My Pewter Supra Build Log

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Rear sway bar install complete! This tops my hardest install now followed by S2000 Super Charger Install. There were a lot of parts had to be removed for such a simple component. Also had to dealt with dropping subframe which I never had to do.

In my opinion, Cusco Install guide was very good as long as you could follow the pictures. there are few things I'd add to the manual.

1. All underside panels should be removed. pairs by exhaust, pairs on lower control arm, & pairs covering frame brace.

2. When lowering Exhaust, use hangers. See picture below.

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I used wire hanger to hang the exhaust instead of dropping to floor. If you are completely detaching exhaust, this would not matter but I felt better to hang it.

3. Before fishing the old sway bar out, mark which side is left or right. I had to figure out for awhile to make sure which side i'm putting it in. It's like a puzzle that can only be solved once to take it out as well as putting new one in. you definitely don't want "oops, it's wrong side.." Especially if you are doing this by yourself, you need to go back and forth side to side to take it out and put new one in.

See below as a reference how much you need to lower the subframe.
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It is about 4 inches and I was afraid that I was going to break wire but I just managed not to.

However... After attaching subframe and torqued to the spec, I found this...

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passenger side spring did not wanted to stay in place.... I heard pop but didn't think of anything as it was getting late.. And found this spring assembly not in place...

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So I called it a day... you may have noticed I even bought spring compressor... Don't bother with this on rear spring since this would not work with rear springs of Supra. After a good hot shower, I searched for spring installation on bmw/supra rear spring installation and gave me pretty good idea what I had to do.

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Completed the installation today. Believe it or not at this stage, almost all mechanical parts were in its place. Just needed panels. After all that, no missing screws to nuts/bolts, nor left overs. Done some test drive to see if I have any code. No code, car drove just like before. Hard to see if it changed anything at the moment. I just need to wait 'til March.
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Akashugly

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This is my impression on Cusco front sway bar.

I wanted to install both, front and back, but a shop quoted me over $200 for $300 rear sway bar so I wasn't able to install it until I have a good plan and tools to do it. However, this also gave me an opportunity to test just /w front sway bar. The characteristic I tried to adjust was rolling condition specifically under the chicane where track turns right and quickly to left like NJMP lightening T3/T4 sequence. Because car was rolling to so much to left on T3 (right turn) waiting for it to settle to neutral position to make left turn (T4) was causing loss of time. This particular set of turns, I think I was going faster /w much less powered S2000. This issue can also be fixed /w coil-over or much more expensive suspension tuning. However, I haven't found any coil-over or strut/shock/spring that I liked. So I'm gave a try with Cusco sway bar.

Sway bar certainly gave stiffer feeling on road and track even with stock shock/spring. Specifically when going over a bump on one side. I'm not sure if it will get soften as I drive more but it was so stiff that when I was going over 2nd level of rumble-strip on inside T1 on Lightening, car will unsettle much more than when it had stock sway bar. I was able to get around it by just getting on to 1st level of the rumble-strip which I'd lose about a foot inside from apex. On T3 & 4, car was behaving much better and as expected, it had less roll and I was able to quickly change direction without having to wait for car to return to neutral position. However, because rear sway bar is soft, It felt like rear is unloaded in some way and about to lose control. It wasn't uncontrollable, but it did feel unsettled.

Over all, I think I'm in right direction and will need to install rear sway bar as well eventually. So my recommendation is, if you are going to replace sway bar, Do Front & Rear. I will have another review after having rear sway bar installed.
I have the front Cusco sway bar and whenever I go over a speed breaker, I hear a squeaking sound, I have no idea why.
 
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I have the front Cusco sway bar and whenever I go over a speed breaker, I hear a squeaking sound, I have no idea why.
did you use grease or teflon tape on bushing? I heard teflon tape works better but I cannot confirm that as I used grease. I do get some creaking when I go over big bumps but typically, it's quiet. I also heard that it will go away eventually. again, I cannot confirm that either. also, the endlinks need to be taught with load. meaning, shock needs to be at ride height before you torque endlinks.
 

Akashugly

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did you use grease or teflon tape on bushing? I heard teflon tape works better but I cannot confirm that as I used grease. I do get some creaking when I go over big bumps but typically, it's quiet. I also heard that it will go away eventually. again, I cannot confirm that either. also, the endlinks need to be taught with load. meaning, shock needs to be at ride height before you torque endlinks.
Grease was applied prior to mounting but will try to torque the endlinks with shock as u recommend. Thanks bro!
 
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Mounting APEX pro.

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APEX pro is data acquisition device to indicate if a driver is using full traction on the track. However, mounting it in Supra /w my requirements wasn't trivial. So I had to make my own contraption.

Started /w design on pen & paper then moved onto CAD to make this. And 3D printer spat out this.

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/w mounting bracket.

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mounting test.

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Although I can see the display ok, I think I will redesign to make it a bit more parallel to dash board.
 
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New setup was tested in NYST for the first time. I am still getting used to at the setup but I noticed this setup promoted slight over steer than previous setup. It felt almost as if car wanted to rotate rather than turn around. Quite impressive but I know I need to get used to at this setup better.

as for 285 square setup, it was very comfortable driving 3 hours to the track and come back. Pirelli P zeros are expensive but very quiet. with 5mm spacer in front, concern was weather this will rub fender liner/hood but there were no indication that it touched any of it throughout the day. It's at stock height.

So far, I'm happy /w setup, kudos to AZP Installs, APEX performance & tirerack. more testing to be done in future.

btw, with the tire size, 285 35 18... on the way to NYST, speedometer constantly displayed 4 mph higher than GPS (waze on samsung galaxy S21) at speed limit of the road, but on the way back, only 1 mph higher than GPS. I will have to see if it changes back but it was something I thought it was interesting.
 

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New setup was tested in NYST for the first time. I am still getting used to at the setup but I noticed this setup promoted slight over steer than previous setup. It felt almost as if car wanted to rotate rather than turn around. Quite impressive but I know I need to get used to at this setup better.

as for 285 square setup, it was very comfortable driving 3 hours to the track and come back. Pirelli P zeros are expensive but very quiet. with 5mm spacer in front, concern was weather this will rub fender liner/hood but there were no indication that it touched any of it throughout the day. It's at stock height.

So far, I'm happy /w setup, kudos to AZP Installs, APEX performance & tirerack. more testing to be done in future.

btw, with the tire size, 285 35 18... on the way to NYST, speedometer constantly displayed 4 mph higher than GPS (waze on samsung galaxy S21) at speed limit of the road, but on the way back, only 1 mph higher than GPS. I will have to see if it changes back but it was something I thought it was interesting.
I'm glad this setup worked well for you on track and that there wasn't any rubbing up front under suspension compression! Thanks for the order and enjoy the wheels!

-Tom
 
 




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