Jason I've been looking into building my own control arms for a bit and I'm having a hard time finding these prices.

on your toe arm that u built, the center rod that connects the rod end and U bracket that connects to the knuckle, I can't seem to find a place that makes or sells them or I wouldn't know what the tech name is for it. So any info on it would be sweet!

 

I have it machined/made.........i replied to your pm you sent me already too..

-J

 

oh man, your front right is way out! It must be a RH side torn transverse link bushing or compression rod bushings, or both........ and if its determined that they are, i wouldnt bother with another alignment till you got them replaced.

Both front and rear toe is fine, as its in spec per the range.

REAR:
your rear camber isn't matching...
LH is -1.8
RH is -1.4

also, for whatever reason, they didnt record your front caster.......the range is shown, but the caster figure for your car is blank???? that can help determine if your compression rod bushing is out, but ill bet it is anyways, so no point really knowing...


I would call this an all around horrible alignment...sorry...
-J

 

Jason,
Thanks for taking a look and explaining it to me. Sadly these guys are considered to be the best in town. I guess I'm in trouble and better start shopping for a much better alignment shop that knows what the @#$& they are doing. This is disapointing. The alignment was even worse as you will see on the on the prior adjustments and get this. They aligned the car with the factory wheels on it after the drop and then I made them re-align it after I had the new wheels and tires put on so the current alignment did improve significantly with the new wheels and tires in a couple of areas, or at least closer to specs.

Thanks again for your feedback.

 

^ no problem man,

ya but i would definitely take a look at your RH side......odds are your bushings are gone.....

It may actually be both sides, but as you drove it up on the rack, or turned into the bay, or whatever it was, may have caused the bushings to tweak that the RH side was worse than the left.....

when you have torn bushings, you can get an alignment like that....remove the car from the rack, drive around the parking lot, get back on the rack and it will be completely different that 2 minutes ago!! If you have busted up bushings, doing alignments is pointless so i would look at getting the two front problem child bushings replaced for sure.

https://my350z.com/forum/brakes-and-...ight=translink
https://my350z.com/forum/brakes-and-...g-install.html

-J

 

Jason,

Do you have a any stock springs lying around? I was wondering if you could tell me the length of the stock springs. Thanks.

Mike

 

dang sorry no i dont....

I just recently made a trip to the dumpster and got rid of a ton of crap people have left behind at my house after installs....

pm acidjake75,, he may have some....or have an install soon where he can measure for you?!

-J

 

I should be able to get a measurement tomorrow evening....thanks anyway.

 

 

measurements taken from outer diameter of the both extremes (coil diameter also included into measurements)

Revised version of springs

front ~ 13.5"
rear ~ 12.6"

 

So I have some zero2's and I'm changing out the springs for some swift springs can anyone tell me how I figure out how much reload I should have?
Thanks

 

Preload I should have

 

Well install the new springs....snug them up and drive around......play with the settings.....if the front end feels to soft, and the rebound is where you want it, then tighten up the spring perch and give it more....

ie, if the spring is 7 inches long at rest, start by snugging it up at 6.8 or so, then drive around.......if you need more, go to 6.4....adjusting valving inbetween and find what you like, characteristics, etc....

coilovers are never just install one time and tada...woo hoo...magical suspension......it needs to be set up for your car, for the track your going to, to whatever the drive characteristics may be or owner preference....etc...

-J

 

Thanks

 

Hey Jason, I am a complete newb to suspension and this was an AWESOME thread, read the whole 15 pages just now. I am also a new Z owner and even after reading everything wanted to ask your opinion/expertise on a few things.

I have a 2003 Z base 84k miles, i bought it with 19's on it 225/40/19 Front, 245/40/19 rear. With what looks like stock suspension. I have feathering on the inside wall of the driver right tire (which I read in your post is toe). I also got two new rear tires (same size)

I just bought Tein S.Tech springs, as they only drop the car .7" front and .6" rear, which theoretically with a larger diameter wheel should keep me close to factory height

So here are my questions:

1. Should I change the tires, install the springs, drive a few days to let them settle, then go do an alignment?

2. With the set-up mentioned up top, do you think I would be able to get into factory range and not have to get new tires all the time cause of bad camber or toe (my front tires actually look to have decent even wear)

3. What ranges should I be looking at for an acceptable alignment with stock suspension, other than springs, with the tire sizes I mentioned.

4. Finally, and I know you mentioned on the first page to NOT post what do you think, or what will i need responses, but please bear with me, as I said I am a total noob. Do you think I would need anything else to get alignment to decent daily driving range (within reason). I do not plan on tracking my car or doing "too much" crazy driving.

Thank you in advance

 

With those wheels you are already at factory height, those tires are the same height as the factory 18's. Put the springs on , drive for a week, then get it aligned. If your front tires still have plenty of tread , have them flipped on the wheel.

 

You mean rotated? or flip them from right wheel to left wheel?

They are directional tires

 

No, as Terrasmak mentioned, your wheel/tire combo is stock 18" wheel dia. so you are lowered by those numbers or by whatever your car measures out to be using this:


You have a 2003, odds are its a combo of toe and camber up front causing the well known tire feathering on the inside of the tires. The Z isnt adjustable in camber up front, so that leaves the owner at a loss when doing an alignment...the best thing you can do to get front tires to last you is to purchase front upper control arms.......most buy the kinetics because of their price point, and i highly recommend them over not having anything at all:
https://my350z.com/forum/8293437-post7.html


I posted what i did in #1, becuase without an alignment sheet and actual alignment figures, how they "look" is moot...

in the rear - with that drop, you "should" be able to get back into spec with the factory rear eccentric bolts, but its a toss up at times....purchasing the spc toe bolts at a minimum and installing them yourself may be worth having to go to alignment twice...toe will be your limit issue, camber at that drop should come into spec!

SPC Toe bolt for cheap:
https://my350z.com/forum/brakes-and-...alignment.html
DIY -Install:
https://my350z.com/forum/brakes-and-...-protocav.html

The factory specs:
https://my350z.com/forum/8293388-post3.html


With that drop you should be fine in the rear other than getting the spc bolt to be sure on rear toe coming into range....

IMHO any Z with any type of lowering springs regardless of the mild drop should at least have rear adjustable camber arms and rear spc toe bolt (springs force you to use the spc toe bolt). Front to have upper control arms as well and then the Z becomes fully adjustable....sure some of gotten away with mild drop springs like what you mention and thats fine, but you may or may not be able to get into alignment specs and if you don't, then you will be forced to buy these parts and go back again for a 2nd alignment...




He's right, but ya, if their directional then of course no.....

-J

 

Have them flipped, so your right tire is now the left, but when you do this the tire needs to be flipped on the wheel. When you do that, the previous outside tread will now be the inside tread.

 

Does out of spec caster cause uneven tire wear? I recently had an alignment done and my front caster was L- 9.05 , R- 9.35 . Lowered + torn OEM compression rod bushing= FUBAR caster. Spl bushing on the way should cure that problem. Was just wondering about the effects of it,... I know it will cause your car to drift left and right, but what about tire wear?