lowering datsun 240z? help.

[balderrama]

I habe a question im in the process to lower my datsun 240z 73. What kind of spring and shock should I get. ???? All your help will be appreciated.

[NewKid559]

You should find someone that can hack your suspension off and weld on some Mckinney motorsports adapters. Then you pick your off branded Megan s13 coilovers, I got EMUSA's off ebay for around $500, and bam, low.

[datzenmike]

Remove the strut and separate the spring from it. Remove gland nut, pull out the internal valving and empty out the thin watery hydraulic oil and replace with thicker 20W motorcycle fork oil. This only works if you have the original strut oil bath dampers. If they have already been replaced with inserts well just get new ones. Thicker oil is harder to push through the valves and will renew or firm up the damping action. About $20 per liter would do 3 struts.

 

For adjustable ride height carefully trim around the lower spring perch just above the weld. Slip the perch up and off the strut tube. Grind away the weld so the outer strut tube is smooth.  I assume the stock 240Z had a 150 pounds/inch spring rate so cutting off one coil will raise it to just under 200. There is a formula for working out your existing spring rate and how much to remove to get a 50% increase. I found 50% is a good starting place because you can always take more off later.... you can't put it back though, so once cut ... no going back. Now assemble the strut top hat/spring/lower spring perch and secure a 2" split collar under the perch. By moving the split collar up and down the strut tube your ride height is now adjustable. Split collars support more than 6,200 pounds each so enough for over one complete car per strut. Collars are under $20 a pair.

 

All this is in my 710 goon thread using '84 Maxima struts. Cost would be about $70-$80 for all four struts, oil and collars.