Best Nissan 350Z Coilovers

Having built over a dozen project cars over the years, I've tried and tested at least 15 different suspension brands in my lifetime, if not more. One brand that I've ultimately used numerous times on several vehicles, including AutoGuide.com's Project BRZ, is KW. For most vehicles, you'll find the KW Variant 2 coilovers do a great job balancing performance and comfort, making them ideal for a daily driver. These coilovers use KW's stainless steel technology that it calls "inox-line", which means the coilovers are made from stainless steel from the strut to the trapezoid thread and even vehicle-specific connections. Combined with corrosion-resistant springs and elastomers, these coilovers should last you for the life of your vehicle.

The KW Variant 2 coilovers for the Nissan 350Z allow you to adjust the damper setting (16 clicks of adjustments) so you can fine tune the system based on your needs. Of course, they're individually height adjustable, offering you the ability to lower your sports coupe anywhere from 0.8 inches to 1.5 inches. They may not offer the most aggressive drop, but for some owners it's more than enough.

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A fantastic option on a budget comes from ISR Performance with its Pro coilovers. The company built upon the popularity and success of its Basic coilovers to release a more refined, higher-end option that provides 32-way dampening control for better overall performance. Designed for street and the occasional track use, these coilovers are a bit softer on the spring rates than some comparable options (14K front, 12K rear) to provide a comfortable ride with improved handling. They sport a monotube design and includes front pillowball upper camber mounts. Helping enhance durability are high-end Japanese bearings.

If you're shopping for a set of coilovers for your Nissan 350Z, there's a good chance you're a fan of drifting. If you've watched the Formula D series in the U.S., you may have noticed ISR Performance-sponsored cars out there competing on the track using ISR Performance's coilovers.

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Interested in entry-level drifting or competing at your local Pro-am event and need a set of coilovers for your 350Z? The BC Racing BR Series coilovers are the best bang for the buck, according to the experts at Enjuku Racing. Straight out of the box, they offer great performance and if you're running some custom suspension pieces of even a swapped engine underneath the hood that's heavier than the factory VQ, BC Racing offers custom spring rates at no extra charge.

These coilovers have a monotube shock design with linear piston and damping curve, and you can choose from 30 clicks of simultaneous compression and rebound adjustment. Along with custom spring rates, the company also offers Swift springs as an option, a well-known Japanese manufacturer of springs.

Go with these coilovers if you have limited knowledge on suspension setups and want something that performs well with straightforward adjustments.

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Do you have a weekend warrior track car? Love tackling the twisties with little interest in going sideways? Fortune Auto specializes in bespoke suspension systems, with every set hand-built to offer impressive quality control. The goal of the latest 500 Series coilovers, according to Fortune Auto, was to create the "best single adjustable system on the market at a very affordable price point." Still, with that being said, you may find them to cost a bit more than other recommendations on our list, but you're getting better performance for the price.

These coilovers are equipped with premium chrome silicon springs, a special alloy that offers better performance, longevity, and ride quality when compared to a traditional spring. Like BC Racing's BR Series coilovers, you can also order Fortune Auto's 500 Series with Swift springs if that's what you prefer. You'll also benefit from Flow Digressive piston technology, which allows for stiff low-speed compression and rebound force. According to Fortune Auto, this gives more control of driver inputs, and at fast stroke speeds, the suspension becomes supple in response to bumps and irregularities in the road for maximum control. For bearings, Fortune 500 uses Koyo Japan radial bearings for less bind, noise-free operation, and smoother steering response. Configure your setup with 24-step rebound adjustable dampers.

Best of all? You'll get a five-year limited manufacturer's warranty, and these coilovers are rebuildable and revalvable.

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Did the BC Racing BR Series coilovers catch your eye but want something that leans more heavily towards track use? Consider the DS Series from BC Racing, which takes advantage of a proprietary digressive piston design to offer increased damping force at low piston velocities, while maintaining a linear damper feel at high piston velocities. According to BC Racing, one of the greatest advantages of this technology relates to what the driver feels, such as roll, pitch, dive, and quick weight transitions on technical road courses.

Like the BR Series coilovers, these are highly customizable and you can get custom spring rates or Swift springs. They also offer 30 clicks of simultaneous compression and rebound adjustment along with pillowball mounts. If you're seeking a set of coilovers that are more track focused and love the build quality of BC Racing, the DS Series should be towards the top of your list with its digressive piston and damping curve. It's the key difference between the BR and DS series. Again, you'll get a one-year warranty with these.

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Founded in 1999, Silver's specializes in delivering high-performance suspension at an affordable price. The company was created after years of racing time attack and constantly changing suspension setups, realizing they all had major flaws. With Silver's NeoMax coilovers, you're getting 24 levels of dampening adjustability, adjustable aluminum T6 6061 front camber plates, and Koyo Japan radial bearings. At the heart of it all is a 44mm piston with digressive-style valving characteristics to provide low speed damping response while maintaining a comfortable ride. A high-strength carbon steel 52mm diameter seamless shock tube accompanies the monotube shock design.

The cold-bent springs are made from high-strength SAE9254 steel and they can be ordered with custom spring rates. Like other companies that have bespoke coilover offerings, Silver's also offers the option of upgrading to Swift springs. If you're choosing the basics, you'll get 12K front, 8K rear spring rates.

Silver's offers an 18-month limited manufacturer's warranty with its coilovers.

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Another well-known brand in the suspension industry is Stance Suspension and the company's XR1 coilovers is a great option for the 350Z. These coilovers feature digressive valving, similar to other recommendations on our list. The technology produces high damping forces at low shaft velocities, along with softer damping forces at high shaft velocities. This gives better control of chassis movement and provides quicker feedback to the driver, making them a great option for occasional track use as well.

These 16-way damping adjustable coilovers come with solid pillowball upper mounts in the front, and rubber mounts for the rear. They sport a monotube design with a 45mm strut shaft for increased rigidity to help prevent the damper from binding under heavy loads. The chromoly steel piston rods have been heat treated, chrome plated, and machined to precise tolerances for consistent, reliable performance. Aluminum components include the lower brackets, locking collars, and spring seats. Not surprisingly, Stance also offers its coilovers with optional Swift springs (front only). If you opt for the factory springs, they come with 12K front, 8K rear spring rates.

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If you've paid any attention to the automotive aftermarket in the past 20 or so years, you've more than likely seen the A'PEXi logo. The famous Japanese brand is well known for various performance components, including its coilovers. Our nod goes to its N1 ExV Damper coilovers, with ExV short for "Expert Type V." This full coilover suspension takes advantage of a threaded base for precise ride height adjustment without compromising shock or spring travel. High-performance upper mounts are included, along with 32-way damping adjustment so you can setup your 350Z for the street or the track.

According to A'PEXi, the N1 ExV Damper was actually designed to cater exclusively to U.S.-market vehicles, by engineering its internal components to withstand harsher road conditions and increased wear that can be caused by everyday street driving. They feature a monotube design with 62mm inner diameter springs and solid upper points. Front spring rates are 10K, while the rear are 8K.

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At this point, we've covered a wide range of different 350Z coilover options, but if nothing has appealed to you just yet, take a look at these coilovers from Feal Suspension. These are one-way damping adjustable coilovers, with the base 441 model coming with Feal springs with 12K front spring rates and 5K rear spring rates. Opt for the 441+ model and you'll get Swift springs with available custom spring rates. There is even a Road Racing option, where Feal will gather information about your car such as tire size, rating, and effective aero components to custom hand-build a kit specifically for your road racing needs.

With these coilovers, you get 30 clicks of precise, incremental damping adjustments and every set includes dyno graphs of the coilovers being tested at various shock speeds. High viscosity index synthetic shock fluid is used in construction, along with friction-reducing assembly lubricant. Each set is hand built with custom valving profiles and nitrogen pressures, and you can get custom valving with the 441+ variant. Aluminum top mounts, high-quality low friction seals and rod guide bushings, as well as high flow pistons round out all the features for Feal's 441/441+ coilovers.

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Last on our list is a set of coilovers from Megan Racing. This brand is known in the industry for its budget-minded offerings that doesn't compromise performance and quality. The Megan Racing EZ II Series coilovers cover the basic essentials you'd want from a quality set of coilovers, with a monotube design and conservative spring rates (10K front, 8K rear). They offer 15 levels of adjustable damper strength and come equipped with aluminum brackets with rubber inserts, and rubber dust covers.

As you can tell, these aren't the same level of coilovers as the customizable options we've covered elsewhere on our list, nor does it offer as much adjustability. These are ideal for Nissan 350Z owners who are looking to improve the handling of their vehicle for daily driving, while also getting the ability to adjust the ride height and damping. There are better options if you're planning to hit the track, but for street and show on a tight budget, these are a good choice. Oh yeah, Megan Racing includes a one-year warranty against manufacturer's defects.

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Photo credit: Jason Siu / AutoGuide.com