Offset subframes issue.....anyone got a cure

[Sub Boy32]

Offset subframes issue.....anyone got a cure

I've got the same problem that a lot of the S-Chassis and R-Chassis suffer from, the subframes on my R32 GT-R cause the wheels to fill the guards differently. I have the left rear wheel sticking out further and the right front wheel out further......it looks odd!

i have searched and read everything on the site and there are quite a few people who have the same problem but no one seems to have a cure.

i have talked to a few Nissan and alignment specialist and it is quite when you run big offset wheels.

Does anyone make an offset subframe bush set for the rear? What about the front.....slot the subframe and machine some inserts? Whiteline make some offset bushes to adjust on the caster and top front camber arms, what about using the offset metal inserts in these with some custom urathane bushes?

Any thoughts?

[hardsteppa]

yes adjustable lower control arms, and adj camber/traction arms. Set it exactly how you want to the mm, and get a better wheel alignment too.

Anything else I can help you with

[nIsMo86]

Spoon make a subframe alignment kit to make them 100% spot on

[260DET]

Is there an actual misalignment problem or does it just look like it? If there is an actual problem then how much by? A good laser aligner will show this which tells you how much change is needed. From then on it's just a matter of making the appropriate changes, I had some vague idea that eccentric subframe mounting bushes were available.

[GTSBoy]

38 minutes ago, 260DET said:

Is there an actual misalignment problem or does it just look like it? If there is an actual problem then how much by? A good laser aligner will show this which tells you how much change is needed. From then on it's just a matter of making the appropriate changes, I had some vague idea that eccentric subframe mounting bushes were available.

A lot of S14/R33 era cars had the subframe a good 10-15mm to one side.  It's real.

[260DET]

 

8 hours ago, GTSBoy said:

A lot of S14/R33 era cars had the subframe a good 10-15mm to one side.  It's real.

Up  to 15mm? That's a warranty issue surely although it may be just a bit late for that. The local excellent aligner reckons up to 3mm is common, that's on any car.

[GTSBoy]

When they're up on tippie toes with skinny arse stock wheels, you can;t really notice.  When you drop them and try to fill the guards is when you notice it.  It may have been for a reason, but everyone is buggered if they can come up with a good one!

[GRKGTR]

You can buy SPOON Rigid Collars from here...

http://www.rigidcollar.com.au/HOME.html

 

I just bought the rear set and will be putting them in when I have a chance as I noticed my rear wheels are to the left by about 3-4mm.

[GTSBoy]

That's not really a solution to this problem though.  That's just solid bushes that are probably still concentric.  To move the subframe one way or the other to change its centering relative to the body, you need eccentric bushes/collars/whatever.

[GRKGTR]

1 hour ago, GTSBoy said:

That's not really a solution to this problem though.  That's just solid bushes that are probably still concentric.  To move the subframe one way or the other to change its centering relative to the body, you need eccentric bushes/collars/whatever.

I have the exact same issue as you.. Read up on what these things actually do and how they fix the problem.. The holes where the bolts from the chassis go through the subframe have become larger over time which enables this to happen..

http://www.speedhunters.com/2011/06/car_life_gt_gt_fitting_rigid_collars_to_the_gt_r/

[GTSBoy]

The little bit of slop available from the OEM tolerance is not enough to explain the 10-15mm offset that you see in many R33s though.

[Sick_R31]

1 hour ago, GRKGTR said:

I have the exact same issue as you.. Read up on what these things actually do and how they fix the problem.. The holes where the bolts from the chassis go through the subframe have become larger over time which enables this to happen..

http://www.speedhunters.com/2011/06/car_life_gt_gt_fitting_rigid_collars_to_the_gt_r/

The holes in the sub frame do not become larger over time, they are drilled larger from factory to help with the assembly process. These are cars that are built on an assembly line, not hand built like a Bugatti Veyron or a Ferrari 458, Nissan gives zero f**ks for a something that is out up to 5mm (case in point the rear of the car being offset in one direction) all they care about is how cheaply they can make something.

With the rear of the car the diameter of the pin that holds the sub frame are 20mm and the holes drilled in the sub frame bushes are 21.4mm. How is the spoon kit going to push the sub frame 5-10 mm to one side?

I did have a laugh at Mr speedhunters article, this quote was one of the best

This picture perfectly shows the problem the Rigid Collars address. You can see how the subframe has moved around and the bolt is far from centered, not to mention the offset bolt marks left on the subframe.

If the sub frame was moving around there would be paint off everywhere around the nut, the sub frame was bolted up that way from factory and hasn't moved since, it looks like that was the first time is has been undone since new. Another thing that i found weird is why didn’t he post a picture of the nuts done up once the collars were installed to show the difference they made?

9 minutes ago, GTSBoy said:

The little bit of slop available from the OEM tolerance is not enough to explain the 10-15mm offset that you see in many R33s though.

This guy gets it.

[niZmO_Man]

I don't read Speedhunters for their articles <insert something about playboy magazines>. They've proven themselves not to be that knowledgeable and have some 'product placement' in it as well.

[GTSBoy]

That DDC guy who wrote that article has published some stupendously stupid words on the internet over the years.

[JH32]

I had this issue, fitted some lower offset rims to my R32 GTR and immediately noticed that one side stuck out further than the other. Dropped the subframe out, replaced with solid alloy mounts which fixed it to some degree. Then installed adjustable lower LCAs which really only needed a couple of mm adjustment on one side, now got it looking sweet. It's a pain to fix but you can get it done if you're that anal, like me.

[GRKGTR]

My rear set of rigid collars from spoon arrived today, so once I get them fitted up and they fix my issue i'll let the experts know with before and after shots..

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

I was always under the impression that "offset" issue was caused by flogged out OEM subframe bushes. 

I removed and replaced my subframe bushes with Hardrace ones and don't really have the said issue. Running 255 semis  (which stick out even more than normal tyres) with 17x9+30 wheels they have equal amounts of space each side.

Even when I had 18x9+20 BBS wheels with 265 tyres they were spaced equally. 

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

On 20/01/2017 at 2:13 PM, niZmO_Man said:

I don't read Speedhunters for their articles <insert something about playboy magazines>. They've proven themselves not to be that knowledgeable and have some 'product placement' in it as well.

Yep.. like how a set of Tomei ARMS turbos were installed for "response". LOL x 100000

[colourclassic]

I've seen this first hand on an immaculate S14 - no lie the whole subframe was offset 15mm to the left!

Always wondered where the displacement came from, subframe or otherwise. 

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Maybe was made for Australian roads lol... to offset the insane curvature of the surface haha