Understanding 350z Camber Arms for Improved Handling and Adjustability

Understanding 350z Camber Arms

Camber arms are an important suspension component on Nissan 350z sports cars. They control the camber angle of the wheels and allow for adjustment to improve handling and performance.

What is Camber?

Camber is the tilt of the wheels from vertical when viewed from the front or rear. Positive camber means the tops of the wheels lean outward from the car, while negative camber has the tops tilted inward.

On the 350z, some negative camber is ideal to maximize grip when cornering hard. Too much negative camber can lead to uneven tire wear, so adjustable camber arms allow the angle to be tuned.

How Do Camber Arms Work?

The 350z uses double wishbone suspension with an upper and lower control arm. The camber arms connect to the lower wishbone and the subframe, creating a pivoting adjustment point to tweak camber angle.

Aftermarket adjustable units feature multiple mounting holes or a sliding eccentric bushing to provide a wider range of tuning angles compared to stock fixed arms.

Why Upgrade Your 350z Camber Arms?

Upgraded camber arms for the 350z allow for far more precise wheel alignment and increased cornering performance through greater negative camber.

Bolt-on camber arms require no welding or fabrication. They are easy to install and offer immediate handling gains with the right setup.

Adjustable aftermarket arms also permit the tilting of wheels to correct alignment issues or experiment with radical track setups.

There are many choices on the market when shopping for 350z camber arms. Quality and features can vary greatly between budget and premium options.

SPL Parts

SPL camber arms offer low cost and easy installation. They come with larger bushings for reduced flex and foam filling to limit noise. The basic non-adjustable design limits tuning ability but works well at low ride heights.

Megan Racing

With thick center sleeves and spherical rod ends, Megan camber links provide excellent rigidity. The adjustable design gives +/-1.5 degrees of tweakability for the front and +/-2.5 in the rear. Rubber bushings limit noise while the red anodized finish looks great.

Whiteline

Australian company Whiteline produces premium camber arms for road, track and competition 350z setups. Unique fluid filled bushings almost entirely eliminate deflection without noise. Highly adjustable models give over -3 degrees of movement for aggressive corner balancing.

Installing 350z Camber Arms

While somewhat more complex than basic bolt-on mods, installing adjustable camber arms is quite approachable for a dedicated DIY mechanic.

Difficulty

Expect the install to take 2-3 hours with simple hand tools. Having a vehicle lift eases access but jack stands work as well. Both arms can be changed at once or spaced apart into two easier jobs.

Alignment

An alignment must be performed after any suspension adjustment to reset critical parameters like toe and steering wheel center. Upgraded camber arms require an experienced alignment tech familiar with extended ranges.

Tuning Tips

Use a quality digital angle finder to help accurately set the new camber arm during installation. Start with recommended baseline settings and tweak from there. Too much camber risks major tire wear issues.

So improved cornering, adjustable camber on a 350z allows for noticeably sharper turn-in response and higher limits. Just take care not to overdo adjustments and ensure proper alignment.

FAQs

What is the stock camber on a 350z?

The factory 350z suspension alignment has around -1.5 to -2 degrees of negative camber up front and -1 to -1.5 in the rear from the factory. This provides decent grip for street driving but limits performance handling potential.

What camber should I run on a tracked 350z?

Many 350z track setups utilize around -3 to -4 degrees negative camber up front with 2.5 to 3.5 in the rear. This aggressive stance requires quality adjustable camber arms and alignment. Any more risks wearing out the insides of tires too quickly.

Do I need adjustable arms for a lowered 350z?

Fixed aftermarket or stock camber arms can work for mild drops up to 2 inches. Beyond that, adjustable arms and a proper alignment become critical to avoid excessive inner tire wear and odd handling traits from alignment changes with lowered ride height.

What install tools do camber arms need?

Replacing 350z camber arms requires typical hand tools - sockets, ratchet, torque wrench. An automotive lift or quality jack and stands helps access. Budget 4 hours for new user install time including alignment.