Choosing Suspension

[Fujiwara]

As stated in a different thread, my tyres are scrubbing and i'm taking a punt that it's the jap spec coilovers that came with the car.

So i'm looking at alternatives.

Have 2 options in mind right now.

SK's group buy and Fulcrum TEIN Mono Flex.

Heres the thing.

I want to be able to adjust camber but i know that the skylines can't use a pillowball top to adjust camber as it's a double wishbone setup.

I researched and found you can adjust camber with

adjustable upper control arm

adjustable lower control arm

adjustable offset bushes - subframe bushes <--- these the same?

adjustable camber kit

toe rods

traction rods (looks similar if not same as toe rods)

WHICH ONES DO I NEED FOR THE FRONT and/or REAR?

And are Adjustable Tension Rods the only way i can modify the castor of the wheels? Do i need one for the rear as well as the fronts?

Finally, i don't need anything to adjust TOE in/out right? Any suspension place should be able to do this??

[salad]

For the front, you need either some form of adjustable upper arm. This can be done with a whole adjustable arm, or adjustable upper arm bushes (completely different to subframe bushes). You could get them or adjustable lower control arms, but these are damn expensive. I havn't seen any company do adjustable lower control arm bushes, either, so you'd have to go a complete adjustable arm, like Ikeya Formula.

On the rear, you need adjustment in the upper control arm, again, either complete arms or adjustable bushes. And once again, you can do adjustable lower control arms, but they're damn pricey... again...

Traction rods are a good idea if you have upper arm adjustment too as you dont screw the geometry up lots and get heaps of bumpsteer.

Tension rods only do castor and castor is only on the front, so no, you dont need them for the rear.

Is your car a HICAS model car? If it is, then you dont need toe arms as you already have tie rods, which have a huge range of adjustment, unlike the standard cam adjustment that the non-HICAS models have.

Front always have tie rods so you dont have to worry about aftermarket adjustment there.

[Fujiwara]

So an adj. lower control arm does exactly what the upper arm does, except it's more pricey?

And my car is a HICAS equipped model, but i'm thinking of removing the unit.

Would this disable me from adjusting my tie rods?

[Proximity Motorsport]

no it wouldnt. As with a lock bar you screw the tie rods into it and instead of the center being the hicas unit its a solid bar that wont move.. im sure you have seen them.

Subframe bushes are for the rear... aso known as pineapples. They make your whole rear subframe tight so it doesnt have movement.

when you think about it... the upper arm and lower arm both hold the wheel.... the longer the lowe arm is the more it pushes out on the bottom of your tyre... therefore giving you more negative camber....

The shorter the upper arm is the more it will pull your tyre in at the top... giving you more negative camber... either way works but most people go for upper arms as they are cheaper and easier to source. Try whiteline for the bushes if you want out cheap. Or if you want to spen $400 or so get the whole replacement arm... gives you more adjustment too. They can be bought from www.JustJap.com ... they are the cheapest i know of..

And as for your tyres scrubbing?? What do they scrub?? I doubt changing suspension will help in this area... save your money and buy adjuswtable upper rear arms and front upper arms for camber and a set of castor rods. JustJap have all of these items for fairly good prices. Then you will have a very good setup.

[Fujiwara]

Hmm...

thing is, are the upper control arms and cator rods compatible with any coilover/shock setups?

As i have pillowball top jap spec coilovers.

They seem fine...but maybe it is scrubbing as the valving has gone???

[salad]

are the upper control arms and cator rods compatible with any coilover/shock setups?

Yes

[Fujiwara]

I believe it's DEFINITELY the coilovers.

I'm running 18x8" +30 rims on my GTT.

225/45 front and 245/45 rears.

They scrub inside the guard when i do any decent speed around sweepers with mild bumps.

Scrubs like hell when there's a dip.

Going to go and get the front stiffened up with the rears and raise the car 1/2 inch.

Then i'll look for camber.