Nismo struts install
 

Having completed my audio upgrade, I will be undertaking a swap of my suspension with Nismo factory struts. I most likely will start tomorrow.


So, any feedback, warnings, tips from anyone?

Thanks


I forgot to mention that I already have Stillen sway bars installed.

So you bought the Nismo S-tune suspension kit, that's pretty cool. Make sure to post a review on it, I'm interested in buying the same kit.

I installed coilovers which makes the S tune install pretty similar. I'm sure you have a torque wrench and breaker bar. This is a one man job. You may want to use pb blaster for the front nut that is torqued down 120 ft lbs. Be careful that the front strut doesn't snag any cables when you pull it out. Use your z Jack to support the bottom of the suspension.

Mine are used struts from a nismo car. The owner went to coilovers so I snagged his stuff

Yes I have the torque wrench and almost everything except the spring compressor.

I don't think you need a spring compressor. The s tune should be complete replacements for your stock suspension.

Out of curiosity, did your coilovers come marked in such a way that there is one for the left frt, right frt, rt rr, and rl?

The Nismos are marked! I thought struts are interchageAble.

Coilovers are marked front and back but not left and right because the ride height are adjustable. S tune should be marked left and right because the passenger side should be lower and driver side higher because when you get in the car all four corners should be level.

Any reviews on the Nismo S-tune suspension kit?

I am done!


Preliminary impressions:

The car is ver very responsive relative to the stock.

Sway is very very very minimal.

Cornering is very flat. I made a lot of u-turns and I was very pleased.

Ride is hard but hard ride is what I am used to.

I seem to be activating the VDC. There was a few 'hops' that I encounters which I never had before.

IMHO Nissan should have equipped the car with this setup in the first place. Man, this is the best $400 investment I have made so far!

Install notes:

install was easy. It took about 3 hours

I made a mistake of intalling the left and right in reverse. Obviously I had to do it again.

Does someone know if I need an alignment in the rear? The bolts have markings on them which leads me to believe that it is for alignment purposes.

I would say it's better to be safe and prolong your tire wear and get an alignment. It's about $100.

Where did you buy this for $400?

It was actually from the classifieds here. $350 plus gas = $400.00

can you notice the change in ride height?

The ride ht was the one that upset me as I was planning on measuring before the install. Unfortunately i forgot to measure.

What is your ht now? I can measure mine tomorrow.

Lucky :(

Very lucky. I was about to spend $2000 on coilovers when the opportunity knocked. It was a long drive but I was able to see the mdse and the seller was able to see the greenbacks

we wanted to make sure that neither of us is named JoonBug. :)

That's cool, so overall you like the difference with the S-tune kit? I know it's not much, but does it look better lowered?

No I don't like it, rather I love it. Today wAs a lot more driving. Further feedback:

the car wAs easier to drive as with the struts, the car stays firmly in the middle of the lane. Before, I tend to do a lot of left-right correction to have the car centered. I am more rested today.

Simar to the above but still different, I feel much safer driving the car as I goes/stays where I want it.

Braking is also very pleasing and confident-giving. I believe it is because thenoss-dive is so much less.

For others who may want to be almost-Nismo-wannabe like me, please be warned that IMO if you do a lot of city driving and/or rough freeway driving, this setup is rough.

Lastly, can someone please measure their ride height from the wheelwell? I don't seem to be scraping my driveway anymore. I am beginning to think I gained height rather than losing.

My hrs:

front. 28 3/16. 28 5/16
rears. 27 5/16. 27 12/16

hmm I wondered if the rears are backwards?

from the service manual.

How rough is it? I mean it is a sports car, and that roughness is just the stiffer springs. Is it unjoyable to drive now?, I ask cus I'm really interested in these.

On the contrary, it is very enjoyable. Let's put it this way....the car is so different now and I just feel bad for not doing it for the last 10000 miles.

Yes it's a sports car. And if your definition of a sports car is like mine, I say GO FOR IT!

Thanks for the review, I think your the only one who has installed them, lol You should take some pics of ur Z.

So, I probably gained a little bit of front ride height and lost a little rear height. This explains:

1. Why I am not scraping my driveway anymore, and
2. A little weight-to-the-rear distribution plus stiffer coils in the front contributes to better nose-dive and braking.

Interesting!!!!!

Perhaps, after the units get old, the car's height would settle again.

I just did the same swap with stormcrow's suspension.
I am at 27 7/8 on both fronts and 27 3/4 on both rears. Fronts are right on stock suspension specs pictured above and rears are slightly below, I would have thought the Nismo ones would be lower.

However, Jeremy had 100 miles on his suspension and I have only added about 10 more to that.

I won't be driving the car again until VIR a week from monday, but will measure again afterwards, once they've had a chance to settle.