Strut mods(pic heavy)

[mklotz70]

Okay Icehouse.....is this short enough for you??!! :)

 

Since the 300zx strut is an inch shorter than the 280zx, which is 1.5-2" shorter than the 510........that makes mine about 5.5-6" shorter than the stock 510 strut(later model) :)

 

 

 

 

 

this may be it for a bit....got get some real work done! :)

[Bleach]

you know, I think I have a pair of used Z31 inserts... not quite local and not quite new

[Icehouse]

Yeah they should be low enough :D lets see them on the car next :D

[510er]

So i just picked up some 280zx struts and am contemplating shortening them to slam the front of my car to the ground. this thread was amazing excellent attention to detail with the pics! a couple questions though. when it is all said and done How much total did you cut off? and these would be to use the MR2/300zx strut inserts correct? i have some tokio illumina 5 ways that i was going to use in the stock front suspension that have never been mounted. i think you said you may be down for a trade???

[mklotz70]

Sorry Jeff...it was just for show. That's why I shortened them 3"....too much to make them useable. Plus...I did it with the 300 strut, which has the wrong angles...so it was basically scrap metal anyway. Oh...disregard the part in the pm where I said I could take some off the bottom of the rod. I could, but the 300 sliders are already pretty close together. The 210 ones would be a good choice to do that to.

 

 

510er....I shortened these way too far to use any insert. You can shorten the 280 struts about an inch to use them with the 300 inserts. Your tokicos are too long for the 280 struts. I was looking to trade the 280 inserts I have for 300zx ones. I figured that since I'm already taking the perches off my 280 struts, I might as well shorten them for the 300 inserts. I may just run the 280 inserts and see how I like it. I can always pull them out and shorten them later. Considering that the wgn isn't even on the "project radar" yet, I'm in no hurry. I've just been chomping at the bit to try this mod.....just to do it :) I enjoy the fabricating more than the datsuns....they're just my excuse to do some of this stuff.

 

Hopefully, some other guys will add they're strut mods here as well. I like stuff to be under titles that easily come up when searched for. Anyway....I've gotta move on to other stuff. I have some more perches to cut off. I may do them with a different method than the lathe and show that, but since I don't have any coilovers...I'm about done for now.

Edited October 17, 2008 by mklotz70

[510er]

my tokico iluminas are for a 280z setup sorry that was really unclear in my last post. I was planning on using a spacer to run them in the 510. If your interested in trading for 300zx struts i would be happy to do so. The more my front end scrapes the ground the better.

[mklotz70]

If you're talking about using them on your 510...they won't work. The spindle angle is way off.

 

...plus...I hacked that one way too short to use and those were the only two 300zx ones I had.

[]2eDeYe]

Practice makes perfect, eh :D

[mklotz70]

That's funny. I actually cut it 3" for two reasons...one to show Jeff...the other reason was so that it couldn't be used....show only :)

[510er]

okay so im thinking we are both confused a bit here. I have 280zx strut inserts that are tokico iluminas part number bz3038. i thought in one of your threads you wanted to trade some shorter strut inserts you have for these strut inserts?

[mklotz70]

I pm'd you about it to help keep the thread somewhat clean....but oh well.

 

Okay...I went back and reread my statement and it almost reads either way. I already have two sets of 280 inserts......I want to get 300's. So, I'm in the same boat as you.

[mklotz70]

...so I just ordered these...

 

best price I've found on the 300zx inserts! $61 for the pair...shipped. It would cost me that much for one locally.

 

rockauto.com

 

1985 NISSAN 300ZX 3.0L 2960cc V6 MFI (H) [VG30]

Suspension : Strut Cartridge

GABRIEL PRIVATE LABEL Part # G44936 { [Wholesaler Closeout -- 30 Day Warranty (Only 13 Remaining)]}

FRONT (Exc. Turbo) {Gas Ryder Cartridge}

[mklotz70]

Thought I'd try it with the saw.....air saw of course.....but it could be done with a manual hacksaw :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mklotz70]

So, I've been a bit concerned with full penetration welds and got to thinking about a copper backing plate.......so I stopped at a plumbing supply place and got a 1.5" copper joint. Fits the inside of the scrap strut tube piece perfectly!

 

 

[mklotz70]

Okay...so now the challenge is to be able to get the copper back out of the tube. I was hoping to get a 1-2' piece of pipe, but they would only sell 10' lengths....@$62!! I thought about it for a min or two and came up with an idea. Found some AL dowel I had previously messed with.....turns out it was exactly the right out diameter. Just needed to turn it a bit to hold the copper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow, I'll get a piece of all-thread out of the shed and put it in place of the 1/2" bar it's shown with. Then, I'll try the welds with both the tig and the mig and see what happens :)

 

 

 

 

 

[mklotz70]

I forgot to mention......for those that don't know what the copper is for. When welding on steel...you can use copper as a backing plate and the weld will not stick to it. This is also a good trick when you are welding up holes on your rig when doing body work......keeps from getting the wire whiskers on the backside from the mig wire poking through. HF sells a copper paddle on a handle for about $10.

[]2eDeYe]

A+ work :D

 

What about sleeving the outside? Just curious

[mklotz70]

I think somebody pm'd or posted about that. It should work just fine.....unless you plan on using a coil over, then the threaded tube wouldn't fit over the sleeve. If you welded on a steel, threaded sleeve, probably just fine. But, most of the cheap kits have aluminum sleeves. You'd also have to open up the center of the spring perch....which wouldn't be any bit deal. If the welding was done well...I think most of the side load on the strut would be handled by the inner tube anyway. I just didn't want guys to think they could cob it together and run it. I like overkill....which would be provided by doing it with an insert. Speaking of this......I need to get out to the shop and get some stuff done :)

[510er]

yet again you give me lathe envy :mad::D

[mklotz70]

yep...mine's too big to actually fit it on a table.....but it's still pretty small compared to what other guys have! :)

[]2eDeYe]

Could you make the cut lower down on the strut body? Then sleeve?

 

Wounder If I could combine 2 strut bodies to get some lift? hmmmm

 

Thanks for the gear turner Mike :D

[mklotz70]

You probably could. You could also stick a piece of tube down in below the strut to keep it at the top. I would still keep the cutting to the upper end where the twist isn't as bad. That spindle has got a lot more leverage on the lower part of the strut tube.

[mklotz70]

Ever wonder what the nub/hole on the backside of the strut/spindle is for?? :) It was used to create the spindle before the tube was added.

 

[thisismatt]

I had wondered, but hadn't given it any thought :)

[adamedwardpartridge]

Do you have, or know where to get struts for my 1980 310GX?