The Complete SPL Front Suspension

Rusty · 10-30-2013, 12:06 PM

Hi Guys

As some of you know. I have bought ALOT of stuff from SPL lately, through corner3garage. Well, here is the install.

The parts.

The upper control arms.

Rusty · 10-30-2013, 12:09 PM

The Parts.

The lower control arm bearings and sway bar end links.

Rusty · 10-30-2013, 12:25 PM

Install of the upper arms.

1st pic. What it looks like.

2nd pic. Remove the bolt that holds the ball joint in. It will pop up by it's self. Use a zip tie to hold the spindle from falling. I tied it to the spring.

3rd pic. Remove the bolts that hold the control arm in place. This is where I found out, that they WILL NOT come out.

4th pic. Remove the 3 bolts that hold the coilover in place at the top. Pry down on the coilover and move towards you so that you can finish removing the control arm bolts.

Rusty · 10-30-2013, 12:29 PM

This is what the control arms look like. Compared to each other.

Before I installed the SPL arms. I put anti-seize on all threaded parts. You never know whhen parts will seize up.

I adjusted the heim joints to about the same distance as the stock arms.

Rusty · 10-30-2013, 12:34 PM

Now reassemble.

1st pic. I had a bolt sticking out of the fender on the right side that was hitting the control arm. I ground that bolt down so that the control arm could move freely.

2nd pic. You will find out now that you can freely put the ball joint out in place.

3rd pic. This is what it looks like finished. Before you tighten anything up. Make sure that the heim joints ARE positioned correctly

Shadezz · 10-30-2013, 12:37 PM

Looking Great Rusty!!! Rep for the pics and Review!!!

Rusty · 10-30-2013, 12:38 PM

Ok, the upper control arms are taken care of. Now for the bearings in the lower control arms.

Rusty · 10-30-2013, 12:52 PM

Ok,

1st pic. Remove the sway bar end link from the sway bar.

2nd pic. Remove the nut from the lower ball joint and pop free. You can let the spindle hang free.

3rd pic. Remove the nut from the outer tie rod end. Most people would remove this before the ball joint nut. But doing this after. The spindle will not turn on you when trying to remove the ball joint nut.

I had only had to lightly tap on the tie rod end to get it to pop free.

4th pic. Remove the sway bar through bolt that holds the bottom of the coilover. This was the hardest nut I had to remove. It took some muscle to get it to break free.

5th pic. Remove the nut and bolt on the front of the lower control arm.

6th pic. Remove the 2 nuts and bolts on the rear on the lower control arm. now wiggle free the lower control arm. If you wiggle towards the front. It will come out.

Rusty · 10-30-2013, 12:58 PM

Now you have both lower control arms off. Take them to a shop that has a press. You ain't getting these off without help.

The shop told me that they had to torch the rubber out of the big bushings and used a die grinder too. Cost me $80.00 to let them have fun with them. LOL

OldFart · 10-30-2013, 01:04 PM

Looks nice!!!!! While my intentions were good, spreading this out over a period of time. Next up is wheels and tires, need to order brake lines and pads too, then I can start tearing apart and putting back together. Will be following ya though to see how the car feels after the upgrades. Thanks for the pics!!!!

Rusty · 10-30-2013, 01:08 PM

Now that I have them back from the shop. I can reassemble. One thing to note. In the instructions. It tells you that you may have to move the BIG bearing on the control arm to get the bolts to line up. The instructions have a distance to set the bearing to. I had to move the bearing in about 1/8"~3/16" in for the bolts to line up. This took 3 tries installing the arm. To move the bearing on the arms is simple. Use a big enough socket that goes over the arm shaft and touches the bearing race. You can tap the bearing in with a hammer. Take a measurement before you start to tap. This way, you can see how much you are moving it. Only do light taps. Move it about 1/6" at a time. reinstall to check. You don't want to move it too far inward.

Rusty · 10-30-2013, 01:09 PM

With everything installed. This is want it looks like.

Total time- 4hours. The lower control arms spent the night at the shop. LOL Now for an alignment.

Rusty · 10-30-2013, 01:16 PM

Also, I installed the Hotchkis sway bars, and billet sway bar brackets from them.

1st · 10-30-2013, 01:26 PM

Awesome man thanks for the knowledge money well spent.

martin82 · 10-30-2013, 01:50 PM

make sure you install lateral locks on the sway bars specially in the rear! I have all the SPL items lol! car feels like a racecar!

10-30-2013, 12:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
Shadezz Track Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Colorado Age: 43 Posts: 896 Drives: 2012 Nissan 370Z Rep Power: 14	Looking Great Rusty!!! Rep for the pics and Review!!! Rusty likes this. __________________ 2012 370Z BLACK EDITION/ FLT BLK Rays / 5% 3M Tint / DW's / Z1 SS & 2 Piece Rotors Nismo S-Tune OEM / Beluga CBE & Y-PIPE / DDX370 / GTR Start .4 Fluid / NST Blue Kit

10-30-2013, 12:38 PM	#7 (permalink)
Rusty Ronin Samurai - Assassin Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Fayettenam,Pennsyltucky Age: 68 Posts: 35,228 Drives: 2011 Nismo GM 6M Rep Power: 2684438	Ok, the upper control arms are taken care of. Now for the bearings in the lower control arms. __________________ 浪人 - 殺し屋 "The Difficult Anytime, The Impossible By Appointment Only" http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...o-journal.html

10-30-2013, 01:04 PM	#10 (permalink)
OldFart Track Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Carlisle, PA Age: 62 Posts: 682 Drives: 2011 Wannabe Nismo Rep Power: 960	Looks nice!!!!! While my intentions were good, spreading this out over a period of time. Next up is wheels and tires, need to order brake lines and pads too, then I can start tearing apart and putting back together. Will be following ya though to see how the car feels after the upgrades. Thanks for the pics!!!! Rusty likes this.

10-30-2013, 01:08 PM	#11 (permalink)
Rusty Ronin Samurai - Assassin Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Fayettenam,Pennsyltucky Age: 68 Posts: 35,228 Drives: 2011 Nismo GM 6M Rep Power: 2684438	Now that I have them back from the shop. I can reassemble. One thing to note. In the instructions. It tells you that you may have to move the BIG bearing on the control arm to get the bolts to line up. The instructions have a distance to set the bearing to. I had to move the bearing in about 1/8"~3/16" in for the bolts to line up. This took 3 tries installing the arm. To move the bearing on the arms is simple. Use a big enough socket that goes over the arm shaft and touches the bearing race. You can tap the bearing in with a hammer. Take a measurement before you start to tap. This way, you can see how much you are moving it. Only do light taps. Move it about 1/6" at a time. reinstall to check. You don't want to move it too far inward. jchammond and SeeThruHead like this. __________________ 浪人 - 殺し屋 "The Difficult Anytime, The Impossible By Appointment Only" http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...o-journal.html

10-30-2013, 01:26 PM	#14 (permalink)
1st A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: I 80 Biz U.S. 50 Posts: 1,710 Drives: Platinum Z Rep Power: 1616	Awesome man thanks for the knowledge money well spent. Rusty likes this.

10-30-2013, 01:50 PM	#15 (permalink)
martin82 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: los angeles Posts: 2,636 Drives: 12 Nissan 370Z MB M6 Rep Power: 20	make sure you install lateral locks on the sway bars specially in the rear! I have all the SPL items lol! car feels like a racecar! corner3garage and Rusty like this.

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