Cusco Zero-1. Too hard for daily or just badly set up?

[Soul]

The S15 I bought recently had Cusco Zero-1 coilovers and it's really crashy. Very stiff and any little bump feels terrible.

Could it be badly set up, or are these know to be very harsh, in which case what do people recommend for a daily driven S15?

I'm suffering from top mount manifold cracking and want to eliminate harsh suspension as a contributing factor

 

[TomK]

Does it have to be coilovers? Do you need the car low? Or would you be happy with a damper and lowering spring.

No experience with those coilovers, so can't help there I'm afraid.

 

[Soul]

I'd like it lower than standard. I was assuming stock suspension was coilovers as well. Is that not the case?

 

[TomK]

You have standard dampers and spring, then there was a factory option of NISMO dampers and springs which lower it and are uprated, then there is the nismo s-tune springs and dampers which are uprated even more also lower it. That's all as far as Nissan go that I'm aware of, after that it's aftermarket coilovers for a very low ride.

 

[Soul]

All those stock options are still coilovers though right?

I'm not trying to slam it to the floor. I'd like to be lower than whatever stock is, stiffer ride so I can have some fun, but not bonecrushing. This is my daily so I don't want a track-focussed setup.

I'm wondering if I should find some cheap 2nd hand stock option just so I know what that's like before doing anything different. I could take the car to Wheels in Motion or somewhere similar to have it set up, but if these Cusco's are always going to be far too hard even with adjustment then I'd be wasting my money....

 

[drifter]

I'd go for Nismo s tunes if I was you . I used to have them when my car was a daily driver.

 

[sibbers]

Could be geometry, but if it's too stiff and low then that's that. You're right about normal springs/shocks being coilovers but if you refer to them like that then you need to qualify what you're saying so most ppl reserve the term just for aftermarket coilovers.

I have some unknown springs/shocks that came with my s15. Could even be nismo. I wouldn't know how to tell tbh they look fairly average and OEM so maybe just generic lowering springs and standard shocks. Anyway, I'm not using them, they aren't leaking and are a simple swap if you'd like to try them out. I'm about 30 minutes drive away. If you want to keep them you can bung me a few quid, and if not not then give em back and try something else.

You can see how the car sat with them on - http://forum.s15oc.com/threads/14299-Nissan-Silvia-S15-Spec-R-Aero-Forsale.

Ive switched for HSD monopro coilovers with 5/4kg springs to allow me to go a bit higher and still retain some comfort.

 

[Soul]

Mate that would be awesome! I'll drop you a PM

 

[TomK]

Nismo option's are blue dampers with yellow springs, NISMO stunes are silver dampers with red springs. Don't know if that helps.

 

[Soul]

What colours are the stock ones then?

 

[sibbers]

Did a quick google search, looks like they are black and black. Mine are black and black, but certainly the springs are lower than other S15 Spec R's I've seen, so not sure what they are. Decent spring rate and drop tho.

edit. Turned out they were HKS springs!

 

[Clarkey]

Black.

 

[TomK]

How did you find the car handled and rode with the stock dampers and HKS springs?

 

[sibbers]

Pretty good to be fair, but not damped well enough with std roll bars and quite low.

 

[sibbers]

So what's the verdict? Enjoying standard shocks/HKS springs or did you go back to the coilies? You made your mind up yet?

i think that on reflection, those HKS springs with KYB AGX shocks would be the best setup for fast road, but the height adjustability of coilovers is a nice touch that would be hard to give up. The HKS spring were ever so slightly too low I thought, but then your car was decked so they might be higher on yours.

Let me know how you're getting on.

 

[JDM_virgin]

As another option, I bought a set of Apex coilovers that are from their limo spec, they're the softest coilies they do but are still way stiffer than stock and are full adjustable and have adjustable top mounts I havent fitted them yet but the guy i bought them from said they were ideal for a daily

 

[sibbers]

I have HSD monopros which I've now fitted 5/4kg springs to (came with 7/5's). I wouldn't say *ideal* for daily as travel is shorter and they are still a tad hard when the damping is set optimally, but I'm going to accept that this is what I have now and perhaps with better seats I'd prefer them.

 

[Soul]

Hey Sibbers. Sorry not been on here for a while as the car's been off the road waiting for its new manifold and I've been spending all my time buying and riding my new motorbike

I think the setup you gave me works pretty well. Ride height is nice (not too slammed but not up on stilts) and ride quality is decent enough, certainly much better than the Cuscos....

 

[sibbers]

Ah cool, glad to hear it fella. On both counts, new toys and that the suspension has improved things... I'm not surprised with your roll bars tbh, they looked amazing. If you think you'll keep them, can you bung a few quid my way? Would be handy actually as my starter motor gave up yesterday and I had to shell out £175 to get a geezer to take it out and rebuild it for me yesterday (if I had a second car that would have been a lot cheaper to just replace myself - ouch). I should probably make an effort to sell some of the other gear in accumulating with this car I promise not to do anything to. Been toying with the idea of having a respray too. Not mentioned this idea to the wife yet. Bit scared.

What at bike you got yourself?

 

[Soul]

Hey mate. Just got a 10 month old CBR650F. Loving being back on two wheels, and it means I've got another way to get to work if I ever have to take the car off the road (like now).

I'll txt you about the suspension mate