Car feels extremely unstable going in a straight line
06-22-2013, 06:33 AM
#21
I, to the best of my ability, set the preload last night. I followed what most people said to do which was, completely loosen the top 2 collars on the shock assembly, then start tightening the top collar until the spring is snug, anything after that, and you are adding preload. Most posts I found said to just leave the preload there. So that's what I did on both sides.
The car still feels unstable... Today or tomorrow I'm going to uninstall and reinstall the front sway bar and see if that changes anything.
I'm also concerned about why my steering wheel will not center..
The car still feels unstable... Today or tomorrow I'm going to uninstall and reinstall the front sway bar and see if that changes anything.
I'm also concerned about why my steering wheel will not center..
06-22-2013, 06:45 AM
#22
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ok my bad i misread that, i would get that arm fixed, get a corner balance alignment and try to figure it out from there.
Quick question,
I remember when installing the coilovers, on the passenger side I was able to squeeze the coilover in without having to unbolt anything, but on the driver side i remember having to unbolt the endlink and so the LCA would drop enough to squeeze the coilover in. Is it possible that I put preload on the sway bar or something from doing that?
When installing the coilovers, I had to do each corner at a time, so 1 front wheel on the ground, while other front wheel off the ground, installing.. hopefully all of that made sense.
Thanks for all of the help so far.. this is very frustrating..
I remember when installing the coilovers, on the passenger side I was able to squeeze the coilover in without having to unbolt anything, but on the driver side i remember having to unbolt the endlink and so the LCA would drop enough to squeeze the coilover in. Is it possible that I put preload on the sway bar or something from doing that?
When installing the coilovers, I had to do each corner at a time, so 1 front wheel on the ground, while other front wheel off the ground, installing.. hopefully all of that made sense.
Thanks for all of the help so far.. this is very frustrating..
Go back and check all of your fittings and make sure everything is torqued down to spec. The only way a sway bar is preloaded is through the mounting points, so check that endlink for the sway bar and make sure its connected all the way.
06-22-2013, 07:02 AM
#23
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I, to the best of my ability, set the preload last night. I followed what most people said to do which was, completely loosen the top 2 collars on the shock assembly, then start tightening the top collar until the spring is snug, anything after that, and you are adding preload. Most posts I found said to just leave the preload there. So that's what I did on both sides.
The car still feels unstable... Today or tomorrow I'm going to uninstall and reinstall the front sway bar and see if that changes anything.
I'm also concerned about why my steering wheel will not center..
The car still feels unstable... Today or tomorrow I'm going to uninstall and reinstall the front sway bar and see if that changes anything.
I'm also concerned about why my steering wheel will not center..
If you do it this way, you will have the most usable suspension travel. If you have 2mm of preload or 20mm preload, it does not matter on specific rate springs.
Quick question,
I remember when installing the coilovers, on the passenger side I was able to squeeze the coilover in without having to unbolt anything, but on the driver side i remember having to unbolt the endlink and so the LCA would drop enough to squeeze the coilover in. Is it possible that I put preload on the sway bar or something from doing that?
When installing the coilovers, I had to do each corner at a time, so 1 front wheel on the ground, while other front wheel off the ground, installing.. hopefully all of that made sense.
Thanks for all of the help so far.. this is very frustrating..
I remember when installing the coilovers, on the passenger side I was able to squeeze the coilover in without having to unbolt anything, but on the driver side i remember having to unbolt the endlink and so the LCA would drop enough to squeeze the coilover in. Is it possible that I put preload on the sway bar or something from doing that?
When installing the coilovers, I had to do each corner at a time, so 1 front wheel on the ground, while other front wheel off the ground, installing.. hopefully all of that made sense.
Thanks for all of the help so far.. this is very frustrating..
Sway bar preload, don't worry about it unless you are trying to set up adjustable endlinks. A little bit of preload will not matter, or even be noticable. If it did, endlinks would be adjustable from the factory
Last edited by terrasmak; 06-22-2013 at 07:14 AM.
06-22-2013, 08:25 AM
#24
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if you set the preload and didnt do this, go back and redo it. You can use the wheel as a jack point for the shock, make sure the car is on jack stands
06-22-2013, 09:44 AM
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06-22-2013, 05:32 PM
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Got the same issues as you, maybe not as bad but the only thing that changed to my car was an alignment. Steering wheel is slightly off center and the car feels floaty from side to side on the highway, around town I can't notice it.
06-22-2013, 06:24 PM
#29
I notice mine around town but its just a lot worse on the interstate
06-22-2013, 08:17 PM
#30
Best way may not make you happy, take struts out, push it down and see if it comes back up somewhat quickly, if it's barely moving, it's weak or dead.
Easiest way, try putting it on the hardest setting and see if it makes a difference in the ride. Test it side to side then front and back.
Easiest way, try putting it on the hardest setting and see if it makes a difference in the ride. Test it side to side then front and back.
06-22-2013, 09:04 PM
#31
Actually speaking of dampening and stiffness or w/e.. I just thought about something so simple that I haven't even checked yet..
When I received the coils from the PO they were set at a really soft setting (both f&r), well since installing them I have changed the fronts to 1 click away from full stiff, while the rears are probably still at damn near full soft.
Would that make sense that the fronts are so stiff and the rears are so soft that it makes the rear end feel "loose"?
When I received the coils from the PO they were set at a really soft setting (both f&r), well since installing them I have changed the fronts to 1 click away from full stiff, while the rears are probably still at damn near full soft.
Would that make sense that the fronts are so stiff and the rears are so soft that it makes the rear end feel "loose"?
06-22-2013, 09:35 PM
#32
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Best way may not make you happy, take struts out, push it down and see if it comes back up somewhat quickly, if it's barely moving, it's weak or dead.
Easiest way, try putting it on the hardest setting and see if it makes a difference in the ride. Test it side to side then front and back.
Easiest way, try putting it on the hardest setting and see if it makes a difference in the ride. Test it side to side then front and back.
Actually speaking of dampening and stiffness or w/e.. I just thought about something so simple that I haven't even checked yet..
When I received the coils from the PO they were set at a really soft setting (both f&r), well since installing them I have changed the fronts to 1 click away from full stiff, while the rears are probably still at damn near full soft.
Would that make sense that the fronts are so stiff and the rears are so soft that it makes the rear end feel "loose"?
When I received the coils from the PO they were set at a really soft setting (both f&r), well since installing them I have changed the fronts to 1 click away from full stiff, while the rears are probably still at damn near full soft.
Would that make sense that the fronts are so stiff and the rears are so soft that it makes the rear end feel "loose"?
yes those settings would make you feel unstable your dampening isnt setup properly, just keep adjusting till you get the right settings
06-22-2013, 09:41 PM
#33
I also just found a link on how to properly setup "droop". ----> Page #3 here: http://www.splparts.com/instructions/SPL_RML_Z33.pdf
Alright, so tomorrow the plan will be to properly adjust the droop in the rear, and then stiffen up the rear dampening and see how it feels after that.
*crosses fingers*
Alright, so tomorrow the plan will be to properly adjust the droop in the rear, and then stiffen up the rear dampening and see how it feels after that.
*crosses fingers*
Last edited by Bmurray350z; 06-22-2013 at 09:42 PM.
06-22-2013, 10:01 PM
#34
Actually speaking of dampening and stiffness or w/e.. I just thought about something so simple that I haven't even checked yet..
When I received the coils from the PO they were set at a really soft setting (both f&r), well since installing them I have changed the fronts to 1 click away from full stiff, while the rears are probably still at damn near full soft.
Would that make sense that the fronts are so stiff and the rears are so soft that it makes the rear end feel "loose"?
When I received the coils from the PO they were set at a really soft setting (both f&r), well since installing them I have changed the fronts to 1 click away from full stiff, while the rears are probably still at damn near full soft.
Would that make sense that the fronts are so stiff and the rears are so soft that it makes the rear end feel "loose"?
I don't think so, especially that it happens even on a straight line.
Last time I experienced that, one of my shocks was blown. But yours are brand new.
Have you tried setting them to medium-hard?
Last edited by 350Zdj; 06-23-2013 at 03:06 AM.
06-23-2013, 01:53 AM
#35
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there are a myriad of questions with his suspension lol it needs to be tuned to the T. im waiting to hear after he adjusts his settings to see where to go from there
06-23-2013, 07:29 AM
#37
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I ran mine at full stiff in the rear, 3/4 stiff in the front. Never had an issue.
06-23-2013, 07:38 AM
#38
Fronts are 1 click away from full stiff
*I am betting* that the rears are really close to full soft