Stance and/or Suspension Question

240z, 260z, 280z
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Old_timer
Posts: 30
Location: Hamilton

Stance and/or Suspension Question

Post by Old_timer » Thu Jan 21, 2016 5:29 pm

When I first bought the car the previous owner said he felt the rear suspension could do with stiffer springs. Having driven it for a year now I would have to agree. It's not too bad when I'm on my own but when there are two in the car the suspension bottoms out (bottoms out is too extreme a description) occasionally (not too frequently or hard to be fair) and it feels low in the back. It's currently sitting on KYB shocks and King springs - the lowered variety.

Looking at its stance, and having run a tape measure over it, it does sit about 20mm lower at the back. From my recollection of other cars of this ilk this might not be out the ordinary.

So, my questions are: is there a better rear setup that will give a bit of a stiffer ride and is there an argument, and this might be heresy, for returning the rear of the car to its original height - so evening out the stance and giving me a bit more suspension height.

And any suggestions for 'improved' suspension. I should say at this point that this is a bit of a first-world problem as the car does, in all other ways, behave very nicely indeed.

Thoughts?

marrow
Posts: 186
Location: New Zealand

Post by marrow » Thu Jan 21, 2016 5:35 pm

KYB shocks are pretty decent, but king springs are often regarded as pretty poor (and I didn't even know they did any specifically for the S30 or S130, so they might not be the right spring rate)

A lot of people in the states seem to be running eibach springs (if they haven't got coilovers), so those are what I ordered, and the ride is very firm.

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Old_timer
Posts: 30
Location: Hamilton

Post by Old_timer » Thu Jan 21, 2016 6:26 pm

marrow wrote:King springs are often regarded as pretty poor (and I didn't even know they did any specifically for the S30 or S130, so they might not be the right spring rate)
Yes they do, I checked their catalogue and they're definitely there.

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Baker93
Z Club Member
Posts: 331
Location: Auckland

Post by Baker93 » Thu Jan 21, 2016 9:59 pm

Hi.
Chances are your car has had springs fitted which lower the ride height without the struts being shortened. Obviously this not only lowers the car but reduces the amount of travel until you are into the bump stops. Other chances are that the springs are not rated correctly for the car, its ride height, load it is expected to carry or its intended purpose.
At this stage all this has absolutely nothing to do with shocks. Shocks can not be chosen until the right spring rate and ride height has been decided upon. Neither can be chosen without knowing the weight of the car. On a road car your spring rates are likely to be different side to side.
As a rough rule I set my Z up with a static nose down attitude, not much, about 15mm lower at the front.

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disruptiv
Posts: 217
Location: Cambridge

Post by disruptiv » Sat Jan 23, 2016 8:50 am

I had the same problem your having now, I was blowing struts every other week due to poor spring selection, I gave up and went to adjustable supession and that solved all my problems and gave we the option of adjusting the dampers to give me a soft or stiff ride. Means you need to do a bit of welding and a cert but the ride you get is worth it

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