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There are a ton of reasons to love the Toyota 86, including the affordable price, rear-wheel-drive, and boxer engine all in one gorgeous package.
It’s a fantastic base car for anyone who wants to light up the racetrack and can also excel as a daily drive car. However, adding Toyota 86 mods can give you even more power and performance so you can zoom by other cars.
Developed in partnership by Subaru and Toyota, the Toyota 86 is also known as the Subaru BRZ. It was manufactured at a Subaru plant and has been in production since 2012 as a stunning fastback coupe. It’s an excellent entry-level sports car and with the tips below, you can make it even better.
1. A Remapped ECU
While not among the Toyota 86 mods, it’s still an exceptional idea to remap the ECU. When it’s not well-tuned, it won’t do well with output gains when you install mods. There’s no point in spending money and time to install them if your car doesn’t know how to use them to power better performance.
Tuning an ECU can be done on a DIY basis, or you can take the car to a professional tuner who can customize things. An experienced tuner will look at the mods you’ve installed and ensure the car is aligned to provide excellent performance for whatever you use the car for.
2. New Tyres and Wheels
The standard wheels on the Toyota 86 are excellent at traction and drifting, but they aren’t really set up for anything but regular driving. If you want to race your Subaru BRZ, you’ll want to make changes to the tyres. This is especially important if you’ve already added Toyota 86 mods to your ride.
Choose the proper size of high-performance tyres to power the car with any mods without dealing with wheel spin. Many find that all-season summer tyres in 235/50R18 tend to do well. However, you want to evaluate what output you desire. Wider and larger tyres help with natural aspiration, but more aggressive tyres are ideal if you supercharge or turbocharge the engine.
While changing tyres, it’s also a good time to consider new wheels. Go with something light to reduce the weight on the springs and shocks so your tyres stay firmly on the road without as much work. The lighter the wheels, the more responsive the handling will be.
3. A Cat-Back Exhaust System
Adding a cat-back exhaust system can add a huge amount of performance to your car. As Toyota 86 mods go, this helps improve the flow of exhaust gases that leave the car. A mid-pipe, muffler (or two), and exhaust tips will be excellent for use on the Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86.
Many of the aftermarket cat-back exhaust system parts from companies like Empire Performance are going to have mandrel-bend turns to avoid pressure build-up and come in larger diameters than the stock exhaust. This adds extra horsepower to the vehicle while making it roar when the exhaust is running. For those who want the loudest notes, use separate muffles per exhaust tips rather than a shared muffler configuration.
4. New Headers
Choosing headers as one of your Toyota 86 mods lets you amp performance by making the engine’s breathing improve. For the Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86, you have choices between unequal- or equal-length headers. Headers work by moving gases to a collector using runners from the engine cylinders. Equal-length headers have runners of the same size, while unequal-length have some longer and some shorter.
If you want the best performance, equal-length headers are the best recommendation. However, while power is a bit lower for unequal-length headers, these add additional low-end torque to create a magnificent rumble that many love.
5. Suspension Upgrades
While you’re considering Toyota 86 mods, one way to improve performance is by upgrading the suspension. Lowering springs are a good choice for those who want to save money. The higher spring rates will improve the car’s handling and let you move the car’s ride height down based on your preferences.
However, coil-overs are another option for those who don’t mind paying a bit more. These are going to offer the best handling for your car and also provide a way to change your ride height whenever you want, unlike lowering springs which are a single height.
While many believe coil-overs are only useful for racing, they can also be used on daily drivers to improve performance.
Once you know your budget and what factors matter most to you, there are tons of Toyota 86 mods to consider purchasing. Remap the ECU, add in a cold air intake system, or get a supercharger. Regardless of what you choose, make sure you get your parts from a reputable vendor with great reviews for the sake of your Toyota 86.
