Charlotte's Progress Log

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Tue May 24, 2011 3:44 pm

No problem

I deal with the same thing in my SXT, just the nature of a smaller, cheaper projector. They are worlds better than stock though!!!

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Tue May 24, 2011 4:09 pm

x2!!!

04 Mo Neon · Post by **04 Mo Neon** » Tue May 24, 2011 4:45 pm

I guess what Crystal is telling us Ben is size does matter..

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Tue May 24, 2011 8:32 pm

In a way when it comes to projectors it does. My SRT has 3" projectors which made the retrofit a SERIOUS pain in the ass to do but it's so worth it in the end. I need to get updated output shots of those.

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Tue May 24, 2011 10:18 pm

dammit! I was always told it really didn't matter!! *gets a worried look*

iThane · Post by **iThane** » Tue May 24, 2011 10:47 pm

Any news on the exhaust yet??

2005.Neon.SXT · Post by **2005.Neon.SXT** » Wed May 25, 2011 8:48 am

iThane wrote:Any news on the exhaust yet??

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Wed May 25, 2011 11:08 am

2005.Neon.SXT wrote:
iThane wrote:Any news on the exhaust yet??

LOL thane, go back two pages bud

It's already installed...

Oh! and speaking of the exhaust...I think I found out my grinding noise on right hand turns

I am 90% sure it was my stock exhaust piping at the axle! I had to cut off the bolt due to excessive rust when I installed the SRT-4 exhaust. When I took the SRT off & put the stock muffler back on waiting for the R/T exhaust, I basically just had it slid over the axle mid-section held in place by the two rubber hangers. The exhaust being on the left axle makes total sense for grinding during right hand turns and now that the R/T exhaust is on - noooo grinding! If it comes back I'll update, but I highly doubt it's going to. Damn, cars can be tricky, can't they?? Here you're thinking it's a right side suspension/braking part grinding and it turns out to be a damn piece of the exhaust - better yet, in the rear of the car

2005.Neon.SXT · Post by **2005.Neon.SXT** » Thu May 26, 2011 11:01 am

Wow, I even commented after you threw the pics up...

I'm totally out of it... I should go back to sleep...

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Thu May 26, 2011 12:19 pm

LOL oh, I thought you were already aware it was on and was giving Thane a hard time for not noticing 2 pages back that I had posted pics (i.e. calling him stupid) haha I guess I'm out of it also?

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Sat May 28, 2011 12:22 am

I can not believe how impossible it is to find someone who doesn't want their stock SRT wheels...wow. I mean I'm offering to either trade my 4 wheels and 8 great conditioned tires or possibly just buy them. At least in the surrounding states of PA where I could actually go & physically pick them up - saving hundreds of dollars & time on worrying about shipping them - there has been no takers.

SRT wheels were the last thing I wanted before calling my exterior modding completed.

dblsg · Post by **dblsg** » Sat May 28, 2011 1:06 am

its a sign... get different wheels

superdan · Post by **superdan** » Sat May 28, 2011 1:53 am

I have a set of SRT wheels. One of them is curbed pretty bad but they have brand new tires on them.

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Sat May 28, 2011 7:11 pm

Dan,

PM sent man.

akirony · Post by **akirony** » Sun May 29, 2011 9:41 pm

If you get the srt wheels be sure to get the right tires. And dont forget the speed vs speedo thing. But Im sure you know this already.
Ive only been clocked once before I found out my speed is 3mph over my speedo.

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Sun May 29, 2011 10:41 pm

SXT to SRT-4 Wheel Speedometer Calculator:

Stock tire: 185 / 60 / 15
Non-Stock tire: 205 / 50 / 17

Speedometer reading with non-stock tire will be 5.6% too slow.
When your speedometer reads 60mph, you are actually traveling 63.4mph

Stock tire: 185 / 60 / 15
Non-Stock tire: 215 / 50 / 17

Speedometer reading with non-stock tire will be 7.3% too slow.
When your speedo reads 60mph, you are actually traveling 64.4 mph

Stock tire: 185 / 60 / 15
Non-Stock tire: 205 / 40 / 17

Speedometer reading with non-stock tire will be 7.3% too slow.
When your speedo reads 60mph, you are actually traveling 64.4 mph

Stock tire: 185 / 60 / 15
Non-Stock tire: 205 / 40 / 17

Speedometer reading with non-stock tire will be 1.2% too fast.
When your speedo reads 60mph, you are actually traveling 59.3 mph

Stock tire: 185 / 60 / 15
Non-Stock tire: 205 / 45 / 17

Speedometer reading with non-stock tire will be 2.2% too slow.
When your speedo reads 60mph, you are actually traveling 61.3 mph

2005.Neon.SXT · Post by **2005.Neon.SXT** » Sun May 29, 2011 11:04 pm

This is what I use when I want to compare tire sizes to make sure my speedo isn't too terribly off.

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

FAC3L3SS · Post by **FAC3L3SS** » Sun May 29, 2011 11:05 pm

PLUS stock SRT tire sizes will not fit under non-SRT struts without spacers or some sort of work.

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Sun May 29, 2011 11:27 pm

2005.Neon.SXT wrote:This is what I use when I want to compare tire sizes to make sure my speedo isn't too terribly off.

Andy: That is exactly what I use and where the above information came from

FAC3L3SS wrote:PLUS stock SRT tire sizes will not fit under non-SRT struts without spacers or some sort of work.

Correct. OEM 205/50/17s will rub the SXT spring perches.
Recommended sizes are 205/40/17 (ideal) OR 205/45/17 (possibility) if on a SXT suspension.

Spacers: 5mm may be used with no modification needed to the SXT wheel studs. Anything over 5mm will require installation of longer wheel studs.

Tire size options using stock SRT-4 struts/springs.
205/50R17 - OEM / Stock. Recommended Wheel Width: 6 - 7.5"
215/50R17 - 10mm wider than OEM. Recommended Wheel Width: 6 - 7.5"
205/40R17 - 10mm smaller ratio (height) than OEM. Recommended Wheel Width: 7 - 8"
205/45R17 - 5mm smaller ratio (height) than OEM. Recommended Wheel Width: 6.5 - 7.5"

FAC3L3SS · Post by **FAC3L3SS** » Mon May 30, 2011 12:42 am

Your speedo won't really be that far off that it's noticeable. I ran 205/50s on my 17s and never got going 60mph anyhow to really show the difference. I prefer more meet on my wheels though.

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Mon May 30, 2011 1:21 am

lol trust me - I'm a daily speeder and part of that addiction is being used to my needle saying at least 70mph on a highway. If my speedo was too slow then I'd already be speeding more than what I thought I was going (i.e. if I think I'm booking at 75mph I'm really doing almost 80mph depending on tire size.) A fine between 75 and 80mph in a 55mph zone is a HUGE difference

I would much rather have my speedo read too fast

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Tue May 31, 2011 6:19 pm

So I got my rear driver strut assembly installed today. What a friggin biotch to do. It was nothing like the "easy, done in 10 minutes" videos of rear strut removal/installation on youTube! lol

Old vs. New

Mounted:

Installed (it was so hard to align the bolts!):

New vs. Old Spring Perch height:

Can anyone get me a pic of their rear SRT-4 spring perches? When I bought these, it had said it fit all trims of a 2000-2005 Dodge Neon. I was thinking they were full of it, that they forgot "excludes SRT-4" but I measured...stock SXT was about 1 1/8" from the top of my tire. The new strut (even though not broken in yet) sits 1 3/8" above the top of my tire (1/4" higher). I'm wondering how high the SRT-4 rear perches sit and if these new struts would indeed clear 205/50/17 tires...?

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 12:40 am

//EDIT - Deleting this post as I decided not to get those wheels.

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 11:48 am

I don't like those wheels personally, but that's just me. That strut assembly is weird looking, even the spring on it is. Nice that it has a swaybar mount though. You did buy both sides did you not?

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 12:38 pm

Yea I got both sides haha I'm going to install the passenger side today - I hand mixed cement all day Mem. Day & killed my back so doing 1 strut assembly was enough for me yesterday

The spring, I noticed, has 4 coils as opposed to stock having 3. According to part number though, they are the correct Left/Right strut assemblies for a 2000-2005 Dodge Neon...

CM - is there a way you could measure the difference in spring perch height b/t your SXT & SRT-4? Pwease?

I'm wondering if these would clear a 205/50/17 and then I would only have to worry about putting two of the SRT strut assemblies up front. Otherwise, I'm just going to go with a 205/40 or 45 tire

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 1:16 pm

I didn't measure mine specifically but they are about 3/4" different with the SRT being higher.

04 Mo Neon · Post by **04 Mo Neon** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 1:46 pm

Eh I think all your hard work would be overlooked if you went with those rims. eekk! I think something a bit more subtle would fit you better.

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 3:29 pm

CM - Will I 205/45/17 definitely fit on a SXT suspension with proper clearance? I definitely think they will now clear my rear, as the new struts do sit up 1/4" higher...I just see most people run a 205/40 but I don't want that slim of a tire.

Yea I was just tossing up the idea because the guy is literally 5 mins from me and they are 1 year old wheels (great cond.) with <1k miles on the tires...oh well - I'm going to go back to my SRT search

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 3:51 pm

Yes a 205/45 will fit on the SXT suspension without issues, but you can't run a 205/50.

03SXTGUY · Post by **03SXTGUY** » Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:06 pm

Perfect - then that is what I'll go with - it's only a 5% ratio reduction as opposed to a 10% drop (205/40's are way too skinny for the amount of potholes PA has)