Suspension adjustments and how they affect handling

ChrisSlicks · 05-26-2011, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazz

should i start with a bit more camber? or should i firm up the ride?

it starts just before the apex of the corner and last until i start to straighten out.

How are you driving the car makes a difference as well. Are you at neutral throttle by the time you reach the apex? Causing a sudden weight transfer in the middle of a corner by pouncing on the throttle is going to upset any car, stiffer suspensions are going to react more quickly as there will be less weight transfer to the drive wheels under acceleration. Very generally speaking softer suspension setups are easier to drive as the load transfer is slower and smoother, and the suspension is more compliant against mid corner bumps and less likely to upset the chassis. Advanced drivers with a balanced car are going to prefer a stiffer setup as they need everything to react more quickly. Chances are you have too much damping dialed in right now for street driving, the HKS stiffens up the rear more than the front relative to stock with 9K/9K springs. Dial it back to about 7 clicks from soft front, 5 clicks from soft rear and see how to feels. Suspension tuning is very much about driving style and personal preference so experimenting is important.

jazz · 05-26-2011, 11:19 AM

i am at neutral plus a bit of power and it just wants to kick out. thats being said any + power is kicking. its almost as its rocking front to back and side to side at the same time?

ChrisSlicks · 05-26-2011, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazz

i am at neutral plus a bit of power and it just wants to kick out. thats being said any + power is kicking. its almost as its rocking front to back and side to side at the same time?

The chassis is unsettled, probably from the changing road camber and bumps. You need to get on the power slowly and smoothly and not before the apex. Softening the setup as described above will reduce the "rocking" sensation you are experiencing.

jazz · 05-26-2011, 11:39 AM

it make me so sad! never had any issues with the audi tt

jazz · 05-26-2011, 11:41 AM

some pic of the audi build...

jazz · 05-26-2011, 11:46 AM

i keep running on a new road with a long sweeping right its gets twitchy and then a long but shorter left it starts to kick. not putting that much power down if any when it starts...it only stops after i am back at top dead center?

ChrisSlicks · 05-26-2011, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazz

i keep running on a new road with a long sweeping right its gets twitchy and then a long but shorter left it starts to kick. not putting that much power down if any when it starts...it only stops after i am back at top dead center?

Just soften the dampers and try again. It sounds like you are over damped for the spring rate.

MJB · 03-30-2012, 10:43 AM

BUMP!!!

I'm not trying to bash anyone nor is this directed towards anyone in particular .... But it just seems like the lack of knowledge on suspension setups from people is causing tons and tons of alignment headaches on this forum.

I've been seeing a bunch of threads started about people that lower their Z's, but then when they take it in to get an alignment the techs can only do so much with what they are working with, and thus are unable to get a good alignment. A bunch of these same people have no idea what camber, caster, or toe is, they have no idea where the toe is even adjusted at, and they think that just installing after market rear camber arms is the solution for getting everything back within specs.

Why start trying to lower your Z if you do not have a clear understanding of our suspension system and how it works, the parts to it, and what is a 4 wheel alignment and how it affects your handling/tire wear? Doing a little bit of research can go along way. This is a very good thread by the way!

Front and rear camber arms, and eccentric toe bolts installed with the cutouts in the subframe enlarged, shouldn't have a problem with alignment. That is with it being performed by a competent mechanic.

kenchan · 02-18-2015, 03:55 PM

re11, front kangaroo bar for me.

Kraken370 · 01-20-2016, 11:41 PM

So it's not possible to put lets say ark gts springs on the z and not do anything else? Are camber arms and toe bolts absolutely necessary otherwise the wheels just wear faster or make the car uncontrollable? Still confused after reading the whole sticky.

Kraken370 · 01-20-2016, 11:49 PM

Ark's website says the GT-S springs work with OEM suspension and comes with instructions how to put them on.

EJ30157 · 05-25-2022, 04:53 PM

A good read about sway bars specially for 370z from Stillen.

https://blog.stillen.com/2018/04/sti...ide-sway-bars/

filip00 · 07-09-2024, 06:19 AM

Bringing this up from the ashes to ask an adjustment question I couldn't find:

If I want to adjust rear coilovers, I should remove the trim. Did anyone maybe make a trim cutout that would allow quick rear shocks adjustment? Like cutting out a hole on the top, that would be covered with a quick-removal rubber cap or something?

Averying · 07-09-2024, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by filip00

Bringing this up from the ashes to ask an adjustment question I couldn't find:

If I want to adjust rear coilovers, I should remove the trim. Did anyone maybe make a trim cutout that would allow quick rear shocks adjustment? Like cutting out a hole on the top, that would be covered with a quick-removal rubber cap or something?

My car has a couple ~1” holes in the trim above the coilovers to allow the extension adjuster to pass through. Those adjusters live there permanently. I’ll get a pic for you later.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

filip00 · 07-09-2024, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Averying

My car has a couple ~1” holes in the trim above the coilovers to allow the extension adjuster to pass through. Those adjusters live there permanently. I’ll get a pic for you later.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's EXACTLY what I need!!! Please do several pics, open/closed and from a few angles, so that I can just go to cutting without removing the trim first.

Thanks a lot!!

05-26-2011, 11:19 AM	#2 (permalink)
jazz Track Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: barrie ON Posts: 910 Drives: 11Zcab/12venzaV6awd Rep Power: 16	i am at neutral plus a bit of power and it just wants to kick out. thats being said any + power is kicking. its almost as its rocking front to back and side to side at the same time? __________________ One part rubber, three parts Krazy Glue.

05-26-2011, 11:46 AM	#6 (permalink)
jazz Track Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: barrie ON Posts: 910 Drives: 11Zcab/12venzaV6awd Rep Power: 16	i keep running on a new road with a long sweeping right its gets twitchy and then a long but shorter left it starts to kick. not putting that much power down if any when it starts...it only stops after i am back at top dead center? __________________ One part rubber, three parts Krazy Glue.

03-30-2012, 10:43 AM	#8 (permalink)
MJB A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Tacoma, WA Age: 41 Posts: 1,498 Drives: a POS truck Rep Power: 496	BUMP!!! I'm not trying to bash anyone nor is this directed towards anyone in particular .... But it just seems like the lack of knowledge on suspension setups from people is causing tons and tons of alignment headaches on this forum. I've been seeing a bunch of threads started about people that lower their Z's, but then when they take it in to get an alignment the techs can only do so much with what they are working with, and thus are unable to get a good alignment. A bunch of these same people have no idea what camber, caster, or toe is, they have no idea where the toe is even adjusted at, and they think that just installing after market rear camber arms is the solution for getting everything back within specs. Why start trying to lower your Z if you do not have a clear understanding of our suspension system and how it works, the parts to it, and what is a 4 wheel alignment and how it affects your handling/tire wear? Doing a little bit of research can go along way. This is a very good thread by the way! Front and rear camber arms, and eccentric toe bolts installed with the cutouts in the subframe enlarged, shouldn't have a problem with alignment. That is with it being performed by a competent mechanic. KraTToR, MaysEffect and Sharad909 like this. Last edited by MJB; 03-30-2012 at 10:51 AM.

05-25-2022, 04:53 PM	#12 (permalink)
EJ30157 Base Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Dallas, GA Posts: 6 Drives: 2009 370z Sport Rep Power: 9	A good read about sway bars specially for 370z from Stillen. https://blog.stillen.com/2018/04/sti...ide-sway-bars/ Last edited by EJ30157; 06-13-2022 at 03:33 AM.

07-09-2024, 06:19 AM	#13 (permalink)
filip00 Track Member Join Date: May 2021 Location: slovenia Posts: 571 Drives: 370z pack Rep Power: 125427	Bringing this up from the ashes to ask an adjustment question I couldn't find: If I want to adjust rear coilovers, I should remove the trim. Did anyone maybe make a trim cutout that would allow quick rear shocks adjustment? Like cutting out a hole on the top, that would be covered with a quick-removal rubber cap or something? __________________ ride epic drive epic

02-18-2015, 03:55 PM	#9 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	re11, front kangaroo bar for me.

01-20-2016, 11:41 PM	#10 (permalink)
Kraken370 Base Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: CT Posts: 33 Drives: 2009 370Z Rep Power: 10	So it's not possible to put lets say ark gts springs on the z and not do anything else? Are camber arms and toe bolts absolutely necessary otherwise the wheels just wear faster or make the car uncontrollable? Still confused after reading the whole sticky.

01-20-2016, 11:49 PM	#11 (permalink)
Kraken370 Base Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: CT Posts: 33 Drives: 2009 370Z Rep Power: 10	Ark's website says the GT-S springs work with OEM suspension and comes with instructions how to put them on.

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