Tag: Howto

Perrin crank pulley

Posted on | by Justin M.

Installing a Perrin crank pulley saves weight and improves throttle response.

Lightweight pulleys are a common upgrade for most performance cars and are also suitable for street cars. By reducing the engine rotating mass, you are saving weight and in addition, improving throttle response. A Perrin crank pulley can be easily installed on any BRZ, FRS, or Toyota 86 with positive improvements. The installation process requires only basic tools and knowledge of car repairs or modifications. Because the cost of the pulley is relatively inexpensive, this is a good bang for your buck kind of upgrade. Lightweight pulley’s are typically an upgrade that I do along with other engine bolt-on modifications.

Perrin crank pulley

BRZ Sparco seat install

Posted on | by Justin M.

Putting my car on a diet in this BRZ Sparco seat install video.

One of the most cost effective ways to save weight in any performance car, is to replace the stock seats with lighter weight options. For my BRZ, I have chosen Sparco EVO race seats. These seats save roughly 15lbs over the stock seat, for a total savings of 30lbs when replacing both seats. The BRZ Sparco seat install process is pretty straight forward. However, you have to be careful with the various airbag and seat plugs. Not only do you save a good amount of weight, the race seats also hold you in place much better than the stock seats. This is invaluable in high performance racing like autocross!

BRZ mud flaps install

Posted on | by Justin M.

Protect your Subaru with this BRZ mud flaps install guide.

Nobody likes rock chips or blemishes in their cars paint. By following my Subaru BRZ mud flaps install guide, you can easily protect the lower sections of your car. I did this install on my 2017 Subaru BRZ just after I purchased the car. The new BRZ is a fantastic car and looks great in just about every color it comes in. However, I personally prefer the world rally blue pearl color and went with the BRZ mud flaps to keep the paint free from rock chips. The installation of the mud flaps, or sometimes called splash guards, is fairly straightforward. All you need is basic tools like a screwdriver and drill with drill bits. If you are technically inclined the job can be finished in under an hour.

The BRZ mud flaps have proved to be pretty good upgrade while being relatively inexpensive. If you want to know more, you can also check out my BRZ mud flaps review page.

BRZ STi front lip install

Posted on | by Justin M.

The BRZ STi front lip install is on!

The instructions available for installing the BRZ STi lip are specific to pre-2017 cars, so it was a little bit tricky to figure out. I did have help from another BRZ enthusiast on the FT86club forums. Following these instructions, the BRZ STi front lip install process was fairly straightforward. I was able to successfully install the BRZ STi lip on my own 2017 BRZ. The BRZ STi lip adds an aggressive look to an already great looking car. In my case, I am also using it for a little bit of autocross cone protection for the front bumper 🙂 Be careful though, since the lip hangs down about 1.5″ from the normal bumper, it becomes a bit of a ground clearance hazard.

BRZ STi front lip un-boxing

Subaru BRZ STi front lip un-boxing

Posted on | by Justin M.

A shiny new BRZ STi front lip for my 2017 BRZ!

It’s not often that I get cosmetic upgrades for my cars, but this BRZ STi front lip looks too good to pass up. The front under-spoiler is from the Subaru accessory catalog, so it is a genuine Subaru STi part. The front lip gives the car a lower, more aggressive look. In addition, it will help protect the real bumper from potential dings and impacts. This is especially important when you autocross the car like I do. Nothing like built in cone protection for your shiny new bumper 🙂 You can order your own lip directly from your local Subaru dealership. Check out the video as Shelby and I un-box the BRZ STi front lip! Check back soon for the installation video as well.

Sparco EVO seat install

Posted on | by Justin M.

A Sparco EVO seat install into your FRS or BRZ has a number of benefits.

The Sparco EVO race seat saves weight over the stock seat and also provides additional support. For this video, I go over how to properly install the seat and mounting hardware in the car. For the hardware, I used a Sparco base mount, Sparco side mounts, and a Sparco seat slider. Overall, the Sparco EVO seat install process is pretty straightforward. However, there are some tricky parts of the process which require extra care. I also compare the weight savings between the stock Scion FRS seats and the Sparco seat and mount setup.

 

aFe filter install – Lexus ISF

Posted on | by Justin M.

Performing an aFe filter install on my 2011 Lexus IS-F.

I recently picked up a new aFe air filter for my 2011 Lexus IS-F. The air filter will improve air flow for the heavy breathing 5.0 liter V8 engine while also adding a bit of muscle to the sound. The aFe filter install process is pretty simple and also requires just basic tools. However, there are a few steps where you need to be careful. In addition, there are a couple of tricks you can use to make the process more simple. The aFe air filter is a “dry” filter, which means it never has to be oiled. To clean the aFe filter, you simply need to blow it off with some compressed air or alternatively, knock the dirt and debris out of it. That’s it!