Swift Spring Install Issues

sandersd

I've always been a DIY kinda' guy. I hate paying someone to do something I can do. I always figured I could buy the parts and the tools to do a job for less than a third party would charge me for parts and labor, plus I'd probably do a better job since I was working on my own property. I've spent my life in construction and engineering. I'm very meticulous and conscientious. I also have a bazillion tools from years of doing things myself.

I think I've reached a balance point. I don't want any more tools cause if I buy them then I have to store them and I'm out of room. I have tools I rarely use anymore but it's hard to get rid of them because I might need them one day and I wouldn't have them. I gave up yard work years ago. I'm tired of remodeling my house. I don't mind working on the car occasionally, maintenance and upgrades, but I have no interest in keeping an old car running with countless repairs - I'd rather pay someone to do it or just replace it with a new one. That's how I came to own the Nismo, I sold a 2002 911 (never buy a German car out of warranty).

There's certain things I'm not going to DIY on my car, alignments for example. I know some guys do it with strings and levels but I just assume pay someone with an efficient and accurate setup and be done with it, no hassle. I'm adding installing coil springs to that list of things I'd rather pay someone else to do.

In all my years of building things I've learned to buy the best tools one can afford: they do a better job, they do it faster, and they do it safer. If I can't afford the proper tool, pay someone who has it. It's certainly cheaper in regards to time and frustration, but more importantly I end up with a better finished product.

__________________
2014 370Z NISMO -- HKS Hi-Power Exhaust -- Swift Springs -- BC ER Coilovers -- SPL Suspension Components -- Nismo R-Tune Intake -- Seibon BD CF Hood

Zipper 104

I hear you. I have a ton of tools, but they're all at work. It sucks having to lug them back and forth so I find myself accumulating duplicates at home, and nowhere to store them.
I'd rather do everything myself 'cause at least if I mess the job up it's on me. I don't want to second guess the job anyone else does, but frankly, but I don't trust anyone to do it right. I'd end up pulling the wheels off again afterwards and checking the job they did so I might as well just do it myself in the first time around. The bummer is, I really don't want the hassle of dealing with things that go wrong if, and when, they do. (don't they always?)

So, back to the install...I was under the impression that the 'Gorilla' nut everybody gripes about is the lower shock mount bolt, hence requiring the cheater bar. Reading your thread it now sounds like getting the top nut on the shock column undone is the tough part. Is that right?
I guess taking the shocks to my Nissan dealer after I get 'em out lets them deal with this problem, huh?
Anybody else able to weigh in on this?

Thanks

104

sandersd

Well the nut on top of the shock was the only one I had trouble with. I do agree that one of the lower arm nuts is difficult and requires a 24" breaker bar and short socket due to limited access but I don't think it was the lower shock nut. I use impact guns for disassembly everywhere I can and it took the nuts off lickety-split.

But without the impact gun a breaker bar is required unless one likes things to be more difficult than they need to be. Sixty ft lbs is tough to break with a 3/8" ratchet or even a 1/2".

__________________
2014 370Z NISMO -- HKS Hi-Power Exhaust -- Swift Springs -- BC ER Coilovers -- SPL Suspension Components -- Nismo R-Tune Intake -- Seibon BD CF Hood

sandersd

BTW I have to relay the conversation I had with a representative at Swift Springs. There are no instructions included with the springs, just stickers and a warranty disclosure. The stock Nissan spring coils are evenly spaced top to bottom whereas the Swift springs have one end tightly coiled and the other 2/3 evenly spaced.

I had no way of knowing which end went up so I called Swift. The guy told me which end went up and I mentioned that information might be good to include with the springs so one knows the proper orientation. His very condescending response was

"That's why we don't like to sell to end users, only to professional installers. They know which direction to install them."

I had the information I needed and I didn't see any point in challenging him but I wondered how "professional installers" magically know which end is up, as opposed to us ignorant DIYers, so I did a little search and found many instances of "professional installers" installing the springs upside down.

All it would take is a sticker that says "TOP" or an arrow pointing up to prevent confusion. But what do I know, I'm not a "professional installer".

__________________
2014 370Z NISMO -- HKS Hi-Power Exhaust -- Swift Springs -- BC ER Coilovers -- SPL Suspension Components -- Nismo R-Tune Intake -- Seibon BD CF Hood

FL 4Motion

So what end goes up, the tightly coiled section or the evenly spaced? I am getting swift springs installed soon and it would be good to know

Also, what SPL parts are necessary in the rear suspension to be able to get full toe and camber adj? Just camber arms or do you need more stuff?

sandersd

Your "professional installer" will magically know.

I installed both the camber link and traction link. Note that these are SPL's names for the parts. Nissan calls them a front lower link and radius rod, respectively. The lower link (camber link) is to adjust camber and the radius rod (traction link) is for toe adjustment (bump steer?).

And the tightly coiled section goes up.

EDIT: Above I said the radius rod (traction link) is for toe adjustment but after further educating myself I've learned there is an eccentric bolt on the spring perch inboard connection that is used for toe adjustment in the same manner as the camber adjustment is done (stock components). From what I've read the radius rod is used to adjust bump steer but I haven't found a description of how adjusting it actually affects the action of the suspension through its travel. Not yet anyway, but I will.

EDIT: Here it is!

__________________
2014 370Z NISMO -- HKS Hi-Power Exhaust -- Swift Springs -- BC ER Coilovers -- SPL Suspension Components -- Nismo R-Tune Intake -- Seibon BD CF Hood