Building for the road course...again

[gotovato]

Thank you

 

[Enki]

 

[Crazycanadian]

Well first deposit put down for a 2026 time attack event. Organizers needed a minimum of 30 deposits to make this event happen. Calabogie motorsports park. Its about 5-6 hours from home. One of the best tracks around. Very challenging to drive with a moderately high average speed.

I was here once in 2021, it was actaully the first time my civic ever touched the track. I bought it, put brake pads on it, a rear sway bar, and drove 5.5 hours to this track after owning the car all of 3 weeks.

Footage here from a local guy. I have video from 2021 but my passenger is talking the entire time so its not great.
Very excited. My usual buddies wont be attending since competing here is very intimidating. I get it. Its no joke of a track.
Excited for the 2026 season and driving somewhere i havent been in a long time. Little nervous yes? But thats how you know youre alive lol. Gotta feel it or whats the point
Over a 2 minute lap. I assume I’ll be around 2:35 or so. Car will be begging for mercy. Event is end of august. Maybe I’ll have my new engine by then.

Exciting new, hopefully the event goes through.

 

[gotovato]

As of last night, looks like they got the minimum number for deposits so it should be good to go.
After watching my vlog/track footage from 2021 when i went here last, had an amazing time.
The track is massive so low power car means a lot of WOT time. Definitely a fun track where throttle commitment is important

 

[Awafrican]

calabogie is a great track! have fun.

 

[gotovato]

Winter has been ROUGH this year. Spring cannot come soon enough. I dont even care that i dont have a fun new engine. Just bring me some above 0 weather lol

 

[gotovato]

Well this is exciting. This was sitting at my door before I even woke up this morning. They didn’t send me any tracking either so surprise to me

 

[Easter Bunny]

That's a nice looking box

 

[gotovato]

Been in meetings all morning. Solid since 9am.


The second this one ends I am opening that box lol

 

[Enki]

Vato and the box be like

 

[gotovato]

Vato and the box be like
View attachment 34033

i was straight up screaming into my muted microphone for the damn meetings to end LOL


anyways the good stuff now;

This stuff is real real nice.
First thing I noticed, two of the dampers were light as air. Immediately I thought something was wrong BUT…
I pulled out a magnet. Seems my rears are now aluminum. They were steel before and heavy as shit.
Incredibly light now.

Professional awesome progressive bump stops. These won’t go to infinite spring rate when engaged. There are a few instances where I should notice this.

Longer stroke and longer bodies front and rear.

Front got a 20mm shaft upgrade. It’s thick.
18k springs for the rear with helper springs for front and rear. Front rate staying at 10k for now.

I really don’t know how to assemble this setup so any input would be great.

I got some thin plastic rings, and 4 bigger metal couplers. I’m assuming couplers are for the rear and the plastic discs are for the front?

Something like this,

 

[Enki]

Don't take chances, email them. Say "Hey, what you sent me back isn't like what I had originally; mind letting me know how to properly assemble these so I don't destroy these works of art?" or something equally brown nosey.

Being overly nice to people generally comes with perks.

 

[gotovato]

Don't take chances, email them. Say "Hey, what you sent me back isn't like what I had originally; mind letting me know how to properly assemble these so I don't destroy these works of art?" or something equally brown nosey.

Being overly nice to people generally comes with perks.

The aluminum rear dampers were definitely a nice surprise. We didn’t talk about that one.

I called them already today. Felt like a fool. Asked them if the orientation on the new bump stops mattered and also had to ask which are my fronts and which are my rears since they look the same lol.


I guess I could email and ask for a picture of an assembled setup with the helper springs

 

[Enki]

The only dumb question is the one you didn't ask.

Especially since doing this shit wrong can put your safety at risk.

 

[gotovato]

Well gaahh dang! This stuff is nice. I feel like a fraud. This is too much for me


I can clearly see the lengthened shock body’s with the additional stroke. I will be able to properly set droop now which will change a few things.

Being that the car is on factory suspension right now I actually measured OEM droop travel and will try to match it


Called fortune again. I saw some guys were using the couplers up front and some guys weren’t.


FA recommended me to run the couplers up front. I guess it helps keep the springs in line.

Interestingly enough I had to flip the helper spring over so it’s now on the bottom.

The coupler piece is not large enough for the bump stop to make it through so that was really gonna limit compression travel.

Not an issue when helper is on bottom

 

[Enki]

As far as I'm aware, the helpers should always be on the bottom; their role is just to keep shit in place if you dukes of hazzard your shit hard enough to completely unload the main spring. I would also expect that the top of the spring is more likely to go out of place when not seated against something truly stable.

I could be wrong though, as I'm not a suspension guy.

 

[gotovato]

So one dude made a good point on the k20 forums. He was saying the helper spring is better ontop so it doesn’t have to carry the weight of the main spring. This makes sense.


When I checked Google, it seems people run it either way. When I asked fortune they said it don’t matter. It’s application specific depending on what you need.


But yea helpers don’t do shit. They just keep the tension under full droop

 

[Enki]

I stand corrected.

 

[Easter Bunny]

so the way fortune auto has taken care of you has me looking at them first for suspension in the future. unfortunately they don't make anything for CX-5's which is my current need. hell they dont make anything for mazdas other than the miata.

 

[gotovato]

so the way fortune auto has taken care of you has me looking at them first for suspension in the future. unfortunately they don't make anything for CX-5's which is my current need. hell they dont make anything for mazdas other than the miata.

apparently they do have speed 3 coilovers. the 500 series which is street oriented. Theres some facebook shop that has been pushing them for a few years now. Grave yard performance i think it is.


The support from these guys has been top notch. Its really impressive. I love that i called them twice and both times i hit option 2 for technical support and both times someone answered on like the second ring. Answered all my questions and told me to call back if i had anymore.

This seems like a small thing but damn. Awesome support, awesome service. The aluminum rear damper body upgrade is 150 usd so 200cad. We didnt even discuss it and it wasnt on the bill. They just did it. I know i have a special deal with them but still, they didnt need to do that and i wouldnt have even known


Speed 3 500 series