OneLapofAmerica 2023 - "Close to stock" suspension setup

[tomfree]

Quick update: F & R sway bars installed, camber plates installed, longer lug studs installed. A friend with a lift allowed me to do the rear sway bar job at his house last weekend - took a friend and I about 9 hours to complete, including new hardware as advised by the instructions. What a pain in the @ss job that was. The car goes on the alignment rack next week.

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[tomfree]

My co-driver took the car down to Dinwiddie VA/Virginia Motorsports Park for an autocross run by Tidewater SCC last weekend. On the 10.5" wheels and the used 275 Goodyear Supercar 3s, the car was a bit loose, but fun. My understanding is that the GYs like a lot more temp than he could muster on a 60 deg day. In all, a successful test.

I do have a swaybar endlink question. With the AFE sways, the factory rear links seemed bit too long for anything but the softest setting on the bar. I could get it in the middle setting, but the links seemed to bind a bit. For the front, I have the endlinks in the middle setting, and they seemed to move a lot more freely.

Since endlinks are easy to change...recommendations for adjustable endlinks? I see AFE makes their own, and appear to be the most expensive. SPL is similarly expensive...and looks pretty similar to the AFE. The Whiteline endlinks are significantly cheaper, and look like they have a very slim center/threaded section.

 

[adawine]

Can't comment on the other brands as SPL is what I went with. P2uned still has the rear endlinks for ~$160. I'm sure the front could be found for ~$200 or so somewhere.

What are you doing for a tow behind? or are you trying to keep everything in the car?

 

[tomfree]

Can't comment on the other brands as SPL is what I went with. P2uned still has the rear endlinks for ~$160. I'm sure the front could be found for ~$200 or so somewhere.

What are you doing for a tow behind? or are you trying to keep everything in the car?

We are going minimalist and keeping everything in the car. We managed to get away last year without a spare wheel/tire, so we're taking that path again this year. I have a network of friends with a tool-sharing agreement - different folks to carry different tools, and we share in the paddock when needed. To save space and weight, I'm not taking a floor jack - A friend gave me an old school aluminum scissor jack from an 80s 944, and I'm rigging up a hockey puck/jack puck system to work with the Supra jacking points.

My co-driver and I will do a test-pack before the event as well, so we'll know exactly where everything goes in the car, the order it goes in, etc. All that stuff makes your transits easier. The goal is to be packed and driving away within 10 minutes of finishing my competition runs.

Edit - I had looked really hard at a Seasucker roof rack and a small rooftop box. It's a viable solution, gives you a waterproof storage bin at the track, but it's not cheap. I think the Toyota factory team does a rack/box solution on their Supra.

 

[NINaudio]

My co-driver took the car down to Dinwiddie VA/Virginia Motorsports Park for an autocross run by Tidewater SCC last weekend. On the 10.5" wheels and the used 275 Goodyear Supercar 3s, the car was a bit loose, but fun. My understanding is that the GYs like a lot more temp than he could muster on a 60 deg day. In all, a successful test.

I do have a swaybar endlink question. With the AFE sways, the factory rear links seemed bit too long for anything but the softest setting on the bar. I could get it in the middle setting, but the links seemed to bind a bit. For the front, I have the endlinks in the middle setting, and they seemed to move a lot more freely.

Since endlinks are easy to change...recommendations for adjustable endlinks? I see AFE makes their own, and appear to be the most expensive. SPL is similarly expensive...and looks pretty similar to the AFE. The Whiteline endlinks are significantly cheaper, and look like they have a very slim center/threaded section.

I'd pass on the whitelines. I had them in my Q and the first time they were removed they snapped (only 12k miles on them too). Been running SPL ever since with no issues.

 

[tomfree]

This is exactly what I needed. Thank you!

 

[tomfree]

We did a test-pack of the car this weekend, and it went pretty well. I can still see out the rear view mirror, as that's a pet peeve of mine. Lots of waterproof bags and some garbage bags hidden in there for the not-so-waterproof stuff. Rain prep is a big thing in OLOA.

I swapped out the pads and rotors yesterday, and I'll flush the system with Castrol SRF on Tuesday night. That's the last bit of prep.

I'm gonna shift this thread around a little...because it's my thread I'll post event stuff here, or at least link to the team page on FB ( https://www.facebook.com/midenginecrisis )

I leave for One Lap on Thursday - we'll drive from MD to S. Bend IN and have a chill evening before things get busy.

5/5 Friday is registration, tech, and stickers...there are LOTS of stickers you have to put on the car.
5/6 Saturday is wet skid pad at Tire Rack HQ in S. Bend, and the autocross at Grissom AFB in Peru, IN
5/7 Sunday is Nelson Ledges in OH. This establishes your running order for the rest of the week. If you run fast at Nelson, you run earlier in the day all week. I've never been to Nelson, so I'm not optimistic about being fast.
5/8 Monday is Road Atlanta
5/9 Tuesday is the Nashville Superspeedway Roval - we ran here last year.
5/10 Wednesday is Eagles Canyon in TX and the drag race at Thunder Valley in OK
5/11 Thursday is Hallet in OK - last year, my co-driver crashed his Cayman here in the rain. Hoping for a less dramatic day this time.
5/12 Friday is Natl Corvette Museum in KY
5/13 Saturday we're back at Tire Rack HQ in S. Bend for the dry skidpad and trophies.

 

[tomfree]

Made a quickie video tonight and posted to my YT channel and the FB page. Do I have to work tomorrow? I'm ready to go. NOW.

 

[FLtrackdays]

Made a quickie video tonight and posted to my YT channel and the FB page. Do I have to work tomorrow? I'm ready to go. NOW.

That last picture of your video says it all. Now I understand the scope of what you’re doing. Looks like so much fun I’d love to do that someday! Keep us posted how she does.

 

[tomfree]

Relaxing at the hotel in Mishawaka, IN tonight - this is our starting point for the event. The drive from MD to IN today was low drama, got 30mpg adjusted for the shorter tire diameter. Pulled in to the parking lot, and plenty of interesting hardware here. I'm guessing we'll have at least 3 Mk5 Supra's counting me.

 

[tomfree]

Quickie video of sticker day at the hotel. Tomorrow, wet skidpad and autocross.

 

[zrk]

Quickie video of sticker day at the hotel. Tomorrow, wet skidpad and autocross.

Does your buddy that's going with you drive a corvette by any chance?

 

[tomfree]

Nope, he autoxs an orange 6th gen 1LE Camaro SS

 

[zrk]

Nope, he autoxs an orange 6th gen 1LE Camaro SS

Close enough. Hope you're having a good time!

 

[tomfree]

The fun continues today - my codriver Clyde running the wet skidpad and the autocross.

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