Question about Tein S-tech or H-tech springs.

[yacoub]

If you run just some sport springs, say Tein S-Techs... how do the stock struts hold up? Are they strong enough to not hit their bumpstops at the new lowered height? Are they strong enough to handle being under more pressure all the time without blowing out earlier?

With other cars I've had in the past, it was always known that if you just got sport springs, you'd either end up replacing your struts more often or you'd have to buy some aftermarket struts too.

[Gsedan35]

Well the fronts are 14% stiffer then oem and heck the rears are actually a LOT softer then oem. Can't really make a case for accelerated shock wear based on that. What I would worry about is bottoming out the shocks because of the reduced ride height and the fact that oem coupe and sedan shocks aren't that stiff to start with. Also not a good choice if improved handling is your game either. Because of their drop height, you'll require aftermarket alignment parts to get the alignment to oem specs.

Tein S-tech G35 coupe & sedan (fronts are progressive, rears are linear)
358/274 R+14% R-18%
Transfers +32% roll stiffness to front

What kind drop amount will make you happy? And you do drive a coupe, correct?

[Gsedan35]

Oh, I forgot, here's the specs for the H-techs, no high pressure on the oem shocks their either.

Tein H-tech G35 coupe & sedan(fronts are progressive, rears are linear)
324/260 F+ 5% R-22%
Transfers +27% roll stiffness to front

[yacoub]

Ah okay, thanks. So it's coilovers or nothing as far as spring/strut upgrades go.

[Gsedan35]

Well your question was driven towards asking if you can get away with running lowering springs with the oem shocks. I don't see why you can't. I do suspect that with 1" or lower drops that the oem shocks won't have the power to keep you off the bumpstops all the time. You certainly do have the option to add on aftermarket Tokico D-specs for $499 shipped. And their's nothing stopping you from considering serveral 350Z lowering springs, which I didn't talk about here. No, you don't have to go to coilovers, depends on what drop amount you can live with to make you happy and how much improved performance your after. Spell that out and I can point you to something to meet your needs, even if it means sticking with G35 specific springs.

[yacoub]

Cool, thanks for the clarification. My comment about coilovers or nothing was related to my sentiment which I should have written down, which is that I'd be looking for something that tightens up the suspension around corners but also removes the crappy jarring/shaking when going over uneven ground with the stock suspension, combined with a want to lower the car a little.

I'm looking at getting swaybars (Hotchkis or 350EVO), 350EVO camber/toe kits, and a set of coilovers. I was just wondering if I could shortcut the coilovers by just getting some sport springs that would lower slightly and improve the handling a bit for much less cost. But then it's likely the springs wouldn't be as nicely matched to the struts as a set of coilovers would be.

I dunno, I just want to improve the car's handling - get rid of body roll and understeer (swaybars), lower it a little for improved turn-in and center of gravity as well as looks (coilovers), and stiffen it up in the corners while also removing the nasty jar/shudder/swaying found when going around turns with uneven ground / going over uneven ground in general (not sure what would fix this, but it's related to the stock suspension so likely swapping the swaybars and springs/struts will fix it).

And maybe down the road a set of lightweight forged 18" wheels to improve unsprung weight and looks.

I'm not sure what the perfect solution is for this, but I'd certainly like to get it right the first time, instead of fiddling with the suspension and trying numerous products as I have with past cars, which always ends up being a ridiculous expense in the end.

[Gsedan35]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by yacoub

Cool, thanks for the clarification. My comment about coilovers or nothing was related to my sentiment which I should have written down, which is that I'd be looking for something that tightens up the suspension around corners but also removes the crappy jarring/shaking when going over uneven ground with the stock suspension, combined with a want to lower the car a little.

I'm looking at getting swaybars (Hotchkis or 350EVO), 350EVO camber/toe kits, and a set of coilovers. I was just wondering if I could shortcut the coilovers by just getting some sport springs that would lower slightly and improve the handling a bit for much less cost. But then it's likely the springs wouldn't be as nicely matched to the struts as a set of coilovers would be.

I dunno, I just want to improve the car's handling - get rid of body roll and understeer (swaybars), lower it a little for improved turn-in and center of gravity as well as looks (coilovers), and stiffen it up in the corners while also removing the nasty jar/shudder/swaying found when going around turns with uneven ground / going over uneven ground in general (not sure what would fix this, but it's related to the stock suspension so likely swapping the swaybars and springs/struts will fix it).

And maybe down the road a set of lightweight forged 18" wheels to improve unsprung weight and looks.

I'm not sure what the perfect solution is for this, but I'd certainly like to get it right the first time, instead of fiddling with the suspension and trying numerous products as I have with past cars, which always ends up being a ridiculous expense in the end.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Well, I can tell you that installing aftermarket shocks, either Tokico D-specs or Koni sports will get you the improvements in shock control your after ("the nasty jar/shudder/swaying"). Then we move to what lowering springs will lower the car with the subtle drop you've mentioned and yet offer spring rates that actually work for performance and are not a liability in that regard. This rules out G35 specific lowering springs.

All these springs are ment for the 350Z and I have added 1/2" from their published "Z" drop amounts to reflect how much they should drop a coupe

Tein H-techs 350Z, should drop the a coupe .8"/.7"
(fronts are progressive, rears are linear)
358/375 F+14% R+11%
Transfers +3% roll stiffness to front

RSR 350Z springs should drop a coupe .9"/.9" (staying within oem alignment specs is of concern)
(just a wee bit progressive F&R, maybe one coil is progressive)
345/417 F+10% R+22%
Transfers +12% roll stiffness to rear

Tein S-tech 350Z should drop a coupe 1.2"/1.1" (I really worry about alignment expences if these are used)
(fronts are progressive, rears are linear)
386/402 F+23% R+16%
Transfers +7% roll stiffness to front

OEM 350Z springs should drop coupe .5"/.5"
Spring rate is the same as oem coupe springs, but NO funny business regarding spring stiffness front or rear.
You can buy a set right now on ebay for the proper "street" price of just $50 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...sPageName=WDVW
(Frankly, if they don't work for you you can quickly resell them to a sedan owner, whom will get a 1" drop out of them).




If your mind does switch to coilovers, things are over shadowed by what drop amount they are ment to run or BEST run at. Meaning you stand a higher chance to need to spend money on aftermarket alignment fixes. Though that doesn't have to be as expensive as some would spend, talking about Cusco pending front camber arms and using SPC's rear camber arms/toe bolts.

Based on your want's and needs the Bilstein Pss9 and HKS RS come to mind. But, I do not know the drop range they would have on the coupe. HKS does make a LS+ coilover for the G35 coupe, but it's possible that it's valving is actually more aggressive then the RS (based on the specs for the LS+ valving that I have seen, RS valving specs are NOT posted however) and it does transfer more roll stiffness to the front vs the LS+.

Bilstein PSS9 coilover (Monotube construction, adjustable dampners)
Special Note: Mild spring rates, but Bilstein says the dampners are performance valved
370/240-420 (rear progressive) F +18% R +23%( peak rear spring rate)
Transfers +5% roll stiffness to rear

HKS RS (Monotube construction, adjustable dampning)
448/448 F+43% R+31%
Transfers 12% roll stiffness to the front
Special Note: “Marketed” as HKS’s track coil over with a good street ride

HKS LS+ G35 Coupe (Monotube construction, adjustable dampners)
504/448 F+58% R+29% (rear springs are progressive)
transfers 29% roll stiffness to the front

[yacoub]

"Tokico D-specs or Koni sports"

What are the pluses and minuses of those two?

And what springs are best matched to either of those?

Do these Konis have upper and lower perches for mounting? The Koni yellow 5-way adjustables for the 3.2CL TypeS did, and if mounted on the lower perch, it's like you've dropped the car an inch and a half but I wonder how much of the compression stroke it takes away to do that and if it puts them under more pressure.