spings and struts are on! Big problem!

[Sailor Bob]

Hey Deadflo

Sorry to hear you have to disassemble - bit of a pain:disappoin . My problem was all around like your front end and new Eibach springs solved it very nicely. I just added a few shots to my photo gallery that show the current set up.

[Sailor Bob]

One other thing - Mine didn't sit right until I had driven her for a couple of days - she was high in the rear.

[deadflo]

OK, well we've had a chance to look at the springs, and it appears the culprit is indeed mislabled srpings from ST!

The springs labled as "front" were 8 turns, but .498 inch in diameter. The rears (which had no label!) were .4515 inch in diameter, and had nine turns.

Ok well before you say the rears had more tunrs, that must be right,

recall that a represenative from ST manufacturer, KW automitive told me via phone"the fronts should have nine turns and be thinner."

I just sent an email to the ST people with the results, and well see what they say.

I plan to send them digital photos of the spring measurments as well as an estimate of what it will cost me for a redo. My mechainic and I feel it would be easiest to just re-do the fronts, since the rear sits pretty good.

If they dont help me I may resort to replacing the front springs with the old Yellow "interparts" or old ST's I took off. We''ll see what the resulting ride height will be.

[deadflo]

Just a note to say I am still hanging out waiting for some sort of decision from KW Automotive, tha manufacturer of ST springs. I have sent them documentation of the mislabeled springs with photos of caliper measuremnts of the springs, the before and after shots of the car, receipts from Shox,.com for the purchase,and a receipt from my mechanic for the 356 dollars to install them.

I was told by a KW rep that he was putting together a case for me to take to his superiors, again in an effort to get some sort of compensation for the springs being mislabeled. Someone called my home on Monday and said a person working on my case would get back to me yesterday. But nothing has happened yet.

Whatever the result, you will hear what happens. It could be good news for me or bad, but other club members will get a good idea of how this company operates. BTW, i finally got the shox. com foks to get involved. They called me back after I sent them an email, and they agreed to send a message to the KW folks asking for them to help figure out the issue to my satisfaction.

I tried to impress upon both parties that our club would be looking to see how they fixed the situation.

[bpilati]

I don't know what you are trying to do with your car, but I installed new OEM stock springs and KYB strut inserts and it's plenty firm to me. Some of my bushings are poly, but not all. I can push the front fender down at most an inch. I also installed Suspension Techniques anti-sway bars front and rear. I think this is the best combo for a road car.

[deadflo]

Well I was looking for a firm ride, as this is not a commuter car and will be driven mostly on the twisty two lanes.

What I now need is for the front springs to be installed on the front and the rears in the rear. But thanks to the manufacturer mislabeling the springs, my car sits high in the front like a boat, with the softer springs on the rear. It sucks.

[Arne]

If cost is an issue, and ST won't help you, you could always just swap them your self. Since the ST springs are short, now a spring compressor is no longer needed. That means with a jack, some good jackstands and normal metric hand tools you should be able to do it in a weekend even if you take it very slowly. You might need a helper to bleed the brakes, but that's it. An experienced person should be able to change them all in 2 hours, three at the most.

[Arne]

I don't know what you are trying to do with your car, but I installed new OEM stock springs and KYB strut inserts and it's plenty firm to me. Some of my bushings are poly, but not all. I can push the front fender down at most an inch. I also installed Suspension Techniques anti-sway bars front and rear. I think this is the best combo for a road car.

I've also found that stock springs and KYBs make for a good driver.

[rtaylor]

That's is exactly what I plan to do on mine Arne. It seems like JDWwerks has the best internet price on the KYBs.

[Arne]

That's is exactly what I plan to do on mine Arne. It seems like JDWwerks has the best internet price on the KYBs.

That's where I got mine.

[deadflo]

It looks like there will be a happy ending to this story. After documenting the issue with photos and receipts from my mechaninc, JW Automotive, the California manufacturer of ST springs, has sent me a release form to sign before they send me a check to have my mechanic switch out the springs front to back. Hopefully that will be the end of it. I have been driving the Z in its boat-like configuration all summer. The rear is pretty bouncy, because of the softer spring rates in the back, plus the obvious ride height issue.

I think they finally moved to help me out after I contaced their parent company in Germany, and i got a resposne back from that office saying they wanted to make sure I was satisfied with my purcahse from them. I had also contacted our State Consumer protection folks, who this week finally sent me a letter stating they would be pursuing the case.

I will let you know how the switch works out.

[Sailor Bob]

Glad to hear - too bad they had to have their backs to the wall.