Nismo Z mass dampers?
 

Aside from more welds, the Nismo Z has two "mass-dampers" made by Yamaha. It's to regulate vibration from a stiffer chassis, would this help (or even possible) to be installed on non Nismo Z's?

I'd think we'd have to know where and how they mount and if they are even listed in the parts computer to buy seperately. Also would go to needs, is your given setup causing vibration's the dampers could solve? Can't speak for other's, but my current state of tune I don't have any issues that they'd solve.

I am not sure how much useful they would be in the same location of the Nismo Z for a normal Z, the dampers might not be effective because that load path might not exist or be as dominant in a normal Z.

There is some inherent structural damping in any metallic structure, the Nismo Z dampers are damp out high frequency resonances or ringing effect of a very stiff structure, so for low frequency applications (on a track or auto cross) it might not as useful.

It might be useful when the Nismo Z is driven on a very bumpy (one with small bumps, like rumble pads but taller pads and spaced closer). These dampers in my opinion only make the Nismo Z streetable.

In my opinion, when you drive your Z over rumble pads, does it vibrate or buzz excessively, my Z doesnt, I assume the Nismo Z without dampers would? I would let my application dictate if its necessary for a normal Z.

Sorry for getting too technical, its best I could do in the time I took to post this.

^Thanks for the insight. I think the reason for the dampers (from what I've read) is to absorb the extra vibrations due to the rigidity of the chassis. I guess it would be useful if you have chassis reinforcements.

Yup, but chassis reinforcements need to be in the right places, from what I see in the aftermarket section, the chassis braces are not as useful especially when you read up on what they did to the Nismo Z and why? May be the vendors can learn from Nismo Z's reinforcements/stiffners and come up with mods for a normal Z.

Are you talking about the GT Spec braces? I wonder if they really work...

Yeah, but I didnt want to call out names, they attach to points that dont seem to need bracing, I guess the extra weight down below lowers the CG of the Z, yeah thats the advantage.

We'll find out. I've had these dampers on order forever from NISSAN.

tell me about it :) I ordered em too just to see if they would fit. Still don't even have pricing yet from them

I am under the impression that their purpose is to dampen vibrations from the increased chassis rigidity. Unless you weld your chassis where the Nismo 350Z has extra welds, this won't do a thing.

aha....past experience using these exact dampers after the fact on STi's (we've been offering them for nearly 2 years) tells me otherwise ;)

The Yamaha dampers were installed on the Spec C version in Japan (a limited run car over there). Soon after introduction, STi offered the dampers to the public as part of their parts campaign. We've since sold quite a number, and every single person who has done them has absolutely raved about them. Now granted, we're talking an STi to a Z, and I completely understand you can't get 2 more dissimilar chassis types out there, but based on my past useage of these exact pieces on other cars, I am willing to take a leap of faith that they will make a very noticeable improvement.

Here is a review that a well respected suspension guru/customer of ours had to say about the dampers we sent him for his STi. Again, these are the exact same type of units NISMO is now featuring:

(review courtesy of nhluhr on IWSTI)

"I just got my S204 Rear Performance Damper installed today and lemme just summarize it with one word: Wow.

My drive to work starts with a relatively bumpy residential road where I can easily feel changes in bump composure. Previously, I had my car setup such that the front felt very solid yet compliant (strut brace, lower arm bar, fender braces, camber plates) and was happy with that, but it always seemed that the rear would "crash" over the bumps thus upsetting the whole thing. You'd feel the chassis shake and jiggle behind you and it kinda ruined the smooth feel of the front. Anyway, that is gone now. The bar has cleaned it up totally.

The drive to work is then followed by some freeway on/off ramps and such where I get to test the cornering. The cloverleaf offramp I take is pretty bumpy but can be taken at an entrance speed of 70mph tapering to about 55 at exit. Well, the car just seemed to glide around this corner. You could tell the bumps were still there, but they didn't toss the car around and didn't give you the impression that your tires were momentarily losing grip. It just went 'round the corner and took it.

The end of my commute is then a series of quick short turns as I make my way through some shorter offramps, a U-turn, and finally some quick 90 degree turns to get into my parking area. The whole car just feels like it wants to take the turns now... and I'm not saying it's twitchy... it still feels nice and stable but when you do give it the steering inputs, it just does it and gets the turn started. I love it.

Now, I've never had a rear strut bar before so some of this effect may well be had by just a basic strut bar, but i'm pretty sure that a lot of the bump smoothing has been due in large part to the damper.

A++ mod."

I am very much looking forward to NISMO releasing these for us to try !

Diagram courtesy of STi Japan

http://www.z1auto.com/images/damper.gif

Fantastic information Adam!! Thanks.

Has Nissan released these parts yet?

Bump for updates?

I have not checked lately to see if they are out

Ok, I'm working directly with my parts manager to see if I can get these. They're not showing up in the system, so he's going to call the factory tomorrow. He said if they're on the car, they have to be available and he can get them; may just take time. We'll see.

We just got in Nismo Z # 812 today and I took it for a short spin to see how it felt compared to my '03 Track on the same Nismo suspension and GT-Spec braces. I was amazed at how it felt. Firm, yet compliant ride, as opposed to my firm, harsh ride. Gotta be the dampeners; I want these things bad.

I'm not convinced that the S-tune shock and spring setup that has been avaliable all this time as a add on item, are the same parts they are using on the Nismo Z. We've seen other special version's of the Z that they admited were equiped with the S-tune suspension, here they haven't said that and with some of the wording they have used, I'm inclined to think the parts are different (shock and spring wise). Now if I'm wrong and we have proof they are the same, I'm really ok with that just to say it.

they are readily available from Japan to order and have been for quite a while. I was ready to get em delivered for my car from Japan, and decided to put it off, and I didn't bother to follow up on the US side as I wasn't interested in bothering my parts guy

^Ah man... I think a lot of us would like some pricing/availability. How about it... any vendors want to step up to the plate?

we you can use these as a guide - they are the ones we sell for the Subaru. The Z ones are very similarly priced

http://www.z1auto.com/prodmore.asp?m...ng&prodid=2048