The Suspension Build Guide For Your S12

nismo_200sx on 02:12:06 PM / 11-Oct-12it isn't my car it's my friends but you have to get a caliper bracket extension with longer bolts or a different retrofitted caliper

Ok there calm down, he just tried to help. If you dont care for his info then take it for what it was. Im not sure of the setup myself so i am not to sure as to what you need to do other then to try different rims. My -38 17x7 enkies were pretty fucking close to my wilwood calipers on my car. I am also running stock lcas (customized and Box welded)  and stock strut so i could space out the wheel.

Thanks for calming me down Prolowtone :grinwink:, and for your excellent pictures, im sure they will help other members doing this swap.

What brake setup have you got there? Which Wilwood calipers and discs?

I was just asking for complete concise information previously, as its hard enough keeping these cars on the road when there are very, very few parts now available for them.

Enkei PR01 wheels bought really cheap off eBay with tyres.

Trial fitted them and they fit perfect.  Should have immense braking upfront now with the R33 GTST calipers and discs.

Damn that looks good.

 My kit was from a group buy years back set up by the member Magnum. The calipers and rotors i believe were for an s13 but have a custom CNCed top hats for the rotor to attach to the hub and a CNCed bracket for the caliper to bolt to the stock s12 strut. I have stock s12 struts and hubs with canuck motorsport lowering springs. I had to grind down the lip around the balljoint of the LCA and the bottom of my balljoint near the grease fitting to Clear the rotor :S which i why i reinforced it all by box welding and thickening the lca. Lets just say it is Any thing but bolt on :nerdyembarassed: took a bit of effort and a kick in the ass to try it





they are huge dont fit my stock rims, smallest rim i can fit is a 16

this is the setup im going to be running, are these options for the tierods bolt in? 

Option 1:
S12 Setup
 -S13 balljoint
 -S13 spindle
 -S13 5-lug conversion hub /// -stock S13 4-lugs
 -S13 Brake caliper hoses (Optional, but recommended as the S12 hoses stretch a little tight)
 -S12 stock control arm/tension rods
 -S13 tie rods, and 1995 ford escort tie rod ends /// S12 tie rods, A1 tie rod ends 

mod_mastaz on 10:12:10 PM / 11-Sep-09You can run the Z31 front shocks. The 280ZX ones are like stock length, so if you have Canucks lowering springs, the Z31s are actually better fitting because they are slightly shorter. I don't know which insert is the right one. If you look on the Z31 forums you can find out which one is 10mms larger or not. I would think the Turbo ones are 10mm larger so check around before ordering anything.

Sorry for yet another 'will this work' question, but my fucking ADD brain can't prioritize for shit so I forgot to order half the stuff. Could someone wise please correct me if I'm missing something for an S13 control arm setup? This is what I have right now:

· Damper struts
· S13 hubs, brake discs and callipers
· S13 lower control arms + ball joints
· S13 tie rod ends

I tried to read up properly this time so I don't have to make yet another order. Is there anything else than the stuff listed below that I should have for it to work?

· S13 tie rods - http://camskill.co.uk/m20b0s2021p7144/NISSAN_200SX_1_8_COUPE_TURBO_S13_(CA18DET)_(01_89-11_94)_-_SERVICING_PARTS_TUNING_SPARES_and_SERVICE_ACCESSORIES_-_Steering_Rack_End_-_200SX_S13_Turbo_Models

· S13 Tein tension rods - http://camskill.co.uk/m20b0s2023p7161/NISSAN_200SX_1_8_COUPE_TURBO_S13_(CA18DET)_(01_89-11_94)_-_SERVICING_PARTS_TUNING_SPARES_and_SERVICE_ACCESSORIES_-_Tein_Pillow_Ball_Tension_Rods_-_All_200SX_S13_Turbo_Models

· S14 tension rod brackets

Are the S13 tie rods and S14 brackets bolt-on without any major modification? Also, will an aftermarket S13 sway bar fit after changing to the S13 LCAs?

You have to drill a new hole, or oval out a current hole (your choice) on the S14 brackets. Nothing major, but I'd suggest a drill press and drilling them. I used an s13 swaybar, so I imagine the aftermarket ones will fit. Had to get new universal swaybar brackets (comes with bushing for $20) from energy suspension + a stack of washers to get it mounted though.

You need 1995 ford escort tie rod ends and S13 tie rods OR S12 tie rods and A1 tie rod ends 
Aftermarket S13 swaybar should work.
Your struts have to be aftermarket coilovers, factory S13 ones will not work. Their diameter is too big.

This is what you need to do to the S14 castor rod brackets. Hope it helps you out.

Awesome! You guys rock!

So, new plan:

· A1 tie rods
· Tein tension rods
· S14 tension rod brackets

The coilovers and S13 hubs are already fitted. Now I just need to source a set of S14 tension rod brackets... Any hints on where one could find a pair online (new, preferably in Europe) would be highly appreciated.

And oh, one last question... is the S12 sway bar bolt-on to the S13 control arms? Just as a temporary solution until I get a proper S13 ARB.

Pretty sure s12 swaybar will work.

Just find second hand s14/s15 tension rod brackets and repaint them to look new again.  I dont know how common they are there but in NZ, theyre always available.

Dont forget you need s13 tension rods. Theyre slightly shorter than s14 ones.

Hey, are the A1 tie rods sold anywhere else than here: http://shop.a1racing.com/dgt100.aspx ?

I tried contacting them but didn't get any response.

spiderwebfx on 05:23:55 AM / 15-Jul-14Just find second hand s14/s15 tension rod brackets and repaint them to look new again.  I dont know how common they are there but in NZ, theyre always available.

Dont forget you need s13 tension rods. Theyre slightly shorter than s14 ones.

Does it moo? on 07:38:58 PM / 22-Jul-14There are quite a lot of them, but no parts. Here it's often easier to find a right-hand drive JDM import of any given fun '80s-'90s Japanese car despite that white market equivalents were available at official dealerships. So everything Japanese is grey market, even though Japan is located as far away from where I live as it physically can be.

For example, while Nissan did "officially" sell the S12, S13 and S14 (both kouki and zenki) here, no one is carrying spares. Finding OEM parts, new or used, is often near impossible and when you do, prices are only marginally lower than aftermarket upgrades. It's a major obstacle when OEM is the only option... That's why I'm getting the Tein S13 tension rods instead of OEM. And also the reason I still haven't found any tension rod brackets.

You are awesome! Sure thing, throw me a PM if you find a set.

So, I can help add another hybrid s13 front coil set up.

S13 coils
S13 knuckles
S13 ball joints in s12 lcas...a tack weld was needed for each
S12 TC rods
S12 steering rack
S14 outer tie rods ends (isis)
Z33 inner tie rods...shorter overall than s14 and z32s

Is there any way to modify the s13 oem strut to fit into the s12?

Yes, I've been using a sleeve kit from a sunfire/cavalier to eliminate the upper spring seat. It works for me.

Also it should be noted as super dorifto said that you need to tach weld s13 ball joints into ns12 arms, I was not aware of this my first time and damaged my car...

If you have an s13 front subframe how would that affect the coil over set up? I got s13 lca (currently extended (bad idea way too much wide, i got new stock s13 arms)) , ball joints, knuckles, q45 brakes and s14 inners with maxima outters (i believe). Stock tension rod brackets with sketchy s13 rods... I want to put the s14 brackets and s13 curved rods in to make it less death trappy... Will it work?