NEED MAJOR HELP! REAR SUSPENSION QUESTION!

[eat_more_drift]

dodge d50 cut to about 9.5 inches is a nice set up also roadster front springs are good

coil overs are great for adjust ability its all up to you

I have suspension techneaks (not spelled right)

I have had d50 cut and liked them too

 

I'm just scared that if I cut them to make the

car low, it'll start to bounce when I drive it. Every time I think of that, it makes me want to stick with

coilovers.

[Uber Deaf One]

I'm just scared that if I cut them to make the

car low, it'll start to bounce when I drive it. Every time I think of that, it makes me want to stick with

coilovers.

 

Generally bouncy rides are from too short and too stiff springs. Right now I'm running 275 lbs up front and the equivalent of 296 lbs in the rear.. and my 510 has no bounciness. Stiff, and a little harsh over bumps yes, but no bouncy bouncy. I would absolutely hate it if my car had a bouncy ride like that...

 

My front springs (GC coilovers) are 8" tall and my rear springs are 9 1/4" tall. You can go several inches shorter in the rear without getting that bouncy shit.

 

Any spring that has a 3" inner diameter will work in the rear. I'm running '68 Camaro rear shocks on the rear of my 510... I believe the F-Body shocks are a little bit shorter though... which I will need to get before I lower the rear any more.

[eat_more_drift]

Generally bouncy rides are from too short and too stiff springs. Right now I'm running 275 lbs up front and the equivalent of 296 lbs in the rear.. and my 510 has no bounciness. Stiff, and a little harsh over bumps yes, but no bouncy bouncy. I would absolutely hate it if my car had a bouncy ride like that...

 

 

My front springs (GC coilovers) are 8" tall and my rear springs are 9 1/4" tall. You can go several inches shorter in the rear without getting that bouncy shit.

 

Any spring that has a 3" inner diameter will work in the rear. I'm running '68 Camaro rear shocks on the rear of my 510... I believe the F-Body shocks are a little bit shorter though... which I will need to get before I lower the rear any more.

 

Alright to sum it all up, in order to have a low rear to equal the same height as the front which has coilovers, I can get KYB shocks for a 68 camaro F-body, with dodge d50 springs. I would just have to trim the springs a bit. Correct?

[Uber Deaf One]

Correct.

 

Except the '68 Camaros aren't F-bodys. Those are the late 80s/early 90s Camaros I'm pretty sure. So '68 rear shocks or F Body rear shocks.. either will work. I THINK the F Body shocks are a little bit shorter than the '68 shocks but I'm not positive.

[eat_more_drift]

And as for the D50 springs, are they called coils? I tried looking them up and all I got was front coils. Is this what I need?

[Uber Deaf One]

Yeah coils, springs, same thing.

 

When you cut the springs, don't cut off too much at once lol. You can always pull the springs back out and cut some more off.. but when you cut too much, you can't go back ;)

[Boaty]

Rule of thumb is one quarter of a coil at a time. Go too far, and you're screwed.

 

I'm running D50 coils in the rear of my 510, with KYB Gas-A-Just shocks from an 82-92 Camaro. Since I'm running untrimmed D50 coils, I had to buy shock spacers (like $7 at autozone) for my shocks. (Camaro shocks are 2" shorter than stock 510 shocks, as previously stated.) I am running un-cut D50 coils, mind you - since I need the clearance to get in and out of my drive way without looking like a douche, so I'm sitting up pretty high. BUT it's lower than stock coils. I can also load my entire 510 down with camping gear, with a fully loaded trunk, and everything behind the front seats packed too - and I get about 2" of squat. Couldn't tell you on load weight, but I'd say close to 300-400 lbs a couple of times. Great combo, I can't wait to trim them!

 

I think you'll be doing great with D50 coils trimmed to preference, with the Camaro shocks. LOTS of people run them, without any problem whatsoever. And trimming them to fit is not going to hurt anything, and it's not cheezy at all - if it's done right. HEATED coil springs are flat out dangerous, but I'm sure you already know that. Just trim a quarter coil at a time til you get the correct height, and call it good. If hundreds of 510's have ran them over the years without any problems, it's pretty unlikely you're going to be the first.

 

FWIW, I went with Gas-A-Justs because my car is not a pavement princess, and since I load it down frequently during the summer with camping gear (once, with wood lol), and I -drove- quite frequently in places most low-clearance cars wouldn't dream of going, I wanted and needed a heavy duty shock to handle it all. They've been absolutely great, but GR-2's will do just fine (and are cheaper). Try it out, worst case scenario you can sell the setup to another 510 dude down the road if you want to go coilovers or something. PS - What Uber Deaf One said about bracing the shock mount, to be safe you'd want to brace it up but dozens of 510's are running the setup without a problem. BUT, I doubt those cars are ever really abused much, and a skid-pad and autocrossing isn't really that abusive. I would never run them un-braced doing the shit I've done.

[eat_more_drift]

Well said Boaty, thanks

[eat_more_drift]

Do the shocks need to be from a camaro? There's a site that sell them for the Datsun. What would be the difference?

[datsunfreak]

Do the shocks need to be from a camaro? There's a site that sell them for the Datsun. What would be the difference?

 

 

What we've been telling you. They are shorter. :cool:

 

When you lower the car on stock length shocks, the shocks are too close to bottoming out. Shorter shocks will keep it from bottoming out.

 

FYI, you can get the D50 coils new from RockAuto for around $60-70 a pair.

 

 

EDIT: These (ROCKWELL Part # RC2278) are $68.99

[Boaty]

If you are lowering your 510 more than a couple inches, then run Camaro shocks. Because: They. Are. Shorter.

 

If you lower a 510 too much with stock shocks, you're just going to bottom them out, which will eventually destroy them. Camaro shocks are shorter, so that with the shorter ride height, it's still in their "normal operating range". This is why so many people run Camaro shocks. Oh, also they are readily available anywhere (82-92 Firebird, Trans Am, Camaro, etc). More performance options (try finding a Gas-A-Just for a 510, or a high performance adjustable. Good luck.)

 

You can use stock Datsun shocks, if you want to. I mean we can't MAKE you use the Camaro shocks. BUT, when they blow just remember the world told you to use Camaro shocks. :)

[eat_more_drift]

If you are lowering your 510 more than a couple inches, then run Camaro shocks. Because: They. Are. Shorter.

 

If you lower a 510 too much with stock shocks, you're just going to bottom them out, which will eventually destroy them. Camaro shocks are shorter, so that with the shorter ride height, it's still in their "normal operating range". This is why so many people run Camaro shocks. Oh, also they are readily available anywhere (82-92 Firebird, Trans Am, Camaro, etc). More performance options (try finding a Gas-A-Just for a 510, or a high performance adjustable. Good luck.)

 

You can use stock Datsun shocks, if you want to. I mean we can't MAKE you use the Camaro shocks. BUT, when they blow just remember the world told you to use Camaro shocks. :)

 

Which 82 camaro?

L4 2.5

V6 2.8

V8 5.0.

 

Or does it matter?

[datsunfreak]

Which 82 camaro?

L4 2.5

V6 2.8

V8 5.0.

 

Or does it matter?

 

If you want stiff, I'd choose V8. ;)

[Bradinnes]

I'm in the position to buy a used D50 spring & KYB gas-a-just setup. Everything seems good. The ride height is where I would sort of like it to be judging from the sellers car. However, there seems to be only an inch and half or so distance between the rubber bump stop and the upper spring mount. Doesn't seem right to me. These are described as "new" springs and shocks. So it would seem to me that the springs will settle and this setup will be riding on the bump stops and not on the springs. I think he cut too much off the springs. Have a look please and let me know your thoughts.......

 

 

I think, judging from the picture, it would be best to order my own springs and shocks from Rockauto.

[Uber Deaf One]

Yeah that really doesn't look right, that spring can't be more than 6" tall.  Do you have a pic of the car's ride height? 

[q-tip]

Take the bump stops out, unless you plan on jumping thus car dukes of hazard style you won't need them. But if you must run them take them out and cut some of the top off to make them shorter

[Bradinnes]

Yeah that really doesn't look right, that spring can't be more than 6" tall.  Do you have a pic of the car's ride height? 

The seller said that one coil had been removed already....seems more like 2 to me. Here's a pic of the ride height.

 

Take the bump stops out, unless you plan on jumping thus car dukes of hazard style you won't need them. But if you must run them take them out and cut some of the top off to make them shorter

 I'm pretty sure the bump stops are there to keep the control arms from traveling too far up and causing the rear wheels to be pushed up into the rear fenders. I would imagine the drive shafts, exhaust and the bottom of the rear trunk, possible the rear bumper would get damaged in the process. No, I'm gonna stick to the bumper stops that came with the car. I've read lots about suspension adjustments and haven't heard of removing the bump stops. I should be able to run the factory bump stops and get the rear end lower. I feel that's safer. That's just my opinion.

[Bradinnes]

I'm just going to order a new set of D 50 springs from Rock Auto. They're not that expensive and I can cut them to suit my needs. Seems like my best bet. With shocks and the springs it's not much more than the price the seller is asking for.

[q-tip]

That's not too low at all, my car was lower than that before I installed my coil covers. Have no bump stops and no problems. Like I said if you at more comfortable having them there just take the top 1/2" off and you should have no problem

[Uber Deaf One]

Yeah you would be fine with those springs.  Were there changes in bumpstop heights over the years?  I have a ton of travel before I hit the rear bumpstops, much more than what's in that pic.  Maybe it's the angle of the pic or something throwing me off lol