Own a 350Z and want to lower the car? Well AUTO-Talk has a step-by-step guide that helps you change the suspension on your Nissan 350Z.
Tools needed:
- Factory Jack
- Floor Jack
- 1/2″ Rachet (3/8″)
- 1/2″ Extensions (3/8″)
- 17mm Socket
- 12mm Socket
- 19mm Socket
- 17mm Box End Wrench
- Air Tools
- Torque Wrench
- Spring Compressor
Rear Suspension:
Jack up car using factory jack. Remove wheel and tire. Now place floor jack below the rear lower link that the coil spring is located in and use the jack to hold the spring in place, raising it up a 1/8″ or so. Refer to the picture and remove the nut and bolt to the rear lower link (blue arrow). Remove bolt from bottom of strut mount (red arrow). Picture is from above looking down.
NOTE: There is NO need to remove the bolt depicted in red if you are only installing springs.
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Work out bolt, it will come out without damaging the threads. Now slowly lower the rear lower link, watch the floor jack to see when this suspension part stops going down, make sure the floor jack keeps on touching it.
To get the coil spring out. Loosen the nut in the green arrow, NOT the bolt. The bolt is fixed. It does NOT need to be removed. Once it is loose, you should be able to lower the floor jack and remove the rear spring.
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Install in reverse order. HINT #1: Use your floor jack to raise parts up to match up various bolt holes. Repeat process on other side of rear suspension. HINT #2: Compared to the OEM spring, the upper part of the new spring is not flush. Hint #3: Just ensure the spring is properly seated in the bottom of the suspension member. HINT#4: You WILL NEED to bang things around because everything fits snugly, ie. the rear lower link connection to the “wheel?” HINT #5: Here are the torque specs for the bolts involved:
1) Bolt depicted in blue: 48-59 ft/lb
2) Bolt depicted in green: 48-59 ft/lb
3) ONLY for those removing the strut, bolt in red: 74-88 ft/lb
Front Suspension:
Unbolt the 3 12mm upper strut mount bolts from under the hood, set them aside as to NOT misplace them.
Unbolt the 12mm bolt holding the brake line on the strut, set nut aside and pull brake line off the strut. Look at pic with red arrow for brake line location.
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Remove the speed sensor line from the strut in the 2 places it attaches to the strut via compression fittings (just pull)(blue arrow) Remove the nut and bolt from the bottom of the strut(red arrow) It will come out, but will be difficult. Use floor jack to line things up. Remove the bolt holding the swaybar end link to the suspension arm(green arrow) NOTE: The bolt for the end link will NOT come out yet, DO NOT TRY!
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Now you get to use the spring compressor. Your goal will be to compress enough of the spring so that you can remove the sway bar end link bolt (hard work, need to bang it out). Once your able to do that you should have enough clearance to be able to remove the whole spring/strut/spring compressor assembly. NOTE BE CAREFUL, watch out for the speed sensor line, DO NOT tear it appart. Trying to make space to remove this assembly is gonna give you a headache. Keep perservering. I’ve seen people put the factory jack between their fender and the upper link to create more space. I did this and slightly dented the inside of the fender (not noticeable because the fender lining covers it up.
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If only installing springs, you’ll need to remove the center bolt located on the strut/spring assembly. This is wear having a power tool helps. I didn’t try removing the bold with hand tools. BE CAREFUL. This is where the spring can shoot out.
Install your new springs ensuring everything sits properly. There are grooves in the rubber upper seat that should match up with the spring. Ensure everything is lined up. Push down on the mounting insulator and install the center bolt. Tighten as much as possible. You should tighten this bolt later after the assembly is installed and the car is lowered.
Install everything back in the reverse order. Again, putting back this assembly is also a pain in the butt. The springs may be shorter than OEM, but still a pain.
HINT #1: Be Patient. Removing and installing the spring/strut assembly is difficult. HINT #2: The bump stops (the rubber cushions that fit around the top of each spring) on the front of the OEM springs should be taken off and placed on the new springs. HINT #3: Again, use your factory jack to line up parts with bolts. HINT #4: Torque Spec for bolts:
1)3 12 mm upper strut mount bolts: 26-30 ft/lb
2)12 mm bolt for nrake line: Can’t find, but probably 10 ft/lb
3)Bolt from bottom of strut (Pic 4 red arrow): 52-62 ft/lb
4)Bolt connect sway bar end link to suspension arm (Pic 4 green arrow): 59-70 ft/lb
5)Center bolt of strut/spring assembly: 40-47 ft/lb
