RSutton's 2011 SSM WRX Hatch Progress

No more "Altezza Style" tail lights.

 

Very nice!
You car is coming along quickly lol

 

the dark rims and lip on the silver looks so mean....

 

XXR 527's 18x8.75 +35 wrapped in Hankook V12 255/35's thanks to All Pro!

Going to take some better pictures later when the light is better.

 

xxr is really weird with their rim sizes
how do you like those hankooks?

 

They do that so you can stretch tires. I'm not into the stretch look so the 255's fit perfectly.

Only have about 5 miles on them so far and all of those were with the stocks in the back...so nothing yet. I have heard really good things though.

 

yea im on 255/40's too looking to go 265 in the future

i hear mixed reviews on the hankooks, keep us updated

 

Looks great can't wait to see more pics!

 

With cars...I have always believed the the addition of small things people don't notice makes as big of an impact as large changes. A simple de-badge, making things look "stock" and other incremental changes really effect the overall look of a car. This latest addition is another step in that direction.

Thanks Shu!

 

A tune can not fix mechanical boost creep FYI.

 

I just noticed something.....the 2011 WRX hatch has the wider fenders just like the STi?

 

That was part of the changes for 2011.

 

freakin nissan newb, get a Suby or GTFO

 

Get yours running for a change Mr. Engine builder

 

for 2011 all WRX models got the wide body. Hatch or sedan.
Can thus use more STi fitted parts

 

ALL of the sub-frames, steering and front suspension components are being powder coated today. A few touch ups in the engine bay and it will be ready to reassemble as well.

 

I got a couple more pictures in this morning before I felt like I was going to melt. They aren't very good but at least they are something! I am planning on doing an actual good set down in Atlanta sometime really soon.

The front end of the car actually looks higher than it it in the picture because of how the parking lot sloped.





And a fisheye shot just for fun...



The rear tire/wheel setup.

 

For once I would like to see someone color match the surround on the reverse light of the GR. Haven't seen it done yet

 

Like this?

 

NO you blind deaf pinball wizard

color match the area around the reverse light to the body color.

 

Oh I gotcha. Hmmmm that would be hard to decide on without seeing it in person.

 

Please excuse the crazy bad, quick photochop...but I think this is what he means.



Not a fan myself.

 

Yeah not to good is it? Maybe a little time and maybe a pic of the whole back of the car Photoshopped? Always thought the clear tails on the GR's were the ugliest part.

 

Prefer this:

 

but you might be a little biased, huh? haha

no, i like it that way as well. color matched is dumb

 

*Stabs out eye*

That's effing ugly.

 

Changing topics from the tail lights,
i know you just got the Ventus V12s recently but is there any noticeable difference (in your daily drive) from either the new tires or new wheel size?

 

NTB completely f'ed up my alignment. All Pro is fixing it later this week so I'll wait to answer until then. Right now the car feels like :eek3:

 

Saw your car at C&O sutton, sitting next to an Evo X with Topspeed decal! The wheels look even better in person!

 

Thanks! It's hard to take pictures of thin black spokes sometimes.

 

This wasn't a very good picture I just realized... I was stuck with my friend's 50 1.8. Should've stepped back a few miles.

 

New amp came in yesterday thanks to Ryan at SladeAudio.com and I had the chance to install it this morning.

The Hertz HDP 4 is running 150x2 at 4ohm to the front stage and 460x1 bridged at 4ohm to the sub. This is up from 70x2 and 265x1 that the DLS RA30 was putting out on a much smaller footprint thanks to the class D.

Hertz on the DLS as a size comparison



The DLS RA30 before removal under the driver's seat.



The Hertz HDP 4 installed



Glowing...

 

Nice setup!

 

Installed the Whiteline Steering Rack Bushing kit yesterday.



Installation was pretty straight forward and easy to do on ramps. The provided Whiteline tool to remove the driver's side bushings made things much easier. I didn't end up taking any before and after pictures of the install due to trying not to melt in my garage in 95 degree Atlanta heat...but there isn't much to see any way as the only visual difference is the bushings changing from black to yellow.

When you hold the old vs. new in your hand, you can see why a lot of people do this mod. The original black rubber bushings allow for a lot of play in the steering rack under load. The new yellow bushings from Whiteline are much harder and they restrict that play.

How does it drive now?

It wasn't a "holy s#$t! This is awesome!" experience. I noticed better feel on turn in and less play in the steering wheel overall. The car only has 10,000 miles on it so I would suspect that cars with more wear and tear would feel a bigger benefit. This is part of an install that I am doing in conjunction with an Anti Lift Kit from Whiteline, so I was going for an overall effect that will be complete once that install is done.

I am glad I took the time to install these as I can see the stock bushings were only going to get worse with time. They also improved the steering feel of an otherwise really numb feeling that is known in Subaru's.

 

Good write up! I've been looking for a review of these installed on a new wrx

 

I think so...

Old vs. New passenger side (they supply two to accommodate two different OD units) pictured with old drivers side.

 

Every now and then...you get a project that once you are finished...you are glad you never have to go through that again.

Last night, Tom and I (Matt was there too) installed the ALK. Getting the factory bushings out was a huge pain in the ass. They were really in there and after heat, a 600 ft/lb impact and multiple configurations on a bushing kit...they finally came loose.

The ALK adds .5 positive degrees of caster and helps the front end during acceleration and braking from diving and pulling up. It also helps turn in and other steering characteristics by getting rid of the stock rubber bushings in place of the harder Whiteline bushings.



I haven't gotten a chance to really throw the car around, but these along with the steering rack bushings is starting to bring the steering of the car to where it should have been.

 

LOL I am so glad you installed your ALK before I did, think I'll break my streak of working on everything myself and take it to AllPro.

 

At one point...we thought that was what it was going to take...a big press. Luckily we were able to get them out, but any other big bushings like that will be done by AllPro from now on.

 

Ugh Whiteline and their press in bushings. One reason I went with GTSpec ALK.

 

On the GR's...you don't have a choice. The stock bushings are pressed into the control arm. You have to press out the old and press in the new. It isn't the bracket setup.

 

That blows.

 

I think you might have been given a little misinformation that is very common. The term Anti Lift Kit doesn't mean it reduces lift, it reduces anti-lift to allow the springs to take more of the forces on braking/acceleration instead of having your suspension take the grunt.

A great summary of the ALK from Whiteline themselves:

There is a good table/example in the white paper below as well, showing the distances before/after installing the ALK. Summarized by the following:

Here is the rest of the article:
http://www.whiteline.com.au/articles/Effect%20of%20WL%20ALK_b.pdf

 

Thanks for clearing that up. Had it straight in my head but not on paper. That happens a lot... :|

 

lol np, I didn't actually research what it actually did until I was very close to buying it. Was definitely shocked as I believed it was something else for quite a while