set you back a fair amount to rebuild your brakes or something like that. Basically that's what I'm scared about and trying to prevent.

Roy - how thin is too thin on the R32 front rotors?

[benm]

Took me 2 full sessions at EC (doing like 2m25's too) and my pedal was getting lower and lower and then on the cool down lap it totally disappeared to the floor, had to use the handbrake to pull up in the pits (about 15min later after doing afew laps of the carpark).

Work done:

* All 4 calipers overhauled (seal kits).

* Front Goodrich braided lines

* New master cylinder (after 6mths of mucking around with getting the original bored and sleeved, never do that!!)

* New fluid

* New pads

Yes, fun

You definitely want overkill on your brakes. If you lose power you just slow down and pull over, if you lose brakes you hit a wall