[Mk2] [Turbo] Anybody using Wilhelm Raceworks Suspension Geometry Kit? Is it worth the money?

[Danbob]

I'm interested in improving the geometry on my track car that currently sits quite low on AW tracksport springs.

The Wilhelm Raceworks geo kit looks well thought out and uses sound logic, but it's a fair chunk of money especially after shipping tax etc.

https://wilhelmraceworks.com/suspension-geometry-kit

Has anyone on IMOC already fitted this kit and used the car on track? Would you recommend it? What differences have you felt? Has it lasted well without any failures?

Any feedback appreciated!
Thanks
Dan

[Race Idiot]

Just a thing to consider with that kit, will you be using the car in wet or salty conditions at all?

If so I'd be budgeting to replace those exposed rod ends every so often, they do not last in normal UK weather driving.

[SonicSW20]

The theory is sound, and I've yet to see a bad review of it.

As above though, longevity on a car thats used often is a concern!

[Danbob]

The car drives to between 3-8 tracks per year, and sees very little road use other than that.

I'd prefer to find a way to do it without using the stock rod ends and your control arms to be honest but I believe this is the only solution that exists off the shelf

[SonicSW20]

It's the only one that I've seen that's backed up by actual data

[Danbob]

Has anybody actually bought and fitted them though? And have seen it not seen good results?

[Race Idiot]

The only person I can think of who had one on here was Ashely, but he deleted all his posts for some reason.

Might be worth asking on the US MR2OC?

I've had too many bad experiences with rosejointed stuff failing, but that was back in the day when I used an mr2 all year round.

[Danbob]

Yeah good point I'll pop a post on mr2oc.com, might spark a good discussion.

[yokomomr4bx]

I have the kit - photos can be seen on my build thread - and I have trial fitted all the components. As you suspected, the fit and finish is absolutely spot on, the only difficulty I had was due to running 16" wheels - which on the rear will require you to grind just a few mm off the lower ball joint stud to have a more suitable gap between the stud and inner barrel of the wheel. (It should also be noted that depending on your wheels, despite having 17" you may still need to do this - I had the same gap between the stud and the wheel between my 17" and my 16" - the R32 GTR wheels do have a much more slender profile though).

As others have said before - despite the kit being exceptional quality, I refuse to use it on my car at the moment as its still used regularly on the road and those rose joints will not take kindly to our road surface/salt/grit. So it's currently sat in a cupboard.

My intention has always been to fit these permanently when the car isn't required for potential daily driving duties. I had also intended to purchase some rose joint rubber dust covers to help preserve them.

[Danbob]

Thanks for taking the time to reply! I am also using 16" wheels so may have that problem but can find a solution if necessary.

I've posted both here and on MR2oc.com and all replies have been very positive so I think I am convinced.

I don't suppose you could be persuaded you to sell your kit that's sitting in your cupboard? If so I'm interested.

Thanks
Dan

[yokomomr4bx]

No problem! If it's any consolation on the price, the quality really is up there, certainly not a disappointment. If you're interested in any specific photos that aren't on my thread or on his page, just let me know.

I got in touch with Alex directly when I was interested and he answered all my questions promptly and very well. I was quite fortunate to have friends that live in Minnesota and so only paid postage from Montana to their house...they might have brought the parts over in a visit to the UK in the following months The cost of postage internally in the US is really impressive, I think it was less than $8 to have the kit posted over a 1000 miles and it weighs a fair bit.

As to selling my kit, unfortunately no! Whilst I appreciate I could probably ask for £500, it's worth more to me at the moment as I'm really looking forward to fitting and setting this up myself.

[Danbob]

Ok, I expected that would be your answer, but always worth a try!

I'm going to see if I can get a group buy going on imoc if one of the admins can fix my premium membership!

[ashley]

I fitted the full kit to my car a couple years back, quality of the kit was good- but I did very easily strip the thread on one of the front steering arm spacers as I torqued it up (there was nothing to stop it spinning, so I remade the spacers with notched ends so you can hold them with a spanner).

So quality: good, but be careful installing.

The effect on handling is dramatic, it really improves confidence in cornering hard...it truly does feel like you've got more grip under load.

I would fully recommend it for a performance oriented car, for a daily driver- don't bother.

That said- if I was to do it now I would simply fabricate my own kit, there is nothing there that is difficult to make if you know what you're doing.

[Race Idiot]

Wow! You came back! Have you used the kit on track?

I remember you had a blog somewhere with yer build, do you still have it?

[Danbob]

I fitted the full kit to my car a couple years back, quality of the kit was good- but I did very easily strip the thread on one of the front steering arm spacers as I torqued it up (there was nothing to stop it spinning, so I remade the spacers with notched ends so you can hold them with a spanner).

So quality: good, but be careful installing.

The effect on handling is dramatic, it really improves confidence in cornering hard...it truly does feel like you've got more grip under load.

I would fully recommend it for a performance oriented car, for a daily driver- don't bother.

That said- if I was to do it now I would simply fabricate my own kit, there is nothing there that is difficult to make if you know what you're doing.

Good to hear the review on the dynamic effect! That's exactly the type of review I need in order to make it a worthwhile purchase for me!
I did think about fabricating my own, which would be interesting, but the RCAs themselves would be the tricky part without a mill And I've a lot less time to play in the workshop now

Interested to understand what thread was stripped on the front end as one of my reservations about the kit was trusting threaded aluminium for the front and rear tie rods, I've always preferred steel for any safety critical part. Did the track rod adjuster thread fail or is there a different threaded ally part in the front end? Did you inform Alex about it? He seems good at responding to feedback, but I did ask him about the use of aluminium for the toe control/track rods and he said he'd never seen any problems.

Thanks
Dan

[ashley]

Wow! You came back! Have you used the kit on track?

I remember you had a blog somewhere with yer build, do you still have it?

Hi! Not used on track yet, but it's been though the Pyrenees twice and driven hard up the switch back passes...lets say it was fully "tested"!

I do still have the blog, but I've not added to it in ages- lost the motivation when I made the foolish promise almost a year ago not to do anything to the car for 12 months....but we're nearly through that now thank fek.

So I expect I'll continue with it shortly...I think I got as far as the full re-wire, so all the real interesting stuff is yet to come...

https://ainsworthashley.wixsite.com/ashleysgts

https://www.facebook.com/ashleysGTS/

[ashley]

I fitted the full kit to my car a couple years back, quality of the kit was good- but I did very easily strip the thread on one of the front steering arm spacers as I torqued it up (there was nothing to stop it spinning, so I remade the spacers with notched ends so you can hold them with a spanner).

So quality: good, but be careful installing.

The effect on handling is dramatic, it really improves confidence in cornering hard...it truly does feel like you've got more grip under load.

I would fully recommend it for a performance oriented car, for a daily driver- don't bother.

That said- if I was to do it now I would simply fabricate my own kit, there is nothing there that is difficult to make if you know what you're doing.

Good to hear the review on the dynamic effect! That's exactly the type of review I need in order to make it a worthwhile purchase for me!
I did think about fabricating my own, which would be interesting, but the RCAs themselves would be the tricky part without a mill And I've a lot less time to play in the workshop now

Interested to understand what thread was stripped on the front end as one of my reservations about the kit was trusting threaded aluminium for the front and rear tie rods, I've always preferred steel for any safety critical part. Did the track rod adjuster thread fail or is there a different threaded ally part in the front end? Did you inform Alex about it? He seems good at responding to feedback, but I did ask him about the use of aluminium for the toe control/track rods and he said he'd never seen any problems.

Thanks
Dan

It was one of the steel uprights that jojns the track rod end to the hub, the top (thinner) thread just above the taper fully stripped itself as I attempted to torque the nut up. I was unlucky, the taper hadn't fully pinched the rod- so it could still spin- but after adding the notches for a spanner there's no risk of it happening again.

Go for it- you won't regret it!

[yokomomr4bx]

Very good point here and a very nice solution

[Danbob]

The group buy is now live here:

forums/viewtopic.php?p=1708032&p_sid=91 ... 2f#1708032