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Chassis Package 'A'​
Excessive body roll has always been present in the RX-8 during demanding corners, most noticeably at the back of the vehicle. Quick transitions can unsettle the suspension. Moreover, as a driver, you will find yourself being thrown from one side of the interior to the other, just because of how much the vehicle leans from side to side. A Whiteline Rear Anti-Roll Bar greatly reduces the body roll, which helps to keep the tyres planted firmly mid-corner. The greatest benefit of that factor is a much better turn-in response. Understeer is reduced and productive grip is increased, making this modification is the best ‘bang for buck’ without changing the ride characteristics of the RX-8 that the majority of us like.
Couple this with a set of EBC USR Brake Discs and Yellowstuff Brake Pads, you’ll find yourself approaching each corner with much more confidence. These brake pads have a very keen bite every time, even when the heat builds up from spirited driving, and the brake discs allow for additional cooling, as well as the added benefit of dissipating dust build-up via the grooves on the disc faces. To top it off, a brake fluid change with our favourite performance DOT4 juice; Motul RBF660. A brake fluid that adds to the sharpness of the brake pedal, and offers a much higher boiling point threshold. Ideal for keeping well away from brake fade.
This is an excellent starting point for any fast driving, be it at the track or your favourite back-roads.
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Whiteline Rear Anti-Roll Bar
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EBC USR Brake Discs & Yellowstuff Brake Pads
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Motul RBF660 DOT4 Brake Fluid
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Package starting from £750
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To find out more about this particular Chassis Package, or to book in, please get in touch.
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Chassis Package 'B'
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Now that we have the body roll out of the way, it’s time for the next crucial step: MeisterR ZetaSport Performance Coilover Suspension. These coilovers allow for great adjustability. Ride height adjustment, interchangeable spring rates, quick and easy damper adjustments to suit your driving purposes, whether commuting or sending! At this point, lowering the vehicle adds a great benefit in which you bring a lower centre of gravity. The tired standard coilover suspension is already lacklustre after a few tens of thousands of miles, so the MeisterR ZetaSport setup will bring consistency, as well as significant improvements in response to the ever-changing road conditions. To tie it all in, a complete 4-Wheel Geometry Setup will give you the competitive edge, even against the likes of high-end sports cars around the corners. As standard, we recommend bespoke alignment settings for ‘fast road’ applications, which caters more towards ‘neutral’ handling characteristics as opposed to the factory understeer characteristics. Adjustments can be made to suit the requirements of the experienced driver at request, or simply align the vehicle to factory specifications.
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MeisterR ZetaSport Adjustable Coilover Suspension
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4-Wheel Geometry Setup
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Package starting from £1500
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To find out more about this particular Chassis Package, or to book in, please get in touch.
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Chassis Package 'C'
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Despite the RX-8’s timeless looks in the modern day, it is still an aged sports car. Years of exposure to the suspension components mean that the existing factory bushes are well past their optimum. Cracks, tears and separation occurs, which creates unwanted excessive movement from all suspension arms. Minimal, but when it comes to aggressive driving, this makes a considerable amount of difference when you factor in every single suspension component! In addition, you may feel the back end of the vehicle ‘wandering’ ever so slightly during long sweeping corners. When developing the chassis on the RX-8, the engineers at Mazda felt that it was necessary to decrease vehicle NVH and increase comfort by implementing rubber bushes in the rear subframe mounting holes. This is common practice for most roadgoing cars, and the NVH from an otherwise solid mounted subframe, is negligible in our own experience. (If you want further proof, the MX-5 NC rear subframe doesn't have rear bushes, but rides just as nicely.)
By removing every single suspension arm and replacing the existing worn rubber bushes with new polyurethane bushes and solid bushes in the rear subframe, real cornering tightness and consistency is restored. Any unwanted movement is taken away, unusual tyre wear is alleviated and the vehicle on a whole gives you the feeling that everything is ‘connected’. The rear subframe bushes are replaced with our Black Star Billet Aluminium mounting bushes made here in Yorkshire, ensuring that the subframe is 100% in place, with absolutely no room for movement. At your request, the subframe and surrounding components can be powder coated in a colour of your choice at extra cost. With the entire suspension setup refreshed, wheel hop is eliminated, the chassis is tightened even further and the vehicle is now ready to outclass the majority of road-going sports cars around those twisties! As the suspension has had a complete overhaul, another alignment must be carried out to tie it all in together once more. Without serious fabrication and much more expensive suspension components, this is as far as you can take the RX-8’s chassis, within reasonable means!
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Polybushed Front & Rear Suspension
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Black Star Solid Rear Subframe Mounting Bushes
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Powder Coated Subframes and Suspension Arms (optional)
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4-Wheel Geometry Setup
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Package starting from £1800
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To find out more about this particular Chassis Package, or to book in, please get in touch.
Chassis Package 'D'
At some point in extended drives, or lengthy trackdays, you’ll find that the standard brake setup on the RX-8 simply has a limit. The only real limitation of the braking system of the RX-8 is the lack of size; brake disc diameter and thickness. Fundamentally this is what gives you the resistance to brake fade when the braking components are at their hottest. That is where our Big Brake Kit comes into play. 6-Pot Calipers and 356mm Brake Discs at the front, 4-Pot Calipers and 330mm Brake Discs at the back for maintaining great braking balance between the front and rear.
The increased diameter gives you a significant increase in stopping power, coupled with the multi-piston arrangement within the Black Star Brake Calipers to ensure even braking pressure across the extra brake pad surface area. The increased 32mm thickness over the factory brake disc thickness of 22mm offers significantly greater resistance to heat. This means that you can go on for longer without hesitating about brake fade. You will also find the brake pedal much more responsive than before, giving a snappier feel when applying the brakes, even with the lightest touch.
Multiple pads are available for the Black Star Big Brake Kit, and availability is exceptional due to the popularity and how universal the kits are across multiple brands. This is the last piece of the puzzle when it comes to the RX-8, and usually reserved for those with much more power than standard.
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Black Star 356mm x 32mm Front Big Brake Kit
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Black Star 330mm x 28mm Rear Big Brake Kit with Handbrake Mechanism
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Package starting from £3200
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To find out more about this particular Chassis Package, or to book in, please get in touch.