tboooe's modest journey/build thread

**Info@EuroCode** · 05-29-2012 03:07 AM

The negative camber that Tommy was originally experiencing was a result of lowering the vehicle. You will gain approx .7 degrees of negative camber for every inch you lower the car. Negative camber increases the handling in a corner as it allows more of the tire to contact the pavement when the wheel is turned. The downside to negative camber is uneven tire wear and instability in straight line driving (less tire contacting the road in a straight line).

According to Tommy his alignment was pretty much out of whack after his coilover install. With the ACA he should be able to dial in the camber where he wants and also adjust the caster a little too.

Tommy mentioned that the car felt a little better after the install (before his alignment) our tech most likely corrected a little bit of his mismatched camber when he set the ACAs to the same length for the left and right side.

Overall we feel the SPC is a great product for those who want to dial in their alignment and will easily pay for themselves over the life of the vehicle (you will get many more miles out of a set of tires)

**Mops@Nemesis** · 05-29-2012 04:51 AM

Originally Posted by tboooe

Install is a breeze! If I had a lift I could have done it in about 20 mins! No special tools required. I only got Eurocode to do it because I wanted to go see their shop.

Thanks for my words about my suspension. Living in SoCal and this only being a weekend car, it doenst see much dirt and grime. But yes, whenever the wheel is off I take the opportunity to wipe everything down. (Hows that for OCD Mop?)

So proud...tears:(
This "modest build" is coming along quite nicely!

**tboooe** · 05-29-2012 06:23 AM

Originally Posted by Info@EuroCode

Tommy, it was great meeting you and your wonderful S5 Cab. Seeing it in person has pushed me over the top to pick up a 2013MY.

~Greg

Greg, likewise! I look forward to seeing you guys again soon. And great choice with the cab. Once I get it chipped it will be a beast!!!!

Originally Posted by Wah

What I was interested in knowing aesthetically was regarding the stance of his cab

post UCA install. Besides tire wear, I purchased the UCAs because I had some serious negative camber which didn't look too good sitting in the wheel well. I was curious if Tommy noticed a positive aesthetics change, but it seems as though he had dialed in some negative camber to help with performance.

Wah, I will be adding some positive camber back to my car but I dont think anyone will see any aesthetic change because I am not adjusting it too much. For example, my current alignment specs are -2.3, -1.8. I will be adjusting it back to -1.3/-1.3. 1 degree to less than 1 degree of positive camber will move the top of the wheel out by ~1-2mm.

**tboooe** · 06-24-2012 09:06 AM

Update 22 June 2012 - Swapped out rear springs for KW V1s

Ever since I got my KW V1s back in March I have had issues with the rear ride height. Overall the ride was great but my rears sat too low. I could never get the height to match what the adjustable range KW advertises. For more info check out this thread over on the S4 forums. Even with my rear spring perches adjusted beyond the manufacturer's recommended position the rears were still too low. After contacting KW, they sent me a 30mm spring spacer. Though grateful for the spacer this to me seemed like a band aid. I shouldnt need a spacer and frankly with the spacer I was worried that I would get spring slap because the spring was compressed too much. To me, either the spring was too short or too soft. Anyway, I mounted the spacer but it still did not help. To get my rears at even a reasonable height I had to tighten down the adjustment collar another 15mm which was now way beyond the max position recommended by KW. Half of the spacer body was beyond the threaded body, hanging in space so to speak. Not a good situation.

Fast forward 2 months and KW sent me a different spring that is supposed to be one for the S4 Avant. It was supposed to be 10mm longer than my spring with virtually the same spring rate. The Avant spring is 280mm and my spring was supposed to be 270mm. Imagine my surprise when I removed the original spring to find that was nowhere near 270mm. It was closer to 255mm, even though the part numbers matched the KW documentation. So did I and other S4 owners experiencing this issue all got the wrong spring?

Anyway, I swapped out the spring and removed the 30mm spacer. So far, with the adjustment collar 3/4" higher than it was with the original spring my rear ride height is 1/2" higher! So far so good. I havent driven it so I cannot attest to differences in ride quality.

Here is the writeup I did to remove/install the rear spring.

Old spring vs new spring

Now plenty of room for adjustment up or down

**mxrz** · 06-24-2012 11:38 AM

A spring just removed from the car will always be shorter than the same spring, out of the box. Especially a soft rated spring.

**tboooe** · 06-27-2012 11:26 AM

Update 27 June 2012 - BC Racing HB29 ET30 2 piece forged wheels

BC Racing HB 29 2 piece forged wheels
20x10, et 30
Shallow concave front, medium concave rear
Brushed centers, polished lip, gloss black barrels

**tboooe** · 01-09-2013 09:45 PM

Update 09 Jan 2013 - Facelift Shift Knob

After much deliberating and frankly being too scared to tackle this mod, I finally took the plunge. I faced some challenges in trying to rotate the shift pin 90 degress but ultimately was able to make this work. My challenges as well as the method I took to get this mod to work are chronicled here and here. As others have mentioned, this shift knob is sooooo much nicer looking than the stock S-tronic side button one. It really gives the interior a sporty, quality look. Overall I am very pleased with this mod.

Fully extended button!

**Mops@Nemesis** · 01-10-2013 05:00 AM

Looks excellent, Tommy! So much better than the original.

Dude, why is your console so dirty?!?! And the knob looks to have lotion or grease on it. Tommy, you are not suppose to sit on the knob;)

**tboooe** · 01-10-2013 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by Mops

Looks excellent, Tommy! So much better than the original.

Dude, why is your console so dirty?!?! And the knob looks to have lotion or grease on it. Tommy, you are not suppose to sit on the knob;)

Yeah a little dirt from the mod and the lotion was my way of celebrating after getting this damn mod done! I am walking a little funny this morning but you should see what I did to the knob...destroyed...the car is going to need full interior detail....

**knucklehaedjcz** · 01-10-2013 09:12 AM

This thread just got real sexy

**Mops@Nemesis** · 01-10-2013 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by knucklehaedjcz

This thread just got real sexy

**Wah** · 01-11-2013 02:31 AM

Looks great bud! Congrats, and thanks for the write-up once again.

**tboooe** · 01-13-2013 05:57 PM

Update 13 Jan 2013 - LED Tail Light Recoding

After my initial aborted attempt at updating my rear tail lights to FL ones due to some fit issues (as well as some extreme anality), I still wanted to do something with my LEDs. Enter DavidB8 who recoded them to resemble more like the Euro A4/A6 ones. In short, only the outside perimeter LEDs are used for Park, Turn signals, and Brake. Though not quite as sexy as the FL light bar, this mod helped to me make my LED tail lights more sleek and modern. I will attempt to post a video soon but here is a video of the end result from another recoding project DavidB8 has done:

**Wah** · 01-14-2013 02:51 AM

Looks great.
I feel like I've seen this video before though

**tboooe** · 01-14-2013 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by Wah

Looks great.
I feel like I've seen this video before though

Thank you...I am sure you have seen this video. Its an old one of another car that DavidB8 recoded. I will post pics of mine shortly. Remember I have an ibis cabrio....

**tboooe** · 01-14-2013 04:44 PM

Here is video of my recoded LED tail lights:

**S5Q7** · 01-14-2013 04:58 PM

Very Nice man! Looks way better than the stock NA ones!

**tboooe** · 01-14-2013 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by S5Q7

Very Nice man! Looks way better than the stock NA ones!

Thank you. They are not the FL ones but now they look so much better. I have no idea why they would make the NA ones look so bad. I guess only Euros have a sense of style and us Americans are just a bunch of unsophisticated slobs.

**Mops@Nemesis** · 01-14-2013 06:43 PM

Tommy, what exactly has changed? David has to do mine this weekend and I might as well get something a bit different.

**tboooe** · 01-14-2013 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by Mops

Tommy, what exactly has changed? David has to do mine this weekend and I might as well get something a bit different.

Yo man. I should have taken a before and after video. Go back to the exchange I had with David a few days ago in the tail light upgrade thread. He explains it pretty well. In a nutshell, as standard these lights do not only use the perimeter LEDs for brakes. The inner lights are used as well which do not nearly look as cool and sleek as the perimeter LEDs by themselves. Also the turn signal is different as well.

Sent from my One X using Tapatalk 2

**Mops@Nemesis** · 01-14-2013 07:03 PM

Noted to check that thread out. Thanks! Hell, maybe I will say gimmie the Tommy B. special. You know best.

**tboooe** · 01-14-2013 07:24 PM

Just sent you email with a video link. David can do other things but I like using just the perimeter LED for everything. All the other lights just make things look too busy and disjointed.

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**Mops@Nemesis** · 01-14-2013 07:37 PM

I took a look. I like that. The factory spec is pretty boring. Thanks!

I find it funny we have a Tommy Bui and Tony Bui in the 5 section. Random, yes.

**tboooe** · 01-14-2013 07:39 PM

Yes but there is only 1 tboooe!

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**Mops@Nemesis** · 01-14-2013 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by tboooe

Yes but there is only 1 tboooe!

Sent from my One X using Tapatalk 2

True! However, there is a tbooe. I sent him payment for an s5 rear valence. Lulz.

Sent from my iPhone

**tboooe** · 01-14-2013 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by Mops

True! However, there is a tbooe. I sent him payment for an s5 rear valence. Lulz.

Sent from my iPhone

Ba haaaaaaaa! I never did get my money did I? Somewhere out there a yellow brother has my money!!!!!

Just kidding bro. What you did to that valence was pure beauty.
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**buiyahkah** · 01-14-2013 09:27 PM

Your car looks great man..I'd love to see it in person some time

**tboooe** · 01-14-2013 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by buiyahkah

Your car looks great man..I'd love to see it in person some time

Anytime man. I am sure we can find a place between LA and San Clemente to meet up.

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**VicTorious1** · 01-14-2013 10:27 PM

Your lights look good. I still have to install mine. I think I'll ask for the same.

**tboooe** · 01-14-2013 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by VicTorious1

Your lights look good. I still have to install mine. I think I'll ask for the same.

Yo where have you been hiding out? Haven't seen you post here in a while.

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**Mops@Nemesis** · 01-15-2013 05:34 AM

Originally Posted by tboooe

Yo where have you been hiding out? Haven't seen you post here in a while.

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X2. Vic has been busy sending bad guys to the slammer.

**u2nelson** · 01-27-2013 04:41 PM

Your car looks great man, nice mods all the way.

How are the new KW rear springs working out now? I take it your running with out the 30mm spacers / How is the adjustability now / Could you go higher if needed?

**tboooe** · 01-27-2013 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by u2nelson

Your car looks great man, nice mods all the way.

How are the new KW rear springs working out now? I take it your running with out the 30mm spacers / How is the adjustability now / Could you go higher if needed?

Thank you sir! Still got lots of mods planned though!

The new rear spring has been great! I am still trying to figure out if I somehow got the wrong or defective spring. There was such a big difference between the new and original spring. I am indeed no longer user the spacer and still have plenty of room for adjustment up or down. If anything I would go lower not higher. Right now, I have about 1/2" gap between top of tire and fender which to me is a nice, classy drop. I am very pleased with the V1s.

Nice color BTW. I have always loved the Monsoon!

**u2nelson** · 01-27-2013 05:26 PM

Monsoon is cool, thanks. My next mod is going to be to fix the Q5 look wheel wells...lower and some spacers to fill them out nicer. My goal is to do that and maintain or improve the cornering / handling and not ruin the ride on rough roads. Coil-overs for sure.

**tboooe** · 01-27-2013 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by u2nelson

Monsoon is cool, thanks. My next mod is going to be to fix the Q5 look wheel wells...lower and some spacers to fill them out nicer. My goal is to do that and maintain or improve the cornering / handling and not ruin the ride on rough roads. Coil-overs for sure.

Yeah, coilovers will definitely improve handling. I find the V1s to be very similar to stock ride. My ride is bit firmer but I think that is more to do with the 20" wheels and lower profile tires. I see in your sig you are going to get Pss10s? I was also thinking about those too but since I dont track my car I didnt think the extra adjustment was worth it. I hear those drop the car pretty low though.

**Wah** · 01-27-2013 10:37 PM

Looks great. Glad everything worked out.

Why did you go with the pre-FL lights and not the FL? Just preference?

**tboooe** · 01-27-2013 10:44 PM

Originally Posted by Wah

Looks great. Glad everything worked out.

Why did you go with the pre-FL lights and not the FL? Just preference?

I actually bought and installed the FL lights but the little bulge really bothered me. To me it clearly looked like the lights were not intended for our vehicles. The new bumper changed ever so slightly to accommodate the new light shape. Yes, I am very anal.

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**tboooe** · 02-16-2013 06:24 PM

It was such a nice day today that I decided to take a 3 hour joy ride up the coast. Its days like these that make me so glad I have a cabrio!

By the beach in the 'hood:

Up in the hills:

Finally back home for a quick wash:

**Mops@Nemesis** · 02-16-2013 06:31 PM

That last shot<3 Your cab looks great! The black interior, black optics and ecodes look so clean together. Why is the passenger seat forward in each pic? 12pk in the rear floor board I assume;)

**shonseb** · 02-16-2013 07:19 PM

Tommie your 5 looks awesome! Best looking cab out there, and the weather is gorgeous! I envy you and the year round summer weather you guys have. Here's a pic outside my window:

Warming up the car now and getting out there while the powders still fresh