I didn't see any problem during my install with the bolts. My shocks weren't beat up at all. BJ is doing all he can to get the sways in. They actually need a set for their second race car!

 

Yeah, one of my front shocks had both speed wire holders bent. Easy to bend back though. There's no way in hell Koni did any packaging testing. Hello, drop testing!!! Christ, stuff is sticking outside of the box when you get it.

 

I hear that the packaging is supposed to be improved.

 

I see you have the Koni's installed..

Like you said ( above ) the Sways are a part of the path to having a 350Z with some "Predictable Handling"

I now enjoy taking the Z to work.. 120mile Round Trip.

The car will never be a Cadillac Ride... Thank Goodness.

My current problem with my 350Z - is:
I tend to drive too fast.
I tend to Tailgate
I tend to hesitate to slow down for traffic.

Oh all the same symptoms of a M3 driver... Ha !

Yes, I feel I have more control in medium speed conditions.

And at Speed - I know I can dial in more dampening...

Cheers Amy -

After some testing please give us your road handleing opinions...

 

The Eibachs are a major improvement over stock. The compromise would only be against full out race springs.

By the way, the Koni's do not adjust dampening, only rebound!

 

Do the Eibach drop the car and if so how much,I.E. is there going to be an allignment issue.I'm looking for streetability not track.

 

Bottom line are the Eibach's the solution for tire feathering???

 

The rebound on the Koni's are adjustable, but the compression is different than stock (a little bit softer).

 

Bottom line are the Eibach's the solution for tire feathering???

 

Eibach / feathering? don't think so

 

Eibach / feathering? don't think so

What does that mean?

 

The springs ( Eibach Pro ) do not solve the Tire Feathering
problem in the least.
The Struts and Shocks by Koni, are hoped to be part of the
Tire Feathering solution. Time and many more miles will tell.

Cheers Amy -

 

I would be surprised of the Koni shocks solved feathering, since they do not actually change the position of the tire with respect to the road.

Maybe better damping will help even out the wear, but I doubt it. I think if the feathering was due to a problem with the OEM shock valving, many more of us would have the problem (or maybe I'm the only one who seams to be doing OK - or maybe I have low expectations for tire life).

I have had some very slight feathering on my right front tire, but my left seems OK. I think finding out a "good" alignment is what is needed to solve the problem.

Springs that lower the car would be more likely to "change" the problem, since they will change the angle of the tire with respect to the road (definitely will affect camber, and probably toe and maybe caster as well). I think though, that lowering the car would tend to make the problem worse, since the feathering seems to happen to the inside of the tires and lowering would increase the contact pressure in the inner treads.

It would be great if the Koni's would solve the feathering, but I just don't see it happening.

EDIT: I just read on another thread that one person has been told that "cupping" can often be related to improper damping, so maybe the Koni's will help after all. I guess since we all drive on different types of streets we might not all see the issue even though we might all have the same OEM shocks. I'm still skeptical, because I don't the stock shocks have anywhere near the kind of damping problems that would cause cupping (I'm picturing the old beater with the one bouncing wheel) but one can always hope.

Anyway, good to hear people are liking the Koni's since I'll probably be buying a set within the next couple months (I think I also said that a couple months ago though...)

-D'oh!

 

9 HOURS???...is that with one hand tied behind their back...are they retarded?

 

Thanks Amy, is there a thread that I could hook up with that would keep me posted on the Koni solution? I'm only at 7 months and 6K miles so I have 17 more months of "new" tires from Nissan before I have to go for a fix on my own nickle.

 

I would be interested in getting any opinions from owners who have gotten the Koni fix versus their experience with driving an '04 Z. I have driven the '04 and am convinced that Nissan got it right. My dealer says that switching out components from '03 to '04 components is not possible due to a change in "angles". I assume they mean the angle of the shocks. I would really appreciate any feedback from people who have experienced both "fixes". The '04 Z that I drove (about 3-4 months ago) was perfect for my street driving tastes and no apparent loss of handling. The only current solution left for me now is to go with the Konis. If there is anybody out there in the southeastern PA or southern NJ area who have but the new Konis on please PM me.
Thanks.

 

Bump

 

Nice read in the Summer Sport Z Mag about the Konis by our own dkmura. Check it out.

 

This thread is a "pretty good" Koni and solutions thread..

I can report with 4000 Miles on new NNA provided tires,
a manual "Read Measured" Alignment
and a set of Koni's :

I can drive the car on a Daily basis.
I feel it is in better "Shape" at Speed. It dampens ocillations at speed after hitting a bad freeway section.
The road gate is now higher, with some comfort.

The Nissan provided tow-in was set to .125" or 1/8th inch.
With this setting a light feathering of the outer blocks was occurring. Too much toe.

The manual/measured alignment was set to 1/16 inch .0666
The tire is now flat.. and no measurable inner block wear.

Rear was set to .066 = 1/16" tow-in
Rear camber = -2 degree.
Front Camber = -1.4 degree ( car is droped 8/10" front and back )

Hotchkis Springs and Sways.. Front sways middle hole - Rear Lightest setting - (Furthest hole )

Car feels like it is on rails.

Cheers Amy -

 

Amy, why so much camber if you have the camber rods?
My -2deg is eating my rears quick. Waiting on my rods before putting on new tires.

As per the Koni's so far, didn't seem to remove any appreciable bounce, maybe 15% less. I made the mistake of turning the fronts 45deg and rear 90deg. Wow, that was unsettling. Very loose. After matching the front with the rear, it's back to feeling normal. Haven't tried full soft yet to see how the bounce changes.