Team Alavanche’s parts chaser 2002 WRX

I never did a build thread because it's never really been more than maintenance, but my 2002 WRX needs some love.  
 

I purchased it on January 27, 2017 so coming up on 3 years of ownership which is a super long time for something to stick around here.  Sure we have the select few, but I literally owned the challenge AMG for 70.5 hours.  
 

As it sits we're at 243,009 miles on stock almost everything down to the subaru stamping on the muffler.  Sometime a long time ago it had KYB GR-2 struts installed, which I already hate, and now they're clunky.  Rear brakes are almost spent, passenger valve cover is leaking onto the exhaust creating the "dude is your car on fire?" smokeshow.  
 

This is the kind of thing it gets used for

Also when the ground in the yard is frozen and it snows, it does things like this

Due to the nature of the use of the car(less than 3,000 miles a year, mostly going clearance shopping at Summit racing, picking up craigslist finds, general shop truck things that don't need a truck) I'm not looking to spend a fortune on things that don't keep it moving.  Also, I'm cheap.  Not afraid to say it.  It's not just because we build $2000 challenge cars.  I'm always trying to find out how to do it cheaper.  I have purchased an ebay $92 catback because I want rumbles.  
 

In the interest of using the car as a testbed to find future challenge budget friendly parts to share with the community a set of coilovers just showed up from MaXpeedingRods.com

Several veteran and prospective challenge competitors expressed interest in their products due to the nature of the $2000 challenge budget constraints.  I bought a 92mm LS1 throttle body from them in the past and it was a very nicely machined piece.  
 

Hopefully Wednesday I'll get to install these and document the process so I can give them a fair review.  Granted, anything has to be better than blown clunking KYB's, but still I plan to give them a workout and report my findings.

initial impression is they look good versus what I'm used to scrounging for challenge builds.  The fronts have 1/4" thick aluminum camber plates with bearings. They came with 2 spanners.  I'm planning to slather all the threads with anti seize because the car sees road salt

Direct link to wrx coilovers on MaXpeedingRods

When is it getting an LS swap?

OK................ I'm a sucker for some SUBIEKNUCKLEHEADSHENANIGHANS...............DONUTS PLEASE....WHILE SMOKIN'...............TANX

I tried to buy one of these at challenge budget.....  ended up with a DSM.

This one was above challenge budget but not by much.  My $900 2002 V8 car that i got in 2014 was horrible in every way except that i kept the engine and got my $900 back selling it as a parts car

This evening I took advantage of a break in the wind and rain to get the front done.  Everything was straightforward and with cordless impact it took about 45 minutes to do both sides.

initial impressions are very favorable.  I was very happy that they have the correct brackets for the brake line and ABS sensor wire, with the correct threads for the factory bolts.  In anticipation of road salt, i disassembled things and coated all the threads with lubriplate.  
 

I learned to hate KYB gr2 shocks and struts back in my camaro days, so no love lost here. 
 

I've never had coilovers like these before.  The springs are set at the factory and to change ride height you thread the whole shock assembly up and down in the round sleeve bolted to the knuckle.  I'm used to the kind where you change the spring perch height relative to the shock body.  I like this setup because you don't have to lose travel to change height.   It appears from my eyeball test that you can go from approximately +1" to -3" from stock.  I'm set up about -1" up front.  

hopefully the weather holds out and I can knock out the backs tomorrow and give a driving impression report.

The stance she is perfect ......how reasonable where the coilovers?

Very nice. $200 for a set of coilovers is pretty crazy too. 

What's the deal with the black brake rotors? Can you give us some detailed information about them and how well the black holds up on the pad circus?

Dusterbd13-michael said:

What's the deal with the black brake rotors? Can you give us some detailed information about them and how well the black holds up on the pad circus?

The black isn't on the friction surface, it's just washed out with the flash.  The rest of the rotor is coated though.  
 

I decided it's too cold and windy to do the rears today, because back seat removal is involved and it's 35 degrees out.  We did take it to the store, and i am pleased thus far with the fronts.  They are stiffer than stock, but not so much that it's harsh.  I was able to take a curve at 60 comfortably that is usually sketchy at 50, and body roll is significantly reduced.

i have yet to do an alignment and i'm on 2012 coded summer tires.  
 

so far very happy, and for the price i am thrilled.  I went in knowing the hardware around the shock body would cost more to piece together than all 4 assemblies cost, that was my justification for going with them because you can go to the circle track suppliers and get universal threaded shocks to pop in, but as of now everything feels good and i'm happy to be a guinea pig and keep reporting back on longevity.  
 

hoping the forecast for this weekend holds up so I can get the rears done 

Dang, the MaxPeeDingRods don't offer coilovers for a Ford Escort or Ford Probe (or Mazda Protege or Mazda MX-6).

Probably going to end up with the $195 eBay coil overs on my RX7. 
 

You can really slam in adjusting the shock body and spring perch. 

Alright. Following for giggles.

I've been in this car. It's quite pleasant. Patrick should drive it more. 

In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :

Agreed.  
 

Fwiw this Link to MaXpeedingRods is my link and promo code Patrick will get you 8% off $200+
 

Complete transparency:  I was approached with an offer to use and review their parts.  If I thought they were junk I would tell you guys they are junk and end things there.  As it stands though, I can honestly say so far that this is a solid product at an unbeatable price point which is a very viable option for challenge use.  I already own one of their 92mm LS throttle bodies and it's a very nicely machined part, which is why i agreed to hear them out.  

In reply to Patrick :

Nice.

Ooh they've got coilovers for the Taurus and Sable! https://www.maxpeedingrods.com/For-Ford-Taurus-Mercury-Sable-1996-2005-Adjustable-Height-Coilovers.html

This will greatly help me if I ever do that "2000 Mercury Sable touring car based on the fictional Sable race car from Jarrett & Labonte Stock Car Racing AKA TOCA World Touring Cars" build.

Oops, sorry. Junked up your thread with Ford nonsense. 

No worries i have to get used to the ford nonsense now that I have a mustang

slowbird said:

Ooh they've got coilovers for the Taurus and Sable! https://www.maxpeedingrods.com/For-Ford-Taurus-Mercury-Sable-1996-2005-Adjustable-Height-Coilovers.html

It only takes a few small adaptations to fit these on a first gen SHO..... just sayin'

P'man what treads are on this during the winter? 

Patrick, do you have any experience with the maxpeedingrods turbos?

In reply to 759NRNG :

Same as summer.  Some nitto summer tires that are old and not down to the wear bars yet.  It does just fine in the snow.  I'm sure with snow tires it would be even better, but it's already awesome.  
 

untouchabl, i do not yet.  I'm planning to use one of theirs as well as their 80# injectors for my 2021 challenge car, but likely won't get my hands on it until this summer.  

Friday:  let's test the front suspension and go pass an emissions test.

(points car at testing station a few miles away)

car:

In reply to Patrick :

You definitely should move down here. My CEL in the truck went out for a bit on the way to Michael's. First time it's been out for years. I assumed the bulb burned out at first. 

Patrick said:

untouchabl, i do not yet.  I'm planning to use one of theirs as well as their 80# injectors for my 2021 challenge car, but likely won't get my hands on it until this summer.  

They make turbos?

{runs off and looks}

They make $120 turbos.  Hrmmm.