Setting up a XA6X Celica for drift

[RWDboy]

22R does NOT have enough power for ANYTHING... except maybe the occasional delivery Hilux.

Also, how is fitting S13 struts going to magically make it a wonderful drift car? A strut is pretty much a piece of pipe... it's the dampers+springs you put in there that do something, not the piece of pipe!

Another point: MA61 diff = not worth bothering. They're loose to begin with, all worn out, and cost too much to replace the clutches etc. in to be bothered with. Use something else...

Grab the MA61 rear end anyway for the rear disk brakes if ya ask me - plus there is the *option* of further down the track of getting a good LSD, aside from that you can put a locker centre in or stick with a well-adjusted clutch-type LSD for the mean time.

The 22R is a piece of crap - hello captain obvious!!! The lack of top end will make it struggle for anything above second gear (ie 5-60km/h slides) really and you'd have to really upset to car to keep it going for any length of time. It'd be slow - one of the better options is a 1GGTE or a 1JZ - I'm going for a 3SGTE myself but it's not a cheap option.

I was referring to the vast availabilty of aftermarket parts that *fit* to S13 struts etc, hence the reason you might want to adapt those parts to the car rather than trying to find a really good aftermarket adjustable shock and spring that will fit an RA65 strut.

[Wezelton]

The ra60 is (in my opinion) the better choice here, live axel, a good one at that.
The 22re which is a straight swap into the ra60 isnt a bad budget upgrade, i did it and loved it. Just had extractors, full zorst and a pod.. little boro jap tune, full timing advance lol but when i took it sliding it wasnt 50-60k skids, more like hit it hot at 100 work second or third.. its all about the curry!

As far as a decent engine upgrade goes, there are a few good toyota motors you can put in, if i had the time and money it would be a full interanly rebuilt 4age 20valve built for 16+ psi of boost, super light car and dialed suspension.
But i whent for a RB20DET, the main reason is because i wanted a 6 cylinder and the 1g/j have the turbo and manifold on the opposite side of the car, so the exhaust will line up easy and the brake booster wont be getting fried from the turbo and exhaust. Also datsuns are so easy to parts for, so there are plenty of bolt ons.

I've also put alot of effort into suspension set up and im still doing more, for the people who think they under steer, maybe stock. Mine turns nice, feel great to throw into a corner.
I might also add that if you go to the wreckers, you will find probably atleast 10 RA modle celicas haha so parts are easy.

I'll have a thread on my car sometime soon, will be a good read for you all.


1- S13 control arms, coil overs, and camber tops will fit, it works like sigma arms, more track and negative camber. They are about 10mm longer than sigma arms, i think 45-55mm longer than stock arms. The camber tops fit, but you will need to file the inside corners of the strut tower holes by about 1-2mm. Silvia coil overs are so cheap, plus you can hook up 4 piston calipers too!

2- Hilux shocks, falcon springs. The hilux shocks are nice and short and very firm, you can basicly run any shock you like as long as it has the same mounts. That way you can decide how stiff and short you want them. Falcon springs you could get anywhere, i run XR6 front springs chopped rather short, super firm and never fall out. There from a EL falcoon

3- No interia, sound deadening, lighten the loom ect. The less weight, if you do a budget 22re conversion (or have the ra65) it goes alright, i left a few people questioning what was under the hood lol

4- locker for sure, i've had alot of fun with mine.

Oh and a pic of my dish.. hehe mmmm sweet dish!

[Dimitri]

a member of the old forums Tim, who hasnt bothered to join the new forums already has a well set up and coppetitive ra65 drift car.

the 60/56 chassis is much more rigid that an 86. just apply all the same tricks/parts (mostly).

his car is irs and he has gone to great lenghts to reduce the rear camber. but aside from the the set up has been straight forward.

even before the rear sub frame mods the car was a competant drift.

basic set up is. white line sway bars front and back. 8kg coilovered struts with tockico hts inserts shortened 40mm and s13 camber tops. custom 50mm RCA's. non P/S model with power steering knuckle amrs.removed steering stopper tabs. standard lenght ae86 trd ajustable rear shox, custom 6 kg kmac rear springs. shimmed ma61 lsd. 1ggte conversion using KAIZEN garage fitting kit (does not require custom from sway bar.)

[skaney]

I have no experience with these model celicas, but the basics between setting up an AE86 and 1 of these should still stand.

Dont forget to get more steering lock out of it somehow, maybe like Dimitri mentioned.
I have mostly all the good bits on my AE86 except I havent touched the front steering other than struts/RCA. It simply runs out of steering lock, and you just can get any real angle out of it. Which greatly limits what you can do on the track..

[Wezelton]

There are lock stops on the control arms and hubs. cut them both off, more lock

[Stefan]

I think all you need to is talk to timottoway of the GA65 linked to earlier.

Oh Intense, I'll think you'll find that lowering the rear give negative camber "P

[MOOKIE]

Sorry i forgot to mention the car i'm using
it's a GA63

its got king springs and monroe shocks

i'm thinking s13 suspension but i'm not 100% on how to put it in
i was thinking buy some then work it out from there

Suspension info is what i'm after pretty much

the rest i'll have to work out from behind the wheel

i know alot of it is what works for my and my style but still any info is good.

[MOOKIE]

oh and another quick question

my car has p/s with increasing the lock damage other components ?

[Wezelton]

Silva control arms, hubs, struts and tops. You will need RA40 tie rod ends or longer. The control arms just bolt in but you may need to trim the bush down, you will work it out easy enough.

With more lock, the only thing you will hurt is your tyes!

[Stefan]

With more lock, the only thing you will hurt is your tyes!

And possibly your Ackerman.

BTW there is no *need* to swap to S13 gear unless there is something to get out of it. I'm guessing the reason here is being able to use off-the-shelf coilovers. Not a cheap route though, and Tim's car still has RA65 struts (shortened & turned into coilovers).

[Negative Boost]

The major benefit i see from S13 suspension in the front is an increase of track of 45-55mm, as stated earlier in the thread. Oh how would i love an increase in track of 45-55mm. It'd make a positive change in steering feel and road holding to the car.

[hazkell]

why not sell those wheels of yours and get some lower offset rims?

[sam-131]

plus the fact that you also get more adjustability then you can shake a stick at when going silvia coilovers and also the benefit of having double the size breaks (s14,s15)and 5x114.3 stud makes finding wheels easyer and cheaper

[Stefan]

plus the fact that you also get more adjustability then you can shake a stick at when going silvia coilovers and also the benefit of having double the size breaks (s14,s15)and 5x114.3 stud makes finding wheels easyer and cheaper

He will only get more adjustability than he can shake a stick at if he spends a lot of money. I thought this was a budget builld. Anyway, I am just pointing out that you don't need to convert the front suspension to s13 to go drifting :roll:

Also, R32/R33 brakes can be fitted to xA6x struts, and if you go 5 stud at front, you probably need to convert the rear too.

[sam-131]

i've spent all in all $650 coverting a fiat 131 to silvia s15 coilovers,breaks and stud patten thats calipers,disc's,hubs,adjie struts tops,coilovers
i've looked and shoped around and out found not only is it a hell of alot cheaper and a hell of alot less farking around to go to sil coils but the benefits out wiegh the odds