Doggman9

Just wanted to post up these numbers for people wondering how much lowering a Z on coilovers will mess up the alignment. Obviously it's different for every car but this is what happened with mine.

Before (stock height with 19" wheels 245/35 front 275/35 rear)
Front Camber: Left -1.4 Right -1.0
Front Toe: Left 0.05 Right 0.03
Rear Camber: Left -2.1 Right -1.8
Rear Toe: Left 0.10 Right 0.11
*All in degrees

After Drop but Before Alignment (1" drop front/rear with KW V1's)
First pic with red every where

After Drop after Alignment
Second pic with mostly green

To compare Toe from before the coilovers to after you will need to convert the degrees to mm. Just google it.

I did not buy any aftermarket alignment equipment. Front camber is unadjustable from the factory. The rear is barely adjustable.. He had to almost max it out to get me back in spec in the rear. The front is out of spec but I'm okay with it. Negative camber is good in the turns and a handful of autocross/track setups that I have seen for 350Z's had around -2 degrees camber in the front.

Link to my review of the KW V1's and some pictures.
https://my350z.com/forum/brakes-and-...r-results.html

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

That will work well.

Underscore_Hero

So no aftermarket arms? Seems like a win.

I'm gonna try go with the ST Suspension ST-X version, hopefully mine is fixable too. May just get the camber arms if anything. Don't want to replace all the arms.

jdmfetish

iTrader: (3)

this thread is 2 years old

Underscore_Hero

oh, sorry for using search. I should just make a new thread then.

jdmfetish

iTrader: (3)

i would wait and see where it winds up
I imagine best case you may be able to get away with toe bolts in the rear
if not then toe bolts and camber arms

but

the front has no camber adjustment pending how low you go you may need arms


if all you do is a 1" drop , and your current alignment specs are good, you very well just may need toe bolts , time will tell

Underscore_Hero

Sounds like a plan. I gotta do an alignment right after install, cause i don't want to get recon tickets....If way out of spec, gonna have to order arms quickly lol.

jdmfetish

iTrader: (3)

at least buy the toe bolts and have them when you do the alignment you will need them

Doggman9

Correct. No aftermarket arms or bolts. All stock alignment equipment. I have been dropped to the bottom of KW's recommended range (1.5") front and rear for awhile now. Rear camber got a bit worse - out of spec now but I'm okay with it.. a bit more neg camber is good for the turns but if I had more than 3* I would get arms. Toe (which is what eats tires) is in spec all around. Here's my latest alignment which I had about 2 months ago. I was in spec a year prior to this alignment and made no changes to the suspension... toe had significantly worked its way out of spec on its own and as a result destroyed my tires.

Couple of tips:
1) 350Z's do not hold their alignment. Get an alignment at least once a year or your tires will get chewed up from excess toe. Search for feathering.
2) The new suspension takes time to settle so if you go get an alignment 30 minutes after you install it you will likely be out of spec in the weeks to come. Best bet is to get it aligned right after and then again a month later. Or if you don't care about the tires and just want to wait I'd drive it around for a few weeks and then get it aligned.
3) Firestone offers lifetime alignments for ~$200.. might be worth it if you can accept Firestones quality of work and don't want to spend $80 at the stealership every time.

Underscore_Hero

Yup, I just bought my friends SPC Camber Arms and Toe Bolts.

At least I know I have those whether I lower with coils or springs.

RichV

Are most of you guys taking your Zs to your Nissan dealership for alignment? Curious where the best place would be.

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

Dealers are hit and miss, same with any other place. I won't go to a dealer unless needed.

jdmfetish

iTrader: (3)

i bought my car new in 2006

its never been to the dealer for anything