new steering rack and another SR goes down

[themadscientist]

Well I just got home from swapping out my ancient steering rack for a fresh rebuilt one. It was dangerously old, one end had 1/4" of back and forth play and would clunk loudly when I backed up. No stripped bolts, no real grief getting it out. The power steering lines didn't try to crossthread and so far seem leak free. The steering shaft went on a bit off-center so one end is screwed in a little more than the other. I just eyeballed the toe. It has the tiniest leftward wander but at 100mph I can take my hand off the wheel and it's stable. i forgot to order the rubber grommets that go around the rack where the straps clamp it down to the crossmember. I will see if Nismo has some urethane ones and get em or new rubber ones if they don't. The rubber bushing it the steering shaft has crazy amounts of play. I wonder if that is age or if it always flexed like that. Somebody makes an aluminum one and I will definitely look into that.Now on to the fun stuff. I had to head into work at 1am to respond the a fire alarm. It turned out to be nothing so I am heading back, not tired and the roads are like post apocalyptic empty. Nothing but taxis, daikos and drunk drivers out there and I hope some racers. I take up my favorite blind, shut off the lights and wait. I usually stalk people, wait down little sideroads for them to pass and follow them at a distance for a mile or so. I like to study the car and the driver, get a feel for what to expect. Sun Tzu was a wise mofo and I am a firm believer in the battle being decided before it begins; I carefully pick opponents.Tonight however I am itchin really bad and would go after an R if that's all I could find and try to out drive the guy because sorry to say folks, my car is not really very fast. It feels like just over 200hp but when the wastegate opens up it's psychological, it feels like an extra 50 but I know it's impossible. I don't have enough fuel to do much more than 220hp or so. now with this in mind I would normally shy away from certain cars, namely the DR30 FJ Skyline that rolls by. Oh yes, there are still a few out there and I know this one well. It's a young guy and the car sounds basically stock with a muffler and some gorgeous Wats, black RS8s. I only went after him because I knew you guys would love an FJ20 story. Sorry, the story goes like this; when I got up next to him he turned left. So I head back to my hiding spot and kill the lights. Now the whole time I have been doing this a group of Japanese guys sitting around a 180SX have been across the street from where I am sitting likely wondering what the hell I am doing. To my knowledge nobody does this. Japanese guys, at least the ones down here in the sticks let it all hang out and show you exactly what they have. I don't do that **** but it makes picking my battles easier. Their confidence is fixated on certain indicators. When I pull up next them, they look "american" they think and start sizing me up based on that. I do it too, for the most part Americans do do the same things and Japanese guys have a similar different but consistent amonst them way of acting; I don't deal with the two exactly the same."american" they think, process, check the car, no visible guages, stock? Muffler but mellow tone, stock turbo? check for intercooler, if they see one threat level ratchets up. BOV gains no points, tweetybird HKS ones at least for me rank someone lower as that thing is a toy and I would not expect a real turbo to show it mercy. They can't see my intercooler because unlike everybody else I don't have a huge opening in my bumper with a blingmaster 2000 high polish core, it's satin and tucked deep in the Bomex nose.Now here is first problem for me, I have a twin plate clutch. Anybody who has heard one can tell you it makes a loud unique sound when it's spinning free, like cutlery in a dryer. I always coast up out of gear so they only notice it a few seconds before the light goes green. As soon as the dancing plates announce themselves threat level goes up several notches because most people with a clutch like that NEED a clutch like that. In my car it's overkill, a lightened flywheel and nismo heavy duty clutch would satisfy my needs, be quieter and allow the motor to wind up a little quicker but I got a smoking deal on the twin and on the second twin so there it is.Now comes the indicator that separates the players from the posers, a cracking wastegate. Even the moderately fast guys are running actuated turbos. Only the heavy hitters and guys like me who make things happen on a budget run external wastegates. If a guy hears the gate before you hook them they will ***** up. This irritates me. I am not afraid of a wastegate, lets see what spring you're runnin *****! I have had guys break their neck to get away just because the car is loud. I knew they would win and they turned tail, weaksauce man.So enough sidestory, I ain't David Mamet over here. I am waiting and there goes a Chaser. Now a Chaser and it's brother the Mark II are big sedans, think japanese crown vic, better yet think Impala SS. They pack the 1JZ 2.5 twin turbo straight six. the 2JZ's 500cc smaller brother. You have heard of a 2J I assume? Don't let the 500ccs throw you, these things will crank out 700 without much trouble just like big brother and with simple bolt-ons will be scratching at 400's door. Even in the big sedan they will put a hurting on most cars. I want some action and I don't care if I lose so I give chase. He is humming along so it took a mile or so to catch up, trying to keep the wastegate quiet remember? I coast past and give a lazy look like I didn't notice him, he let's me know he is there surging up next to me. I look over at him and without so much as an eye tick clutch in downshift punch the gas and pop the clutch, it takes him the same amount of time to floor it and the car to respond. I wind out second instantly, snatch third with a pow! coming from the muffler. Ask his girl what it sounded like because she got a ringside seat, he was falling behind, fourth and the gap just keeps opening up and I let off. Now I am racking my brain trying to figure out what just happened. I should not beat that car, maybe once I am done and the car is laying down a solid 300hp I can with the lighter weight and good driving. I don't like strange wins like, I go back for more, and one more time. Each time the same thing, it's all he's got. The only thing I can think of is it must be a Tourer S, the non-turbo. They make just under 200hp and with a full muffler he is right about where I would expect. That makes sense, good for him, nice car. I like the music he was playing at the light too whcih was nice because my stereo is broken. I am coasting down from the last race into a signal and there is an S14 waiting. I see the guy in the back checking out my car and catch the driver peek at me from the side of his eye. I yell "Iko baby"! The light goes green and I commence to walking that dog. He is closer to me that the Chaser was which would support the theory that that had been an NA car. I gain distance with each shift and let off. I have a nasty stumble on the shifts, the car hesitates noticeably. I am chalking this up to the VBC. When I have a good boost level established I will buy the spring to get that boost default, it should clean it up. I might want to shave off some fuel at the highest setting on the GCC, I may be overshooting my fuel needs when I shift and that is causing the stumble. I will definitely keep my eye on it. I had some fun but I was getting tired so I swung the car around and aimed for home.

[ragenasian]

Your stuff is always a good read. Well written and not that stupid crap like "yo foo i just dropped an SR like I dropped yo mom off at the corner!"

I need some more juice in mine so maybe you can send me an email of what can be put together while I am down there.

Good stuff TMS keep em coming!!!!!

[themadscientist]

"yo foo i just dropped an SR like I dropped yo mom off at the corner!"

that is some poetry right there

[Woods Crasher]

Yea I love reading your stories. Makes me feel like I'm there in JDM land hehe

[roplusbee]

When I saw the length of the post, I thought hmmmmm. But the more I read, the more I wanted to read. People like you keep me motivated to finish my project and not give up prematurely. Thanks dude.
Modified by roplusbee at 5:48 PM 7/7/2007

[r34 gtr]

you need to get that thing working so i can hear stories like "yo foo i just dropped an r34 vspecII like i dropped your mom off at the corner"

I have always wondered, my steering shaft has no rubber bushing on it anywhere. did some come without it? there isnt even a place where one would have been. anyway, awesome story. you kept me properly entertained for several minutes. keep taggin' em and baggin' em.

[Jiggyfry]

I now have no nails left after reading that

[mod_mastaz]

If some info on those aluminum steering rack bushings, would you mind sending the link this way? Oh, and you can get ES rack bushings for under 20 dollars if you don't want to get the Nismo ones.

Love the stories!

[themadscientist]

I found one.http://www.lsauto.com/products.asp

[mod_mastaz]

OHh I meant like the bushing that holds the steering rack to the cross-member. They are circular and egg-shaped. I'll probably just get one made someday.

[ddgsxr504]

RS*R and Energy suspension both make those bushing for the steering rack.

[bone_stock_240]

Could your stories be anymore amazing? The answer is yes. Next time get road head at the same time. I just love the detail you get into.

[themadscientist]

road head+stiff racing shocks = involuntary circumcision.