Build Recipe: Best Mods for a street Toyota GR86 Street Build

The Toyota GR86 has quickly become the pound for pound champion enthusiast 2-door sports car. Its hard to argue the offering of a lightweight, rear wheel drive and incredibly well balanced platform. The GR86 delivers an engaging driving experience that's equally at home on winding back roads, daily commutes, and weekend track days.

Like every great sports car, however, there is room for improvement. At XIII Motorsports, we've worked with countless GR86 and BRZ owners looking to increase reliability, sharpen handling, and make the car even more enjoyable to drive without sacrificing its everyday usability.

If you're wondering where to start, these are our favorite modifications for building the ultimate street focused Toyota GR86.

Upgrade Engine Reliability with the HKS High Capacity Oil Pan

One of the biggest discussions surrounding both the FA20 and newer FA24 boxer engines is oil control during aggressive cornering.

While the GR86 performs exceptionally well from the factory, spirited driving and track use can expose the limitations of the factory oil pan. This can sometimes result in complete engine failure so maintaining a consistent oil supply is critical for engine longevity, especially during sustained cornering and spirited driving.

That's why one of our favorite reliability upgrades is the HKS High Capacity Oil Pan.

The increased oil capacity helps maintain a more stable oil supply while improving overall oil management inside the engine. The pick up tube on this part also addresses issues with RTV blocking the oil pump. We constantly recommend this upgrade to owners looking to keep their vehicles and improve reliability in a drastic way.

Unlike modifications that only increase horsepower, this upgrade helps protect your investment while providing greater peace of mind every time you push the car. Our team at XIII Motorsports also offers a service to diagnose and clean up the pick up tube on the FA20 and FA24 engines in order to prevent any oil blockage.

 

Oil upgrade with Eneos 5w30

 

Eneos oil is our staple at XIIIMOTORSPORTS we use it as our base fill, along with .5L over fill to ensure the oil level is stable for street, track and autox. Eneos provides superior lubrication to all engine components. We have used their oil for over 5 years at our shop with incredible results. 0 Engine failures for our customers whom get their oil system maintained xiii. We have independently testing the oil time and time again. Offering oil testing service to our customers so they can see the results. The FA engines are highly prone to poor oil conditions. Given the chassis capabilities and a relatively small pan its very easy to push the complete oil volume into the cylinder head causing starvation. XIII was one of the first shops locally and around the globe to begin pushing this platform to record setting speeds. We have used Eneos since DAY 1, our engine still runs and to date has again reset its record lap at Toronto Motorsports Park. Eneos oil provides increased protection from thermal degradation as well as superior anti foaming to maintaining consistent oil pressure under street and track conditions.

 

Improve Stopping Power with High Carbon Brake Rotors

The GR86 is known for carrying speed through corners, making confidence under braking just as important as outright power.

While the factory braking system performs well, upgrading to high carbon brake rotors offers noticeable improvements in everyday driving and spirited use.

High carbon rotors provide:

• Improved heat management

• Better resistance to brake fade

• Reduced vibration

• Increased durability

• More consistent braking performance

Pairing high carbon rotors with quality performance brake pads and fresh brake fluid creates a braking system that inspires confidence on both the street and during occasional track events. It’s for this reason that we typically offer DBA rotors, Hawk pads and Eneos performance brake fluid to may of our customers.

For many GR86 owners, this is one of the highest value upgrades available.

HKS Hypermax S Coilovers: The Perfect Suspension Upgrade

One of the most popular modifications for the Toyota GR86 is upgrading the suspension.

While the factory suspension offers excellent balance, enthusiasts often want a lower stance, improved cornering ability, and greater adjustability.

The HKS Hypermax S Coilover Kit continues to be one of our top recommendations.

Designed with both performance and comfort in mind, the Hypermax S offers:

• Adjustable ride height

• Improved cornering stability

• Better body control

• Comfortable daily driving characteristics

• High quality construction and long term reliability

Rather than simply making the car stiffer, the Hypermax S improves suspension control while maintaining the refinement expected from a daily driven sports car.

It's an ideal solution for owners looking to enhance both appearance and handling. We also recommend these over lowering springs and shocks since this option does not offer enough adjust ability with suspension geometry.

Dial In the Suspension with Camber Bolts and Rear Camber Arms

Installing coilovers is only part of the equation. Proper suspension geometry is what truly unlocks the GR86's handling potential. Fortunately, achieving an optimized alignment doesn't require expensive suspension components.

Simple upgrades like camber bolts allow additional front camber adjustment, improving front end grip while helping reduce outer tire wear during spirited driving.

For the rear, camber arms are required. We like the Whiteline parts for street comfort and a positive locking mechanism good enough for track.

Combined with a professional XIII Motorsports alignment, these affordable upgrades dramatically improve steering feel, cornering confidence, and tire performance.

It's one of the best value modifications available for the platform.

Sticky Tires Deliver the Biggest Performance Gain

If we could recommend only one performance upgrade for the average GR86 owner, it would be better tires. These are momentum cars after all and keep traction and speed through corners is what they do best.

Also, the connection between your car and the road is only as good as the four contact patches beneath it.

That is why we frequently recommend 340-200 treadwear performance tires to our customers;

Yokohama ADVAN AD09

The Yokohama AD09 has become one of the benchmark street performance tires for enthusiasts. It offers excellent dry grip while maintaining predictable handling and reasonable street manners in dry and wet weather conditions.

Nankang CR-S

The Nankang CR-S has earned an outstanding reputation among track day enthusiasts looking for exceptional grip on a respectable budget.

Its combination of predictable handling, strong heat tolerance, and competitive pricing has made it one of the fastest growing performance tire choices for the GR86 platform.

For drivers looking to maximize handling without significantly modifying their vehicle, a quality set of 200 treadwear tires delivers one of the biggest performance improvements available.

Lightweight Wheels Complete the Package

Once you've upgraded the suspension and tires, lightweight wheels are the natural next step.

Reducing rotational mass provides benefits that go far beyond appearance. It improves acceleration, enhances braking, augments steering response and gives the driver more overall agility when tackling a corner.

Because the suspension has less weight to control, the car feels more responsive during cornering while also improving ride quality over rough pavement.

Combine a quality tire with a set of Rays 57CR’s or Enkei RPF1’s and you will truly appreciate the additional style points but also the increased response you feel from the car on the road.

The XIII Motorsports GR86 Street Build Recipe

After building and servicing numerous GR86s, we've found that the best street builds focus on improving the car's strengths while addressing its few weaknesses.

Our recommended recipe includes:

• HKS High Capacity Oil Pan

• Eneos Engine Oil

• High Carbon Brake Rotors

• HKS Hypermax S Coilovers

• Camber Bolts or Roll Center Correction Kit

• Professional Performance Alignment

• Yokohama ADVAN AD09 or Nankang CR-S Tires

• Lightweight Performance Wheels

The result is a GR86 that's more reliable, more capable, and even more engaging to drive, all while maintaining the comfort and practicality that make it such an outstanding daily driver.

Build Your GR86 with XIII Motorsports

Whether you're preparing your GR86 for spirited weekend drives, occasional track days, or simply want a sharper daily driving experience, XIII Motorsports can help you build a package tailored to your goals.

From suspension installation and alignments to brake upgrades, wheels, tires, and reliability modifications, our team understands what it takes to get the most out of the Toyota GR86 platform.

Contact XIII Motorsports today and let us help you build a GR86 that's as enjoyable to drive as it is to own.