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So I got the strut tower brace installed about a week ago. As I suspected, it does not do a whole lot in terms of driving performance. The turn-in is ever so slightly sharper if you need to swerve out of the way of anything so it would maybe be a good mod for autocross. The only real difference I notice on the street is that I feel more of the road in the steering wheel, almost like my front suspension is not as independent anymore since the tops of the coilovers are now directly linked. I don't think it will make much difference on track either as your steering inputs need to be smooth. The other thing I noticed is that it sits extremely close/rubs on the A/C line on the driver's side. So I sliced open part of a rubber hose to protect the A/C line from any rubbing.
Bit of a tight fit on the driver's side.
At least it is something else shiny to look at under the hood.
On Sunday I took a long drive with some friends on bikes/cars on very twisty roads with the G37. The last hour of driving to the 1/2 way point and back is pure bliss through dense forest with roads so twisty that there are no passing zones, only areas to pull off for slower cars. It's very scenic and amazing as long as you don't run into traffic. We got lucky on the way home and had virtually no traffic. It was amazing and the car handled unbelievably well. My best friend was behind me in a modified WRX trying to keep up, but the G was just so planted and so fast through the corners. These are the types of drives I really look forward to. Now if I could just get Wisconsin to repave all of our roads to be so twisty.
Well after a couple of weeks of driving with the ends of my Sparco seat slider plasti dipped to try to get rid of the noise, I think I finally fixed the problem. Phew! That took 6 months to track down! The crazy part is that it really sounded like it was coming from the dash. The weird thing is that I am actually driving smoother now because I was shifting at strange rpms trying to not hear the vibration at 2,300 rpms. I'm so glad that is fixed!
In other news, I seem to be getting noise from the passenger side front suspension area and my front tires are wearing more on the inside and cupping again. My suspension sounds like something is loose and knocking around, but everything looks tight. I think it might be the end link for my front sway bar wearing out again. The grease coming out of the bottom of it when I hooked up to the zerk fitting was pretty brown. Looks like I might have to get some adjustable upper control arms and some heavier duty front end links. Bummer.
So I think I have narrowed down my choices of new winter wheels/tires to Drag DR-73's with Bridgestone Blizzak WS-80 tires. The rims seem to be the most affordable ones that have similar rounded styling to the car, don't weigh a ton, and have big spoke openings to clear out snow.
So I think I have narrowed down my choices of new winter wheels/tires to Drag DR-73's with Bridgestone Blizzak WS-80 tires. The rims seem to be the most affordable ones that have similar rounded styling to the car, don't weigh a ton, and have big spoke openings to clear out snow.
Smart choices, clean design. Do those clear your BBK? You might be needing winter spacers, too.
So I think I have narrowed down my choices of new winter wheels/tires to Drag DR-73's with Bridgestone Blizzak WS-80 tires. The rims seem to be the most affordable ones that have similar rounded styling to the car, don't weigh a ton, and have big spoke openings to clear out snow.
Nice choice, but everything you mentioned in your description had me thinking of the old G35 forged Rays...lol I'm super biased towards them though, I love those wheels and just picked up a square set for my next summer set up...I feel they're good for a winter set up too, super cheap, forged and they don't need spacers to clear the Akebonos...
Those Drag wheels are pretty nice looking, and agree w/ Hashim, the forged G35s are a great wheel although those would be 19s (you didn't mention, but I assume you're wanting 18s for snow tires). These Enkeis are nice looking IMO and WILL clear your BBK https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Whee...efore+3%2F2010
Smart choices, clean design. Do those clear your BBK? You might be needing winter spacers, too.
On Discount Tire Direct's website they have 2 versions of our car- "Journey w/ Brembos" and "Sedan Sport." They list as fitting both versions so I should be ok.
Originally Posted by Hashim
Nice choice, but everything you mentioned in your description had me thinking of the old G35 forged Rays...lol I'm super biased towards them though, I love those wheels and just picked up a square set for my next summer set up...I feel they're good for a winter set up too, super cheap, forged and they don't need spacers to clear the Akebonos...
I really like those forged G35 Rays rims too. However, I won a gift cert through work that I plan to use and I want to stick w/ 18's.
Originally Posted by blnewt
Those Drag wheels are pretty nice looking, and agree w/ Hashim, the forged G35s are a great wheel although those would be 19s (you didn't mention, but I assume you're wanting 18s for snow tires). These Enkeis are nice looking IMO and WILL clear your BBK https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Whee...efore+3%2F2010
Those Enkei's are nice too, but I want a little bit bigger openings and they are about $50/rim too much for my work gift cert.
I just discovered they also make these wheels in Hyper Black. I think that would be a nice contrast with the white and might look good with all the carbon wrap I did not too long ago. I think I am going to order these instead of the silver. They look about the same in pictures (darker than original center cap), but I am sure they are a little darker in person.
Nice thread so far. Was scrolling back to read up on your progress and noticed this plug.
IIRC, this plug is for the air quality sensor that the Tech package cars had. It controls automatic recirculation. Have always wondered if we can just plug in the sensor and have it work.
These tech package cars also had a grape seed, activated carbon, fancy cabin filter - i installed that and it's amazing at clearing any odors that come from the outside - just set recirc and blast the fans
Nice thread so far. Was scrolling back to read up on your progress and noticed this plug.
IIRC, this plug is for the air quality sensor that the Tech package cars had. It controls automatic recirculation. Have always wondered if we can just plug in the sensor and have it work.
These tech package cars also had a grape seed, activated carbon, fancy cabin filter - i installed that and it's amazing at clearing any odors that come from the outside - just set recirc and blast the fans
Oh, that makes sense. And here I thought the 6MT cars had the tech package stock. I wonder what other features I am missing.
Nice thread so far. Was scrolling back to read up on your progress and noticed this plug.
IIRC, this plug is for the air quality sensor that the Tech package cars had. It controls automatic recirculation. Have always wondered if we can just plug in the sensor and have it work.
These tech package cars also had a grape seed, activated carbon, fancy cabin filter - i installed that and it's amazing at clearing any odors that come from the outside - just set recirc and blast the fans
Grape seed? interesting, I have the tech package but have just been using off the shelf aftermarket replacement filters, I wonder if the difference is noticeable if I gram an OEM one on the next change...would you happen to have a part number for that particular filter?
Update on my daughter: They are inducing my wife tomorrow a few weeks early to avoid issues from mild preeclampsia. For the few of you who might remember my earlier post about her, I have some good news. They no longer think my daughter will need surgery on her intestines as soon as she is born. They think it is polycystic kidney disorder on only one of her kidneys and her other kidney looks ok. This is good news. So the next time I talk to you all I will be a dad! Crazy!!
09-11-2018, 09:44 PM
