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Old 04-03-2015, 01:29 PM   #14 (permalink)
Bauran
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 117
Drives: 12 370Z Nismo M6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by onzedge View Post
You are right, my original reply was snarky and inappropriate.

So here is my learned opinion. It is not advice as I do not give advice. It is fact based on my 34 plus years' worth of experience with the Z in all of its forms/iterations. I have built, restored, modified, raced, wrecked and rebuilt Z cars since my first 1971 240Z I acquired in 1980.

Anyone who tells you that you can install the Swifts without other aftermarket parts is correct. I say correct if your objectives are a poor, even dangerous, ride quality and seriously shortened tire life. If your objective is to install the springs correctly and gain the full advantage they offer, then you will at least replace the rear camber arms and perhaps the toe bolts.

Alignment on the 370Z is critical and it is not possible to get the rear alignment in specification without replacing the rear camber arms with aftermarket units. SPL and SPC are commonly chosen. SPC arms have been known to break under severe load. SPL arms, although pricey, are better built and dramatically stronger. I run SPL rear camber arms. On a side note, I also run SPL end links with my Hotchkis sway bars.

Regarding the toe bolts, it is hit and miss. The first few 370Zs I have worked on, with which I have been associated, needed the aftermarket toe bolts; the last few have not, including my current 370Z.

In terms of the front alignment, I have been able to get in spec every time without aftermarket upper control arms, but am always very close to the spec limit on camber.

If It were me in your shoes, I would buy the springs, rear camber arms and toe bolts (just in case), take it somewhere where they can align it, install springs and camber arms, check alignment and then install toe bolts I f needed.

I hope this helps and I hope you have a great day.

onzedge™ has written
Thank yor this is precisely the answer I was looking for. Tires are expensive and I think we'd all like them to last as long as possible.

as to my previous post, it was not meant at you directly but the culture of the boards I see it going to. I hope there are no hard feeling...as I said I value the opinion of the members on this board, hence why I ask questions here and not else where.

Again thank you guys for the info, I'd rather spend a comparatively little amount of cash to ensure tire life than to forego the expense now and have to spend a lot of cash later on new tires.

Thanks
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