Review: Stock 350z Suspension Vs Stock V35 Suspension

[siu_loong_bao]

Ok,

Rianto wanted me to post this...so that I can share with all those considering the swap....

I bought a set of 2005 350z shocks and springs that did low kms for an inflated price due to the demand for them!

These were fitted last weekend...

Pics of V35 with stock suspension...

Pics of V35 after the 350z suspension was installed...

Thoughts...

1. Was it worth the money?

A. Definitely!!!!

2. How does the 350z suspension compare with the V35's suspension?

A. 350z is a tad more bouncy/bumpy, however, still very very comfortable

3. How much did it lower the sedan?

A. As you can see, it's about 1 inch.

4. Which stock springs and suspension is lighter?

A. The 350z ones are slightly lighter....say, maybe 500 grams lighter overall...It definitely felt a bit lighter when I carried them...

5. How difficult was it to fit the suspension?

A. Well, I didn't want to dirty my hands/fingers, since I now got an office job for 3 mths, so I took it to my family mechanic and he charged me $120 (quite expensive)....It took him about 1 - 2hrs as he also gave my brakes a clean... So, it is not hard to fit....

[siu_loong_bao]

Now, i need 20" deep dish rims to complete the VIP look....

[rs73]

looks nice, and very subtle lowering

[xscape237]

Looks great, well done.

If you ask me $120 isnt too bad. It beats bruised/bleeding knuckles.

[350GT-ATE]

Nice write up, looks great!

I've got a set waiting in the garage to be fitted on - I was planning to put them on together when I get my wheels, but I think you've convinced me to put them on ASAP!

[Yo-Yo]

6. How have the 350z springs changed the handling dynamics of the car?

7. Have you gotten around to getting a full wheel alignment yet? (1" drop can still make a lot of difference toe wise)

congrats you seem very satisfied with them

[skygo2xs]

Looks great, good height without being to low and scraping. $120 is a very fair price for 1-2 hours labour by a mechanic but definately get a wheel alingnment done if not allready.

[xtc]

How much did the z suspension worth? + $120? To be honest I didn't see a difference at first look on before and After fitment until having a second close look. At least you reckon it's worth it And comfy.

[siu_loong_bao]

Wheel alignment? Kidding, right? I spoke to the mechanic about it, he says not to even worry about it...

Handling characteristics? At very slow speeds on bumpy roads, I feel it is a tad bumpy...almost feels like coil overs...so i was quite surprised by that. Turns into corners, etc with no noticeable difference. However, my Mrs says the car doesn't feel as refined now due to the bumpiness. Anyway, I have been driving it to work everyday and it is fine for me...Feels like I am in a sportscar now....hehehe...

[zei20l]

if you even remove a shock and replace the SAME one, you should get a wheel alignment. because you have lowered the car your toe has been affected (as already posted) and youre gonna f**k out your new tyres

spend the $60 and get a 4 wheel alignment or spend $800+ on a new set of tyres in about 5000km

[rs73]

wait till u put 20in low profile tyres, the bump nag will increase

oh, man u got nagging trouble waiting around the corner soon lol

I can even tell straight away when going from profile 45 on 18in to profile 35 on 19in that it gets bumpier on stock shocks , let alone from 17 to 20 like what u're planning to do...

[n15m0]

^^^^+1 for wheel allignment if you value your tire wear. I've had z suspension in my car forabout a year now and have to admit it was he best bang for buck mod. Will start to explore height adjustable coilovers soon as I want to go a bit lower.

[n15m0]

wait till u put 20in low profile tyres, the bump nag will increase

oh, man u got nagging trouble waiting around the corner soon lol

I can even tell straight away when going from profile 45 on 18in to profile 35 on 19in that it gets bumpier on stock shocks , let alone from 17 to 20 like what u're planning to do...

agree with rianto, going from 18s to 19s is still bearable. Think twice before going to 20s. And to achieve the VIP look you are after you would need a much bigger drop than z suspension

[Yo-Yo]

Wheel alignment? Kidding, right? I spoke to the mechanic about it, he says not to even worry about it...

personally, if he told you that i wouldn't worry about going back to see him

any decent tyre shop can do an alignment for around $40-$70 and 15 mins, it will bring your tyres back into spec

as you may already know even a 1" drop can make your wheels go from this ||-o--o-|| to this //-o--o-\\

maybe not a drastic change but enough to make a difference to your tyre's overall wear and life

[rs73]

couldn't agree more. I had a whiteline kit in my old R33 whichc lowers it by about 1"

although the neg camber increase was subtle and it works a treat on the race track, on the road it worn the inside of my front tyres in less than 10000km

for street use I recommend keeping the front alignment camber degree as stock as possible, if you want more corner handling, get a front caster rod bush/arm and increase your caster, so when your steering wheel is straight the wheels will be ||-o--o-|| and when you're turning right it's //-o--o-//

or \\-o--o-\\ when turning left (this is if viewed from behind). with that setting when turning in addition to body roll/centrifugal shift to one side, your setup on the road will push it towards a more 'neutral' corner ||-o--o--|| during hard cornering and you get more grip.