S13 Front Suspension Conversion

Well, i really am looking forward to doing this conversion. so can someone please post exactly what i will need?

I know i need the tie rod end adapters from a1, and coil overs for an s13. Ive heard about a spindle, and a hub? im not sure what this is. can someone plz show me the light?

You will need S13 hubs. This is the bit the wheel sits on.
Also S13 Coilovers WITH Adjustable cambertops. If you cant adjust the camber then you will end up with some bad positive camber, the top of the wheel sticks out more than the bottom.
Because your using a different hub you need to get adapters made up for your steering arms so that they are the right length when you bolt it to the hubs. Most decent mechanics can so this or you can get them from a1.
Also due to you using different hubs you need different brakes. For simple effective braking get S13 SR20DET brakes. They bolt straight on and are a good upgrade.

Now that youve installed coilovers on the front, you will now need to fix your rear end as it will nopw be way too soft. Depending on what coilovers you get and what your into, you may need some pretty hard springs (200-450lbs).

Ive probably missed or said something wrong so if any of the other coilover guys wanna add nething?! (NEB! :p )

you can just get the spindles and the hubs from an s13 and it will bolt right up. If you go this rout then your camber will be really negative, but thats y u have camber plates. salps is right the hubs are what the rims attach to directly and the spindles are the arms that swivle when you turn the wheel. I went ahead and got s13 rotors and brakes at the same time, just to make sure everything fits.

http://www.volaresolutions.com/ivan/200/front/Picture-116.jpg
http://www.volaresolutions.com/ivan/200/front/Picture-114.jpg
http://www.volaresolutions.com/ivan/200/front/Picture-102.jpg

Sorry to resuface this, but I have nearly everything I need to do the conversion except the steering arm.(S13 hubs, lower arms, rotors and callipers. coilovers to come) Can I buy an after market adjustable arm that suits an S13 or must I have the stock S12 one modified to fit?
Also, any suggestions/recomendations that would help the instal?
Tony

No need to modify the arms at all just use the stock s12 arms, as long as you have the tie rods you're good, those are the only things custom needed for the swap.

Why is it that we can only do this swap with s13 coilovers? cant we just buy aftermarket s13 shocks, springs, and camber plates seperately?

You could, but coilovers are just a nice convenient package :) otherwise you gotta worry about getting a good combination. Also if you do it that way you have to make sure the springs are 2" in diameter because the stock s13 springs and the aftermarket springs that are the same diameter dont fit in our strut towers.

True, but thats a small price to pay compared to some Tein HE 1,300$ coilovers.

Tokico Illumina shocks are sweet and the 2 front wont run you much. (5way Adjustable.)

No need to modify the arms at all just use the stock s12 arms, as long as you have the tie rods you're good, those are the only things custom needed for the swap.

Could ya not use S13 tie rods?? I assume the S12 rods would require lengthening, by how much exactly??

And you say you CAN use S12 steering arms? - "you need to get adapters made up for your steering arms"- salps

I apologize for what may seem stupid to some, but is baffling to me..
(I just see myself going to do the convertion and finding that something doesn't fit after being told it will. That would suck)

Thanks
Tony

The S13 tie rods are half the length of the s12 tie rods. Also the size and thread on the steering rack is larger on the s12 than on the s13 so the s13 rods wont even screw into the s12 rack.

To reiterate:

purchaseing the least amount possible:

Use stock S12 Control Arms, S13 spindles, Hubs, Brakes, Rotors and rims (rims if you have 5 lug wheels original), Tie Rods from A1 Racing, and Coilovers

The confusion i think is that Salps was calling the power steering rack: "steering arms"

steering rack / arms.. meh same thing, to me anyway :tongue:

JasterM5Use stock S12 Control Arms, S13 spindles, Hubs, Brakes, Rotors and rims (rims if you have 5 lug wheels original), Tie Rods from A1 Racing, and CoiloversQUOTE]

Ok then, thanks. that makes things clear. eer, A1 racing isn't heard of down this part of the world (Hell, an S12 isn't heard of either) so what am I looking for in the tie rod when purchasing? size, length, thread etc.

well you can get a s13 rod and a spare s12 rod and go to a shop and say " I want a custom rod thats this long with this thread (pointing to s12 rod) but with this ball joint on it (pointing to s13 rod)"

They will either make an extension for the s13 rod or just make new rods.

Or if you want You can send me the money and I can mail the A1 rods to you because they are in my backyard pretty much and they have them in stock. This way you beat customs tax from buy from them directly. They are really nice rods. ;) (never thought i'd hear myself say that.)

How much are these rods?

well you can get a s13 rod and a spare s12 rod and go to a shop and say " I want a custom rod thats this long with this thread (pointing to s12 rod) but with this ball joint on it (pointing to s13 rod)"

They will either make an extension for the s13 rod or just make new rods.

Or if you want You can send me the money and I can mail the A1 rods to you because they are in my backyard pretty much and they have them in stock. This way you beat customs tax from buy from them directly. They are really nice rods. ;) (never thought i'd hear myself say that.)

What are they worth exactly?? I may be keen for that..

~140 after taxes i believe, if you want pics see above, they are awsome and beefy as hell, ask anyone else here who has them. I'd have to see how much shipping is but i wont charge you any for my time cuz i'm nice like that ;)

JasterM5. Hay thanks a lot. Yea Im REALLY keen for that!! Where exactly in the world are you, Ill need to convert currency etc(the little island at the bottom of the world, some call New Zealand) "Im nice like that" haha, coool :tongue: If you wouldnt mind, get back to me with a finalised price(NZ $ if poss) and a plan of attack so we can organise this.
MUCH appreciated!
(Hay do you guys have a private message option on this forum?)
Tony

yeah np i dont know about pm, but I am on msn messenger@ [email removed], I'll see how much it would cost to new zealand. I'm in Pennsylvania just outside Philadelphia in the good ol US of A.

Youve got mail. Keep in touch..
Tony :)

i dont think its fair to compare tein HE's to tokico 5 adj shocks..... but anyways i have teins in my car, and i did pay 1300$, and unless your building a real deal drift car i dont recomend them, that sounds odd, but let me explain, in my opinion, you should tune your car for your driving needs, if its your daily driver, and you have semi bumpy roads in your town then you will not like tein HE's, thats kind of how i feel right now, if they didnt make such a huge diff when drifting i wouldnt like them, VERY stiff, but it is a big advatage when drifting, 16way adj is nice

I'm very interested as well. ZIP=87116 Let me know if you could thanx

$140 USD = $212 NZD

gotta love

http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi

What kind of sway bars can we use with this conversion or is it irrelevant.

well, you can use the swaybars from a s13 and s14 on our cars stock. You just have to put one endlink on the inside. The stock 13 and 14s bars are crappy hollow units. Ours are solid and better.
I had a jdm s14 swaybar from a front clip sitting at my shop and decided to experiment. It worked but not perfectly. Too much sway in the front handeled like crap! Made it easier to drift though. In my opinion our bars are better by far(vg30). We just need a rock solid rear swaybar :) We put an r32 rear swaybar on a 240sx and it really made a BIG differnce.

you might want to find a ca20e car ... they have beefier rear bars than the turbo/VG cars.

Not really sure why ...

you can use STD s13 shocks, you just need to use s12 springs and top mount.

that is what i am in the process of doing right now

does the rear S13 suspension swap into the S12? i just happen to have a rear pair of coilovers that i could throw on this bad boy and i have most of the front suspension pieces laying around the shop. my biggest reason for doing that would be to throw on the Z32 front brakes :headbang:

The S13 rear suspension doesn't fit easily since it is a coilover setup and the S12 uses a separate shock and spring so there is no tower to mount the S13 coloiver in. It can be done if you feel like doing all the mods though.

i did an s13 rear suspention swap, its quite a bit of work, i wouldnt recomend it unless your a very skilled fabricator or take your time like i did, i still havent taken any pictures of it because im an idiot, but i do have a few pictures of me cutting out the rear shock towers someplace, i will post those if i find them

I'm still wanting to try building a whole rear subframe for the S13 rear suspension, I know it's not worth it but I think it would be badass

The S13 rear suspension doesn't fit easily since it is a coilover setup and the S12 uses a separate shock and spring so there is no tower to mount the S13 coloiver in. It can be done if you feel like doing all the mods though.

can you tell i haven't even gotten under the car to check yet? lol. :cheers:

So whats the benefit of having an s13 front subframe?

So whats the benefit of having an s13 front subframe?
More aftermarket parts like big brakes springs and more ;-)

is that to say a s13 front sub frame will go in??

also, does anyone know if a S13 steering rack will go in??

Hi,
Sorry to resurface this but I am soo close and have all nessecary parts, bar Tie Rods.
Now, it took me a couple of weeks to find a1s' website and I understand they do a tie rod to suit this application.
I am scheptical about having this part fabricated as no one here has done it, so Id feel a lot safer buying a 'proven' part.
Enough bs. What is the part number??? and does anyone have a pic of this part pleeease?
Tony

Umai Naa, the s13 steering rack won't fit on the s12 crossmember, (I had a full 180sx h/cut for my conversion), I tried it. I toyed with the idea of trying to swap the whole s13 c/member in, but then got on to an s12 p/steer rack so didn't think about it any more.