Project Nissan 240SX S13 Silvia Suspension - Tech Project

To allow for the different rate of thermal expansion of the cast iron rotor and aluminum mounting hat, the two are bolted together through a sleeve that allows the rotor to move very slightly relative to the hat. These McLaren springs on every other bolt puts some tension on the rotor so it doesn't rattle around.

To allow for the different rate of thermal expansion of the cast iron rotor and aluminum m

The big question, of course, is whether the added precision and adjustability will be worth the compromise in ride quality. We plan to try a few different options in search of the best solution, but so far the JIC links are not nearly as harsh as we expected. The distant, isolated ride quality is gone, but you can drive for hours without the suspension feeling overly harsh. Hit just the wrong kind of pavement seam, however, and it can be brutal.

Sharp impacts like botts dots or pavement seams are far harsher, but not enough to be jarring. But when we finally hit just the wrong 5-mile stretch of Los Angeles freeway, the heim joints were a very bad idea. Stay away from downtown.

On the precision side, however, the rear links seem especially useful. Silvias and 240s love to slide, but too much slop in the rear bushings can make it difficult to recover gracefully. The last S15 we tested would try to fling you into a clumsy tank slapper as the bushings unloaded after a slide. Drifting sideways out of Thunderhill Raceway's Turn Two at the top of third gear, we were glad our car powered out smoothly.

Doing It On The Cheap
The lower cost (and lower performance) alternatives

The price of duplicating the modifications in this installment is admittedly high, but that's the cost of chasing Porsches. If you're only chasing Mustangs, here are the best ways to reduce the cost:

1:Skip The Five-Lug Conversion.
This not only saves the cost of hubs, spindles and ball joints, it also saves you from having to change wheels. The same brakes will fit if you have a machine shop re-drill the rotors with the appropriate 4 x 114.3mm bolt pattern. The Brembo brakes we used could easily be made with this four-lug pattern, but Brembo won't produce them unless it gets enough requests. Luckily, 10 requests will do the job. Brembo's phone number to is to the right.

2:Use Cheaper Brakes.
If you aren't planning on making 300 hp, or plan on using it only on the drag strip, Brembos or even 300ZX brakes are overkill. 10.9-in. '90-'96 Infiniti Q45 brakes use 10.9-in. rotors with large, two-piston sliding calipers, and bolt on if you re-drill them for a four-lug. The 11.6-in. brakes from the '97-'01 Q45 should fit as well, be we haven't tried that.

3: Give Up Some Precision.
The JIC adjustable suspension links are track-bred high-performance overkill. If you're budget conscious, proper damping, spring rates, and suspension travel are far more important. Save the heim joints for later, or substitute Nismo (or Energy Suspension in the front suspension) bushings.

By Josh Jacquot

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