whats a lower shell??

[wega_85]

im kinda new to suspention so bear with me fellow board members. i was reading an article on nissan performance magazine, and they were doing the 5lug swap and as they were going throught the steps they said they were using the z32 uprights and it said that they went and got a z32 lower shell from zeal usa. towards the end of the paragraph they say that if you dont go with the coilover setup that u could modify the rear shocks. my question to the people that can answer.. if i buy a different brand of supspention (i.e jic flt-a2) could i still use the zeal lower shell??? do i even need this? does jic make it so then it could be all the same brand so its eaiser....

if your reading this hope your not confused... thanks

[C-Kwik]

Only if the Zeal and JIC coil-overs use the same lower shell threading. But if JIC uses a lower threaded shock body, you may be able to use one designed for their Z32 set-up.

You don't need to use the Z32 upright. Alex (owner of the NPM S13) had them sitting in his garage along with the rest of the Z32 rear end, so I doubt he would have used it if he didn't. You only need to use a 5-lug hub/bearing assembly from an S14. Then you can keep the stock uprights and not bother with swapping the lower shell.

[BadMojo]

If you have the $$$ I'd check in to getting some JDM aftermarket 5 lug hubs for the front. I belive they used 'em in the Nissan Performance Mag swap. They're expensive (~$500 per pair) but make for a real easy install. They bolt right on and you're good to go. Also note, the rear install doesn't exactly look easy. Set plenty of time aside to do this.

I was thinking of doing the 5 lug swap, but finally decided that it was too much work/money for too little payback.

[wega_85]

i wanted to get the z32 rear upright only cause it's aluminum and theh weight.... but if its going to be too much trouble would you notice the weight difference???? and how can i find out the treading on the coilovers???

[BadMojo]

Well, call or email your coilover manufacturer of choice (JIC, Tein, etc.) and tell them what you're trying to do. Ask if there's anything they can do to accomodate you. I've called Tein USA in the past and found them to be pretty helpful.

Honestly, I don't think the decreased weight is worth the hassle, but I could be wrong.

What's your ultimate goal in doing the 5 lug swap? Better wheel choice? That's really the only advantage I can think of. If you do the Z32 brake swap you won't have to redrill your rotors if you've got the 5 lug hubs...I suppose that's a plus, but I think the Z32 swap might be more brakes than most people need unless you've got some serious power under the hood.

[Dori Dori]

You can custom order Jics (for no extra charge) so the rears have a z32 lower shock mount. Call any Jic distributor and place your order now b/c it might take a while for them to get here (if you were getting Jics). If it's any other brand strut, give them a call and see what can be done to make an s13 rear coilover have a z32 lower strut mount.

About the weight, it's unsprung, and any loss of unsprung weight is a good thing. Will you notice it? Who knows. I've never reduced unsprung weight without changing something else that will alter handling characteristics at the same time (I.E. coilovers that weigh less than the factory setup or an aluminum control arm that also includes better bushings), so I can't say from my experiance. It's not a bad thing though so if you have the time/energy to go through with all that stuff, go for it!:)

[Exar-Kun]

less weight while maintaining or increasing strength or functionality is always a welcomed addition Any reduced unsprung weight will help the suspension adapt to changes in road force and things quicker and help it function "better" so, IMO its always worth it..-chet