Spring And Shock Question

[Damo Monster]

hi all..

firstly, i have tried the search which didnt really get me anywhere so heres my question..

i want to lower my skyline, partly for handiling but also for looks... now my standard shocks failed a while ago and i had them replaced with some nismo gas shocks.. i dont know how many k's the shocks has done when i got them, but they seem to be in good nick and have been working well... (they are blue in colour, and have jap writing all over them, except for the NISMO logo, perhaps someone could id these?).. so i want to know if its safe to use a lowering spring with these, and if so, what a good brand and type is?

cheers,

damo

car is a 91 r32 skyline gtst sedan with around 150ks on clock... cheers

[wonkynutz]

Hey how much do you want to lower it? Reason I ask is because if the shocks are meant for standard ride height and spring rate and you lower the car much plus fit stiffer springs ,and they'll need to be stiffer if they're shorter, you'll end up with a bloody pig of a thing.

Reasoning goes as follows: say you drop the car to minimum legal ground clearance of 100mm. You have just reduced suspension travel by 50mm. The shock is left with only about half its designed range to work with and is trying to control a stronger spring. The result is that although it will be ok on a dead smooth surface it will pogo like a bitch as soon as you hit the slightest bump. This totally stuffs your handling and braking.

The other thing to watch is excessive camber produced by lowering. This will wear out your tyres in no time. You want to do yourself a favour? Spend your money on a matched set of springs and shocks set up for the ride height you want. Be aware that if this is more than 25mm lower than standard you WILL be sacrificing handling and braking for looks,and you will also need camber correction bushes to get reasonable tyre wear.

[eron]

How do you check if the shocks are gone or alright?

Bouncy over humps?

How about the pressing on the corners of the car thing?

[wonkynutz]

Rough rule of thumb? If the shocks have done 50,000 k's they're either stuffed or almost stuffed.

If they're leaking oil they're stuffed.

If the car goes boing boing boing after hitting a bump they're stuffed.

[eron]

Rough rule of thumb? If the shocks have done 50,000 k's they're either stuffed or almost stuffed.

If they're leaking oil they're stuffed.

If the car goes boing boing boing after hitting a bump they're stuffed.

Haha, I just reached 50,000k's some weeks ago. Not leaking oil, but it's going boing boing more and more.