Hey J,

OK, un-wintered the Z and here's an update:

FRONT
Installed SPL upper arms
Inspected bushings - replaced right transverse link, others are fine
Inspected arms/links - all look good
Alignment in spec but something may be slightly off

REAR
Installed SPL camber arms
Inspected bushings - all are fine
Inspected arms/links - all look good
Alignment not in spec - right side cannot be brought into spec - running out of toe alignment. Left side could be adjusted fine but wasn't to keep reasonable left-to-right sync.

New Alignment results (l/r)
FRONT
Camber: -0.57/-0.88 (this is with ALL 3 slabs installed)
Caster: +8.30/7.75
Toe: 0/0
SAI: 5.02/4.72

REAR
Camber: -0.90/+0.05
Toe: 0.05/0.05

REMAINING ISSUES
1. Rear Toe - not really a 'perceived' problem as car runs just fine, more of a 'spec' disease. Mechanics claim that the problematic part will be impossible to find since this may be a 1-2mm issue, which for instance on a subframe would pass unnoticed.

So short of buying a new knuckle and subframe (I don't suspect midlink/upper link/radius rod) and replacing them in blind, I feel like the only reasonable way out is to buy the SPC toe bolt and keep running.

Makes sense?

2. Front - steering self-centering problem - well, this is the true fun part. What's happening is that at low speeds (<10mph) the steering wheel does not return to center. When driving faster it is fine, also when reversing at slow speed, it also is more eager to get to 'position zero'. But in the parking lot, I can be going in circles without touching the wheel.

Mechanic claims that both suspension and steering system is in perfect order. Alignment guy claims that alignment is perfectly in spec.

What can be the root cause??? It really started after installing the new suspension parts - could it be a problem with installation, or perhaps a faulty SPL upper arm? Geez, this one got my brain to the point of boiling..

Cheers

 

I just bought new front and rear lowering springs. I was wondering what I all need to do like alignment and extra parts!!

 

Welcome. You found the right thread for your question. Now go back to page 1 and start reading there for all your answers.

 

^^
holy crap seriously????? read dude.............wow.........DIAF!

-J

 

Thanks for all the info Jason. Just read through the first couple of pages and absorbed as much as I could.

I'm planning to get coilovers and was thinking of installing them myself. They will be OEM type and I will also install adjustable rear camber arms. I feel confident doing the work based on your tutorial. My question is one of alignment: after installing my coilovers should I basically not drive the car until I get it aligned professionally? Is it sufficient to "eyeball" camber for the interim between installing the coilovers and getting the wheels aligned? I'm not so much worried about tire life (I know the ri$k there) as I am about stability and safety while driving.
(FWIW I will probably have the shop install SPC toe bolts to get my rear toe into spec)

Other than the alignment issue, this seems like a fun saturday morning DIY!

 

Hey Jason, Not sure if this was covered but I'm about to buy a rear camber kit and toe bolts. Do the bolts that come with the SPC kit work fine or is there a better toe bolt out there that I should go with instead. Feel free to PM me that answer. Thanks

 

excellent write up...and it has PICTURES! (Which we all know helps tons when doing DIYs)

haven't lowered the car yet because it'll open the floodgates too way too many mods i would want to do afterwards

but when i finally get around to it, this thread would be an excellent reference point

 

I read through this a couple of times and maybe I missed it, but: Where can I find the torque specs for all of the nuts and bolts that I will be removing and reinstalling when I install my coilovers this weekend? And is it recommended to apply any NeverSieze and/or chain grease to any of the nuts/bolts, and if so which ones?

 

You can find info on the torque settings in post #3 via the factory service manual. He provided a link to download it there.

In my experience, I wouldn't put any NeverSieze on any of your suspension parts because the stresses and vibrations would loosen them up. I have the SPL front and rear sway bar end links and they both get loose after a month of daily driving. I have to use the blue strength Loc Tite on those bolts.

If you're within the torque specifications, you shouldn't have to worry about the bolts/nuts seizing.

 

Just finished this entire thread! Great info!!!!

 

Amazing information on this thread.
Jason, if you don't mind, I would like your opinion on a problem I have. I had actually posted this on the main page, but it seems this is the right thread for it. I apologize for the double post.

Basically, I hit a curb and bent my front right rim beyond repair, as wheel as blew the tire on my 2004 Z. I had to get a new rim and tires, but the tireshop here in Orlando said I had bent some other stuff, as my camber numbers were not looking right.

They replaced my right strut and lower control arm.

Camber: Left -1.1, Right -2.2
Caster: Left 8.0, Right 8.3
Toe: Left 0.05, Right 0.06
SAI: Left 5.0, Right 6.0
Included Angle: Left 4.0, Right 3.9

They said it still is not fixed and that I need the upper control arm and the steering knuckle replaced.The car is still pulling to the right very subtly. I see the steering wheel off by maybe a few degrees. In addition, the steering wheel feels slightly looser and softer. I am also noticing some kind of tire smell after I get out.

Based on your info and reading some other posts, especially about the steering and the smell issues, I keep thinking the Compression arm, but again, I really do not understand this enough to even make any kind of assumptions.

Also, after hearing the tire shop wanting to replace more parts, I took it to Nissan. The gentleman at the body shop said that those should fix my problem, because if the frame was bent, there would have been a lot more of a pull.

I would appreciate any input. The prices they have charged me and are quoting are also getting out of hand.

Thank you again.

 

^ ya man your right camber of -2.2 is way out from the left being a nice -1.1

Remember from the first page of this thread that you want these things matching, and both sides -1.1 of course to stay in spec. the -2.2 is the alignment telling you something is definitely still wrong on the right side.

these things are hard to answer online with out seeing it in person......ive helped a few buddies replace arms after hitting curbs like you, etc and since i have spare arms etc to compare too and im around this stuff all the time is easy for me to help fix them.....

I would say jack the front of the car up and remove the front upper arms....(follow my spl control arm how to). Remove both sides and lay them flat on a table and compare left side to right side and ensure the right one isnt bent, etc..

from there, inspecting the lower arms are both easy and hard......

the translink is a straight arm, if it isnt or bowed down, then replace it....

odds are though that your compression arm is the definite culprit....at the same time ensure the front lower knuckle ball joint is also good. thats the ball joint thats in the front knuckle that attaches to the curved compression arm.

review the first page diagram to ensure you know what 3 separate arms im mentioning above.

good luck man..sorry for the late reply....

whats been replaced so far? any pics for clarity?


-J

 

Jason,

I think it goes without saying that you are a suspension god. Thank you for sharing so much of not only your knowledge and experience but also your time.

Late last year I posted my alignment sheet that I got from the local suspension "experts" and needless to say they didn't know squat about the 350Z suspension and how it was supposed to be set up. They actually had me do the research on what to do for the rear axle click and some other adjustments I wanted. These guys brag about being so tuned into the suspensions of sports cars because they track their own cars. BS! You can see my old alignment sheet here...



Based on your advise and what I've learned I bit the bullet and bought some new gear. SPL V.3 UCA, SPL rear camber arms, SPL compression rod bushings and the Whiteline Front lower-inner control arm bushing kit as well as SPC toe bolts. I had them installed last weekend and did a new alignment yesterday. I'm MUCH happier now. Here is the gear installed including a differential brace I bought too.















Yep, in the past several months the differential bushing started leaking

So after the new alignment yesterday, here is the sheet. The car has been lowered on KWV2's roughly 1.5 in the front and 1 to 1.25 in the back. My wheels are 19" Volk LE37 with 245/35/19 in the front and 275/35/19 in the rear. What do you think?

 

Is it a bad idea to run a stiffer rubber motor mount but run solid bushings everywhere else? Solid motor mounts are too stiff for daily driving but i was curious if running a stiffer rubber mount may have a negative effect with solid bushings elsewhere.

 

I ran stiff rubber motor mounts on my 240SX with solid suspension bushings for 2 years, daily driven. Everything checked out okay and I had no problems.

I don't see how it can effect your suspension. It seemed to improve the initial responsiveness of my motor though.

 

i want to say thanks to Jason for this awesome write up. after consulting with him i decided to purchase the SPL front compression rod bushings, lower shock mount whiteline bushings, and the spl eccentric lockout bolts for the rear toe.

hopefully this will fix my front clicking noises at low speeds and correct my car from darting from left to right on the highway

 

are they also the same for the other two bushings on the hub? i imagine that nissan didn't make it simple by making all the bushings the same, did they?

 

NO, only the two locations i mention......

shown here:

and


Those are the only two that are the same...the others on the rear knuckle are sized differently..

-J

 

word... any idea if these are the whiteline P/N's for those other two?

(http://www.whiteline.com.au/Plus/search.php)

W62998-trailing arm upper rear
W62999-trailing arm lower rear.

whiteline's diagram of where these bushings go isn't the greatest... it's in a generic 3D image so i figured i'd ask you. I'd like to get the monoball bushings, but don't have the cheddar and think the whiteline's will do sufficiently

 

yes, those are the other two....

see here:




-J