I agree with you … alignment kits are never required. If money is tight, one thing folks can opt to do is go ahead and go through a set of tires to see how they wear. If tire wear is too un-even, get the kit when you change tires!

The rear of my car was more out of spec than the front with the Eibach Pro-Kit, so if I had to buy a kit, the best bang for the buck would be to fix the rear alignment before fixing the front. Also supporting this decision: rear camber arms are less expensive than front A-arms and front tires are less expensive than the wider rear tires.

Rotating tires will definitely help; however, swapping the tires from front to back on the 07 Sport is actually not an option because the car already comes stock with staggered tire sizes.

As for stock shocks, I can’t say for sure without knowing what the internals look like, but intuitively, damping is managed by valves and/or orifice sizing. I wouldn’t think that piston location (lowered or not) would matter because for a given stroke, the same amount of fluid must pass through the valve/orifice. Damage comes from bottoming out the shock. To me, shock life is not an issue … if they blow a leak, I’d just replace them with aftermarket shocks. No sense in pulling out the stock shocks right away and replacing them to save them. They’d take up room in my junk filled garage!

Some stock shocks are really quite amazing … I lowered my T-Bird SC back in 1989 when I first bought it using Suspension Technique springs (are they even still around?). I’m certain the T-Bird has WAY more suspension travel than the G35. It still has the original shocks from the factory after 140K miles.

Very good points also about progressive rate springs which are designed for ride quality. That is exactly why I bought them since 99% of my miles come from commuting to and from work. All race applications use linear springs because they load up in a predictable manner through a given turn, but they compromise ride quality.

I don’t think I would say progressive rate springs give “poor” handling characteristics. I’m sure they are an improvement over stock for normal everyday driving, but they are not as good as coil-overs in a race environment.

EDIT: This reminds me of an interesting observation ... a few weeks ago, I was at Autobachs in Stanton and saw a highly modified and lowered convertable 350Z. He had to put on a weight training (kidney) belt before he got into his car to drive off! I bet that car handled pretty good on the track!

 

Doh! Good point, I forgot about the OEM staggered setup on the S.

It's been my experience that what really kills shocks/struts is not always the drop, but the increased spring rate. Higher rates require a lot more dampening which overworks a shock/strut that's already operating in a range it really wasn't designed too.

BTW, the drop really does look good.

 

I'm pretty sure the intial rate on progressive springs are comparable to the stock spring rate, hence the "cushy" ride when not driving aggressively. Damping in a shock is usually constant over the normal range of motion, but I would think more damping is needed toward the end of the piston stroke to minimize the impact of bottoming out the shock.

I guess it does make sense that higher rate springs will move the fluid in the shock more often (higher frequency) so things wear out faster. But the range of motion is normally less with higher rate springs.

Too much thinking for me . If they start leaking, I'll start looking for replacements.

 

Hey Terrycs! Can you go on AIM one fast one? I got my Rear Camber Kit and want to ask a few quick questions, before I attempt to Install these Arms? Please, Would be really Appreciative if I can chat with you a bit about this? Thanx MIKE

 

Sorry ... I never even noticed this post until now!

Let me clarify .. the -1.7 / -1.4 was the final measuremnt the tech did after he did his best to get the rear camber on both sides into spec (without a camber kit). It would have been possible to even it out to -1.7 / -1.7.

I was working with 808MIKE on something else earlier. While in the garage, I measured the distance from the top of both stock rear wheels to the bottom of both rear fenders. The measurements are both the same at 4".

808MIKE: can you measure yours for curiosity's sake?

 

Hmm ok Terrycs, I measured mine at I got like from the Bottom of the Stock tires, (say from the Flat surface of my Garage Floor) to the Bottom Of The Rear Fender Lip was 26 1/2 Inches. And Not sure where you measured the Second Set?? But I measured from the Bottom of the Rear Fener Lip to the Direct Top Edge of the Stock Rim(Where the Tire Bead is) was 4 Inches. So Mine Seems Even on Both Sides, And this Is without the Camber Kit or Alignment Done yet, that will be Done this Week!

 

This is interesting ... that confirms there is not much (or no) difference in ride height due to rear camber. Thanks for taking the time!

 

Where did you purchase your camber kit?

 

I had my rear chamber kit installed last weekend and after the install I was told they did not need the toe kit I purchased. For the record does the camber arm kit include the bolts needed for toe adjustment?

This is what was included in the Camber kit: Two adjustable camber arms, two paper templates and a set of two bolts, nuts and washers. The toe kit includes four bolts/washers/nuts plus two templates (identical to the bolts/nuts/washers included in camber kit). This is not what I expected. My cars camber is aligned to -0.7 / -0.7 in the rear. Toe-in .07 and .05 degrees. My fronts are all in spec other than camber which is -1.4/-1.6.

the rear was -2.0 on both side before the camber kit. The Toe-in is in spec according the print out I received, without installing the Toe kit. I doubt Stillen will take them back even though they advised I needed both kits.

 

Hey EWG35! Do you know if the shop that did your Camber arms, Elongated that Hole the Camber Arm Botls to on the Rear Suspension Subframe?? I wonder since the Camber Arm Itself is Adjustable, and I am thinking I don't need that Template to Elongate that hole for the Camber arm?? Since it is not adjusted there, and IS Adjusted with the Arm itself?? Can you Verify? So I can install mine! I know the Toe Bolt area needs to be Elongated. But I don't Think the Camber Mount needs to be? Thnx MIKE

 

From looking under the car it does not appear they elongated the hole where the camber adjustment rod bolts to the subframe. In fact I believe they used the factory bolts to reinstall it into the unaltered hole. The new camber rod seems to not need any additional help.

I believe the bolt, washer, nut combo is solely for the toe adjustment. I am actually not even sure how the toe adjustment kit works but that is what the new bolt is used for. I don't fully understand why Eibach even made a toe in kit. Attached are the photos of my before and after alignment spec sheet. I'm curious what other cars specs look like after installed and aligned.

BEFORE


AFTER

 

Thank's EWG35! Appreciate the Info and the Pics of your Specs! Now That's what I thought about the Camber Arms, a Direct Stock repalcement Arm without any Mods, just a direct swap! Now I can Install the Arms and get my Alignment done!

 

Eibach's product description of the camber kit indicates both camber and toe adjustment, so I'm using the arms for camber and the bolts for toe. There really isn't any need to buy both kits.

Looking forward to doing the install this weekend so I can get my alignment done and my new shoes mounted on.

 

No problem, glad to help.

I wish the folks at Stillen would have known that little fact. I hate to waste money on parts I don't need, which take up space and can't be returned without paying for shipping and being charged a restock fee. That's part of why I asked the question, #1 to find out for sure and #2 inform others not to waste their hard earned dollars. I think this upgrade is worth the money the more I've thought about it. Save your tires which are expensive to replace, and will be bald on the inside shortly. $170 or so plus alignment is a good investment.

 

Terry-

FRONT ALIGNMENT KITS? SOON? EVER? Any word?? My car is sooo loud...

Thanks!