Suspension adjustments and how they affect handling

Red__Zed

Great primer!

jadeb0x

thanks for the numbers and tips. just posting to verify #s for my 370Z that's lowered about an inch on Espelir springs. i had installed SPC rear camber arms to adjust my rear camber to maximize rear tire life (285/35/19).

i had a shop align the car and adjust the camber. they told me that they adjusted the rear camber to -1.7 because it was in factory specs. i asked if they could adjust the camber to 0.0 because i drive the car on a regular basis. they told me that this would not be safe.

so my question, can i run 0.0 rear camber? the car is mainly for cruising the streets, and i doubt i'll be seeing any track time soon.

toe is fine. i'm just looking to see what's best and safe to get the most tire life.

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djpathfinder

Rear camber factory spec is between -1.18 and -2.17 degrees, with nominal being -1.67 degrees, according to the service manual. So, the shop aligned it properly. This should give you the best wear and safety, as recommended by Nissan. I would keep it like that.

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Andyy

Does anyone have any Recommendations on how to have the softest ride possible, I have the 2011 nismo

hdskull

Did you check out this thread?
Nismo Z Suspension: All Nismo 370Z Owners Check Here FIRST!

Andyy

I did that but it still seems rough. Do you know if it is possible to soften up the dampers and would that have any negative effects?

djpathfinder

We have a relatively firmer ride due to the performance nature of our cars. The Nismos come with slightly lowered and stiffer springs than the base and touring models. That's the nature of the beast.

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2010 370Z 40th Anniversary // SOLD

Andyy

So there is no adjustment dial or anything like that to soften the dampers? I figured if I did that and got progressive springs then the ride would be smoother

Does anyone have and recommendation on progressive springs?

I only have 400 miles on it. Does it get smoother after you break it in ?

hdskull

if you get swift springs, it'll feel smoother

njustidokite

Great post, taught me a lot.

jazz

whats the best setup? ie frim or softer

i have HKS hypermax 3, hotchkis sway bars, SPC arms(fron and rear) and it is less twitchy then the stock was but still getting it in the corners! do i go harded on the dampers or softer?

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jazz

i feel like im going to spin the car out sometimes and is taking the fun of the car away! pls help!!

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M.Bonanni

I shall answer your question with a bunch of other questions...

1. What tires/sizes?

2. What spring rates?

3. Does the car understeer or oversteer, and in what part of the corner? Right handers only? Left handers only? Both?

4. What are your alignment specs?

If you don't know the answer to these questions, that's your first step. I would also highly suggest taking on a driving instructor at your next track day if you are new to track driving. Chances are, many of your problems can be linked back to how you are driving the car.

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Function > Form

jazz

1. OEM 19" 275
2. unsure ill find out. its set about 50%
3. oversteers when turning left mostly. also traction control shuts it down!
4. OEM specs

not had a track day yet as i only have 500km on it. still rocking the street!

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.

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ChrisSlicks

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.

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