For all you guys that have the complete coupe springs and shocks on a sedan was wondering if you can you bring the car into spec for an alignment?? ....its a 03 sedan..

Thanks
GBoy

 

most definitely you can. I have the complete revised Z suspension and no camber wear after alignment. I am selling it in a week or two...let me know if interested! The coupe suspension will still make your car look too high...with 3 fingergaps still...

 

I have the coupe suspension except for the front springs which are from a Z
I will try a new place to try and get it aligned.. maybe there is someting off in the front end, will have it checked....

GBoy

 

You're going to have a difficult time getting it aligned without a camber kit, especially in the front. You've dropped your suspension by an inch, and there's no camber adjustment with the stock components. They might be able to tweak it a little bit, but you'll definitely have negative camber up front without a kit. The Z/Coupe drop is quite common here, so I'd suggest you use the search feature and you'll probably find your answers.

 

I did use the search feature and the answers were from all over the place.
So just not sure, do camber kits replace the upper control arm and I heard
they are expensive and don't always work..

GBoy

 

The answer I've consistently seen is a drop of an inch or more will require an alignment kit, which in the front means replacing the upper link. Yes, they can be expensive, a lot more than the springs themselves. And depending on how much you're out of alignment after you drop will determine which kit to get. Some have more adjustment than others, but more adjustment usually means more expensive. I haven't heard of them not working, at least with the relatively mild drop you've got.

 

+1^

They do work. Some of the lower price ones won't give enought positive camber for an extreme drop. But with a coupe setup it's not required.

 

I have the Z springs in the front so I would imagine the drop is one inch.
I love the look of the car but for 1/2 inch I can't see myself spending
the 400$ on the camber kit and the worst part is that a garage told me that
my upper control arm has to be changed...I'm off to look and see whats for
sale in the suspension section, wonder if anybody has an old control arm
that they want to get rid of...

GBoy

 

An "old control arm" isn't going to solve your problem. The problem is there isn't any adjustment on the stock part, so getting someone's old one will stil leave you with no way to adjust it. You need an adjustable upper link (what you call a control arm), and the only way to get one is to buy an aftermarket part, i.e. camber kit. Sorry you don't like the price, but it's the only solution.

 

^ what they said. Looking at my car right now i'm on fully revised stock Z front and rears springs and rear shocks, its VERY OBVIOUS that i need a rear camber kit. In some cases the toe bolt for the rear is NOT always needed. The rear kit runs pretty cheap like $100 or so a side. The front is about $200-225 a side. I know caster adjustments is with that upper ball joint. i didn't look and see how camber is adjusted yet for the fronts.

in theory it seems dumb for spending $100 on springs and then $600 on camber kits but thats what it is. $600 once is a LOT better then spending $600 on tires every 10-15k miles which is roughly a year for most drivers.

You could always say screw it and take everything off.

 

My thinking is putting on the coupe springs in the front and I know it will
raise the car 1/2 inch but the BIG question is will they be able to align the
front end, I would hate to bother to put the coupe springs on and still not
bring it to spec..

GBoy

 

You've got these backwards. Camber is adjusted from the upper link. The ball joint at the end of the link can be moved outward, pushing your tire more towards vertical. It may also be able to tweak caster ever so slightly, but it's primary adjustment is for camber. I'm not even sure caster is affected all that much.

It's unlikely you can bring it to spec even with just the Coupe springs, but the negative camber will be less for sure, and may not be enough to worry about. You will have extra wear on the inside tread, but it will be less than Turtle's Z wear, and can be mitigated by getting non-directional tires you can move to the other side, i.e. put the worn side on the outside.

Your Z/Coupe setup is a very nice setup for a Sedan. It gives just enough drop and evens out the tire gap. But honestly, the best thing to do is bite the bullet and buy a camber kit.

 

I might be biting, I really don't want to change the look, plus if I have to buy
a new arm anyway..Thanks for your input. Made an appointment with the dealer to really be sure what is wrong plus the mechanic I will see has 2 G sedans that he plays with so he might have some ideas...

GBoy

 

Thats wrong I have 1 finger in the back on my coupe suspension and everyone I know says there is a problem with camber in the front..I guess
you are in sales mode..

 

I might have to call BS on that one....

this is my rear before ANY drop


and this if after me putting Z shocks and springs in the rear.

clearly a finger + gap. now the Z springs are KNOWN to prove a lower drop then coupe springs and its almost a proven fact. I think your a little mistake about 1 finger gap on coupes.

with me compressing the shock i have 3/4 of a finger gap.


when you look at my tires, no one in the right mind will say i dont have a camber issue least on the rears. Its a dead given. I'm waiting right now for everything to settle and or pick up coupe rear springs and go in for an alignment to see whats off and by how much. Hopefully i'll be doing my own alignment so i can spend time with all the adjustments.