02 2.5 RS Suggestions for next Rallyx mod???

[watchdoc]

I'm currently a consistant top 10 overall finisher with Tarheel Sports Car Club and I usually finish in the top 3 in the street tire class. I'm working to improve my skills but I feel like the car could use some additional work as well. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

2002 2.5 RS 5spd

Suspenion
Tokico D Specs with 04 Sti springs
20 RSB
Kartboy endlinks in the rear

Brakes
stock with better pads and ATE SuperBlue

Weight reduction
Odyssey PC680 battery
WRX hood
Oswald Performance front bumper beam
OBX header (catless) with Sti Cat Back

Misc
Kartboy shifter bushings
Group N engine and transmission mounts
Whiteline subframe locks
Primitive skid plate

Wheels and Tires
Conti Extreme contact DWS in 205/55/16 on stock RS wheels. If I had this to do over again, I would go with Dunlop SP60's.

Engine and power
OBX headers with Sti catback
K&N filter in stock airbox

Here's a list of things I'm considering doing. Let me know if you have any other ideas or which one of these you would do first.

1. Rear LSD (should I just find a stock one or add and aftermarket to my existing diff)

2. Front LSD (OBX? Quaiff?)

3. Lightweight flywheel and new clutch (already have the parts, just waiting for an excuse to do it)

4. SPT aluminum control arms (not sure if there is much benefit for rallyx considering the price)

5. Group N top hats front and rear

[Newk_Rally]

welded center diff?? just a thought

[watchdoc]

Nah, I drive it on the street alot and I run in a street tire class.

[MConte05]

Sounds like you already have the worthwhile suspension and power mods done for your car. Maybe tighten the nut behind the wheel? :D

[KevinWelker]

Ride with the fastest guys in the rally category and learn from them.

[watchdoc]

We have one of the fastest guys on the east coast in our club and I've ridden with him a bunch. I'm now able to watch him make runs and read the track alot better. I'm learning how to read the course better and read course conditions better. I still have a lot to learn though.

[eage8]

I would try disconnecting your rear sway bar and see how you like it.

also, a rear LSD would probably help a decent amount.

[Greg Donovan]

Rear LSD.

there really isnt all that much left for you to do aside from going for rally tires.

the thing that increased my speed the most was using a car that we trailered to events that wasnt a daily driver for anyone. it is amazing how much faster you can be when you dont need the car to get you home.

i wouldnt bother with the aluminum arms. they are really tough and when you hit something the mouning points on the body may be damaged rather than just bending a steel arm and swapping in a new one.

one thing you missed that i would add even before the rear LSD is a Whiteline Anti-lift kit for the rear mount on the front control arm. that will get you more caster and nicer steering response.

[watchdoc]

I've never heard disconnecting the REAR sway would do any good. I have tried running with the FRONT sway bar disconnected and while front grip seemed improved, I didn't have the car control I was used to.

Along the lines of steering, I think I'm gonna install and Sti rack along with the ALK.

What are the options for a rear LSD? I realize I could find a used 00-01 RS LSD 4.11 and there were a few years the forester S was offered with a 4.11 and LSD BUT any of these are gonna be 100k+ LSD that may have seen better days. Is there a better option.

I don't wanna make the jump to trailering my car yet. The trailer cars are pretty much all that is beating me now. Once I'm done with rallyx, I think I"m gonna jump straight into stange rally.

[Draco-REX]

As you get faster and faster, you'll find that the car rotates more easily. At a certain point, you'll find that you're doing a lot of work to keep the car straight in the fast sections. That's when you'd want to disconnect your rear sway.

However, I'm an advocate of disconnecting BOTH sways. :headbang:

[noisycricket]

I still want to see somebody put these on a rallycross car: http://www.strangeengineering.net/catalog/096.html

Looks like caliper/rotor only setups run $550/axle, which isn't bad at all considering what you get.

And WOW talk about destroying unsprung weight! One of my customers has these on his Camaro. I can't describe how light the brakes are. And they work just fine, too, although the lack of dust boots would mean frequent rebuilding if subjected to dirt, but what's a little maintenance in the pursuit of better times?