We Evaluate SPL Version 3 Rear Multi Link Arms
A MotoIQ Staff Report
If you drive a Nissan S13 240SX, S14 240SX, S15 Silvia, Z32 300ZX or R32 GT-R and do some serious track work, you have probably been frustrated by the lack of adjustment range of the stock links. You have also probably experienced the awful twitchiness of the rear suspension. This is largely due to the huge amounts of soft squishy rubber in the many bushings of the multilink rear suspension.
In our experience the soft rubber can cause nearly an inch of toe change under severe load on a high powered car with sticky tires. This can make a car difficult to handle to say the least, something you might not want to deal with when trying to drift or when cornering at the absolute limit. The soft rubber also causes these cars to have massive pounding wheel hop which reduces traction and breaks parts.
SPL has the answer to take care of these issues and more. We recently tested and evaluated SPL’s latest creations and have come away quite impressed. Although the market for Nissan multilink suspension links is pretty crowded we feel that the SPL parts are superior and have many unique features that make them so, setting them apart from the rest of the market.
SPL’s Version 3 links are made of large diameter thin wall DOM steel tubing, a massive 1.25-1.5″ in diameter. DOM tubing means drawn over mandrel, a process that cold works the steel and makes it stronger. DOM is a good choice for links because it is relatively heat insensitive and welding heat does not weaken it much. The DOM tubing is TIG welded; TIG stands for tungsten inert gas. What’s good about this that you need to know is that the welding arc is shield from the atmosphere by a cloud of inert argon gas. This prevents the metal of the weld from oxidizing while hot. This makes for the strongest welds possible. The large diameter makes for a stiff part while the thin wall thickness means that these parts are still light.
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| The SPL toe link has a bend in it for more chassis clearance on a lowered car. The upper camber link has a 10 degree cant in it for more clearance as well |
The SPL parts are full of features that are functional and make them more practical for use. The links adjustment points for instance are right and left hand threaded. This means that they can be adjusted by simply loosening a lock collar and rotating an adjustment sleeve. Most other links require detaching the end bearing from the spindle and rotating it, then reattaching the end link to the spindle. Anyone who has tried to adjust a cars suspension between rounds at the track has probably been slowed and frustrated by such links. The SPL links can be adjusted several times faster, just the thing to reduce stress when the heat of battle is on.
