Alright I just received my hotchkis springs today and while I was calling around to get estimates of install. Not only can I find hardly anyone to install them, but the one guy I found that would do it (for 450) said that you could not just install the springs but in order for it to work I would also need a camber kit. Which he stated ran around 3k Is everyone running springs had to go through this. I guess what I am asking is if you can just slap on the springs or do you have to have the whole kit?

 

Sorry to hear about your luck, but didnt you research this before purchasing them?

 

im new to the whole 350z scene, but not to cars in general.. 3k for a camber kit?... wow dont take your car to that guy. Really though, if you have some place you can do it. Rent a spring compressor buy some beer and spend a day doing it. Youll find its not to hard... A lot of places wont do aftermarket suspension they didnt sell, because 1) they cant warranty it if it breaks and 2) they dont make any money... they make money off the product not the shop time.

I guess thats why ive always bought coilovers... easier for me haha

 

I did a little research. All I found said that I didn't. I see people on here all the time and all they say is that they replaced the springs.

I might end up just forking over the dough and buying some coilovers. Would a floor jack work for installing the springs? I do not mind doing it I just don't see why changing the springs would do so much. maybe it is just me..

 

3K for a camber kit? ****, I think $450 is to much to install some springs too.

 

I used the same springs from Hotchkis and was able to keep everything within spec without getting a camber kit. All I can say is once you get them on, go to an alignment place and have it checked/aligned.


btw, did the spring install myself along with a friend. If you've never done it before or are not great with tools, don't do it yourself. Either get some good help from people who know what they're doing or take it to a shop, but not the one that quoted you $450 plus $3k for a camber kit.

 

Run, man, run away from this guy. If you can't find a regular shop to do the installs, I think you can try sears or NTB. They charged my friend 40/per strut for install and 70 for the alignment. For the front camber A arms, you could probably do it yourself. Some member just posted a DIY install.

 

On average should be something like:

$___ for whatever springs you want
$200 for rear camber kit(SPC)
3 hours of labor($80-100/hr)

Then a week later $125 max for an alignment.

Add $600 for new shocks.
Add an hour of labor($80-100) for swaybar install.

 

He might have said it was 3k for the camber and toe kit I do not remember. Still sounded high to me. I also searched on here and most people stated that it was about 2-250 for install..

 

springs out, and new springs back in my z in 50min, first ever time on a niassan. no compressor required and with floor jacks and jack stands, no lift, and my own tools in front of my town house. no camber kits for now, just keeping the miles down as the camber will just wear you tires unevenly.

 

Hey you know of any shops in the area that would do this?

 

^ The toe will wear tires much quicker than camber. When you drop the front you gain toe in which will cause a decrease in steering response and your tires will scrub. In the rear you will gain toe out, causing severe inner tire wear often assumed as a result of camber. With a 1" drop you will add a lot more negative camber in the rear than in the front. Just get a rear camber kit to get it back into spec, don't worry about the front tires- just make sure toe is set properly all around.

 

I had the TVS stage 1 kit installed (bars/springs). It required no camber kit nor alignment.

That shop is trying to rip you.

 

dang he's trying to rape you on the price...at the most don't spend more then $150 for the spring install...for the alignment goto brake check and get the lifetime alignment for $100, everytime after that its only $4. for the camber kit shop around, but just fyi i got my spc rear camber kit from nopionline for $180 shipped...once I bought a set of spc rear camber kit for a pair of 2 for $90 @ nopi! only reason i sold them was because i needed the money and someone offered me double what i payed. just do some more research and don't rush it

 

$450 is waaay too much. This is what I'm doing for my TVS1 + Tokico install. I bought a 1.5 ton jack ($89), a 155pc toolset from craftsman ($99), 4 jack stands ($30), going to borrow a spring compressor from a friend ($0)= $235.98 tax included. With the help of a buddy, and a couple of hours, it should be done. I figure since I'm going to have to take off all this crap when I sell the car, I might as well invest in some tools and do it myself.

 

When they did mine, they just did an alignment to bring it back into specs.

I had to call a few different places before I found a shop that would install already purchased springs and wheel spacers.

I'll look at my receipt but for springs, alignment and the install of the spacers, I know it was considerably less than $450. Possibly half that.

 

Come see me, I'll have everything done for $2k.

J/K.....find another shop. Keep looking. The mechanic you're talking to is a momo.

 

Just recently had the full TVS1 kit installed for under $300 with tax. Hotchkis doesn't drop enough to necessitate a camber kit, but alignment is a definite requirement.

 

Thanks for all the advice everyone. Definitely not taking it to the same guy.

 

At $3K I'll fly out there and install them for you! What a rip off!