510 front strut, how to lower

[dgi]

I've searched and read, but just more confused.

 

72 PL510, L20b, with what appears to be stock struts and springs. Could use a lot better shock action.

 

I want to lower the front about 1.5 inches.

 

Can't go with 280ZX struts even if I could find them around here. If I did that I couldn't run my cherised 13" Libre wheels. Plus I'm completely happy with my brakes as is.

 

 

What strut insert can I use and how can accomplish the lowering using the stock struts? Any easy solutions, cheap is better for my budget.

[RedBanner]

Go to napa, get insert, insert insert, cut spring.

I dont think you can doit, its prety hard.

[ggzilla]

You don't lower struts, but you can lower the car by cutting 1/2 coil off the spring. If that's not enough, cut another 1/2 coil off. The shorter springs let the car sit lower.

 

You do not need to shorten the strut or use shorter inserts unless you are lowering the car more than 2".

[freetheoranges]

 

go to a kragen(o'reilly) or napa auto store and ask for 1982 nissan maxima front strut inserts, your car has coil-overs right? if so it was probably cut an inch, so the 1982 maxima inserts should be perfect! i haven't gotten mine yet but when i do i will let you know how perfect they are (crossed fingers)

 

I have not tried this yet. Mine are blown, so you should try it too and let us know.

[ggzilla]

Just be aware they will not fit stock struts unless you fit some kind of spacer -- even if your car is lowered. The shorter inserts are for shortened strut tubes.

[RedBanner]

..... Get 510 insert, cheap ones couse your broke.

Install the inserts, while the springs off, cut a coil off, drive it around, set toe. Enjoy.

Dont over complicate it, dude said stock struts, i dont see em so i dont know.

Maybe some pics are in order.

 

Heres how you take the wheel off.

Park the car on a level surface, set the jack onder the front cross member, set the ebrake and put it in gear.

Loosen the lug nuts and jack rhe front of the car up, place jackstands to hold the front up safely.

Remove the lug nuts, then the tire.

 

Now take pics, find your camera. Get some lights and backdrops set up. Read your camera instruction manual. Drink 3 beers, then take 109 pictures of your driver side strut and brake from every angle you can.

 

Posting pics, hook you camera in and download your 109 pics to photobucket, copy each code and past them here in this thread.

Drink the other 3 beers and check back with us.

[Boaty]

If he does this, Red, you're going to hell. Haha.

[datzenmike]

I've done this with my goon http://community.rat...on/page__st__60 and am mostly finished with my sedan (start reading at post 303)... http://community.rat...0/page__st__300 The 710 and 510 struts are very smilar.

 

 

Remove spring and cut and remove up to one coil.

Trim around the lower spring perch and remove it. (see text for pictures and details)

Grind the remaining weld off and smooth.

Order two 2" split collars.

Remove the gland nut on top of strut tube and take the damper out and drain the thin hydraulic oil.

Replace oil with 20W motorcycle fork oil to firm up the dampening and assemble.

Assemble with split collar at bottom then spring perch, spring and top hat.

 

I used a hydraulic jack to lift up on the bottom of the spring perch to compress the spring and then slide the split collar up and tighten to hold it in place. Split collars will support 6,000 pounds, or three 510 each!!! Lower and check the ride height. Adjust to suit. Damper action is increased, spring rate increased about 50% and height is now adjustable. I did the goon for about $50. The sedan will be $32.

 

This is good for 1 or 2 inches with a stiffer spring and damper oil. You cannot go much over 2-3" without risk of bottoming out the un-shortened strut.

['70dime]

Also to add to this on the wheel fitment. I ran 13" Libres on 280zx struts. There are two ridges on the top of the caliper that I had to shave down but once I did that there were no issues.

[banzai510(hainz)]

there a are 3 sizes of 510 struts. most common is the longe 11.5 inch one. The 11.5 one if you can coils yu can go only so far before you bottom out or ride on the bump stops.

 

most people measure from the weld to the bottom of tube right wehere it ends.

 

I would cut only 1 loop and see where your at.

 

Most people shorten the tube to the 280zx cartridge length. and leave the spring longer so you have more travel but it will be lower to the geround and then if you want lower cut another spring or a half. most used ST springs in the stock type setup. If lower then coilover setup will be needed.

[Boaty]

Somebody should post up the method where you remove the welds from the spring perch, and use some heavy duty clamps from McMaster to set the height. Once you get it where you want, they are apparently really sturdy and haven't heard of anybody having problems. This does not eliminate the bottoming out issue. When I used my factory struts, I didn't do this - I cut the coils, and cut the bump-stop in half. It didn't drive all that nice, granted I didn't use my car as a little get-around-town car, I used it to learn how to because race car. Lol. But, I know of several people that drive aggressively without issues, but they are not extremely low.

 

The above essentially gives you the ability to set the ride height as you would a coilover, without the coilovers. If you aren't really comfortable doing it, or it seems too difficult, don't do it.

 

Ideally, if you're lowering your car the proper way to do so would be with coilovers, camber plates, and bump-steer spacers (AKA Roll center adjusters). The coilovers give you the ride height adjustability, the camber plates allow you to set camber and a slight amount of caster (not to tune, but to even it out if they aren't perfect on the rack after install), and the bump-steer spacers put the control arm back to the correct position to combat bump-steer (the effect when you hit a bump and you get a greater toe-change causing your car to dart to one side, because your control arms are parallel to the ground).

 

I'm not certain if he still produces these, but DAMB made some budget bumpsteer spacers and they work exactly the same as a high dollar set, they just don't look as pretty. I use them on my own dime. They made a dramatic change in drivability for me. On some wheels, this MAY cause some ball-joint/wheel clearance issues, with your 13's.

 

YMMV. If you have the means to do so, do it right and do it once - and just get coilovers. If you really want to do this on the cheap, you can trim your coils off (I would trim 1/4 coil at a time) to get your ride height where you want it. Keep in mind, if you cut too much - you're SOL. You can't undo it.

 

Now, for the rear - you have some options. You can either trim the factory springs (I wouldn't), you can find some Dodge D50 coilsprings and replace your rears, and trim to fit (I use D50 coils, and my KA24DE compresses them down like butter). You can also use Roadster Comp springs (spendy, if you can find them), or you can do coilovers as well. Contact Skib on this site, he can give you more coilover info. Alternatively, TechnoToyTuning (T3) sells full coilover kits front and rear.

 

Now in regards to the 280zx struts & running Libra's, it was already mentioned above about grinding down the ribs on the calipers for clearance. You'd have to have the struts installed for you to get an idea, unless somebody has some pictures. Datsun510.com may turn some up with a quick search on the photopost site. Check it out if you'd like. Lots of information can be had there.

 

 

 

Hope this helps you out.

https://technotoytuning.com/nissan/510

 

DAMB Bumpsteer Spacers

 

A shot of the McMaster clamps under the spring perch for adjustability. Whiteline progressive springs shown.

 

Penultimate Rear Crossmember. Just another option to use for rear adjustability - this uses shims as opposed to weld-on mounts as per the Byron/FutoFab method. Also allows the use of polyurethane rear bushings if you desire to use them. Won't bind as the mounting perches swivel to self-align.

[datzenmike]

Somebody should post up the method where you remove the welds from the spring perch, and use some heavy duty clamps from McMaster to set the height. Once you get it where you want, they are apparently really sturdy and haven't heard of anybody having problems.

 

The above essentially gives you the ability to set the ride height as you would a coilover, without the coilovers. If you aren't really comfortable doing it, or it seems too difficult, don't do it.

 

 

I thought I did...

 

Well Canby's over so no money but long days and plenty of time for working on the girls. (and ratsun down) Mrs. d loves the ride and handling of my goon. It's lowered on Maxima struts, not that they handle any better, but I kept the 710 spring on them and I cut one coil off which raised the spring rate from around 100 lbs per inch to near 150. To increase the damping I replaced the strut oil, which looks like water it's so thin, to 20W motorcycle fork oil. The parts goon I have is a '77 with the newer brakes than the wedge shaped pads on the '74 so I'll mod these struts and keep the newer '77 calipers. Then just swap them in already prepared.

 

The sedan is very high in the front... looks like someone has taken the motor out. Perhaps the back has settled slightly and made it look worse but at any rate the front wheels are cambered out at the top and are noticeable to look at. Lowering a few inches should bring them in slightly too. As with the goon I will add an extra leaf at the back to firm the rear to match.

 

So... stock length struts and brakes, (although '77 instead of the '74s) adjustable ride height, increase spring rate, increased dampening... and I hope to do this for under $30.

 

 

My contraption for compressing the spring... Somewhat easier if you remove the caliper.

 

 

Pail of dirt and water for counter weight...

 

 

 

 

Loosen and remove the gland nut..

 

 

 

Slide the gland nut up and off. Be sure the strut is clean and free of burrs as there is a seal on the underside.

 

 

The insides will not come out easily unless you remove the O ring just below the threads inside the tube. I use a dental pick for this. Go easy on it and you can re-use it.

 

 

 

Gland nut underside and O ring.

 

 

Have a container handy to catch any oil. Only this much came out of two struts. I used about 2/3 liter to refill the Maxima struts. The FSM suggests about 325cc to fill one, so this seemed like quite a bit less to me. One of the struts could easily be compressed with light pressure before I took it apart. Maybe it was low. I do know that with 20W oil in them they were extremely firm to compress and open by hand requiring a minute or more to do so.

 

 

 

 

Lift the strut damper assy up and out. It looks like this..

 

 

Insides pulled out. Store all internal parts carefully in a clean place.

 

 

 

Trim around the top of the weld holding the lower spring perch.

 

 

Hammer loose and slip off the end of the strut.

 

 

I used a 6" angle grinder to remove the weld.

 

 

When smoothed down it should look like this and will allow the lower spring perch to slide lower down the strut tube.

 

 

As noted, the calipers should be removed first to make handling easier. I removed them last and polished the rotors, they are in good shape but the pads are really well worn and need replacing.

 

Here are the finished 710 struts needing only new oil. Instead of $17 Bellray fork oil I'm going with cheaper ATF to try it. It's also full of anti foam and rust inhibitors and somewhere between 15 and 20 weight I think. The last item are a set of $20 split collars to make these struts fully height adjustable.

 

 

As this car will be driven by my wife and she is unlikely to be using the full suspension travel and because the spring rate will be increased by 50% and the damping returned to like new, (or firmer) it's unlikely that lowering it 2-3" is going to bottom out the strut.

 

More as I continue.

.

 

Just an angle grinder and smooth so the split collar will slide up or down. Not rocket science and takes about 5-10 eack to grind down.

[TENDRIL]

 

 

 

 

I have not tried this yet. Mine are blown, so you should try it too and let us know.

 

i do have cut tubes and the size of the 82' maxima inserts ar the same length as the blown tokicos i had in there

[ggzilla]

Now he's probably more confused than ever ... ?

 

What about high standards?

[dgi]

Thanks to datzenmike and ggzilla for informative answers.

 

I'll probably take ggzilla's approach, buy some inserts, insert them, and cut the coils. I want to lower the front about 1.5 inches and I'm fine with the slightly higher spring rate that creates.

 

Anybody know exactly how much to cut stock springs to get the 1.5 inch drop?

 

@redbanner, not sure what you were smoking/drinking when you answered. But, send me your email address and I will surely clog up your inbox with those 109 pictures I just took. :angel:

[The Dat-side]

I barely got any drop with one and a half or two coils.

Top: ZX struts 510 springs

Bottom: ZX struts shortened to fit MR2 inserts cut 510 springs

[freetheoranges]

So not to beat a dead horse, but for my reference and others what all strut inserts DO work for a 510 stock front? 

 

 

[chiwag]

 

I thought I did...

 

 

 

Just an angle grinder and smooth so the split collar will slide up or down. Not rocket science and takes about 5-10 eack to grind down.

good post thanks.

[Stephan510]

 

So not to beat a dead horse, but for my reference and others what all strut inserts DO work for a 510 stock front?

 

[Stephan510]

 

So not to beat a dead horse, but for my reference and others what all strut inserts DO work for a 510 stock front?

 

 

Please can someone answer what inserts will fit stock 510 strut housings?!!? I need to know asap!

I read every topic i could find, and i havent gotten a answer. Just the 280zx struts with different inserts inside.

[Tristin]

So not to beat a dead horse, but for my reference and others what all strut inserts DO work for a 510 stock front?

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/39512-strut-insert-and-rear-shock-guide/

[Tristin]

Please can someone answer what inserts will fit stock 510 strut housings?!!? I need to know asap!

I read every topic i could find, and i havent gotten a answer. Just the 280zx struts with different inserts inside.

 

Calm down and give people a chance to answer... its not fucking life or death. 

[Laecaon]

You run 280zx Inserts, with a spacer on the bottom of them, this is for stock 510 application.

[Stephan510]

Calm down and give people a chance to answer... its not fucking life or death.

 

Thank you .

[Tristin]

You run 280zx Inserts, with a spacer on the bottom of them, this is for stock 510 application.

 

Yep, anything shorter requires a spacer...