Nissan 350z Coilovers Guide

Despite its age the Nissan 350Z remains an excellent performance car to this day. Many appreciate it as a true drivers car due to an awesome balance of NA power and handling. The 350z is also an easy platform to mod and upgrade. Among the best upgrades include a Nissan 350z coilovers kit.

Coilovers have a lot to offer whether you’re simply replacing old suspension, looking for stance/lowering, or better handling. In this guide, we discuss some of the best 350Z coilovers along with price, features, handling, lowering, and more.

Nissan 350Z Coilover Basics

Discussing coilover upgrades can be a long topic. There is a lot of variation in design, spring rates, damping adjustments, and ride height. In this article we intend to run through the basics of all of these topics. What 350z spring rates are best? When should you consider damping adjustable coilovers? How do shock designs differ? What are the best Nissan 350z coilovers for stance?

These are just a few of the many questions when it comes to upgrading suspension. It can be a little overwhelming for those new to suspension upgrades, and that’s understandable. Again, we’ll cover a lot of the basics in this article. If you’re looking to learn more about coilovers check out our general coilovers guide.

To start with the very basics – coilovers are essentially the same thing as standard struts or shocks and coil springs. One primary difference is that coilovers allow ride height adjustability. 350z coilovers often also allow for damping adjustability (though, this feature is usually only found on mid-range or high-end coilovers). Let’s run through some benefits of coilover kits and then circle back to shock design, spring rates, and damping.

Benefits of 350z Coilover Upgrades

Coilover upgrades are well-known for handling improvements and lowering or stance. These are some of the most common reasons to choose Nissan 350z coilovers. However, they’re not the only benefits of upgrading. Coilovers are a versatile mod that can allow for a lot of different possibilities. A few potential benefits of 350Z coilovers include:

• Adjustable ride height
• Damping adjustments
• Improved cornering, braking, acceleration
• Better comfort & ride quality
• Replacing old, worn suspension

Unfortunately, it’s unlikely to get all of these benefits from a single set of coilovers. For the ultimate handling and performance you typically need a stiffer setup at the cost of comfort. Stancing your 350z will also likely sacrifice some comfort. However, the options with coilovers are endless. With the right set of coilovers you might very well see improvements in handling and comfort.

The important aspect is to understand your goals before choosing a set of Nissan 350z coilovers. One set of coilovers might be the best for one person, but a poor choice for another. Are you looking for the ultimate handling coilovers? Stance? Or maybe you simply want to replace old suspension with coilovers that offer a good all-around balance.

Point is – there are tons of different routes to go, and the best coilovers vary for each person. There are a few keys things to look for in 350z coilover upgrades. In the next sections, we’ll run through the basics of what to look for depending on your goals. Afterwards, we discuss some of the best Nissan 350z coilovers for different goals and budgets.

350Z Coilovers – What To Look For

Several aspects of coilovers play a large role in handling, performance, comfort, and lowering. A few of the primary differences can include:

• Shock design
• Damping adjustments
• Coil spring rates
• Ride height adjustments

Again, we’re covering the basics and will avoid getting too technical or in-depth on any of these topics. Instead we will jump right to the end conclusions.

Nissan 350Z Spring Rates

Coil spring rates are likely the single most important topic when it comes to choosing the right coilovers. After all, it’s these springs that carry the entire weight of the 350z. They play an important role in handling and comfort.

Spring rates are often quoted in either lbs/in or kg/mm. A 500 lb/in spring means it requires 500 pounds of force to compress the spring 1″. 1 kg/mm equals roughly 56 lbs/in and it’s often abbreviated simply as K.

Anyways, what’s important here is that a higher spring rate equates to a stiffer spring. This leads to less body roll and weight transfer, which are often good things for handling. However, going too stiff isn’t great for street driving due to less smooth road surfaces. Too stiff a spring can unsettle the chassis and actually lead to worse handling and brutal ride quality.

A lot of the times it’s best to let the coilover manufacturer match the right spring rates with their kit. However, some kits allow for customizable spring rates. In these cases, go stiffer for track or ultimate handling, moderate for a street and comfort balance, or softer for the best comfort.

Shock Design: Twin-tube vs Monotube

Twin-tube shocks are one of the more common designs since they’re cheaper and still very effective. However, 350z monotube shocks are the superior design. They deliver better response, damping, and overall handling. Monotubes can even deliver these benefits with similar or better ride quality and comfort.

There’s nothing wrong with twin-tube shocks, though. It’s still a good option for stance, street handling, and comfort. However, monotube is the best option if you want the ultimate setup and don’t mind spending a bit extra.

350z Damping Adjustable Coilovers

Damping adjustable coilovers allow you to change the compression and/or rebound characteristics of the shocks. It’s a feature usually found on mid-range and higher-end 350z coilover kits. Some kits are pre-set and not adjustable. In this case, the manufacturer sets the compression and rebound damping from the factory and it’s that way forever. They’re usually set up for a good balance of performance and comfort.

If you want the ability to soften or stiffen the shocks then 350z damping adjustable coilovers are the way to go. You can quickly stiffen the compression and rebound for track or aggressive driving. Afterwards, switch back to softer settings for street driving. That said, if you’re the type of person that would set it and forget it then damping adjustability is overkill.

Ride Height & Stance

This is a pretty simple topic. Double check the 350z coilovers meet your stance or lowering goals. Almost any Nissan 350z coilovers allow for at least 0.5-1″ of lowering. Even up to 2-2.5″ for a lot of kits. 350z stance coilovers might allow for 3-4″+ drops. Aggressive street or track handling kits usually don’t allow for as much lowering, since going too low can be negative for handling.

Best Nissan 350z Coilovers

Alright. Hopefully you now have a good starting point in terms of what your goals are and what to look for in suspension upgrades. With that out of the way it’s time to move onto some of the best 350z coilovers. Note – this is far from an exhaustive list, and tons of great options exist. We simply don’t have time to cover every single set of coilover upgrades.

Instead, our focus is on a few of the best Nissan 350z coilovers for different goals and budgets. We believe these kits offer a great balance of performance, quality, and price.

1) 350Z Raceland Coilover Kits

Tier: Entry-level street & stance

Lowering: 1-4″

Adjustable?: Yes, one option (15-way adjustable)

Design: Twin-tube

Price: $519-619

First up is an excellent option for entry-level coilovers for mild street use and stance. We love recommending Raceland products because they deliver great quality at a phenomenal price. Cheap doesn’t have to mean poor design and quality, and Raceland 350z coilovers are a shining example. To be clear, these are entry-level street and stance coilovers. They’re not meant to be extreme performance coilovers, and that’s okay.

Raceland coilovers do exactly what they’re meant to do at a great price. They offer good customer support and have incredibly low return rates. It goes to show many are pleased with their experience buying and running Raceland coils. It’s all you can ask for at this price, and Raceland absolutely delivers.

There are three 350Z coilover kits to choose from. The Classic’s run $519 and offer a range of 1-3″ of lowering. Then there’s the Ultimo at $549 or Primo for $619. They both offer 2-4″ of lowering and the Primo’s have 15-way adjustable damping. They’re all great options for replacing old suspension, moderate street handling, and stance. If that’s what you’re looking for then look no further. Those wanting the ultimate handling setup should move onto a higher-end option.

2) Nissan 350z GodSpeed Coilovers

Tier: Entry-mid level street & stance

Lowering: 0-3″

Adjustable?: Yes, 16-way

Design: Monotube

Price: $700-800

GodSpeed is a company that we’re not quite as familiar with compared to the others on this list. However, they’re popular Nissan 350z coilovers for several reasons. At about $750 they offer a monotube design and 16-way damping adjustability. It’s a great price point to get these features and design.

Ultimately, the GodSpeed 350z coilovers are a good budget option for mid-range street and stance. They’re also a popular and proven product on the 350Z. If you’re willing to spend a bit more then we prefer the next options. Otherwise, look no further than GodSpeed coilovers as they offer a great balance of performance, adjustability, and price.

3) BC Racing Coilover Upgrades

Tier: Mid-high level street & stance

Lowering: 1-3″+

Adjustable?: Yes, 30-way

Design: Monotube

Price: $1,245 – 2,895

As with Raceland, BC Racing is another company we find ourselves recommending often. They’re a totally different price point, but BC Racing Nissan 350Z coilovers offer so many options. All options are monotube shocks with adjustable damping. However, there are a few different series of coilovers to choose from.

The BR-series coilovers start at $1,245 and are a popular choice. They have the standard kit as well as an “Extreme Low” option for those wanting stance. For $320 you can upgrade to Swift Springs, which are top-tier coil springs. You can pick your own spring rates with their standard or Swift springs.

Customizations are nearly endless with these 350z BC Racing coilovers. The price can get expensive if you want their top of the line coilovers, but they’re probably overkill for most anyways. Even the BR-series offer so many awesome features, and $1,245 is a good starting price.

4) Nissan 350Z KW Coilovers

Tier: Top-level street & track

Lowering: 0.8-1.6″

Adjustable?: Yes, most options

Design: Twin-tube

Price: $1,739 – 3,289

If you’re familiar with coilovers then you’ve likely heard of KW. They’re one of the biggest names when it comes to suspension and coilover kits. KW has been around for a long time and has a reputation for building some high-quality kits with excellent performance. Yes, they do use a twin-tube design which typically isn’t as good for handling.

However, it’s not always the case and KW is a great example. Despite the twin-tube design these 350z coilover kits offer exceptional performance and handling. The V1’s start at $1,739 and don’t offer any damping adjustments. You’ll need to consider the V2, V3, and Clubsport coilovers if you want adjustability, and they’re all over $2,000.

You’re definitely paying a premium for KW’s proven products and history in the industry. However, these Nissan 350z coilovers from KW are the real deal. If you’re looking for some of the best suspension around then KW has you covered.

Nissan Coilover Upgrade Summary

The Nissan 350z remains an excellent car to this day. It delivers such a good balance of performance and handling, and feels like a true drivers car. It’s also easy to modify and upgrade thanks to a large aftermarket. The 350z is also getting old and many are likely due up for suspension replacement. Either way, a set of Nissan 350z coilovers is sure to take the car to the next level.

Coilovers don’t have to be all about handling, either. They’re a versatile upgrade that enable lowering, stance, and possibly better comfort. Spring rates, shock design, and damping are a few important factors to consider. Know your goals and pick the 350z coilovers that best meet your goals and budget.

Raceland is one of our favorite options for moderate street driving and stance. It’s really hard to beat their balance of price and quality. GodSpeed is also a popular budget option that moves to a monotube shock and 16-way adjustability. Those looking for the ultimate performance and handling setups should consider BC Racing or KW.

What’s your experience with Nissan 350z coilovers? Are you considering any?

Leave a comment and let us know!