ZPS Build Thread

Well I am getting over my cold and progress was made tonight.

One housing done.
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Here it is all assembled.

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Not I just need to start checking the fitment to make sure everything is ok. I have one area of concern, but there is an easy fix so I am not that worried. I also looked at the travel and it looks like things are going to be good on that front as well. Can't wait to get this finished and done.

Oh and in the meantime I have been driving the Miata, so yea not like I am in that big of a rush.
 
Nice!

What is the extended/compressed length of those Civic inserts?


What about the sway bar end link mounts? They are relatively high up on the strut. Looking like that lower tab is for it and you'll just run a short end link?
 
Other housing is now welded. Not sure when I will be driving the car though because it is supposed to be raining every day until monday. I was hoping to get it all ready for the autocross, but if it is going to be raining I am going to take the Miata. You know, rain+200WHP+185 tires=Driftooooo
 
I would strongly consider adding some additional support to your strut housing. The way you have it setup now you are relying on two but welds for all of your strength. Others who have fabricated strut housings using that design have seen them fail at some point down the road.

A simple way to add strength would be to add a plate to the top of the ears. Then add some gussets to the bottom. If that doesn't make sense LMK and I can shoot some pics of my strut housing (not a Mazda).
 
Those plates are on there now, I did it right after I took the picture above because I forgot I was going to do that. Also I have way more weld than other shocks. Plus the mounting plates are about 1.25" longer overall compared to other coilovers. As an example the bilstein setup has about 1.25" of weld on the top and the bottom of each plate which are much shorter than mine.
 
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Car is back on the ground for a bit. I wanted to check to make sure I could get the camber I want out of it. I really was concerned about that. I made the plates so I should be ok, but you never know. so to night I checked. With the bilsteins I had -2.5 degrees of camber. With the new setup I was able to get -3 degrees with the same amount of tire clearance to the shock. YAY!! That made me happy. I am definitely looking forward to getting it together.
 
Here is a picture of the extra tabs welded into it. I was going to put the bottom ones facing outwards, but there really isn't any thickness there because the diameter of the tube is almost the same as the width of the mounts.

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I haven't driven the car in over 2 weeks so I don't really know. I have been driving the Miata or the tahoe. Had an autocross in the Miata in the rain yesterday. Fun was had.
 
More pics from when I was assembling everything yesterday.

11168467_10101976810213408_7271652914112591160_n.jpg


11173372_10101976810053728_7765246309586483925_n.jpg


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Time to go head back to the garage and take a look at the corner weights and align it.
 
So I have had the fronts in for a couple of days now and unfortunately I have not had that much of a chance to test them out much because of work. This weekend I should have some time. From what have seen the front is definitely better damped. I think that the rear is just too much though with the focus rears and the motion ratio of our suspension. I have the rears at full soft and it feels pretty well damped. I am going to swap the bilstein rears in to see how it compares with to little in the rear. I am thinking that I might end up putting in yellows for the 2 in the rear and selling the focus ones.

I am also looking for when the next autocross will be I can get to to really test them out with the R888's.
 
This morning I decided to take the clover leaf near our house on the way to work with "purpose" It is an interesting cloverleaf because they are all different size turns, and different shapes. One is even really a fast 90 degree which goes into a slow 180.

Anyway the car felt great. Like I would expect with having more front dampening it is much easier to get the car to turn in. Before because the dampers were soft it would quickly rotate then go into oversteer because the car would transfer weight really quick. Now it still rotates and can oversteer, but it is smoother and slower which is nice because you can really adjust your angle much more accuracy than before. I am quite happy. Also those new Dunlop tires offered really good grip for the treadwear they have on them. Especially since it was only 46 degrees this morning. I definitely found my new favorite DD tire.

Lastly in case you haven't seen the group buy thread I am getting the header from Font. It won't be in on time for my June 8th trackday at Road Atlanta, but that is ok. I have 2 more planned for this year and it should be on for them.

Small sneak peak, I am also planning on getting another car on July and it isn't a Mazda. More to follow. Yes I am keeping the 2...and the Miata....and the RX7.
 
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