78 200sx coilovers

[78silvia200sx]

does anyone know where to get coilovers for my car and i just need them for the front the back im putting airshocks on it so i can easily adjust the height

 

can you use the coilovers from a 280z?

[datzenmike]

does anyone know where to get coilovers for my car and i just need them for the front the back im putting airshocks on it so i can easily adjust the height

 

can you use the coilovers from a 280z?

 

 

 

Coil overs are great (except the price) not saying they aren't. There's no real way to know what spring rate to use with your car except guess. What do other's use? Would a 400 lb rate for a 280 work on a much lighter first gen 200sx? Doubtful as all cars are unique. Closest is someone with a 200sx and a set on that you can drive and compare... unlikely. Suggestions (even by friends) could range from too soft to crazy firm with the only recourse to buy yet another set of coils $ that are stiffer/softer. Additionally, although coil overs are adjustable, just how many times a week are you going to do so??? Isn't it more likely that when you get to the ride height and camber adjustment you like, the car will likely stay that way? So what's the advantage of being adjustable if you never use it?

 

I have a 710 goon and have increased the spring rate 50% by my calculations, dropped the ride height and increased the strut dampening with a little work and for under $25 a side. Now I did swap the struts for a set of Maxima wagon struts for the larger brake calipers but you can do the same with the stock strut too. Here's what I did: Remove strut and separate the spring from it. On mine I cut only one coil from the spring and wouldn't suggest more to start. If you want firmer cut 1/4 coil off at a time after that and try them. Next using an angle grinder trim the bottom spring perch off the strut body and grind down the weld ridge on the strut tube so it is smooth. Next remove the gland nut on the top of the strut and drain out the thin used strut damper fluid . Refill with 20W motorcycle front fork oil. The stock oil looks thin like 5W so the thicker 20W will be much harder to push through the valving and will firm up the ride. Next buy a pair of split collars. Put the split collar loosely on the strut tube, then the lower spring perch that was cut off, then the shortened spring and the top hat and bolt it together. Install on the car and use a hydraulic jack to push up on the spring perch to compress the spring at least up near where the old weld was. Tighten the split collar and do the other side and let down to check the ride height. Adjust as nesessary. The 2" split collars will support 6,600 pounds each when tightened... thats the weight of 3, 710s per side, so they aren't going to slip. The money saved can be used to buy a nice set of camber plates as lowering the body will tip the outside tops of the tires outwards from the vehicle.

 

The only caution is lowering to an unreasonable level and having the strut bottom out. This should be avoided at all costs as it will most likely smash the damper valves in the bottom. Cutting a spring will lower the car but the increased stiffness will mostly cancel out the risk of bottoming the suspension out. A more real risk is hitting objects or speed bumps.

 

Starts mostly on page 3:

http://community.rat...on/page__st__60

 

 

Oh yeah, air shocks won't lower your car. That's a function of the leaf spring rate in the back. Shocks do not affect ride height and air shocks can only lift a vehicle. If lowering is what you really want get lowering blocks. This will lower but not affect the stiffness or ride. Many people remove a leaf which will lower the ride height but it also softens the spring rate and the car will now dip lower on bumps! On an already lowered car this is a disaster. Read what I did, I lowered and also stiffened the rear springs. The car rides like it's on rails around corners and dips in the road at high speed are firm and without worry.

 

 

Congrats on having a first gen S10!!

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