Coil Overs for 280zx Struts

[datto510]

Is there any other place to buy these other than E bay...

I like th epoor mans approach :D But...I'd have to go with a shorter insert & also shorten the strut tube correct ?

 

I don't think you would have to shorten your strut tube on a street driven car. The shorter tube and insert will give you more suspension travel. It also depends on how low you want to go and how much travel you want to keep.

[Guest jaimesix]

I have seen a couple projects in the internet with those clamps. Sounds like an afordable idea, in case there is no welding around.

 

I feel the apprehension some express at the nothion of a clamp holding the spring......what about using 3 or 4 of these clamps one after the other?? That would add a lot of strength, perhaps more that a welded piece.

I do not think 4 clamps like these ones are going to budge.

 

Jaime.________________________________________________________

[qwik510]

I have seen a couple projects in the internet with those clamps. Sounds like an afordable idea, in case there is no welding around.

 

I feel the apprehension some express at the nothion of a clamp holding the spring......what about using 3 or 4 of these clamps one after the other?? That would add a lot of strength, perhaps more that a welded piece.

I do not think 4 clamps like these ones are going to budge.

 

Jaime.________________________________________________________

 

I seriously doubt that you will need more than one set of the clamps. I know that there are naysayers on this list but I used them for over 5 years and they never moved. I know of others that used them on trackday and autocross cars for many years and they never moved on them either. I am doing a VG30 swap into my 510 now and I plan to use them again on a set of 280ZX struts with GC coilovers. I have 100% confidence in them. I drive my cars very spirited too.

[zetozeto99]

http://www.technotoytuning.com + a welder

 

:D

spammity spam spam!

 

I wonder if one of those kits would work on my 810.... :confused:

[Guest jaimesix]

I wonder if one of those kits would work on my 810.... :confused:

 

 

Off course . The 810 is a cool Datsun, and the suspension components work fine. In fact, the B210, 710, 610 , "Z" and 510 have the same diametre strutwise. I am sure the 810 is same.

 

I got the struts for my 610 from this guy in CA, Tokico parts, and this guy, who is cool, races a 350Z and he used to have a performance 810. I am sure he will be able to answer your questions.

 

Give him a call. I will send you a PM with the details.

 

Jaime._________________________________________________

[hang_510]

I wouldn't trust my life to a clamp holding up the spring.

ive seen muffler (bearing) clamps used w/o issue.

 

 

id weld.

[Guest jaimesix]

I seriously doubt that you will need more than one set of the clamps. I know that there are naysayers on this list but I used them for over 5 years and they never moved. I know of others that used them on trackday and autocross cars for many years and they never moved on them either. I am doing a VG30 swap into my 510 now and I plan to use them again on a set of 280ZX struts with GC coilovers. I have 100% confidence in them. I drive my cars very spirited too.

 

I will give it a try, I have a set up coil over left over from my 610 project, which I will use on my 710. With 2 of those clamps I can try my set up immediately . Later on I can add welding....not necesary now.

 

Where can I buy those clamps?

 

Jaime.___________________________________________________

[qwik510]

I will give it a try, I have a set up coil over left over from my 610 project, which I will use on my 710. With 2 of those clamps I can try my set up immediately . Later on I can add welding....not necesary now.

 

Where can I buy those clamps?

 

Jaime.___________________________________________________

 

I bought them from this guy on eBay. Super fast shipping and good communication. I highly recommend him.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=220351095433

 

 

Yep. You can use these to find the best position and then weld on the rings later.

[zerow]

 

Where can I buy those clamps?

 

Jaime.___________________________________________________

 

I got mine from our friend in Whittier...

[Guest jaimesix]

Thanks Qik510.

 

Since Zerow knows a local source, that would be a little better, so I can make sure the size fits. I am planing on doing the 710 coil overs. Instead of welding, I will use the clamps. Later on I can weld the parts on, in the right place.

 

With my 610 I had the issue about wrong welding location for the perch. It cost me a second set of threaded sleeves. The first set of sleeves I got ( Ground Control) are short, and when the perches got welded low in the strut assembly, I was forced to buy longer sleeves. Yes, I messed up.

 

This clamps will assure no mistakes....and welding will be done when I can do it, not when a welder is available.

 

 

Zerow, what is the source???

 

 

Jaime.___________________________________________________________

[CorAce]

I like the idea of using the clamp until you get the ride height figured out. I picked up a set of 280zx struts over the weekend:D, and am working on pulling all the parts together for the swap. My question is, do I need the camber plates to correct the alignment or can I go without on a street car? Trying to keep it affordable.

[zerow]

I like the idea of using the clamp until you get the ride height figured out. I picked up a set of 280zx struts over the weekend:D, and am working on pulling all the parts together for the swap. My question is, do I need the camber plates to correct the alignment or can I go without on a street car? Trying to keep it affordable.

 

The 280zx struts are already shorter, thereby bringing camber. I would highly suggest the camber plates, otherwise the pennies saved on not using plates will soon turn into dollars for replacement tires. Its sad that the really cool (and affordable) Moog camber plates are NLA, but, alas, there are other sources. Try T3.

[Guest jaimesix]

Agree.

 

I got the T3 camber plates for my 610. There is another set that is cheaper, a little more crude, but it works, it is the Contour Camber Plates sold by TMC in Burbank. I got a set for my 610 originaly. Since I was using different struts, I was in need of a sleeve to use between the strut shaft and the camber plate. I will use the Countor units on my 710.

The guys at TMC are very helpful and available, give them a call if you need more information.

 

For quality, looks, use the T3 ones. For a little less cost, the Contour plates.

 

Jaime.______________________________________________________

[SHADY280]

for the t3 camber plates i found i had to put mine on top of the strut tower, not under. what has everyone else done. by doing this it allowed the car to sit at the correct height, it was a inch higher if i put them under. i still am considering the coilovers for the front of the racecar, wonder if 250# would be enough for a z racecar?

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Heres a site that sells the clamps.......

http://www.lucasindustrial.com/

I like the idea of cutting off the stock perch & dropping it down to the clamp. If it sits too low simply undo the bolts & raise up. I was told that a 89 Toyota MR-2 REAR insert works good for a replacement "shorter" insert.

[Danfinny]

so for the clamps its the 2" size just making sure before i order some

[Pedro]

Sounds right, all datsun struts I've come across are 51mm diameter (2 inches = 50.8mm).

[qwik510]

so for the clamps its the 2" size just making sure before i order some

 

Yes. I bought the 2" size and they work great.:D

[Danfinny]

sweet...time to go rummage through the pic-n-pull whaahahahaha

[ggzilla]

If T3 uses a clamp, it's good enough for me. For those worried, It seems you could cut a tube and place it under the clamp (over the strut tube) which would prevent it from going down if it ever slipped.

 

How do you prevent the spring cup from rising up under full suspension drop? Use racing wire to prevent spring from going up too far?

Edited March 28, 2009 by ggzilla

[Guest jaimesix]

If T3 uses a clamp, it's good enough for me. For those worried, It seems you could cut a tube and place it under the clamp (over the strut tube) which would prevent it from going down if it ever slipped.

 

How do you prevent the spring cup from rising up under full suspension drop? Use racing wire to prevent spring from going up too far?

 

I see what you are thinking about. For a road car, that should not be a concern. I do not think the perch would move upwards, what could happen if your system is loose, is that the spring could stay afloat . The same thing could happen with a car with stock perch and strut using a cut coil spring.

 

If you think about it, a car with a cut of coil spring ends up with a floating spring when the suspension is in full drop. That only happens upon changing a tire or lifting the car. For that to happen in road driving, the car would have to fly high enough, and long enough for the spring to float off. Not and easy combination of facts to happen.

 

In this case, I do not think the spring will float, because we rare not altering the size of the spring in relation to the distance between the spring perch and the top / mounting strut bracket. The spring floats between the perch and top when cut because it can not fill the gap it was originaly made to fit ( factory spring vs cut coil.)

With the stock spring, and free spring perch held by a clamp, the spring is the stock size spring made to fit the distance between the perch and the top of strut/mounting point. That distance is constant, all we are doing is move the complete geometry in its original proportions down sliding through the strut body.

 

I think it is a cool system. I will do it for my 710!:)

 

 

 

 

Yes. I bought the 2" size and they work great.:D

 

Nice, I am going to order a set, so it is a mail in order thing?

 

Heres a site that sells the clamps.......

http://www.lucasindustrial.com/

I like the idea of cutting off the stock perch & dropping it down to the clamp. If it sits too low simply undo the bolts & raise up. I was told that a 89 Toyota MR-2 REAR insert works good for a replacement "shorter" insert.

 

Nice. That 1989 Toyota MR-2 rear strut thing is great. That should make things even better, keeping travel.

 

for the t3 camber plates i found i had to put mine on top of the strut tower, not under. what has everyone else done. by doing this it allowed the car to sit at the correct height, it was a inch higher if i put them under. i still am considering the coilovers for the front of the racecar, wonder if 250# would be enough for a z racecar?

 

I am installing my stuff this week. I have seen other 610s with T3 camber plates and those go under the mounting base.

 

I am not positive about the "Z" car. Call T3 guys, they should be able to tell you. IS there a posibility that you got "Z" vs "ZX" plates?

 

250lbs springs for racing should be good enough. For street I am using 175lbs. I can imagine 250lbs must hold a lot more.

 

Jaime._______________________________________________________

[Docsis510]

do i need to cut the strut in order to install the mr2 inserts?? can i do it on the regular 510 struts or do i need the 280zx ones?? in case i have to cut the strut does anyone know how its done??

[thisismatt]

If you use a shorter than stock insert you either have to shim the insert inside the strut tube (defeating the purpose of using a shorter insert), or cut the strut tube down to fit the new, shorter insert. You can either section the tube and weld the top back on to maintain the threads, or cut off the tube and rethread the tube which really needs to be done on a lathe (which will cost you from about $75-150 most likely). If you do the section and weld technique you could plan it so that the section where you weld the tube back together falls inside a piece of sleeve used to hold the coilover collar - in other words...

If your coilover threaded sleeve is 4" long, cut the top of the strut tube off about 4.5" from the top. Cut another peice off the remaining lower section of tube to shorten it the correct amount for the inserts you will use, discard this excess piece. Chamfer the edges of the lower section and upper section where they will be welded back together. Butt the two pieces up to each other where they will be welded back together - you can set the two pieces in a length of angle iron to keep them lined up, and it would also be a good idea to place an old cartridge wrapped with a thin piece of aluminum or some other backing as to not create excess weld material inside the strut tube that will interfere with the new insert fitting, unless you have a way of reaching something down inside the tube to grind any excess off. Weld the tube pieces back together. Grind off excess weld bead. Use a 1" long, give or take, section of tubing that will slide over the strut tube and weld it to the strut tube so that the top falls 1/2" above your strut tube cut/weld and 4" below the top of your strut, giving you extra strength at your weld and the necessary lower perch for your 4" coilover sleeve. I would also recommend doing all this an extra 1/16"-1/8" below the top of your strut so that you have room to get a wrench on the insert flange nut without buggering the coilover sleeve.