Up In Arms

Project S14 Nissan 240SX Rear Suspension With Factory Arm

Project S14 Nissan 240SX - Up In Arms

Project S14 Gets A Rear Adjustment
September 30, 2010
By Charles Trieu
Photography by Charles Trieu

Project S14 Nissan 240SX Rotor
After the install of the Drift Speed high steering angle knuckles, Circuit Sports tie rods, and tension rods, it was time to attack the rear suspension geometry. There's no point to getting the front end to go straight if you can't get the rear to follow along. After weeks of driving with the new front suspension components, I was very confident that Drift Speed knew what they were doing and that Circuit Sports suspension parts were not like the cheap quality you see on eBay. So I went back to Phase 2 Motortrend where they recommended me a set of Circuit Sports rear upper camber arms, rear toe arms and rear traction arms. The 240SX is one of those few cars that are lucky enough to have tons aftermarket support. You can pretty much buy any suspension arm on the car in an adjustable form with spherical rod end bearings. Not only will this allow you to gain the correct suspension settings for any lowered height, it will also remove the slop that factory rubber bushings have.
Project S14 Nissan 240SX Rear Upper Camber Arms
Circuit Sports Rear Upper... 
   
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Project S14 Nissan 240SX Rear Upper Camber Arms
Circuit Sports Rear Upper Camber Arms (RUCA)
Project S14 Nissan 240SX Circuit Sports Rear Toe Arms
Circuit Sports Rear Toe A... 
   
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Project S14 Nissan 240SX Circuit Sports Rear Toe Arms
Circuit Sports Rear Toe Arms
Project S14 Nissan 240SX Rear Traction Arms
Circuit Sports Rear Traction... 
   
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Project S14 Nissan 240SX Rear Traction Arms
Circuit Sports Rear Traction Arms
Project S14 Nissan 240SX Circuit Sports Vs OEM
Circuit Sports vs OEM
Project S14 Nissan 240SX Rear Tee Arms
These Circuit Sports rear... 
   
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Project S14 Nissan 240SX Rear Tee Arms
These Circuit Sports rear toe arms fit both S13 and S14. However, the S14 requires wider spacers, which Phase 2 Motortrend included with the purchase.
Project S14 Nissan 240SX Adjusting
To properly adjust your length,... 
   
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Project S14 Nissan 240SX Adjusting
To properly adjust your length, all adjustments must be done in the center rod to keep both end lengths equal. Do not adjust one end, then the other. Instead adjust both all the way in, as short as they go. Then turn just the center rod until both ends come out to the desired length.
Project S14 Nissan 240SX Comparison
For installation, I just eyeballed... 
   
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Project S14 Nissan 240SX Comparison
For installation, I just eyeballed the length. Drift Speed will do the alignment after installation.
Project S14 Nissan 240SX Eccentric Bolts
Factory arms come with eccentric... 
   
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Project S14 Nissan 240SX Eccentric Bolts
Factory arms come with eccentric bolts, which allow for some wheel adjustment but not nearly enough. The tip to taking these out is to hold the bolt with an open-end wrench while taking off the nut first. The eccentric washer keeps the bolt from spinning and so you will have to back the nut off first.
Project S14 Nissan 240SX Laser Allignment
Koji and Jerod at Drift Speed... 
   
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Project S14 Nissan 240SX Laser Allignment
Koji and Jerod at Drift Speed use a computerized laser alignment machine to get all the adjustments dialed in perfectly.
Project S14 Nissan 240SX Visualiner
Project S14 Nissan 240SX Rear Suspension With Factory Arm
Right rear suspension with... 
   
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Project S14 Nissan 240SX Rear Suspension With Factory Arm
Right rear suspension with factory arms.
Project S14 Nissan 240SX Circuit Sports Arms Installed
Circuit Sports arms installed.... 
   
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Project S14 Nissan 240SX Circuit Sports Arms Installed
Circuit Sports arms installed. (1) Toe Arm, (2) Camber Arm, (3) Traction Arm
Project S14 Nissan 240SX 240SX Project S14 Nissan 240SX Lift