Lewis7789 2002 Protege5 build thread (tons of pics)
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bikingpro5
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- 03 Protege5
iirc dub has a set of Canadian Brides in his Miata if you are looking for first hand experience
us team ohioans have eachothers backs
you still have the recaros?
Negative. Wes has them in his 626 now.
Dang it. That'll mean I'll have to ask Dub for advice. I'll pass. But thanks for the heads up, mate! He and I just don't get along.
PrinceValorum
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- 95 626 FS, 89 Toyota Derux 4x4
Forged internals hold up better.
Has he had a wreck with them?
(2thumbs)
Come on Evan, I know you and I are on the same page with the safety stuff. Is it worth saving a few bucks getting some cheap fake seats to pull a Christopher Reeves if you get in a wreck? Another thing I saw with the Bride seats is even the real ones are only rated for 170lbs. Us full size Americans are easily over that (even with me being a stick, bones are heavy), so that's a no-go. There are plenty of other options out there, albeit they are probably less baller.
bazinga!
PrinceValorum
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- 95 626 FS, 89 Toyota Derux 4x4
^Lulz. I remember I won a stereo (Sony MHC-GX99, which is straight awesome, especially for being free) at afterprom in HS and I had taken my mom's Milly. The stereo didn't fit in the truck, the opening is stupid small! I had to put it in the back seat as well.
Haha. Best Buy, but yeah. I was going to take the rear seats out (just 3x 12mm bolts and a piece of cake) only to remember that there are still a ton of braces in the way. I was just going to lay the tv in the trunk through the back but alas. But the cat at Best Buy was like "Oh, this is gonna be fun". Then he saw the rear seats were gone and was like "Did you take them out?". No. They were a factory option, dude..
This TV/Xbox combo is already rotting my brain so back to P5 research for me.
This TV/Xbox combo is already rotting my brain so back to P5 research for me.
fishdonotbounce
Registered Zombie
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- 08.5 CWP Speed3
Haha I completely forgot about that TV. Cara and I saw it at Best Buy and I almost bought it cause it looked like a great deal. Congrats dude! Now you're never leaving your room! You buy a headset like mine yet?? haha.
LOL! What's up Steve? How's the Accord running? I still miss your MP3...
Yeah, I've got a Milly for a DD. I got it for $650 with a blown head gasket so i took out the KLDE out of the P5 and put it in there. I'm going to rebuild the P5 with a KLZE, MegaSquirt, racing seats/harnesses and roll bar and gut it.
Here's the Milly;
And the P5 hibernating in the garage for the winter while parts are bought;
Yeah, I've got a Milly for a DD. I got it for $650 with a blown head gasket so i took out the KLDE out of the P5 and put it in there. I'm going to rebuild the P5 with a KLZE, MegaSquirt, racing seats/harnesses and roll bar and gut it.
Here's the Milly;
And the P5 hibernating in the garage for the winter while parts are bought;
Hrmm lets see if I can remember all this.
The Rack is what 20 years old? So I wanted to see if it fit before I even started to rebuild it. It seemed to be a pretty close fit. The secondary mount needed to be slid in like around a inch or so. However its not just a rubber mount, its also the end of the rack. It holds on the pass side boot, and looks like maybe a seal or something. But alas I squirted some lube under the hard rubber and twisted it down in my vice and around 10 5/8" later it was match (but now you can see the boot is super extended). Next I found that to get the same ball to ball the outer tie rods where only on by like 3 or so turns. I didn't feel safe since some of the rumble strips at road America are pretty harsh. So I went to my local parts guy (not autozone) and told him I needed the same outer tire rods but with a bit longer length. Two min later he cam out with what I needed. $41 later I got new tie rods (not that the old ones where even slightly worn). Cut them down a touch and spun them on and walla! I did notice when I was checking out the secondary mount (had the boot off) that the grease was like new and there was no play and the rack felt in very good condition even the outer tire rod ends had no play. So I chose not to rebuild and I could care less on the looks since its a race car not a show car. So in it went. Like three times. The first time I realized that the primary bolts had to be changed, and the primary mount needed to be cut. I had to remove the center (between the bolts) to make room for the round mount, since the power rack was flat and the manual was round. so $5 later I had new bolts that I had to cut down. Also the steering was a bit shifted. So centered that and pulled it off to try again. Second time it went in. But it was cocked out forward on the secondary mount. Thought and thought and the only thing I could think off was to twist the hard rubber mount 180* and reinstalled a third time. This time with the secondary hard rubber mount backwards the rack was straight as a arrow (couldn't believe it). Mounted super solid. No binding in the steering. And spindles and steering wheel are all straight. Next I had to loosen a bolt that was pinching the steering shaft so the "u" joint could slip about a 1/4" down over the rack input and reinstalled bolt re tightened shaft pinch bolt and done. The rack weight diff was 5LBS for a overall weight loss of 20LBS. Its not worth the time. But I only need to be quicker by 1 second to be in-front of the fastest miatas in Midwest Council and into some real competition. Team this with a quiafe, and some other weight loss goodies I think I will be happy. I can't say for sure if this mod is dumb or good till april (spring training). Then I can comment on the drive-ability, paddock-ability, and the ease of getting around in the engine bay without all the hoses, pump, belt, and fluids. But for sure I would hate to deal with a un-powered power rack moving it around by my self in and out of the trailer, and moving it in place in false grid.
Here are some pics. Yes some. Sorry I hate stopping when I get going.
The Rack is what 20 years old? So I wanted to see if it fit before I even started to rebuild it. It seemed to be a pretty close fit. The secondary mount needed to be slid in like around a inch or so. However its not just a rubber mount, its also the end of the rack. It holds on the pass side boot, and looks like maybe a seal or something. But alas I squirted some lube under the hard rubber and twisted it down in my vice and around 10 5/8" later it was match (but now you can see the boot is super extended). Next I found that to get the same ball to ball the outer tie rods where only on by like 3 or so turns. I didn't feel safe since some of the rumble strips at road America are pretty harsh. So I went to my local parts guy (not autozone) and told him I needed the same outer tire rods but with a bit longer length. Two min later he cam out with what I needed. $41 later I got new tie rods (not that the old ones where even slightly worn). Cut them down a touch and spun them on and walla! I did notice when I was checking out the secondary mount (had the boot off) that the grease was like new and there was no play and the rack felt in very good condition even the outer tire rod ends had no play. So I chose not to rebuild and I could care less on the looks since its a race car not a show car. So in it went. Like three times. The first time I realized that the primary bolts had to be changed, and the primary mount needed to be cut. I had to remove the center (between the bolts) to make room for the round mount, since the power rack was flat and the manual was round. so $5 later I had new bolts that I had to cut down. Also the steering was a bit shifted. So centered that and pulled it off to try again. Second time it went in. But it was cocked out forward on the secondary mount. Thought and thought and the only thing I could think off was to twist the hard rubber mount 180* and reinstalled a third time. This time with the secondary hard rubber mount backwards the rack was straight as a arrow (couldn't believe it). Mounted super solid. No binding in the steering. And spindles and steering wheel are all straight. Next I had to loosen a bolt that was pinching the steering shaft so the "u" joint could slip about a 1/4" down over the rack input and reinstalled bolt re tightened shaft pinch bolt and done. The rack weight diff was 5LBS for a overall weight loss of 20LBS. Its not worth the time. But I only need to be quicker by 1 second to be in-front of the fastest miatas in Midwest Council and into some real competition. Team this with a quiafe, and some other weight loss goodies I think I will be happy. I can't say for sure if this mod is dumb or good till april (spring training). Then I can comment on the drive-ability, paddock-ability, and the ease of getting around in the engine bay without all the hoses, pump, belt, and fluids. But for sure I would hate to deal with a un-powered power rack moving it around by my self in and out of the trailer, and moving it in place in false grid.
Here are some pics. Yes some. Sorry I hate stopping when I get going.
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You, good sir, are epically awesome!!! Thank you so much for sharing the info and pics! I'm sure a lot more cats will swap to a manual rack now. Looks like I'll pic up a manual rack next week. I've read a few PGT cats needed to modify the tie rods too so I was expecting that. I just wish the cat would've be able to tell you what make/model/year those are from. My local autoparts clerks aren't very competent. Haha. But regardless, thanks again for all the work you have done and sharing the research! (2thumbs)
I also see you have an MP3/MSP front sway? I picked one up from a junked MP3 and will be swapping that in too. I think it's safe to assume you like the results if yours?
I also see you have an MP3/MSP front sway? I picked one up from a junked MP3 and will be swapping that in too. I think it's safe to assume you like the results if yours?
PrinceValorum
Member
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- 95 626 FS, 89 Toyota Derux 4x4
Do the endlink mounts ever rip out of the LCA's on P5's? I just saw a thread on MX6.com where a bunch of the first gen guys with upgraded front sways ripped them out of their control arms. A bit beefier metal and a little welding fixed it up, I hadn't seen that before though.
Wes, IIRC, the endlinks aren't mounted to the LCA on P5's. They are attached to the sway bar (obviously) and a tab on the shock tube. I've heard a few people snapping the tabs off their shock tubes before though. And while mine is an "upgraded" sway bar, it's just a stock MSP/MP3 sway from Racing Beat so I'm sure it will be fine. I didn't want to increase the diameter too much and get understeer. And I already have the 22mm Progress rear bar mounted so it should even out nicely.
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