Took the Excel-G/GR-2 shocks for a test drive tonight, car felt alot more attached to the road especially when swinging around roundabouts and hitting large seams in the road, even seems to hook up better in the rear without axle hopping under good boost as it did before. Noise wise it improved, still a little bit of improvement in the front to be had with top bushes and gaskets I think. The noise when hitting irregularities in the road decreased and sounded more solid, not rattly. The old shocks gave a terrible feeling of under-steer when entering corners, like a never ending lean, feels alot more confidence inspiring now. This also carried onto the highway, doing quick lane changes, the outside front corner doesn't feel like it sinking and tempting the rear end to come out, felt balanced. So in conclusion, stuffed shocks makes the car feel like a boat, new shocks significantly improved road holding from low speed to highway speeds and returned handling balance that had long since been lost. Very happy. :br: I will run the Excel-G's for a while then try some AGX's, then some Eibachs, keep an eye on the FSBB section, I should be putting up Eibachs soon. A little tip for people about to fit shocks, the factory springs have insulating tubes at the top and the bottom of each coil spring, this is to minimise transfer and causes of noise, between the coil and the bottom seat of the shock, the top has a rubber seat, mine were in reasonable condition, but were the coils are close they may close up and hit under compression this is where the top tube is placed. Mine were brittle and falling to pieces, flaked them off gave it a wash in some degreaser to get the glue off. These are available from Nissan ex Melbourne at $17.35 a piece, that's $138.80 for 8 tubes. Go to fulcrum or Peders and ask for "coil wrap", no more then $5 a metre, you will need 2-3 metre's. Using 25-30cm lengths x 8. Peders had some nice yellow stuff :zlove:, its speced for 13-18mm coil springs, the stock Z32 has 11mm coil springs, wind it on tightly and fits great. Just feed the begging on and keep twisting, as you get more on chase it through. For those with boot and bump stop kits please not that the big boot goes on the front and smaller one on the rear, the back is easy enough, on the front assemble the bump stop and boot then squeeze the bump stop into the top bracket seating it properly, its a tight fit.
EDIT: Correction, Fulcrum had the yellow wrap, Peder's has some translucent/white, black and yellow is also available from CAPA. Your local suspension specialist should have some. The bottom coil wrap has to be put on while the springs are compressed, the top can be put on after the assembly is complete.
Yep, Cara is very happy with hers too John, fitted them on the weekend and drove back from Somerset on them and she was very happy
Geez it didn't take you long! The last time I saw that car you were covered in grease and all wheels were missing and that was only last night! I'm looking forward to getting my AGX's fitted when I have the time
Nice review will be eagerly awaiting the eibach springs so i can install the lot on mine, any idea when you think you might be setting a thread up for the eibachs?
Aye they are a good shock, found that out when driving mine as I have GR2's installed now up for sale, recon they are perfect replacement for old worn out shocks and exactly how you described them.
I'm confused right now, how is this cable wrapping helping your suspension? What material is that stuff made out of.
Confused - how can you wrap the stuff around the end of a coil that is tightly held in a spring compressor?
What John is saying is that when you compress the spring and take it off the strut it will still be in the compressors until you assemble it so put the wrap on then.
Correct, where the metal spring sits on the metal shelf of the shock and between the coils at either end in close proximity of each other that will come together under heavy compression. It probably is cable wrap, which is also available from Jaycar (about the same price), but it was cheap enough from Fulcrum, and I know it was suitable.
