ATTENTION: ALL Nismo 370Z Owners: Please check your suspension!
 

Ok, I'm going to give you the whole story lol, but I promise the title will make sense at the end.

So my car is 700 miles into the break in and I've had it about 10 days. I had been perusing the forums before I got the car. For the life of me I can't find them, but I remember reading a couple posts to check a couple things after purchase. (sorry, car pictures on my official intro thread to come)

One was to check the tire pressure which I did after finding the ride home was a little stiff. The next morning I checked the cold tire pressure and it was 42 PSI! I lowered it back down to 36, 1 lbs over factory recommendation. Still a little stiff but better, keep reading though. (First thanks to the forums!)

Second, I also took a flash light and checked the front coils for spacers. I read they put these on the Nismo models so they don't scrape the front spoiler when off loading the cars from the ship to the port. I didn't see any. (Second thanks to the forums)

Today I got under the car to install the filter magnet I ordered. I was looking into this before I got the car, but the oil change DYI by AK pointed me in the right direction as to what kind to get (third thanks to the forums!). So after I installed it:
[IMG]http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...Z/IMG_3580.jpg[/IMG]
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...Z/IMG_3585.jpg

I was looking at the fender liner because I'm thinking about installing silver coated bulbs in the front/rear turn signals and I'm pretty sure you have to go in through the front fender liner. Anyway, I'm looking at my coils and I notice this black thing between the coils behind the shock:

[IMG]http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...Z/IMG_3574.jpg[/IMG]

I didn't notice it when I did my check because it's hidden by the damper, the picture shows it on the inside facing the engine. Here's another couple shot's. One on the same location and another after I spun it around to take it off:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...Z/IMG_3575.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...Z/IMG_3573.jpg

Here's what they look like off the car:
Side:
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...Z/IMG_3576.jpg
Top:
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...Z/IMG_3577.jpg

I recommend if you get a Nismo, jack it up and check behind the shock & spring, not just in front! They may come with 2 on each spring but mine only had the ones facing the inside (1 on each front spring). Maybe 2 on the outside were removed, I don't know. I took it for a short drive and it felt more compliant but the real test will be on the freeway later. I'm sure there will be a difference.

thanks for the pics and write up.. i heared about this, but never really thought it would happen, i'm going to check my car right now :D..

I drove to L.A. to get my car, about 50 miles to get the color, price and no front bumper holes. You would think that at a larger volume dealer in Los Angeles the mechanics would know WTF they are doing during the PDI (Pre-Delvery Inspection)!

No WAY....

I'm going to check mine out tonight. That's crazy! Thank you for the heads up

Oops, PDI Foopa!

i wonder if this is why the nismo had the same handling as the sport model in mags.

Sometimes worse.

Your not going to believe this ****...my car has them too! Holly crap this is funny. I swear I though the car felt WAY too still and the front end sat a little higher then it should. How the heck do you get in there, I need to put it on a rack don't I?

Mother F'r....this is too damn funny, HAHAHHAHA

Epic discovery. Good job!

You need to have AK post something, I can't imagine we're the only ones. I feel like sending these to Nissan and saying...did you forget something? What a joke!

You know what kills me, I had to argue with the dealer so they would lower the freight and set up amount. Set up what, setting the clock??

Nissan missed the spring rates on the cars, and was too cheap to replace them all........... this was the fix :roflpuke2:

Check it out, just snapped some pics with my iphone and a flashlight.

These things are IMPOSSIBLE to get out. G-F: I owe you a beer big time!!

I think I need to jack that car up to loosen them up...sucks.

This has been brought up before, they are shipping spacers or something. They are meant to be removed when they are undocked and any "extras" are added to the car, but I think the problem is they do not know about them as it seems many Nismo owners have been finding them down under the car.

i think in the old 350z Nismo they had the same thing

OK..got them off... Not so bad when the car's off the ground. Tired of climbing under this thing, I'm getting a lift and ASAP.

I have to think that played with the handling a bit.

On the bright side, this is the cheapest Mod I've done so far!:tup:

is there a visible difference...take pics please

This is just funny... Lol

also, keep them if the car ever needs a tow??

Front end came down a good 1/2" or so, pretty sure anyway.

Sell it as a lift kit.....

LOL :bowrofl: but seriously... its funny cuz I remember reading about this a long time ago and now you guys are just finding out its true. I wonder if this had something to do with car and driver's test of the NISMO Z being so craptacular... other than the fact the morons tested it before properly breaking it in. :shakes head:

Yeah, I feel dumb...didnt even think to look. It is funny though. That would be comedy if they ran the test that way. Curious to see how it drives tomorrow, I live in a canyon so I'll know pretty quick.

:rofl2::rofl2::rofl2:

I've looked (very quickly) to see if I have these and haven't seen them. I think I'll take a better look now that I know exactly what they look like.

Is this a NISMO only thing?

Yep. I was the first one to discover this on the 350Z NISMO. Mine had them left on as well. Jack the front up a little to release the tension on the springs, and they pull right off. Your car will drop about 1/2 a inch or more down on the front. The dealers are suppose to remove them. They are for shipping so they cars won't scrape the front lips on the trucks.

Yes a NISMO only thing. I mentioned it on here before, but guess no one cared at that time. :P

..... i care :shakes head:


lol

Will I be able to see these just by turning my wheel while the car is down on the ground? I don't have easy access to a jack or lift, at the moment, but want to tell if they are there.

I saw them by poking my head under the car with a light but if you turn your wheels all the way out you can definitely see them

I took the canyon a little faster then before coming to work today, I can definitely tell. My very first post I mentioned I thought the car was rougher in corners then expected when hitting bumps, that same ripple didnt phase me this morning.

I'm still laughing...thank you once again for pointing this out!

Sure enough, they are on both of my front springs. Are they on the back as well? They are hidden pretty well, which makes me believe they're there for a reason...so I don't know. 100%, they are there.

I called the dealership and they do not know what they are or why are they are there, so they will NOT pull them off without me leaving it overnight so they can run some "tests". What a bunch of ********!

I left a message for the GM to call me back so I can complain (again!) about the service department.

Should I have my local shop pull these off, or wait until the dealership comes to their senses so my butt is covered in case something happens?


What did everyone notice after removing these springs?

looks like most people reported a less harsh ride and a slightly lower front end. they are for transport only, otherwise you would see things like this more often.

I'm gonna go brave the cold in a few to look a little better on my car.

also, I believe they're in the front only (from what I've seen on the forums)

That the suspension works like it is supposed to? :tiphat:

The GM ans service supervisor are meeting me at 3pm to take a look at the car.

just went and looked at mine (the FR anyway) and I do not have these. looks like either the dealer that had the car or the one I purchased from (who transported the car 400 miles to their shop) removed them as they were supposed to.

I had my front on jack stands at the time. I'm sure you could use the factory jack if you don't have many tools and do one side at a time. Once the suspension has droop and the wheel is off the ground there is plenty of room to see/remove it. Use something long to poke it and it should fall off. It may be easier to rotate it around to the front of the coil and just pull it off as well. As long as the coil is not compressed it should be easy, mine came right off.

Matt, I don't know what they need to meet for but anything that prevents the springs from compressing is definitely not supposed to be there. I'm sure they are going to feel pretty stupid once they call Nissan.

Also you guys are welcome, I'm really happy to see this helped others!

No rep love haha?

They are !00% for sure supposed to come off.

This is funny! They ship the S2000 CR the same way and a few owners have had to remove the spacers themselves as well!

+1!!!!!

Missed that...whoops :)

So should I just jack this up myself and remove these instead of going to the dealership and having them "investigate" the spacers themselves?

You certainly can, but if the dealership is uneducated they are going to keep making this mistake with future Nismo sales. You'll be doing future owners a favor. But if it's more of a hassle to take it in than jack it up, by all means jack it up.

I guess it wouldn't hurt to have them take it off. Tell them you want it notated in your service record in case it results in some kind of suspension problem later. I doubt it will, but just to cover your arse (it's exactly what the dealer would do).

I didn't want to drive it anymore with that in there so I just took pics for the same reason...as you can see.