Half Fast’s GTI

[Half fast]

So, I asked 1) if replacement bushings are available and 2) if the OEM sized bushings fit.

1) Not yet, but they're working on making that a thing. They do offer replacement parts for the spherical bearings, so at least replacement parts are on their radar generally.

2) The person I asked didn't know if other bushings fit.

 

[Half fast]

Ended up going with the SPC arms. They're not in the car yet, but they're rubber bushings, the part has a lifetime warranty, and I confirmed with SPC that they will sell replacement bushings if they fail. They're steel rather than aluminum, but I'm not that concerned about the few extra pounds as much as I am having the bushings fail and then having to buy all new arms again. I'm sure trying to take advantage of the warranty would be like pulling teeth, but at least I can just buy replacement bushings if I have to. Not a ton of info for SPC out there, but there were at least a few positive reviews on other platforms. I'm choosing to interpret the lack of poor reviews as a sign that there are no complaints. Or I just didn't find them.

All that said, still ended up with 034 toe links.

 

[Half fast]

Definitely going to end up putting an aux radiator in. Coolant temps started to rise at the track when it got around 85 degrees later in the day. Not sure there’s any way around it with an IS38 that does track duty.

 

[Half fast]

Got the aux radiator installed yesterday. I took some pictures and I'll write up the few things that I ran into trying to get it installed. I'm headed out to Mid Ohio today for the weekend, so I'll get to see how the thing works. Hopeful that it doesn't rain all weekend and I get to use full throttle in the full tune.

Some quick notes:

Ended up drilling holes in the bumper. I don't have fogs, so I was hopeful that I could just put in a "grill" for a car with fogs, and use that opening to get the air into the radiator. The opening didn't line up with the air duct that clips onto the radiator, so I ended up making holes.

I used the parts list that AceHammer has posted in a few places (including here: https://golfmk7.com/forums/index.php?threads/warning-oil-starvation.342058/post-7643078 and here: https://golfmk7.com/forums/index.php?threads/adding-auxiliary-radiator.382474/post-7596830) so kudos to him for figuring out what (mostly—see below) parts are needed.

Couple things about the parts list:
1) You don't need the bolts for the hard line, but that's because the fan shroud for the GTI doesn't have the bosses in the plastic to accept the hard line. Ended up taking the shroud off and running bolts through and putting nuts on the other end.
2) You need 3 "grommets" for the bracket. Two on the bottom and one on top.
3) That 6" "generic" coolant line isn't so generic. It's a different size on the water pump coupling than it is on the cross tube. Also, it's a tight bend, so the molded hose from VW is definitely the best (though most expensive) option. I ended up cutting up an extra VW hose assembly that I somehow ordered by mistake (line assembly that runs to the DSG cooler that I didn't need) with a section of hose on it that had different sized orifices.

 

[Mini7]

Interested in how you run.
Would also like feedback on your 3Rs as my Apex wheels arrived today. Hopefully it stays dry so you can give it the full beans!

 

[Half fast]

Apparently there is a further delay on the bronze finish, so I’m still waiting a few weeks on my wheels. But, I’ve gotta use these tires up anyway so it’s just as well that they’re not here yet.

Weather looks iffy here the next two days, so I might be waiting until Sunday to get some dry track but I should get at least a few sessions in. Mid Ohio gets crazy slick when it’s wet—the surface is pretty polished so it’s like driving on ice. I spun in the keyhole once going 15 mph in the rain.

 

[Mini7]

Keep it shiny side up!

 

[jmblur]

Apparently there is a further delay on the bronze finish, so I’m still waiting a few weeks on my wheels. But, I’ve gotta use these tires up anyway so it’s just as well that they’re not here yet.

Is it just in the two containers that arrived today or is bronze delayed even more? Hoping it's not the latter

 

[Half fast]

Is it just in the two containers that arrived today or is bronze delayed even more? Hoping it's not the latter

I heard next month…

 

[MonkeyMD]

Is it just in the two containers that arrived today or is bronze delayed even more? Hoping it's not the latter

Nope. Just got the email that mine are shipped out

17x9 bronze

 

[jmblur]

Nope. Just got the email that mine are shipped out

17x9 bronze

Dang, no shipment notification here. Means no wheels for next weekend's autocross. Poor PS4S are hard as rocks...

 

[Mini7]

How is the weekend going?

 

[Half fast]

Was wet most of the day today. But, the radiator has definitely kept the temps in check. Had a dry session with about an 80 degree ambient and never got temps above 230, and they were right around 220 most of the time.

Also love the 3Rs. Don’t have experience with a like tire to compare it to, but the car is pretty hooked up with them. They definitely take all of 2 laps to get heat into them. But, they work the entire session and are wearing great so far.

 

[jimlloyd40]

Was wet most of the day today. But, the radiator has definitely kept the temps in check. Had a dry session with about an 80 degree ambient and never got temps above 230, and they were right around 220 most of the time.

Also love the 3Rs. Don’t have experience with a like tire to compare it to, but the car is pretty hooked up with them. They definitely take all of 2 laps to get heat into them. But, they work the entire session and are wearing great so far.

What were the temps before in similar ambient temperatures?

 

[Half fast]

It would live around 228-230 through most of the lap and then shoot up to 237 on the straights and then the engine management would kick in to stave off catastrophic failure. I would try to make sure it didn’t let it get to that point. I’d start rolling out of the throttle when it got to 234 and then take it easy for half a lap or so. A lot of it is track dependent too. Mid Ohio has a long back straight, so I’d have an issue there. Had issues with it being even cooler outside at Road America because of how fast the track is. Ran all day at Waterford Hills with it around 90 and didn’t have much of an issue because the track is so tight.

Now the max temp I had was 230, and it generally hovered around 220.

All those temps are as indicated on my Cobb.