4 Different Ways to Upgrade the Suspension on Your Car
December 3, 2020
You don't have to be a race car driver or an expert on spring rates and chassis flex to upgrade your Nissan suspension. All you need is a desire for a more responsive ride! Get an introduction to various suspension upgrade options for your car and insight into how each could help fine-tune your next drive.
1. Replace the Struts
Struts help minimize the up and down jolts you feel when driving. They're part of your car's suspension assembly, as well as an integral part of its chassis.
Replacing worn struts ‐ replacing the coil springs and shock absorbers that they're composed of ‐ can help improve your vehicle's steering, alignment, and overall ride quality. You'll want to check with a Nissan-qualified mechanic or the NISMO parts catalog for specifics on NISMO suspensions. Still, struts are often replaced every 50,000 to 100,000 miles, depending on driving habits and other factors.
2. Burnish the Strut Bearings
The struts in your car's front end require pivot points to aid in steering the vehicle. These pivot points are called strut bearings or, sometimes, tower bearings. It's these bearings that connect the strut and the car's body. Without them, steering becomes all but impossible.
Despite their importance, strut bearings don't always receive the attention they deserve. As a result, it can be difficult to troubleshoot problems related to strut bearings. Keep the following warning signs in mind:
- Noises such as bangs, clunks, or knocks when hitting bumps or turning the vehicle at low speeds
- Difficulty steering
- Poor wheel alignment
If you notice any such warning signs, your ride might be a great candidate for a suspension replacement.
3. Swap the Sway Bars
When turning a corner in your car, have you ever noticed the car's weight shift and cause one side to dip as the other side rises? This leaning is commonly known as "body roll." Too much body roll deprives the driver of both firm contact with the road and full control of the driving experience.
Sway bars help reduce this roll or lean, helping to keep the outside tires ‐ the tires on the rising side of the car ‐ in better contact with the road. They do this by connecting the suspension elements on both sides of the car for improved weight distribution.
4. Upgrade Your Tires
Few upgrades can make as significant a difference to your driving experience as new tires. Working in conjunction with the suspension system, the right tires tick nearly every box in the discerning driver's peak experience checklist: increased comfort, decreased noise, and optimized fuel economy.
Perhaps most significantly, the suspension system and tires partner up to boost your car's overall handling. That's because driving on tires designed specifically for your vehicle, your driving needs, and the weather helps ensure that you have as firm a grip on the road as possible.
Fine-Tune Your Nissan for Fun
Upgrading the suspension on your Nissan can transform it from a method of transportation to a fine-tuned tool for fun ‐ but suspension upgrades can require some special skills and tools to install. Shop genuine Nissan and NISMO suspension parts online and find an authorized service center near you for installation help today.