wdb's journal - Page 3

bdjac · 11-02-2005, 10:40 AM

The car looks great. Nice choice on the bronze Rotas. Sucks that you had to take the lip, but it's a good move in protecting your investment. Keep up the good work.

***wdb*** · 11-20-2005, 12:14 PM

I installed Prodrive springs and Group N tops on my car yesterday with the help of the "we are the suspension kings" crew. See this thread for more about the "the kings" and some shots of the car under siege. See this thread for the long-playing version of my observations and opinions. Short-play version goes something like this:

Prodrive springs installed
No more bobble head! All roads
now bow down in submission.

The car is truly transformed and I am thrilled with the result.

[EDIT] I've added some pics to this post and the post just above for the purposes of comparison of the look of the car before and after Prodrives. For ride height measurements, please see nhluhr's very useful and continually updated list. The numbers he has for Prodrives look to me to be right on the money.

Chris05STi · 11-20-2005, 12:54 PM

Very nice, congrats on the suspension too!

***wdb*** · 11-26-2005, 09:27 AM

I added some 'before' images to Post #30 and some 'after' images to Post #32 of this thread to appease folks who have wanted to see the difference in ride height Prodrive springs and Group N tops make on an '05 STi with otherwise stock suspension.

***wdb*** · 01-23-2006, 09:40 AM

No pictures of my car, just a few links and pics from elsewhere.

I replaced the 9005 high beams with a couple of these 9011-HIR1 bulbs:

The extra light they put out is astounding. I also put a set in our 2000 Legacy GT and they completely blew away the previous bulbs I had in that car, even though the prevous bulbs were 100 watters. I cannot recommend the HIRs highly enough for anyone who is interested in improving their night driving capabilities. I got them from Susquehanna Motorsports, a.k.a. rallylights.com and they are super folks to deal with.

Next lighting mod will be to upgrade the stock projector fog lights. (I decided that changing the USDM bumper beam is too high a price to pay for JDM/Euro-style fog lights.) I will either change out the bulbs to something more exotic, or I may go with a set of Hella Micro DE Foglights:

I saw a set of these operating while I was visiting the great folks at rallylights.com, and they throw some serious light. Cutoff was incredible too. There may be fitment issues, so I am probably going to wait until the weather warms up a bit so I can tinker in comfort.

If I do the Hella fogs I'll do a full writeup and pics. More as it happens.

***Nachos Libres*** · 01-23-2006, 02:07 PM

^^ I heard that those fogs were really nice.

**nandanrp** · 03-07-2006, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdb

[EDIT] I initially had an issue with hum in the radio when tuned to very weak FM stations. Noise was definitely coming from the Defi install. Removed all connections to the radio wiring harness and hooked them up elsewhere, and the problem is greatly reduced.

Hey wdb, I was wondering where you ended up wiring your Control unit (instead of the radio harness), as I was planning to wire it to the harness until I saw this. Help?

Thanks!

***wdb*** · 03-07-2006, 08:21 AM

I connected them to the clock pod, with the excpeption of "ignition" which I tapped elsewhere. See this thread for more details:

Defi BF boost gauge install

LosGatosSTI · 03-28-2006, 12:20 PM

Any update on the Fog light Install? I do not have fogs currently on my '05 Sti but I want them. Any suggestions?

Great thread by the way.....

LightWerkz · 03-28-2006, 04:02 PM

nice work

***wdb*** · 04-06-2006, 06:35 AM

Sorry for the delayed response, my subscription setup apparently isn't sending me emails anymore :-/

I adjusted the factory foglights a couple of weeks ago, and WOW what a difference it made. They throw a lot more useful light now. Add to that the fact that the USDM foglights are already projectors, and I may just stick with the stockers. I still want to get out some night and look at the beam pattern of the foglights by themselves (I'll cover up the headlights with a piece of cardboard or somesuch). If the beam pattern is half decent I will probably leave the USDM foglights in and be done with it.

In other news, I put the stock rims and V-Lim back on the car last weekend. As much as I liked the winter tires, I forgot just how incredibly grippy the stockers are. They're incredible! And loud, and harsh, but oh well.

rasetsu · 04-06-2006, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdb

I adjusted the factory foglights a couple of weeks ago, and WOW what a difference it made. They throw a lot more useful light now.

Did you adjust the foglights up or down? I have the USDM fog lights too.

***wdb*** · 04-06-2006, 02:44 PM

I adjusted them up. It's easy as pie; just pop off the surround and there's the adjusting screw, big as life.

I couldn't find any information on the factory approved method of adjusting them, so I made up my own. I found some level ground and a vertical surface. Then I used a string and one of those little levels that hooks onto a string, and stretched the string from the lamp over to the wall and made a mark. I set the lights just a hair below level at 10 feet; I figured they're already pretty close to the ground so there isn't much value in aiming them down very much. I haven't run them in actual fog yet so I can't tell you whether they toss too much light back at the driver at that height, but I doubt they will.

rasetsu · 04-06-2006, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdb

I adjusted them up. It's easy as pie; just pop off the surround and there's the adjusting screw, big as life.

Turn the screws to the left on both?

esemes · 04-06-2006, 05:30 PM

sti added for effect..................

11-02-2005, 10:40 AM	#31
bdjac Junior STI Driver Car: 04 STi WRB/Gold Location: Elk Grove, CA Posts: 137 Join Date: Oct 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	The car looks great. Nice choice on the bronze Rotas. Sucks that you had to take the lip, but it's a good move in protecting your investment. Keep up the good work. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

01-23-2006, 09:40 AM	#35
*wdb* dances with roads Car: 2005 CGM STi Posts: 5,066 Join Date: Apr 2005 Trader Rating: (8)	wdb's journal chapter 7.25 - lighting No pictures of my car, just a few links and pics from elsewhere. I replaced the 9005 high beams with a couple of these 9011-HIR1 bulbs: The extra light they put out is astounding. I also put a set in our 2000 Legacy GT and they completely blew away the previous bulbs I had in that car, even though the prevous bulbs were 100 watters. I cannot recommend the HIRs highly enough for anyone who is interested in improving their night driving capabilities. I got them from Susquehanna Motorsports, a.k.a. rallylights.com and they are super folks to deal with. Next lighting mod will be to upgrade the stock projector fog lights. (I decided that changing the USDM bumper beam is too high a price to pay for JDM/Euro-style fog lights.) I will either change out the bulbs to something more exotic, or I may go with a set of Hella Micro DE Foglights: I saw a set of these operating while I was visiting the great folks at rallylights.com, and they throw some serious light. Cutoff was incredible too. There may be fitment issues, so I am probably going to wait until the weather warms up a bit so I can tinker in comfort. If I do the Hella fogs I'll do a full writeup and pics. More as it happens. Last edited by wdb : 01-23-2006 at 09:43 AM.

03-07-2006, 08:21 AM	#38
*wdb* dances with roads Car: 2005 CGM STi Posts: 5,066 Join Date: Apr 2005 Trader Rating: (8)	I connected them to the clock pod, with the excpeption of "ignition" which I tapped elsewhere. See this thread for more details: Defi BF boost gauge install

04-06-2006, 05:30 PM	#45
esemes S204 Racer Car: 996TT Location: clearh²o, FL Posts: 4,756 Join Date: Jul 2004 Trader Rating: (12)	sti added for effect.................. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

11-20-2005, 12:14 PM	#32
*wdb* dances with roads Car: 2005 CGM STi Posts: 5,066 Join Date: Apr 2005 Trader Rating: (8)	wdb's journal chapter seven - Prodrive springs installed I installed Prodrive springs and Group N tops on my car yesterday with the help of the "we are the suspension kings" crew. See this thread for more about the "the kings" and some shots of the car under siege. See this thread for the long-playing version of my observations and opinions. Short-play version goes something like this: Prodrive springs installed No more bobble head! All roads now bow down in submission. The car is truly transformed and I am thrilled with the result. [EDIT] I've added some pics to this post and the post just above for the purposes of comparison of the look of the car before and after Prodrives. For ride height measurements, please see nhluhr's very useful and continually updated list. The numbers he has for Prodrives look to me to be right on the money. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by wdb : 11-26-2005 at 09:28 AM. Reason: Added images

11-20-2005, 12:54 PM	#33
Chris05STi I Has a Turbo Timer Car: 2005 Subaru WRX STi Fav Mod: Every single one! Location: NJ Posts: 9,701 Join Date: Jun 2005 Trader Rating: (27)	Very nice, congrats on the suspension too!

11-26-2005, 09:27 AM	#34
*wdb* dances with roads Car: 2005 CGM STi Posts: 5,066 Join Date: Apr 2005 Trader Rating: (8)	I added some 'before' images to Post #30 and some 'after' images to Post #32 of this thread to appease folks who have wanted to see the difference in ride height Prodrive springs and Group N tops make on an '05 STi with otherwise stock suspension.

01-23-2006, 02:07 PM	#36
*Nachos Libres* Beneath the clothes, we find a man... and beneath the man, we find his... nucleus. Car: 2005 Subaru WRX STi Fav Mod: Underglows Location: Tyler, Texas Posts: 8,584 Join Date: Jul 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	^^ I heard that those fogs were really nice.

03-28-2006, 12:20 PM	#39
LosGatosSTI Junior STI Driver Car: 05 STi Location: Los Gatos (Bay Area Nor C Posts: 123 Join Date: Feb 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Any update on the Fog light Install? I do not have fogs currently on my '05 Sti but I want them. Any suggestions? Great thread by the way.....

03-28-2006, 04:02 PM	#40
LightWerkz STI Master Car: E46 M3 Fav Mod: ZCP Wheels Location: Clifton Posts: 7,495 Join Date: Aug 2005 Trader Rating: (77)	nice work

04-06-2006, 06:35 AM	#41
*wdb* dances with roads Car: 2005 CGM STi Posts: 5,066 Join Date: Apr 2005 Trader Rating: (8)	Sorry for the delayed response, my subscription setup apparently isn't sending me emails anymore :-/ I adjusted the factory foglights a couple of weeks ago, and WOW what a difference it made. They throw a lot more useful light now. Add to that the fact that the USDM foglights are already projectors, and I may just stick with the stockers. I still want to get out some night and look at the beam pattern of the foglights by themselves (I'll cover up the headlights with a piece of cardboard or somesuch). If the beam pattern is half decent I will probably leave the USDM foglights in and be done with it. In other news, I put the stock rims and V-Lim back on the car last weekend. As much as I liked the winter tires, I forgot just how incredibly grippy the stockers are. They're incredible! And loud, and harsh, but oh well.

04-06-2006, 02:44 PM	#43
*wdb* dances with roads Car: 2005 CGM STi Posts: 5,066 Join Date: Apr 2005 Trader Rating: (8)	I adjusted them up. It's easy as pie; just pop off the surround and there's the adjusting screw, big as life. I couldn't find any information on the factory approved method of adjusting them, so I made up my own. I found some level ground and a vertical surface. Then I used a string and one of those little levels that hooks onto a string, and stretched the string from the lamp over to the wall and made a mark. I set the lights just a hair below level at 10 feet; I figured they're already pretty close to the ground so there isn't much value in aiming them down very much. I haven't run them in actual fog yet so I can't tell you whether they toss too much light back at the driver at that height, but I doubt they will.