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for the front. I went and had an alignment done and the shop could not adjust front camber to OEM specs ( I know it's not an option). Note: Infiniti of Charlotte was able to adjust camber during my first alignment a couple of years ago. They explained that they had to drill something (I'm guessing they elongated the the holes were the LCA connects to the subframe).
Current set up after todays alignment:
DF Caster: 8.1 PF / Caster: 8.3 / (7.3 to 8.8) Range
DF Camber: -1.8 / PF Camber: -1.5 / (-1.2 to 0.3) Range
DF Toe: 0.03 / PF Toe: 0.04 (0.00 to 0.08) Range
DR Camber: -1.6 / PR Camber: -1.8 (-1.9 to -0.9) Range
DR Toe: 0.12 / PR Toe: 0.11 (0.01 to 0.22) Range
I'm half a degree negative out of OEM spec on the driverside. My professor said that I will be ok and that I shouldn't expect excessive tire wear. I'm still concerned and I'd like to get back within OEM spec soon. I don't track... I do drive briskly and might do a light canyon/mountain run once or twice a year. I have access to professional alignment equipment and I know how to do an alignment. I've seen that this site prefers SPC and SPL, but I've never heard any complaints about Z1 here or from my other nissan buddies. The way the Z1 UPCA are set up, they look like a pain to adjust. Any input would be helpful.
Assuming your chassis mounts for each arm are set up correctly, it's not terribly hard to adjust. Jack up, remove wheel, separate FUCA and steering knuckle, twist to adjust, lock the nut, do it backwards. Should take five-ten minutes if you're quick. I've had shops tell me they can't adjust the camber because they didn't want to/didn't realize you can adjust the FUCA.
I'd try to get the camber within .1 degrees of each other, and get the toe to zero. Toe is the real tire-edge killer, people run 2-3 degrees of camber with zero toe and get 30k miles out of tires; a tiny amount of toe out or in wrecks tires in short order.
Make sure that the FUCA to chassis mounts are equal length on each arm, and make ABSOLUTELY SURE the threads for those don't exceed 15mm (not sure what the limit is on the single outer section, but considering the arms are good for up to +.25 degrees when lowered an inch, it's pretty far).
Depends on how far you're lowered, I have the Z1 arms and my guess is they'll be good down to -1.5" lower than stock. Both the inboard and outboard parts of the arm can be adjusted, I recommend setting the inboard side where they attach to the chassis at the minimum safe distance which is like 3/4" of threads showing (call Z1 to verify I can't remember exactly what it was.
This way the alignment shop only has to ever adjust the outboard ball joint which is very simple. Also I HIGHLY recommend you find an independent shop for alignment on vehicles with aftermarket pieces like that. Nissan/Infiniti have their new technicians do alignment jobs and most of those guys are 100% clueless about aftermarket adjustable stuff, all they know is "monkey turn eccentric bolt and number change! Make number match!"
I have the kinetix arms and they went as far as they could to not impact the body lines. The toe adjustment as said is much more important.
I was adjusting for stock spec... and I was lowered 1.2" maxing out the adjustment (positive) on 350z springs. Toe was in spec after camber was closer. I had to buy the arms because I was lowered.
The other guy mentioned they have to be the same adjustment - I don't think so. Changing that up changes caster, that's why they are adjustable, and not at the end like a kinetix arm. I would've gone Z1 if their arms were in stock when I needed some.
@cleric670... I'm at stock height. LOL... that's me @"monkey turn eccentric bolt..." I can do a basic OEM alignment, never have done one on an adjustable FUCA and I'm not sure how the Z1 FUCA will change the alignment dynamics of the other front end components (though I feel it shouldn't change anything). Definitely gonna hit up a shop to save a potential head ache.
Z1 has a installation guide that says "Assure exposed threads of each mount do not exceed 15mm" ...I would guess the minimum would be flushed max would be 15mm.
@Urbanengineer... Thanks: you, magnue, and my professor have helped me feel a bit better about the -0.5 and -0.2 deg out of spec camber and tire wear. After adding the whiteline bushing kit, I forgot to do an alignment... just bought new tires... the fronts wore out to metal wires within 2 months... the toe was ridiculously out of spec, camber was same as it is now, obviously. I've added a more in depth tire inspection to my weekly PMCS.
The results of my idiocracy.
Interesting... 350z springs will drop a G35 coupe 1.2"? I didn't know that. I've considered lowering, Speed bumps in Charlotte, NC can be almost the height of a curb. Even at stock height my exhaust/undercarriage scrapes on speed bumps or riding up parking decks unless I'm going 0.002 mph entering one tire at a time.
350Z springs will drop a coupe 1/2" and a sedan 1". Not sure if that's what you meant or not.
Do the 350z springs have the same spring rate as the G35 (I'm gonna guess "no", because of the weight difference)? If I wanted to go that route, would they bite the fenders while turning or bottom out while driving?
Not sure on the spring rate but I bet if you Google it you'll find the answer. No need to roll fenders, get adjustable camber/toe arms or make any other adjustments to your car with a .5" drop. They're truly plug and play but make sure to get an alignment after you install them. If you don't have the sport suspension they'll put a bit more wear on your shocks but not enough to worry about.
The 350Z revised springs and 2005+ coupe (pretty sure thats when the rear revision happened) springs are the exact same rate but the 350Z springs are 1/2" shorter, I'm currently using them on my 2006 coupe. They do feel really great, not too harsh, good daily driver set.
Make sure you verify the colored dots on your springs and the ones you buy if you do get them, i think mine were 2 pink dots on front and 2 red 1 violet on the rear? I can verify if you need.
My front fenders were rolled from the previous Nismo S tune springs so I'm not 100% sure about any rubbing issues with the revised springs but I think its fine.
Make sure you verify the colored dots on your springs and the ones you buy if you do get them, i think mine were 2 pink dots on front and 2 red 1 violet on the rear? I can verify if you need.
Sure...when you say verify the dots, is that to make sure I'm installing them in the right locations? Sounds like an easy swap. Are all the 350z springs the same throughout the years it was in production?
I've loved the G35 ever since it came into production. I bought mine back in 2012. At the time it was between a Infiniti G35, Porsche Boxster, E92 BMW 320, and a E46 BMW M3. Cost of maintenance seemed to favor the G, plus it's style is very minimum yet aggressive. I say all that to say I'm at a point were any serious upgrades I do to the G will cost more than the vehicle can be sold for (Complete adjustable suspension, rebuild engine for tasteful force induction, Repaint exterior, and minimalist body kit...side skirts & CS rear). This will all cost approximately $15k - $17k. My dream car is a tie between the RX-7 FD and the first gen NSX. How long do you all plan on keeping your G's and why? What's your dream car?
The colored dots are just to verify which springs you are actually looking at, there were MANY different springs used, the ones I have are exactly as shown in this post.
The G35 coupe was my dream car and I don't ever plan on getting rid of mine, it has a timeless body style that everyone loves and honestly with all the hyper-aggressive styling you see nowadays on cars it makes the G coupe that much more enjoyable to look at because it's just so sleek and smooth. I was just complimented again this week by the driver of a new Z4 roadster while we were backed up on the highway. Of course mine is BLACK which was the best factory color and has illegally dark tint 20% vlt but it looks so great on the car that I don't care if it's illegal. I run law enforcement memorial plates on the car so I've never been ticketed, I figure it's a fair trade. With the 350Z springs and wheel spacers +15mm front +25mm rear it is incredibly daily driver friendly but looks better than stock.
I think there's still a couple photos under my profile album if you want to see exactly what it looks like. Those pics were when I had the 350Z revised springs on the first time, later I ran the Nismo S-tune springs but in hindsight they severely reduced the cars ability to be a daily driver highway vehicle and construction jobsite parking lots were a total nightmare. I have to be able to travel over 2 inch tall rocks jutting out of the jobsite road as well as straddling roadkill coyotes on the freeway. My front air dam took a BEATING when I sat 3/4" lower on those nismo springs and parking lot sidewalk cutouts were tricky to navigate sometimes as well.
Hell at stock height I still have clearance problems. I ran over a dead deer about a month ago... it was the most disgusting thing I've ever had to clean (chunks of meat fell off as I sprayed the underbody, 2 am at night). I can't even begin to describe the smell. (3/4)" lower and I'd would have lost the front bumper for sure.
I agree. The styling is perfect. I'm think I'm keeping mine as well. I just see a lot of money going in to restoring and modifying.
As I recall, the revised 350Z springs did not lower my rear barely at all. I ended up with the Z front springs and then had to use Tein S Techs (I believe) for the year. Frankenstein, but it handled great with Tokico adjustable shocks and looked good. The Teins would have still benefitted from cutting the rear bump stock by another 1/4” to be perfect.
As for the deer, well, I feel your pain. I ran over the carcass of what I think was a dead dog one time and the Fing smell of meat cooking on the cats was very nearly vomit worthy! The next morning I had to take it to the car wash in the freezing cold and wash the fur, meat, etc off just waiting for someone to report me to the cops thinking I had hit a person! Not a good time at all. But, you really can’t expect to be a lie to run over a deer without repercussions in the G LOL!
10-16-2018, 11:52 PM
