Made a small mod last week which has made a pleasing improvement. One of the few areas where most said the GR86 didn't improve over the previous model was the steering - criticised for lacking a bit of feel and being lighter than the earlier car. I figured it was just down to tyres and alignment, but have noticed that the car does feel a little vague just off centre. Not horribly so, but enough that sometimes I felt I didn't have quite the confidence in the front end that I did in the old car. New tyres helped, as did a proper alignment, but it was still not quite right.
Last week, after some research, I fitted STI extended steering rack bolts. Doesn't sound like changing some mounting bolts would make a difference, until you see them. The steering rack was bolted to the subframe by some chunky bolts which thread through a rubber bushing; but they were relatively short, only threading maybe 25mm or so into the subframe. The STI bolts instead thread all the way through the subframe, and come supplied with a spacer and nut so that it clamps the frame from the other side. I also bought harder STI bushes; however wasn't able to fit them; they have a rubber lip and I could not for the life of me work out how to press it into the rack without it being torn off. I abandoned them, and went back a couple of days later to install Whiteline poly bushes instead as they are a two-part design which is much easier to install.
Despite being a pretty minor change, I'm glad to say there's been a marginal, but noticeable, improvement. The vagueness just off centre is gone, and although I wouldn't say I can feel much more through the wheel in terms of road texture, I can feel that the car seems to respond to tiny inputs much more willingly. Feels much nicer threading it through a corner, especially if I have to make tiny corrections, much more like the GT86.
It's also made the car nicer to drive on the motorway. I now find that I can cruise supporting the wheel with one hand more comfortably; it seems to take less movement from my wrist and fingers to keep the car straight, so little that it's almost subconscious. Before, the slight vagueness around dead centre meant that I'd find myself driving with two hands on the wheel all the time, as larger input was needed for small corrections. Very pleased with the results
Last week, after some research, I fitted STI extended steering rack bolts. Doesn't sound like changing some mounting bolts would make a difference, until you see them. The steering rack was bolted to the subframe by some chunky bolts which thread through a rubber bushing; but they were relatively short, only threading maybe 25mm or so into the subframe. The STI bolts instead thread all the way through the subframe, and come supplied with a spacer and nut so that it clamps the frame from the other side. I also bought harder STI bushes; however wasn't able to fit them; they have a rubber lip and I could not for the life of me work out how to press it into the rack without it being torn off. I abandoned them, and went back a couple of days later to install Whiteline poly bushes instead as they are a two-part design which is much easier to install.
Despite being a pretty minor change, I'm glad to say there's been a marginal, but noticeable, improvement. The vagueness just off centre is gone, and although I wouldn't say I can feel much more through the wheel in terms of road texture, I can feel that the car seems to respond to tiny inputs much more willingly. Feels much nicer threading it through a corner, especially if I have to make tiny corrections, much more like the GT86.
It's also made the car nicer to drive on the motorway. I now find that I can cruise supporting the wheel with one hand more comfortably; it seems to take less movement from my wrist and fingers to keep the car straight, so little that it's almost subconscious. Before, the slight vagueness around dead centre meant that I'd find myself driving with two hands on the wheel all the time, as larger input was needed for small corrections. Very pleased with the results
