I'm wondering what's the best suspension upgrade relative to price for track days...here's what someone recomended from another Z forum:

They also sell a spring/swaybar package that is innexpensive as well
http://www.intensepower.com/host1tvskit3.html

*I've read that the 350Z will understeer during track time...so I'm assuming a larger front sway bar would help with that-right?


(I pick my enthusiast this coming weekend...I'm having problems sleeping at night b/c I'm so excited )

 

BTW: I'd like to spend no more than $800 for everything. (How complicated is it to install springs/struts on a 350z? I've done it on my '90 miata, but assume it might be more involved for the Z)

 

Swaybars definetly the first thing to do and great improvement.

Spring/Shock install is not complicated.

 

Don't you need a special tool to install/compress the springs ?

 

You can rent the tool from Autozone with a $50 downpayment, and when you return it, you get all the money back.

 

Koni SA Yellow shocks with 350Evo sways IMHO.

 

Are these the ones you're talking about?
http://www.ajusa.com/cgi-bin/koni/pr...74439ccbc1998f

Are there other shocks that run cheaper but perform just as well? (I'm tyring to stay under $800 for all parts: sway bars, springs, shocks)...

 

Yea that's them. I suspect you can beat that price. FWIW I am still running the stock springs in combo with the Konis and 350Evo sways.

 

No special tool need to compress the springs on a 350Z.

 

This setup doesn't quite meet your price point, but for a few bucks more I think its worth the investment. Tein Basics and the Hotchkis Sways. I run about 12-15 track days a year and I've found this setup to be almost perfect for me.

 

A larger FRONT bar (assuming it is stiffer by being larger) will make the car understeer more.

 

Believe this or not, the 350Z reacts well to a large front bar with a stock rear bar, decreasing the understeer.
But yes on most cars this would cause more understeer.


Don't flame him to bad guys

 

Not the results noted with our race car. Where do you retrieve your information from on this? That interpretation would then suggest that I should go to a softer front setting on my bar to increase understeer. That's not what happens. And what's with the flame thing?

 

Tein Basic Coilovers for the $$$!

 

Do a search at you'll see tons of info from autocrossers that proved that a stiff bar will reduce understeer, note I am talking a stock set up like you would run in a B stock class. I ran it, several autocrossers I know run this way. And it throws all normal thought out the window.
The flamming thing is just a j/k so don't take it the wrong way, as some get carried away with it.

 

I am considering Konis and Ebiachs versus Tein flex, in either case I will use a camber plate on the front. I think the Konis and Ebiach Pro springs will work just as good as the tein flex but be much more reasonable $$. Anyone got an opinion?

I personally think the Konis/Tokico shocks with Ebiach springs is the most bang for the bank based on research but IMHO i know nothing.

 

RedRicer that what I have been using, Koni, Eibach, 350evo upper arms, Stillen toe & camber lower arms and Stillen sways. I find it is a nice compromise between street, autocross and track.

A friend that has the exact same set up except for he is running the Nismo race spring, the only issue we have noticed is the front spring is short so when you jack up the front of the car you have to reseat the spring by hand before lowing the jack. Oh and its way to stiff for the street, rec track/autocross only.

But if I wanted to keep it real inexpensive I would go with Hotchkis sways and springs. Not to low and the factory shock does well with this set up. Oh and alignment is not an issue as with Eibach or Nismo springs. I have set up two cars this way more for street use.

 

front swaybar is gonna be the best suspension mod for the money. Konis are also going to help alot. So is some practice. I'd keep the car stock until its the car thats keeping you from going any faster. By then you'll know exactly what you need to make it faster.

I don't think throwing a set of lowering springs on your car is going to do anything for you but slow you down. I'm also willing to bet that a set of coilovers such as Tein Flexs will also slow you down.

 

I had JIC and sold them because they were a little too extreme for my driving habits. I decided to stick with Hotchkis springs & sways on OEM dampers. After a few weeks I realised the OEM dampers had to go (brutal at high/quick transitions) and I'm now using Koni SA with the Hotchkis springs.

The Konis have been a bit of a surprise. They're softer than the JICs but the handling seems to be quite a bit better. The cool thing is that they're cheaper than coil-overs and can be set to ride softer than a full stock setup once you're done a track event.

 

I have already added the Hotchkis sways. It is a very nice addition as it really reduces the porposing around high speed corners with bumps, i.e. hwy clovers and off camber corners like BeaveRun number 7.

I want to lower the car around an inch just because I have to replace the shocks anyway and think it will look really nice with my RHJ5 sbc.