# Nismo R-Tune Spec V Suspension Upgrade on a Budget



## bm14582 (Dec 14, 2002)

Notes from the article:

1) Get some new Eibach Pro Kit springs

2) Purchase Nismo's front and rear anti-sway bars

3) Driving Impressions:

Before I get to the performance numbers I want to discuss the ride quality impressions I got after all the parts were installed. At first you don't notice much of a change at all, except that you're a little closer to the ground. Once you get moving the springs are a little more taught than the stock springs, but not by much. The ride comfort is still very acceptable on everyday roads. And the modest drop in ride height makes all but the most cavernous potholes safe to interact with. There are no extra squeaks or noises that would imply shoddy quality for either the springs or anti-sway bars. The car just seems like a more alert version of its former self.

The biggest difference that I noticed was when I traversed any given corner. There is a definite improvement in the car's handling characteristics. While the stock suspension was very communicative when you were just making a turn here or there, cornering at high speeds or with a lot of steering input is a whole new experience. Where before the car had a slight disconnect that tended to leave the driver guessing as to exactly when the car was going to stop gripping the road, now the suspension gives nothing but ample support and, most importantly, feedback. There is no guesswork at all when you throw this car into the corners. It just tells you to keep on the gas and hold on tight. I love it!

The car also exhibits very little under-steer, except when you are in too low a gear and applying wide-open-throttle. If you apply your acceleration correctly the car simply wants to predictably rotate (not spin) around every corner it encounters. The handling is fairly neutral with a slight bias towards over-steer (but nothing alarming, it simply adds to the perception that the car wants to rotate safely around a corner.) My all-season tires introduced a bit more tire flex than you would get with a set of performance summer tires, but my Spec V's new suspension kept it well under control.

An unexpected benefit was the reduction of the usually ubiquitous torque-steer. While it isn't completely eliminated it is much harder to tell that it's present.

And now for the information that everyone is waiting for, the lateral-g result. Keep in mind that I have ContiExtreme Contact Ultra High Performance All-Season tires on and not really sticky summer tires. A lot of enthusiasts who upgrade their cars do it with a pure performance mindset. This is fine, until you take your car out on regular roads, full of pot holes, speed bumps, and uneven surfaces. My goal, as always, it to find a happy medium between my desired performance improvements and how those improvements will react to the local roads (I drive to New York a lot, which is renowned for its really crappy road surfaces.) With that in mind, I was able to get a best lateral-g of .98 with my G-Tech Pro! This was much better than I could have possibly expected and well worth the $600 ($750 for me) parts upgrade.

*Full Review*

http://www.qr25de.net/viewtopic.php?t=566


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