I'm bad at Suspension

[Cgiles]

I bought a new to me 96 240sx. It came with 18 in. 350z Touring wheels and Nismo R-tune coilovers. This is my daily driver and probably will be for the next two years until I get the wife's hand-me-down and I can garage the 240. My question is: what would make the best daily driver suspension setup?

I've tried google searching and I can find some threads from a years ago, but I know there are newer and better products out. Also, I want to know what other than just strut/spring or coilovers to get. My current ride is pretty low and very harsh. I don't expect to ride like a Lexus, but what is the most comfortable driving experience I can obtain?

[Mikester]

OEM 240SX shocks & struts will give you the most ride comfort. Or if anything, aftermarket shocks/struts that are direct OEM replacement. Any coilover system is going to be more (or overly lol) responsive, which can feel twitchy, bumpy or 'harsh' depending on which type. It's the nature of the beast.

[fliprayzin240sx]

Almost nothing out there (coilovers) will be smoother than strut/spring setup...

[Cgiles]

To give an idea of what my car looks like, not an actual picture of my car and I apologize for using the picture(s) if the owner is pissed, I even have the angled rear wheels...

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t218/nvkreationz/IMG_0390.jpg

I would like to keep it lowered, but it doesn't have to be slammed. I find this more than acceptable...

http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww46/CyanideSX/24002.jpg

I believe that going to 17s with more sidewall will improve the ride as well.

[Croustibat]

More sidewall really helps. I went from 18" runflat tyres to 17" standard tyres, for approx the same total diameter, and it changed a lot.

Now back to your problem; if you want the car to handle AND to be lowered, you need to pay quite some money for drop knuckles. And THEN you need more money for struts and shocks.

I do believe a very good compromise in handling, comfort, lowering and price is kayaba AGX dampers with swift lowering springs kit, on stock struts. It does lower a bit but not much, meaning you dont need drop knuckes.

Additionnally, a bigger front anti roll bar can do wonder. Do not use a big rear one though, 21/22mm is plenty enough rear. 28-30mm front is good.

Your first pic is one of a slammed car. the second one is pretty low too. The first one would need a huge sum of money to get its suspension to work correctly, the second one may be ok with just drop knuckles.

[rcdad123]

i have an s13, but the suspension on the s14 is pretty similar. i have a Tokico struts and springs combo. they are blue struts and red springs. the springs are rated at 160 pounds per square inch front and rear. that is only about 35-40 lbs./square inch stiffer than stock. i cut one coil from each of the springs to lower the chassis to about as low as the 2nd picture you posted. the ride is not as harsh as coil overs and it handles way better than stock suspension. only complaint i have is the struts have way too much rebound(extension when the chassis unloads) for my liking.

[Cgiles]

I found this setup on RimTuck and absolutely love it. Not digging the particular wheels, I'd do something else. I don't konw if it rides well or not, but if it doesn't then I'd definitely want to go this route when it becomes a weekend toy. Big rear tires would go nicely with a big V8!

RIMTUCK.com - Setup (http://rimtuck.com/setup/view/80)

[onehundredoctane]

"I'm bad at suspension"

Obviously bad with the English language too.

[Cgiles]

I apologize, my attempt at humor has failed you.

Edit: You forgot the comma after language, but you at least capitalized English. Hooray for you.

[Mofuhcka]

Thats the price you gotta pay for being lowered

[Dboyizmlg]

I apologize, my attempt at humor has failed you.

Edit: You forgot the comma after language, but you at least capitalized English. Hooray for you.

Lol, hahaha

[Cgiles]

Hitting my head on the roof while going 70 mph on the interstate isn't fun. If struts/springs, 17s, tires with more sidewall, knuckles, and some sways will get me a stockish ride but with better handling all while being somewhat lower then it may be the compromise I'm looking for. I don't expect to be a couch on wheels (Lexus) and I don't expect to handle like a drift car, but I don't like the wheels "bottoming out" and I hate hitting my head. I don't know if "bottoming out" is the proper term, so feel free to correct me.

[Cgiles]

I do believe a very good compromise in handling, comfort, lowering and price is kayaba AGX dampers with swift lowering springs kit, on stock struts. It does lower a bit but not much, meaning you dont need drop knuckes.

I greatly appreciate your input. Pardon my ignorance but I thought struts and dampers were the same thing. Your suggestion leads me to believe that we have dampers, springs, and struts on our cars. Is this the case? I've never heard of drop knuckles before. After a quick search I found some knuckles that allow adjustments, but they seemed to all be marketed toward drifters. I looked for the Swift springs and see several. I'm going to assume that you suggest the Sport model and not the Race model.

Thanks again.

[Croustibat]

I greatly appreciate your input. Pardon my ignorance but I thought struts and dampers were the same thing. Your suggestion leads me to believe that we have dampers, springs, and struts on our cars. Is this the case? I've never heard of drop knuckles before. After a quick search I found some knuckles that allow adjustments, but they seemed to all be marketed toward drifters. I looked for the Swift springs and see several. I'm going to assume that you suggest the Sport model and not the Race model.

Thanks again.

You are in fact right.

What i was refering as "strut" is the part where you fit a damper in, then you fit the spring, and on top of that there is a cup or hat will compress the spring. Sometimes the strut and the damper can be separated, but most of the time they arent.

swift makes springs on demand, but they also offer some lowering springs kits. They are supposed to ride better than any other spring maker, giving a "softer than they really are" effect. The sport springs should fit nicely. Again, be aware that the pics you posted are from really lowered cars, this solution will never allow going that low.

Considering the knuckles and general geometry correction check this thread:
http://zilvia.net/f/tech-talk/296725-roll-center-suspension-pickup-steering-angle-modification-thread.html

Basically you are looking at a 2000-3000$ price tag if you want to get a car low and handling - and that is excluding the coilovers, which will produce a harsh ride anyway.

The kayaba + swift setup does not lower much (edit: it drops around 1inch front and 0.6 rear); but you cant lower more without starting to mess badly with your suspension. You will of course find tons and tons of ricers that will tell you their car is comfortable and handles well, but strangely they wont be able to give you a datasheet with the change in angles when their suspension travel. Nastly things happen such as tons of toe and camber change for every millimeter of suspension movement, which is something you really dont want. But that only happens with moving suspensions of course, and these guys usually have ultra stiff springs that prevent any suspension movement.



Finally, dont even think doing what rcdad123 wrote, that is awesomely stupid - yet effective at lowering. Cutting springs means they got harder, lost integrity, wont sit properly, and the whole car surely rides on bump stops now. Perfect recipe if you have a death wish.

[zerodameaon]

Stay away from KYB AGX adjustables and most of the lowering springs out there, I have tried a lot of them and they all produce a bouncy(not harsh but almost like blown struts) ride no matter the setting. Only ones that I have found to be worth a damn were the black Eibach springs and they don't drop you much.

[fliprayzin240sx]

I've had Tokico shocks and Eibach sportlines that we're chopped a coil all around, those rode softer than any coilover I've had. I've ran Megans, Cusco comp-s, HKS, topline aragosta and currently on Fortune Auto 500s.

[Cgiles]

So far I've heard use KYB AGX but don't use them and cut your springs but don't. I've found in my field of expertise (IT) that when two people hold polar opposite positions on a matter, lets say a piece of equipment, then I often find that the person holding the negative view had performed the setup incorrectly or had external variables that caused what he/she believed was "bad" equipment.

Now I come from the Pontiac Grand Prix world. We didn't have that many choices in regards to suspension components. We had Best (which had been discontinued), Good, and the rest. I went with good, which happened to be KYB AGX struts and SSC springs. I installed them myself, along with new strut tops, sways, trailing arms, and bushings. It rode harsher, even at the softest setting, but that was to be expected; and it handled loads better - even for a big boat like the GP.

[fliprayzin240sx]

It will still depend on the spring you get. Most springs on these cars are pretty soft, atleast compared to spring rates on coilovers. As long as the spring rate matches with the shocks you're getting, dampning wise, it shouldnt be bouncy.