I'm considering whether or not to upgrade my suspension with adjustable parts. I currently only have MeisterR coilovers and I just bought a drift works total hi as delete. What products for people think I should go for / consider?

My zed currently has a crashy ride. I'm hoping with the new coilovers & z1 FUCA's it will help make the ride more comfortable. If it doesn't then I'm back to square one, minus nearly £1000.

 

I hope you achieve what you're after, but truth is I think you'll still find it crashy. Hope I'm wrong.

IMO the best ride (not handling) is achieved by using the original spec springs and dampers and sticking to new OEM bushings. Obviously this is quite an expensive route. All this solid bearing this and solid bushing that only make the ride worse.

Coil overs are always more performance and handling biased and always be somewhat firmer than stock which can create a crashy ride.

Also, new cars now ride so well, even on silly 20" wheels (example new Astra VXR) that we are spoilt and our Z32 just can't compete and its easy to unfairly compare.

My zed currently has a crashy ride. I'm hoping with the new coilovers & z1 FUCA's it will help make the ride more comfortable. If it doesn't then I'm back to square one, minus nearly £1000.

 

So, what part of it makes it crashy? What parts do you have now?

 

Mine's not currently crashy with the coilovers on.

So, what part of it makes it crashy? What parts do you have now?

 

Mine's not currently crashy with the coilovers on.

 

It's got lowered springs & aftermarket shocks. It has various poly bushed parts on the suspension. I'm not sure exactly what they are as they were already fitted when I bought the car. I do remember driving the car before lowering it & the ride was fine but that was on 16" wheels & stock shocks & springs. I'm not looking for a really smooth ride like a new car, just don't want to feel every little bump in the road.

The other thing of course is that what one person thinks is crashy, another person things is sporty or just ok. Its a somewhat subjective thing.

I think what Tom is describing is what I don't want! Don't get me wrong, in my old car I had new suspension and it was awesome, but I'm not expecting that... Just want decent ride

Lee Dent is fitting my coilovers in a few weeks, then it's new tyres & alignment so will let you know what it's like after that.

Lee Dent is fitting my coilovers in a few weeks, then it's new tyres & alignment so will let you know what it's like after that.

 

Thanks mate. So, does the car not have any camber arms or anything?

Thanks mate. So, does the car not have any camber arms or anything?

 

It's got z1 FUCA's & aftermarket front tension rods. They didn't make much difference to the ride quality. My tyres have a few flat spots too so they won't help.

After fitting all my new parts the car to me is much better,but it is to your personal preference,it doesn't ride like my Mercedes but I don't want it to,it rides what I think is......firm,sporty,and comfortable for a mile muncher,on the motorway she's perfect just what you want out of a GT car,I wouldn't like to drive down some cobble road in it,but then the speed bumps round where I live are the size of three story flats...lol but its fine over them,so I do think it's about personal preference...what are you trying to achieve!!

Edited March 6, 20169 yr by gray

A nice stance and decent ride quality... That's it really. Thinking, should I get the Z1 fuca's and then the rear uppers from meisterR and possibly the tension rods from either Z1 or MeisterR

Poly bushings are well known to transform the car into a crashy ride, particularly on the rear. There was a note on the ES bushing kit on CZP stating that this is not for road/daily use cars as it makes the ride too harsh. Pair them up with the solid bearings used in 99% of the adjustable arms available, coilovers with shocks on firm settings, springs rates designed for hardcore track use and tyres with very little sidewall; the result is something that most people would find too crashy for road use. The bone shattering ride also has a negative affect on the audible feel of the car creating rattles throughout the interior, NVH felt more prominently through the steering wheel and seats etc.

 

It's generally not possible to maintain a feel as soft as stock if you're after a stanced car with larger wheels, but is it possible to minimise the negative effects:

 

[emoji777] To start with, anything with poly bushings (especially on the rear) is removed;

[emoji736] and replaced with Nismo alternatives. Stock bushings are mostly NLA and if they are available are sold with the complete component assembly so are pricey!

 

[emoji777] Any solid bearing adjustable arm or joint is removed (again, especially on the rear);

[emoji736] and replaced with either stock or bushed components (non-poly on the rear).

 

[emoji777] Coilover shock damping settings wound down from the higher, firm settings;

[emoji736] and wound down to the softer spectrum, start with max soft (I run mine on max soft perms antsy for road use).

 

[emoji777] Remove springs with a high spring rate;

[emoji736] and replace with less track orientated numbers. The MeisterR for example are not "too" bad with 8 - 6kg/mm combo but some manufacturers have rediculous numbers like 12 - 8! Personally, after a long chat with Jerrick, I ordered my MeisterR suspension with a 6 - 4kg/mm combo.

 

[emoji777] No run flat tyres!

[emoji736] Obviously tyres with larger sidewalls (smaller diameter wheels) will give a more refined ride but I'm a sucker for my 19's and my ride feels very acceptable.

 

After doing all of this, as a GT car the ride felt supple, smooth and forgiving, it was great for driving in straight lines but turn a corner and it felt like the body roll was excessive. Luckily I have the Stillen ARB kit so I stepped them up from the previous softest setting, to the firmest position. Now the car corners well for a street car, it will never be competitive on a track but if I was to use it on the track, by stiffening up the rebound rates of the shocks, it will go some way towards improving its handling for the day; certainly an improvement over stock and most aftermarket shock/lowering Spring combos.

 

I'm sure my setup is certainly not for everyone, but those that have driven it advise positively about the ride feel and quality.

Edited March 7, 20169 yr by Joely P

 

It's generally not possible to maintain a feel as soft as stock if you're after a stanced car with larger wheels, but is it possible to minimise the negative effects:

 

[emoji777] Any solid bearing adjustable arm or joint is removed (again, especially on the rear);

[emoji736] and replaced with either stock or bushed components (non-poly on the rear).

 

 

[emoji777] Remove springs with a high spring rate;

[emoji736] and replace with less track orientated numbers. The MeisterR for example are not "too" bad with 8 - 6kg/mm combo but some manufacturers have rediculous numbers like 12 - 8! Personally, after a long chat with Jerrick, I ordered my MeisterR suspension with a 6 - 4kg/mm combo.

 

 

Thanks Joely P. So, I currently have MeisterR Zeta-S coilovers. Although they're set soft, they don't bother me as being too hard at all.

 

The next point is where I'm struggling. So, the suspension parts are all stock (apart from the coilovers and soon the HICAS delete). I'm guessing due to needing the 'bush' type of products, then the Z1 front FUCA and Tension rods would be the best stuff to get? Is that right? Then is there anything camber wise I can get for the rear that is adjustable and has bushings?