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210 wheel/brake stuff


Yung_Cloud

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So I've heard about the 280zx front strut/hub swap and that it gets you the ultimate bonus package of better suspension, brakes and brings in the wheel mounting surface making it possible to run lower offset wheels. I'm thinking of getting gecko racing coilovers so that I can have adjustable damping and fine tune my suspension via the simple design of coilovers (and bragging rights for that dirt nasty low static life), and I was wondering if it's possible to just swap over the zx hub/brake assembly and keep the stock suspension?

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Swapping 280zx struts into your 210 does not really better your suspension. The zx spring is really too large a diameter so you 210 spring is better kept and used. Here you can buy a spring or cut it to increase the stiffness. The zx strut is shorter so it automatically will lower the 210 slightly and allow additional lowering without bottoming out the strut. The zx hub WMS (wheel mounting surfaces) are inboard and narrow the wheel tread by about 3/4". Keep in mind that this does move the rubber closer to rubbing the strut tube. The zx brake caliper is much larger and the rotor is vented. You may not be able to fit your stock 13" rims over them, so check.

 

I find coil overs overly expensive for something you adjust once and then it's just money tied up and along for the ride. It would be different if you reset your ride height every week. That's a lot of money tied up otherwise. My 710 has '84 Maxima struts (similar to the 280zx) with the large caliper and vented rotors. I trimmed the stock spring to the spring rate I wanted. The internal stock oil bath dampers firmed up nicely with thicker motorcycle fork oil and my ride height is adjustable. Ride height adjustability, firmer shock and stiffer spring for under $50 and a half days work.  

 

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I know coilovers are expensive for what they are and probably a waste of money but I mostly want them for the rear ride height adjustment and so that I can adjust the shock damping on the go, say driving around the city vs an actual track or well paved road. Also the main reason I want the zx hubs is that I plan to get some wide low offset wheels (thinking of 15x8 +20 for the front) and the zx hubs would help me clear the fender (I did some calculations on a wheel offset calculator). Really all I want is better brakes and the shorter front track.

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Make the tires fit the car not the car fit the tires. Better get the struts on then do some measuring. Weather the rim moves in or out the offset can be selected to compensate. You also want a tire the same diameter as the stock ones or it will upset the gearing. Acceleration will be more sluggish and the speedometer wrong.

 

Larger calipers need more fluid volume than your 13/16" master can move. The pedal will travel farther to deliver it and may feel 'mushy'. The zx used a 15/16" master. You have a brake booster so the pedal effort won't increase too much. Keep this in mind.... you may need a larger master.

 

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I mean the speedometer isn't really gonna exist besides being a wall trophy since we're swapping the engine/trans for ae86 stuff (7agte build and all that, since we've got at least 5 of those lying around), so that isn't really a concern besides the tires actually fitting the wheelwells. We have some spare 4x100 wheels with 1" adapters to fit them to the car which is what's on right now. 225/45s on 15x8 +20s with the adapter doesn't fit the front (pokes out way too much and doesn't turn past half of the turning radius) so I know that wide of a wheel/tire combo won't work with an effective -5 offset. I'll have to do the strut hub swap when I restore the suspension to stock to test it (not gonna do the coilovers for a while just in case I can get the fitment and ride height I want without them).

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