Annex Suspension Review

SPDKING

So I was looking for some good coilovers for my Z. I've looked into the Powertrix Road and Track, Fortune Auto 500 and the HKS Hipermax IV SP. Then a member here suggested I check out this new company called Annex Suspension group in Fremont California.

I liked the website and the testing they did for the 370Z. They really go in depth to describe to you what you could be getting before you actually get it. They said they are firm but never harsh, the coilovers are quiet yet gives you tons of grip and stability.

I drove with the guy that got the prototypes for the 370Z and omg I was blown away. I was actually scared of how much the bar was raised from my stock springs and Koni's to the Annex's that this guy had. Braking was insane, cornering was insane and the stability when he was pushing the car to it's limits were insane. I would compare the stock springs and Koni's to a 5 and the Annex's to a 9 in every category. He did let me drive it and it was a completely different car compared to mine which felt relatively stock. I also tried keeping up with him in a cruise. His crusing cornering speeds were my limits to where my car was making the dreaded understeering noise if you come into a corner too hot. I also noted how comfortable they were and quiet, well above the stock comfort level which was nuts.

Then on Saturday I installed the fronts after they arrived, install went smooth like any coilover install but I may have screwed with the preload by accident so I'll have to set it back to how they have it to me. I am avoiding doing the rear dampers and just doing the rear springs because I need to drill a hole in the plastics in the rear hatch for the adjustment knobs. I'll let a shop do it.

I took it out after just doing the fronts and every fault I complained about before WAS GONE. No more dive bombing if I brake too hard, no more dancing in the corners, no more nervous feeling at high speed bumps and no more understeering in the corners. The corner speed and stability was through the roof.

Overall, I love these and highly recommend them to new comers especially since a lot of new guys are afraid that the ride with coilovers will be harsh. These are not plus they don't make ANY NOISE like some other coilovers on the market. I may get the Swift uprades in the future but right now I'm just going to settle in with these and enjoy them!

In one of the pics it showed I disconnect the sway bar. For the new guys that may install this themselves, I highly recommend doing this to make things easier on yourself.

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Stillen front and rear sway bars/Continental Extreme Tires/Annex Suspension Coilovers/Z1 Oil Cooler/Borla Catback Exhaust/K&N Drop in filters/SPL

OptionZero

good

now stop being a baby and get all the SPL **** so you can align your car

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SPDKING

I'm going to keep basically the stock height for now which I would assume would keep the alignment. I measured the second top ring to the lower one and it came in at 106mm which prevents me from rubbing and actually being able to move the car. I do not want to go super low and someone said I can go slightly low without getting the FUCA. I do not want to go not much lower than stock. I don't know if the FUCA will benefit me since I won't be going low and the Annex's suspension isn't designed for going super low.

In case you missed it, I will not be going low lol

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Stillen front and rear sway bars/Continental Extreme Tires/Annex Suspension Coilovers/Z1 Oil Cooler/Borla Catback Exhaust/K&N Drop in filters/SPL

Brendan

whats the point of coils if you cant tune the alignment?

SPDKING

Not the same thing. I just want it to keep the stock alignment. I think you mean what's the point of coilovers if I don't want to go lower than stock lol. I will eventually especially for the track. I just want to keep things simple and slowlly adjust overtime. I'm just happy I got them on and it corrected the dive bomb braking and salsa dancing it does in the corners.

I'm still wondering why I need SPL control arms or FUCA if I plan on just going with the stock alignment. I've heard stories of people losing the alignment especially in the rear after coilovers but that was one person.

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Stillen front and rear sway bars/Continental Extreme Tires/Annex Suspension Coilovers/Z1 Oil Cooler/Borla Catback Exhaust/K&N Drop in filters/SPL

OptionZero

because the stock alignment is crap

you are really putting artificial limits on yourself resulting in a whacky plan where you're gonna end up doing stuff multiple times

but whatever

clearly you've already justified whatever you're gonna do

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SPDKING

I just don't know why I need adjustable control arms or how they benefit me. All the searching I've done and I still can't find why I need to do that. the only thing I've seen is I may need it to keep the alignment in place and it not moving anywhere which right now is the only thing that is peaking my interest in them. It's hard to know why you need something if no one really tells you how it benefits you.

Everyone just tells me I need them without telling me why I need them or how they benefit me.

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Stillen front and rear sway bars/Continental Extreme Tires/Annex Suspension Coilovers/Z1 Oil Cooler/Borla Catback Exhaust/K&N Drop in filters/SPL

cv129

You cited “heavy street and canyon use, light track duty”.

At stock alignment, outside of the tires (especially fronts) get punished a lot more due to the lack of negative camber. With the now stiffer springs and shocks, your fronts will compress even less, yielding less negative camber during corner, unevenly punishing the outside edge of the tire even more.

Research more within the track section. You need to better your understanding on how alignment changes handling.

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Setrab | RE-71 | SPL | JRZ | Nismo | ARK | Whiteline | RacingBrake | CJM Oil Pan | Ti shield

AlWakRa

Why you need FUCA at least?
Because stock doesn't offer any adjustability at all, so you need them go set the height you like and then adjust the alignment to where you like. Stock Z doesn't have any camber as well, it is like -0.5, which isn't good for spirited driving, even my srt392 had around -1.5 front camber stock.

Rears?
They have some adjustability, and will not be an issue on stock or near stock height.

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SPDKING

Ah, thank you, so with the stock alignment with the coilovers, the tire wear on the outside will become pretty bad which will translate to worse grip overtime when they eventually wear out. I'll head over there and read up on it. So what would you recommended I get to get the best footprint on the ground for my usage? I don't want my tires wearing out prematurely from the stock settings.

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Stillen front and rear sway bars/Continental Extreme Tires/Annex Suspension Coilovers/Z1 Oil Cooler/Borla Catback Exhaust/K&N Drop in filters/SPL

SPDKING

I know this is a give and take situation. If I want better grip I'll have to give up tire wear and vice versa. For the driving I do I wouldn't mind having the ability to adjust that if it means better performance for canyon runs and the light track duty I'll be doing. So you'd recommend getting the SPL Rear camber arms or toe bolts or FUCA or what? I'm totally lost here and I'm not experienced with handling upgrades, only power mods.

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Stillen front and rear sway bars/Continental Extreme Tires/Annex Suspension Coilovers/Z1 Oil Cooler/Borla Catback Exhaust/K&N Drop in filters/SPL

OptionZero

Read his post again

Front of the Z has no adjustment; the SPL fuca gives full adjustability

The front of the Z desperately needs camber to fight understeer

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cv129

To clarify my post...negative camber helps with cornering. Stock alignment is great for commuting.

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Setrab | RE-71 | SPL | JRZ | Nismo | ARK | Whiteline | RacingBrake | CJM Oil Pan | Ti shield

SPDKING

I ride a bicycle or walk to work, I drive my car for fun on weekends. So I actually spoke with two guys from SPL and they recommended this. Because I now am a owner of coilovers and are now a little lower than stock, I will automatically have more negative camber in the front from stock the second I lower it. So as a beginner, he said I could just leave it alone but pay attention to any uneven tire wear.

For the rear though, he suggested I get the SPL rear toe bolts and rear camber arms to keep things simple and go from there because the 370Z is notorious for losing it's rear alignment and Nissan basically have a weird almost 0 camber in the rear which can make the tires chirp or gives you crappy handling.

What do you guys think about what he recommended?

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Stillen front and rear sway bars/Continental Extreme Tires/Annex Suspension Coilovers/Z1 Oil Cooler/Borla Catback Exhaust/K&N Drop in filters/SPL

Brendan

I really respect your process and attempts to understand the process of modifying your vehicle. I do not say this in any condescending way, but your question has already been answered.

Everyone here thinks you should get a set of front control arms. I would start at -2 degrees for your purposes but to put things in perspective, a lot of us who track or compete with our cars run -3. I would suggest getting rear arms with an eccentric elimination kit. out back i run -2 for clearance but that's up to you.

I dont like to describe overall handling in terms as general as good or bad, but with less rear camber you will get better longitudinal grip under acceleration but less rear end grip when cornering which depending on what you do with the car may or may not be what you want.