electricjay
Member
I've recently upgraded my 2011 Leaf to Blitz adjustable suspension all around.
Why
Several friends asked me this. I drive the car 65 km per day commuting, and a lot of that is windy back roads with plenty of sweeping corners. The standard suspension is (to borrow a line from Jeremy Clarkson) like sitting in a bucket of warm wallpaper paste. It's comfortable, but it wallows around like a boat on bumpy bits and the steering lacks precision and feel. I've owned quite a few cars and I've got to liking ones with more response in the steering, especially on windy roads. Plus, I would like my blue 2011 model to stand out a little from the many other identical ones (vanity!).
The Kit
I ordered a Blitz ZZ-R kit direct from Nengun in Japan - see http://www.nengun.com/blitz/damper-zz-r-nissan - Part Number 92462.
I was very pleased with Nengun - The purchase was easy, and they kept me informed about processing and shipping. It took a couple of weeks from ordering for them to get here.
This is an adjustable kit which bolts straight in. It has full height adjustment all around and adjustable damping on the front. Out of the box, the kit is set up for around 38 mm lower than standard, which I thought sounded like a good start so I didn't adjust it.
The Results
Before:
After:
The installation process was easy, apart from a couple of small things:
* It has bolts with 16 mm, 18 mm and 21 mm heads. These are unusual sizes, especially 16 and 18 mm which I've never seen on a Japanese car before and didn't have. Perhaps it's the Renault influence.
* Some of the bolts were very tight. I have a battery-powered impact gun ("rattle gun") which is VERY handy.
I'm very pleased with the result. It's a bit less comfortable, but not enough to bother me. There's also a bit more road noise as there is less rubber isolation, especially in the front. However, the improvement in steering response is HUGE. It feels way more controlled in the windy bits, and I like the more precise feel even when not going anywhere near the limits. The better feel gave me the confidence to go 20 kph faster through a particular corner while testing, although the ESP did cut in at that point and the computer flashed some warning lights saying I was about to crash, which I don't think was really true. I am still using the "Ecopia" low friction tyres; better tyres would make it grippier but I don't want to sacrifice range. To me, the important thing is the feeling of control and good feedback, as opposed to absolute grip levels.
More photos of the installation process can be found here:
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?res...39&authkey=!AJvcwn6rpQhY-7A&ithint=folder,JPG
If anyone wants more details feel free to ask me.
Range
I wasn't sure how range would be affected, since the lowering could improve aerodynamics, but I didn't know what stiffer shocks would do in terms of absorbing energy.
I was pleased to find that the range has improved, maybe as much as 10% (but it's hard to be precise). I drive the same route every day, and my km / kwh used to be typically in the low 7 range, while now I am getting 7.8 - 8.0. It's early days as I've only been driving it for a week, but it's certainly no worse!
My friend said that lower / stiffer suspension often improves fuel mileage on a petrol car as well, because the softer suspension allows more body movement which wastes energy. This might be more of a factor on corners.
Why
Several friends asked me this. I drive the car 65 km per day commuting, and a lot of that is windy back roads with plenty of sweeping corners. The standard suspension is (to borrow a line from Jeremy Clarkson) like sitting in a bucket of warm wallpaper paste. It's comfortable, but it wallows around like a boat on bumpy bits and the steering lacks precision and feel. I've owned quite a few cars and I've got to liking ones with more response in the steering, especially on windy roads. Plus, I would like my blue 2011 model to stand out a little from the many other identical ones (vanity!).
The Kit
I ordered a Blitz ZZ-R kit direct from Nengun in Japan - see http://www.nengun.com/blitz/damper-zz-r-nissan - Part Number 92462.
I was very pleased with Nengun - The purchase was easy, and they kept me informed about processing and shipping. It took a couple of weeks from ordering for them to get here.
This is an adjustable kit which bolts straight in. It has full height adjustment all around and adjustable damping on the front. Out of the box, the kit is set up for around 38 mm lower than standard, which I thought sounded like a good start so I didn't adjust it.
The Results
Before:
After:
The installation process was easy, apart from a couple of small things:
* It has bolts with 16 mm, 18 mm and 21 mm heads. These are unusual sizes, especially 16 and 18 mm which I've never seen on a Japanese car before and didn't have. Perhaps it's the Renault influence.
* Some of the bolts were very tight. I have a battery-powered impact gun ("rattle gun") which is VERY handy.
I'm very pleased with the result. It's a bit less comfortable, but not enough to bother me. There's also a bit more road noise as there is less rubber isolation, especially in the front. However, the improvement in steering response is HUGE. It feels way more controlled in the windy bits, and I like the more precise feel even when not going anywhere near the limits. The better feel gave me the confidence to go 20 kph faster through a particular corner while testing, although the ESP did cut in at that point and the computer flashed some warning lights saying I was about to crash, which I don't think was really true. I am still using the "Ecopia" low friction tyres; better tyres would make it grippier but I don't want to sacrifice range. To me, the important thing is the feeling of control and good feedback, as opposed to absolute grip levels.
More photos of the installation process can be found here:
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?res...39&authkey=!AJvcwn6rpQhY-7A&ithint=folder,JPG
If anyone wants more details feel free to ask me.
Range
I wasn't sure how range would be affected, since the lowering could improve aerodynamics, but I didn't know what stiffer shocks would do in terms of absorbing energy.
I was pleased to find that the range has improved, maybe as much as 10% (but it's hard to be precise). I drive the same route every day, and my km / kwh used to be typically in the low 7 range, while now I am getting 7.8 - 8.0. It's early days as I've only been driving it for a week, but it's certainly no worse!
My friend said that lower / stiffer suspension often improves fuel mileage on a petrol car as well, because the softer suspension allows more body movement which wastes energy. This might be more of a factor on corners.