Mingofish Atlanta RCF build
Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 870
Likes: 333
From: Ga
Haven’t updated in a while. Cold rainy weather not so great for track last few months so not much going on.
1. Either I’ve gotten use to the amount of vibration from the motor mounts or the vibration has settled down a bit.
Not real sure which but it’s definitely tolerable.
Just want to say this in case I deterred people from getting them because of my earlier review.
2. The ohlins have performed great so far. I’ve actually went back to a softer rebound and compression setting. The car still hugs road great without all that twitchy bounciness I had previously. Really enjoying the car more on the street compare to before, where I hardly drove it on the street.
These ohlins gotta make me put miles on the car!
3. A buddy went to Tokyo auto salon and brought me back TRD door latches. I saw these a few years back but never bought because it seemed like an expensive gadget to get very little, if any, noticeable handling improvement.
He found them at a discount so I said WTH.
No way I can feel any difference on the street. Will have to wait till next track day to see.
I will say that a great bonus is that the door closes with a nice solid thud now compare to before.
Our car door always has that Japanese door sound. If y’all owned a German can like a Benz or Audi, you know what I mean. Well now I got that solid German door sound haha.
Last edited by Mingofish; Jan 27, 2019 at 06:35 PM.
Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 870
Likes: 333
From: Ga
Got these few days ago. Excited to try out at Road Atlanta next month.
These are the next step up from the mx72 compound as far as grip. Gonna dust more for sure...
Will use mx72 for street and the Me20 for track only.
wonder if I can stay with my buddy now..
He has a Vette grandsport with carbon brakes. He out brakes me every time at the last straight at Road atlanta when we are going like 150.
Will update soon!
Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 870
Likes: 333
From: Ga
they’re on their way!! Excited.
These are 5mm longer reach than Fig’s standard specs.
My T-demand ones were really made for stance set ups, with adjustments way high in the negative range but could only go as low as around -2.4, which is where I was at lately.
I’ve ran them at like -2.7 to 2.9’ish and the cornering grip was ridiculous but lost a lot of straight line stopping power. Plus I drive to the track and back, so the normal street driving kills the tires.
Gonna run around -2.0 to see if I can compromise between cornering grip and stopping grip.
ClubLexus Stories
Celebrating Lexus & Toyota from Around the Globe
Top 10 Lexus & Toyotas to Drive Before You Die!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Lexus/Toyotas With The LEAST 5-Year Depreciation
Joe Kucinski
Lexus LC500 Convertible Auction: A Preview of Rising Values?
Brett Foote
GX 550 vs TX 550: Best 3-Row Luxury Lexus Family Hauler
Michael S. Palmer
9 Best Lexus Models You Can Buy for Half Price (And 1 You Shouldn't!)
Joe Kucinski
2026 Lexus NX Buyer's Guide: Models, Features, Prices & More!
Brett Foote
Top 10 Reasons to Buy a Lexus TX 550h+ (& 3 Reasons to AVOID!)
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Lexus & Toyota Models of the 1990s RANKED!
Joe Kucinski
10 Great Toyotas That Could Have Been Lexus Models
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 870
Likes: 333
From: Ga
Ok. Some updates:
ME20 pads
Been to track twice since new pads went on.
The friction increase is apparent. That gave me the ability to use less pedal pressure and have the same braking force.
End result is better pedal modulation. I’m definitely pleased.
Cons are: way more dust and squeaks.
TRD door latches
Surprisingly, I can tell the difference. The car is a bit tighter, allowing better response time during corners when I have to make steering corrections. To me, a track junkie, it’s definitely worth the money.
On the street, don’t bother.
Figs control arms
Well this one is still is sorta a long story....
Reason I needed new arms was because I bent something on the front end (suspect aluminum knuckle) but I couldn’t find the bent part visually nor by measuring.
The T-demand arms I had ran out of adjustment and I couldn’t get the car to align lower than -2.7 static camber.
I commissioned Mike Figaro to make me a “longer” set so I can get my particular car back to the range I want, which is about -2.0 to -2.2 static.
I gave Mike the T-demand arm measurements plus the current alignment info and he was to extrapolate the necessary info to make my new arms.
He made the arms in a very reasonable time frame (big props) but the hiccup was that the arms were too long. Guess there was some miscalculation since the lowest camber I could get was -1.15 which is even higher than stock arms. Sigh.,
Mike stepped up and told me he would make me a new set. How awesome is that for standing behind his work!!!
New arms just arrived today so I will install soon and report afterwards.
Reusing all the old rod ends and ball joints, that’s why only got arms by themselves.
Plus requested grey instead of orange. A UGA bulldawg shouldn’t have orange parts on the car. Haha.
Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 870
Likes: 333
From: Ga
Sorry Teu..
I did take some go pro vids. But the Road atlanta day was raining so everyone was driving slow for most of the day. I may have one good run. Will try to look through em soon.
Last weekend was at NCM. It was my first time there. Didn’t know the track so I was driving kinda slower. That is absolutely the hardest track I’ve been on. 23 corners with like 5-6 of them blind! So fun. I can’t wait to go back since I know the track better now.
I did take some go pro vids. But the Road atlanta day was raining so everyone was driving slow for most of the day. I may have one good run. Will try to look through em soon.
Last weekend was at NCM. It was my first time there. Didn’t know the track so I was driving kinda slower. That is absolutely the hardest track I’ve been on. 23 corners with like 5-6 of them blind! So fun. I can’t wait to go back since I know the track better now.
Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 870
Likes: 333
From: Ga
Well, after 14k miles and about 20+ track days. The griodisc front rotors finally needs replacing.
Sorta crappy timing since I’m trying to work a deal with Figs to possibility get carbon rotors.
Oh well. Guess I’ll roll on iron rotors for a bit...
Gonna powder coat the hats since I got em disassembled.
The original silver anodizing turned a lavender purple color, guessing from the heat exposure? Not my favor color.
Check out the old rotors with all the cracks. They got like that after like 2-3 track days and I’ve been riding on em this whole time. Was told if the cracks are not close to the edge, it was ok.
I’ve kept eye on em and the cracks really haven’t gotten worst.
Just had to replace rotors due to the slots being gone.
Last edited by Mingofish; Apr 9, 2019 at 09:15 PM.
