FD LSX--or Other--Mount Kit Supreme (Complete Kit)

NOW Powder Coated by Default!!

So you want to change motor in your FD3S, LS or otherwise, and you want everything you need to mount it up? I'm your huckleberry supreme. This is the v8rx7 community's #1 choice in terms of performing a conversion. This kit stresses ease of initial installation, clean looks, excellent clearances for headers and exhaust, and ease of service-ability down the road plus it has everything you need.  Note, we're launching the subframe with LS motors in mind, but we're working on variations for 20Bs and 2JZs.  If you happen to be in SoCal and are interested in some co-development we'd love to talk to you.  In the meantime, for those not into LS engines we're offering a version of this without the motor mounts welded so you can DIY your own.  

A little backstory first: for several years Ronin was adding parts and powdercoat to FD subframes made by Samberg Performance.  When Samberg exited the marketplace we finally had a chance to start over, improve everything that was less ideal about that kit, and make an FD swap kit setup of our own.

Key improvements:

• More than 2 times stiffer. The fore aft bars are trussed using taco gussets. It’s a heck of a lot stronger tie way to tie to the front control arm box.  Torsionally, we’re packing a 2” cross bar. 
• We also paid a lot of attention to fixturing and tolerances. Multiple piece parts tab into slots.  Both tubes and flat parts are being laser cut.  We even designed in compensation for weld deformation (symmetry and sequence of welds, where you put fillets, and how it all fixtures).  This means no more control arms that don’t line up.
• The eccentric camber adjustment ovals will be both plug welded and stitched on the sides.  It becomes 8 welds instead of 4 so there’s noway to tear the things off.  By the way, we’re not monkeying around with weld on camber crescent moon extension BS.  We don’t need the adjustment and most customers won’t need the welding.  We believe the extensions were also a key factor in alignment slippage.
• One that came as a surprise to us:  We sourced an OEM subframe to verify our suspension, steering, and frame pickups.  This was done via a combination of laser scanning and hard measurements.  Did you guys know that Mazda’s control arm pivots aren’t parallel?  There’s almost a 2” variation from front to rear.  It looks like a combination of anti-dive under braking and packaging. Samberg never had this quite right.  From our investigation of the suspension pickups it looks to us like the control arms on a Samberg kit will be forced to bind which probably also contributed to the systemic alignment slippage folks saw. Note: this subframe is designed to be backward compatible if folks decide they want to upgrade. 
• Finally, we spent a lot of effort making sure things just fit and land nicely.  We gained somewhere between 3/8” and 1/2" of header clearance in the critical spot by the rear suspension pivots.  That should make header install much easier.  Some of our competitors don't even give you an option of fitting long tube headers which is total crap when paying that much for a swap kit.

This version is the Kit Offering:

Ronin FD Engine/Trans Kit (includes subframe, pedestals, T56 trans mount--all powedercoated in a beautiful satin black, engine/trans isolators, as well as the complete bump steer kit and all appropriate hardwae).  Note: the trans mount includes sandwich plates (not shown) which clamp the transmission tunnel.

A couple notes on bump steer correction and engine placement.  An LS engine is damn tight in an FD engine bay.  One of our competitors claims that the FD steering rack placement is magic and shouldn't be messed with.  This is wrong.  The FD exhibits a great deal of bump steer from the factory as proved here: https://youtu.be/tN4JNP2yN6c.  We lower the rack to avoid hood interference.  If you don't do this, the only choices are moving then engine up and/or back which creates interferrence with the firewall and tran tunnel.  The F-body pan (or Holley equivalent) that's needed with this kit is as thin as you can go without interferring with the crankshaft.

Instead we're offering full adjustable bump steer based upon Speedway Motors spindle interfaces.  However since the spindles do add a bending moment we're also adding Ronin exclusive spindle supports, spherical tie rod ends by Aurora and tie rod interfaces.  We may lock in a specific position down the road but for now adjustability seems like the simple approach and allows drivers to dial in handling to their own liking whether you're targeting theoretically perfect race car geometry or the lively bump steer Mazda started with.  

Options for the Kit:

• Builder's subframe: subframe portion comes with engine mounts loose and unwelded.  The idea is that you locate them yourself for use with an non Samberg replacement, you can also cut up the loose mounts and use them (or not) for a 2JZ or custom engine mounting.  All builder's version subframe come bare, so there may be some light surface rust to address.  Powercoating is now the DEFAULT finish for all subframes NOT builder's version.

Choose a rear end to match:

• Samberg OEM rear end support (we only have a few left and they're all powder coated so we're pricing these dearly, our own OEM style rear is coming)
• Ronin 8.8 (only $400 more than the Samberg gets you into a Ronin 8.8!)
• Ronin Grande 8.8 with or without 2.5" ARP wheelstuds (do it once and make it bad ass).

Details on the FD 8.8 are available here: http://www.roninspeedworks.net/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=88

Details on what's different about Grande here: http://www.roninspeedworks.net/index.php?route=product/product&path=70&product_id=109

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