It's a month-over-month budget for me.

• Aug - rear diff rebuild kit.
• Sep - rear diff frame bushing kit.
• Oct - two rear snows for my duckfeet.
• Nov - two snows for my wife's car.
• Dec - it snows.
• Jan - rear gears.
• Mar - two rear PSS for my Vossens.
• May - gears installed.

Sometimes big ticket items (like the gears, or two new PSS) need a breather afterwards.

 

Nice list you've got going there! Good luck with the gear change. I'm actually considering a gear change as well, but I need to go the other way. I really hate running around 3500 RPM's when I'm cruising on the freeway.

 

So much good info in here. I too will be interested in your thoughts after the gear change.

I know a shorter gear really woke the Z's up. There was a guy that had a NA Z running in the 12's after a gear change. Obviously there were other mods as well.

 

This is purely anecdotal, but from what I've read, you can lop nearly a half second off the car in both the quarter mile and 0-60, just by swapping in 4.08's. That's huge. And since most of my highway driving is short on/off romps around my region, I'm not at all worried about what this does to my highway cruising.

Gear swap is still more than half a year away, but it's happening and will be here soon enough.

Good to have you on the forum, Dembflyr. Everything I've read so far from you is a welcome addition. Particularly when you compliment me, LOL.

 

A half second is probably optimistic

I've done some research on this, since I still need to deal with the rear differential bushing....but over in the 370 board, guys are talking .2-.3 second gains on sticky tires as first gear has traction issues and is tricky to launch.

It will undoubtedly be fun to drive.

 

Oh hey, no argument from me! A half second is crazy optimistic, and I probably shouldn't be repeating that nonsense without proof... which isn't something I'm going to have, except for my non-quantifiable butt-dyno. So yes, 0.2 to 0.3 is much more realistic. As for launching the car, since I'm not at the dragstrip, I'm not too worried. Plus, I'm running Micheline PSS at 275/35R19, so that and the VLSD should help. (Or so I tell myself )

Can't imagine how awkward it will be in the winter with OEM-sized snow tires. Fortunately, I expect a half year to re-learn how to drive the car before that happens.

Bushings arrived last week. Smaller than I thought they would be, don't know why I thought otherwise. Anyway, here they are.

 

Over the last few weeks:

• Got out the 0000 steel wool and metal polish to clean up all four (winter-only) wheel spacer adapters.
• Polished the OEM lug nuts.
• Cleaned, clayed and waxed all four duckfeet.
• Had my front wheels rebalanced, probably the last year for those Bridgestone Blizzaks.
• Purchased two new Michelin X-Ice snow tires for the rears. Waiting on shipment. ($388 shipped... ouch.)
• And over the last few days, I fully clayed and waxed the entire car for winter.

Next month, I'll have the rear tires mounted and balanced on the rims, and I'm planning on purchasing a new set of half-height spline-drive lug nuts, for the spacers, because the little brass lug nuts that comes with the spacers are crap.

Here's a picture of the duckfeet. Not too shabby for 6 year old wheels. A few surface scratches, but no chips or curb rash. Excellent winter-rims, even if the 1" stagger is kind of pointless in that context.

 

As always John, superb job! Even though you're getting ready for a big winter ahead, hopefully you'll have an easier time of it this year. Mother Nature is on a roll though **** G/L sir.

 

Immaculate work John! Great job brother!

 

Thanks, Kenny. As much as anybody else, I'm none too excited about the 18" OEM Sport Rims. However, they sure do look good in that photo. So there's that.

Took the caps off so could clean them easier.

Who here keeps old toothbrushes to clean out wax in the cracks of things? Lots of us, huh? LOL

 

I just cleaned out my tool box and threw away about six of them. We are all due for a cleaning so I'll get some replacements soon.

 

Great updates! Excited to hear what you think once you've finished your gear swap next year.

 

Those will be great, I'm a huge fan of OEM wheels and snow tires.

 

I hate my X-Ice tires, I regret not spending the extra $ on the Blizzak LM's. The Michelin's are too soft compared to the Blizzaks granted its winter and etc but still, handling def suffered a lot in my car. In the end however, the Michelin's served their purpose but my next winter tires for my new coupe will be the Michelin Pilot Alpin, amazing snow tire!

 

Hahaha... touché, Kris.


Wow, Goonz... I hate my Blizzak LM's, and regret buying "performance" snow tires.