Our 1998 XC wagon w/170k miles is at Stage 0...
also, it's now rockin'' an IPD Short RAM air intake, NA cams, IPD RIP kit, Samco vacuum, turbo and coolant hoses, IPD turbo inlet tube kit, IPD HD CBV, HD TCV turbo control valve, IPD projector headlamps, marker lamps and new fog lights, IPD phenolic intake manifold spacer, IPD strut brace, IPD sway bar kit and HD end links, IPD 17" Peg replicas and 215/50ZR -17 Conti Extreme Contact DWS XLs (awesome tires, btw), Zimmerman drilled disks and ss lines from IPD, etc... so far so good, reset ECU and this rig's a little underpowered but I need the LPT torque/power curve because of where we drive every day- mountain roads in coastal NorCal that includes *many* miles of 11%-12% grade switchbacks through the redwoods that flat-out <bake> the 280mm Zimms and get the turbo plenty toasty uphill, even takin' it easy on the boost... but man, are these roads FUN... it's seldom indeed that I get a chance to be Abe Lincoln with the family's safety AND have <fun> using upgraded equipment, all of which should, with any luck, make the XC safer in the mountains, on the highways and in PCH 1 traffic around Santa Cruz, CA... have I mentioned that in addition to the deer everywhere at all times and in all weather, the smattering of drunk hillbilly drivers and pugnacious local drivers and aggro yuppies on their way of the hill to Silcon Valley in their 5-series beemers, we have occasional floods, ice, snow and mudslides? Yeah, except the last four are as rare as the former four factors, thank goodness.
I recently installed new Boge/Sachs front struts with IPD HD spring seats and OE strut bearing plates. What a mistake- the OE struts manage to be both overly harsh on sharp bumps and broken pavement layers AND wallow in the corners at understeer, oversteer or any transition between the two as well as marshmallow over rolling whoops on the ridiculously off-camber curves of our nearby demolition derby mountain highway 17... I'm convinced now that I should have waited and grabbed the Konis & springs in the first place by focusing more on the 'big-picture' about what I want to do longer-term.
I want a flatter-cornering, faster and quicker responding XC which gives me, my wife and young son a way to maximize our chances of avoiding deer, etc. whenever possible, along with brakes that do NOT fade on these torturous (but fun) twisties on 3-6 mile long 11-12% grades.. IPD's Big Brake Kit's going on this month to that end, (thanks, JRL)...
But I need to know the answers to a few questions:
If I go with 4 Eibach Pro-Kit springs (they state it's a 1.2" drop all around), do I need the adjustable camber kit (front from IPD) and the rear suspension adjustable camber kit (from Viva, etc.)?
Also, if I go with the Eibachs, will their stiffer than stock prog-wound front springs at 1.2" drop necessitate a shorter than stock XC Koni Yellow, or can I stick with stock length XC Koni Yellows?
Do the Eibachs come with what the TME springs come with- lowering spacers for the stock Nivos?
Do the Eibach rears work well with the Nivos?
What kind of handling improvement can I expect with this setup?
I've heard the Big Brake kit, with its 4-piston Porsche calipers and huge 330mm rotors is significantly heavier than the 302mm upgrade kit. Do I need compensate for that unsprung weight in any way, equipment-wise? I'm definitely sticking with this brake upgrade... I get fade to only about half my braking effectiveness for the last third down every tough grade around here. So in addition to the IPD Big Brake Kit...
I'm about to pull the trigger on:
1) stock XC length Koni Yellows
2) new Nivomats-stock length
3) some kind of new springs, either OE XC height or lowered via Eibach, etc.
4) adjustable front and rear camber kits
Anything I should change, add or subtract from the above list!
Thanks, guys… any input would be welcome and appreciated!
