Suspension Overhaul

[agentx]

Hi guys;

I'm preparing to do an overhaul on the 32 gtst and would like to begin with suspension, this will be my daily driver and the aim is to have around 250 rwkw or so in the end. I'm going to buy coilover's at some stage but need to know what else I need to replace / get inspected. I've got lowered springs already.

Is it just the bushes that I need replaced? which bushes exactly?

I browsed through quite a few pages last night but couldn't find something relevant (although someone surely would've done this before) so if someone can list a few items or point me in the right direction, that'd be awesome!

Thanks!

[GTSBoy]

You should be able to find something relevant, it's been done over and over.

Short version. Keep in mind that anything with rose joints is defectable, so I will only be recommending oem style or polyurethane adjustable stuff.

Front:

Upper control arms. Buy Whiteline adjustable urethane bush kit.

Castor rods. Buy Whiteline adjustable urethane bush kit.

Lower control arms. Possibly buy new OEM rubber style bushes. Inspect, or get inspected by mechanic, tie rod ends and ball joints.

Rear:

Upper control arms and radius arms. Buy Whiteline (or similar) adjustable urethane bushes for the inner ends. Consider doing the much bigger job of also fitting a second set to the outside ends of these arms.

Lower control arms. Buy OEM rubber style bushes for these.

Subframe. Buy Whiteline or similar new OEM rubber style bushes. Fairly big job to replace. Some will recommend solid aloy bushes. Not so nice for a daily.

If you already have lowered springs that you like the spring rate of (ie, not too stiff, or too soft for you), then just buy new Bilstein dampers instead of coilovers. Adjustable height coilovers are defectable unless they are welded to make the non height adjustable.

Anti-roll bars. I strongly recommend the Whiteline 24mm adjustable rear bar, with the heavy duty end link kit. Same at the front. Probably end up setting it up at the softer setting at rear and harder setting at front, depending on how much you hate understeer/can cope with mid corner oversteer.

[GTSBoy]

Oh, I forgot to add. HICAS sucks balls. The trouble is, HICAS delete bars are defectable. So if you want to keep it, get the rear tie rod ends inspected when you do the fronts. If you want to delete it with a bar, go right ahead, but the best delete stuff is the more exxy type that actually replaces the tie rods as well, and gets rid of teh tie rod ends as a result.

The very best way to get rid of HICAS is to rip the subframe out and replace it with a non-HICAS one and the appropriate rear toe arms. Delete all pipework, solenoids, swap out R322 power steer pump for an R33 one, and enjoy never having HICAS go to shit on you again (or even just have it ruin your line in a corner).

cheers

[Hank Scorpio]

Definitely get all of your steering componentry checked and replace if required; ball joints, tie rod ends etc.

From there it depends how hard you wanna' go at it and also take into condieration how much you want to lower the car by.

Castor bushes are prone to going - replace the bushes or buy adjustable castor rods. Remember Skylines LOVE more caster, so I'd go rods. When you lower Skylines you generally induce a fair amount of rear negative camber so I reccomend replacing the upper control arms with adjustable camber arms and as a result you may run out of toe adjustment in the rear, so whack some toe rods on as well if necessary.

There are four large fluid filled bushes in the rear subframe, these are prone to going and are a pain in the ass to change. You can get rear subframe collars cheap and they are easy to install, these basically lock the OEM bush into place. For comfort put polyurethane bushes in (SuperPro do a kit) but if you don't mind the odd clunk and a bit more performance replace with alloy bushes.

That'll be a pretty decent general suspension freshen up without going overboard.

Oh, I forgot to add. HICAS sucks balls. The trouble is, HICAS delete bars are defectable. So if you want to keep it, get the rear tie rod ends inspected when you do the fronts. If you want to delete it with a bar, go right ahead, but the best delete stuff is the more exxy type that actually replaces the tie rods as well, and gets rid of teh tie rod ends as a result.

The very best way to get rid of HICAS is to rip the subframe out and replace it with a non-HICAS one and the appropriate rear toe arms. Delete all pipework, solenoids, swap out R322 power steer pump for an R33 one, and enjoy never having HICAS go to shit on you again (or even just have it ruin your line in a corner).

cheers

Or HICAS lock washers do the trick and go under the radar

[agentx]

Wow, thanks for the long reply mate appreciate it. The car already has hicas lock bar and front ad rear sway bars on the strut towers. And it's lowered already but I suspect the shockers are pretty worn out.

I'll be printing the stuff out that you've mentioned and take it to a mechanic mate of mine, I'll source some parts online if I find them. Thanks again

[GTSBoy]

No. Strut bars are not sway bars, and sway bars are not what I meant by anti-roll bars. I refuse to call anti-roll bars by the incorrect term "sway bars". Anti-roll bars go under the car. Strut bars go over the top. Completely different things.

[agentx]

oh ok - yea i knew that i just read what you said as strut bars in my head - point taken!