What Next?

[JAS]

Its birthday time, and the wife wants to know what to order for me, She got OEM fog light conversion and navagation system for her Xterra

.

Coilovers/struts?

Headers/exhaust?

Better car Head Unit media player?

Front Valence?

Love to get a 5 speed

Sidedrafts?

 

Problem is we are online purchasing/delivery it, last time I drove my 620 800 miles to get a 4 speed, it was miserable in 100*F weather...

 

Continuing to work on the car until i find another interesting datsun to play with...

 

http://i1173.photobucket.com/albums/r596/JAS5551/datsunb21074.jpg

[MicroMachinery]

That's one beautiful B.

[TENDRIL]

i would say 5 speed or coilovers, what ever makes the car much more comfortable..

[JAS]

To bad no cheap 5 speeds on ebay... can spend up to $300.... Coilovers are do-able, want a tighter front end and lower... I take corners too hard

[RedBanner]

I ran crosses for a while, I know they rub, the zx struts fit good with some small mods, and bring the tires in alittle on either side BUT, then the tire rubs the foot well.

 

For 300 dollars , best improvement would be tc rods, and front strut inserts

If you run adjustable front tc rods you can

A. Bring the front tire forward alittle to clear the foot well

B. The increased castor will give it a more responsive feal in the corners (and straights)

C. will lesson the wondering fealing at high speeds.

 

My second choice would be a 5 speed, but take it easy on your self and get a 60 series one.

 

[ggzilla]

You don't need adjustable TC rods to do that. See the How To at http://community.ratsun.net/topic/44448-how-to-increase-caster/

[JAS]

Coilovers are easy, what about camber plates? they are hard to come by.... heard something abou 510 plates working with mod. Wish someone would list a cheap 5 speed on ebay or twin SU setup for an A series engine.

[ggzilla]

Camber plates are easy, readily available for B210.

 

cheap 5-speeds are being sold on Ratsun this week

[RedBanner]

You don't need adjustable TC rods to do that. See the How To at http://community.ratsun.net/topic/44448-how-to-increase-caster/

ill go ahead and respond to that on your thread.

 

Camberplates are around, the top hat is the same bolt pattern as 510s, 510 struts bolt right in no problems, but the spring is much smaller diameter for a b210.

camber plates built for actual coilovers would work fine, if you had the propper spring to match.

[JAS]

I guess its going to be coilovers, new struts, and a front end "re-bushing" setup. Drove all over today to blow out some carbon, what i wanted most was a stiffer, lower suspension. Hate the body roll when cornering most today. thinking 350 springs, and what to do about the rear end. Not doing blocks, checking out spring reversal of some of them. I do have facilities to press and machine. Ideas on the rear end for best stiff/low profile set up without changing out existing systems too much is appreciated. i do know to search, but what is really doable and stable and easy of all the methods from those that have done it many times.

[ggzilla]

Why the italics? Are you quoting someone else's words?

 

350 pound springs on a B210 is insane. Even racers are only using 275 pounds.

If you haven't lowered your B210 and fitted low-profile tires, do that first. It'll reduce the body roll and corner like on rails, even with stock spring rates. Try it out, it costs nearly nothing. And you can buy new springs later if you still want them. Lower it 2" and fit low-profile wider and overall diameter smaller tires. The tires will have an additional lowering effect, will allow the B to accelerate faster, and the low-profile will stiffen it up.

 

My B has threaded coilovers with aftermarket springs and large tires, and it cornered terrible until I lowered it. And it was already lowered! But the tall 14s messed it all up. You want 50-series tires or thereabout if you care more about performance and not about comfort.

[JAS]

Running 185/60/14 now on the "B", front end nose dives to the outside during hard cornering. The wheels and tires will tuck in nice if lowered, As far as fast exceleration, first gear is too low already to do much good. Split collars look soo cheesy for method of locking a spring position, and make adjustments difficult. Split collars dont lock so well for this duty. Like the section on lowering the rear end though.

So 350 is way to far out for a spring rate? Stock is way to loose now, I actually bottom out on a fast turn body roll on the outside tire now. Want to eliminate or drastically reduce it.

Want to do this right and have adjustability to ride height and cornering improvements.

[datzenmike]

If you drive on the highway a lot the 5 speed make sense for a small increase in mileage. If in town put this idea to the bottom of the list there are other things more important.

 

 

Running 185/60/14 now on the "B", front end nose dives to the outside during hard cornering. The wheels and tires will tuck in nice if lowered, As far as fast exceleration, first gear is too low already to do much good. Split collars look soo cheesy for method of locking a spring position, and make adjustments difficult. Split collars dont lock so well for this duty. Like the section on lowering the rear end though.

So 350 is way to far out for a spring rate? Stock is way to loose now, I actually bottom out on a fast turn body roll on the outside tire now. Want to eliminate or drastically reduce it.

Want to do this right and have adjustability to ride height and cornering improvements.

 

If you are into looks then spend upwards of $350 for coil-overs... split collars do the same thing for $10 a side and ask yourself just how many times a day you need to adjust your ride height anyway? Most people get it where they want it and that's it. So yes, coil overs are pretty, but just for show. Split collars, at least the ones I have are rated to hold 6,000 pounds. That's three 510's weight.... per strut! It ain't moving.

 

350 pounds per inch is slightly high for even a 510, so probably way too high for a B-210. The stock spring won't bottom out unless lowered. Measure the diameter of the coil wire, the diameter distance across the coil center to center and the number of active coils. With this the stock rate can be worked out by using a formula. Your stock ones are likely just under 100. Most are, for light cars. The ZX is about 150 on the fronts. 510 are 89?, my 710 was 104. If you know where you are you can see the direction you want to go in. My 710, I cut one coil off and the rate went to 150 and I like it there, yours may vary. This is where the spring rate formula can help. I can't imaging a 300/inch rate on my goon but everyone is different in what they like and how/where they drive.

 

Your strut dampeners are likely worn by now also and greatly affect body roll in corners. While I was shortening my springs I took the thin watery damper oil out and replaced with much thicker 20W motorcycle fork oil. It takes a full minute and both arms to extend or compress the strut dampener now. It really firms the ride. I spent about $20 to do both but on my wife's car I'm trying cheaper automatic transmission oil. It has lots of anti foam and rust preventives in the formula.

 

You might look into a large aftermarket sway bar to reduce body roll without increasing the spring rate.

[az_rat210]

New Sway Bar Bushings and Urethane End Link bushings will make a difference. As old as the car is, pull the stock strut cartrides and rebuilld them (new fluid). This will stiffen it back up a bit and improve the ride. Before you go making major changes be sure your front end parts do not have any wear to them (tie-rods, ball joints). You can also get some urethane TC bushings (but not sure what effect this would have on handling). You might also consider having a strut brace made or purchasing one.

[JAS]

Les Scwabb looked over and re-aligned the car and said it was tight last winter. I ordered the front end re-bushing kit, new KYB struts and shocks (front and back), the coilover kit for the front. Guess i will be driving the 620 for a few days to work while i rebuild the front end in my spare time. I have rebuilt the front end 75' 280Z and 79 620 KC lately, this aught to be a piece of cake.

Tie rods are good, ball joints, wont know untill i get into them... Lowers are probably toast as usual. The usual rubber bushings could be better on everything, got OEM replacements on those,

 

I have read the discussions on cutting springs, split collars, etc... For me, the coilovers were the way to go,, as i will be tinkering with the setup for a while and dont want to collars. Besides, if my maintenance crew that works for me heard that i was cutting springs and using split collars for suspension, they would think i lost it with the standards i require of them.

[ggzilla]

fear prevents progress

 

But your method will work. Best wishes.

[JAS]

Aint no fear, except in calling something cheesy.... Its on, will post when parts arrive and are installed. I did go with less spring, as was stated, it was probably my struts. My passenger side one is toast and leaks, and sinks down, so a matched set was in order.

[JAS]

Went with the 5 speed, new clutch... dogleg. Getting new struts and shocks, KYB installed.

[RedBanner]

Note the angle and possition of your engine before you bolt the 5 speed in, so you can get everything back in its place

[JAS]

They sent me a freaking 18 spline clutch disk!!! Have to return the disk ;and get the right one, hopefully by this weekent to do the swap.... Kept all my stuff from the auto to 4 speed swap, so have the right driveline for the dogleg 5 speed upgrade.