280Bob

I just graduated from a 4 year program at Pittsburg State with a bachelors of science in technology, my major was automotive technology. That being said I don't have the experience in the field that most everyone else has but I do have to agree with what most are saying. If you are set on working as a tech or in some mechanical function you should look into the different training schools that are now being offered by companies such as Catepillar. Pitt State even has a co-op with Cat where the students will join the Think Big program from Cat and then if they want to earn a 4 year degree they transfer to Pitt and finish up the next 2 years there. Something like this pretty much guarantees you a job on graduation and many of these students will go on to be technical support and or trainers for Catepillar rather than techs. However, I do believe that the only way to make good money and truly enjoy what you do is to start your own business. I've been looking into this recently myself. If I do decide to try opening a business it most likely won't be in the auto industry though. Working in this industry has just worn me out with how crooked and underhanded it can be at times.

I will start pulling it apart again this weekend when I am back home. I only get to work on it when I am home from school. I will measure the top mounts and try to take more pictures.

Jon, I am not mad, I understand what you are saying and I do agree with you when it comes to strut travel. However, I am confused because when I look at pictures of my car compared to others even in this thread it does not appear to be lowered, and does not look like it is riding on the bumpstops. This is why I am so confused and don't understand what is different with my setup. The only thing that I can figure is that something must be different above the spring that is causing me to lose strut travel without lowering the height of the car much below stock. You are right, the strut travel shows that the car should be sitting pretty low. But, when you look at the pictures of the car it doesn't look like it. I just don't understand why? I don't know if this makes any sense, and I am sorry if you think I am not listening to what you are saying because I am. Bob

When you go with camber plates do you install them in the front and the rear? I know that it is a stupid question but I don't know anything about them. I could probably swing a set of the DP biscuit type. Would you guys recommend these for a car that is not my daily and will be used mostly for the streets and will be autocrossed occassionally? These DP style just bolt in without any modifications? What does it use for the front bearing, since the stock one sits inside the top srut mount? Also, does anyone know how thick these are compared to the stock 280 mounts?

I honestly did not think that my car would be lowered much if at all. I am confused as to where the adjustable collar is supposed to be at when people say stock ride height. On my car it is close to stock ride height with the collar at the bottom...shouldn't the collar be closer to the top so that I can lower from there? What would I need to do to 240Z top mounts in order to gain the most out of them? When you say bearing spacer, do you mean the bearing that sits in the front top mounts? Pictures of what needs to be done would be great if any are out there. I would love to get the EMI plates but I am getting ready to graduate college and don't have the money right now. Bob

fastzcars, I did give all of the information that Ross requested. I don't think my problem is being caused by my tire size. I realize that the tire size is slightly smaller than stock. I was very thorough in answering all of his questions because I wanted to get it right.

Look, I do appreciate the help and I don't want this to turn into a huge argument over the quality of the product. I never questioned the quality of the product mearly the information provided with that product. Obviously the kit is not to blame. I just don't understand how someone can honestly say that the coilovers are usable in this configuration. I know that I can take everything apart and modify things to make it better. I said that I was frustrated because I feel like this is something I could and should have been told upfront...I still would have purchased the product but with better instruction and information would be posting pictures of a successful installation. I am sorry if all of this seems trivial to some of you, but some of us are inexperienced and take the advice given to us to heart. I am only frustrated...I am not saying the product is bad or at fault. I will try to track down some different top mounts to see if that will help as I cannot afford camber plates right now. It looks like I will also need to lower the sleeve if I want to be able to gain some adjustability. Thanks for everyones help, and any more advice is always welcome. Bob

First, I did not say that it is Ross's fault that the car is not lowered. You are right it is my "fault" for wanting my car to look lowered a little from stock. However, I do believe that if you are going to charge the kind of money that Ross charges for his coilovers than it is not too much to ask that he provide correct and appropriate advice. Not everyone who orders his parts are suspension experts, this is why I contacted him in the first place. Also, my car did not have "sagged out" springs on it this is why I said that it did not lower it at all. I would not have a problem if my car rode at normal ride height and still had adjustability in the coilovers. Yes, I would be a little disappointed in the look but would not be frustrated with the information provided to me. Are you telling me that I should not be frustrated at recieving what is clearly wrong information from the person I purchased the product from? I am sorry but I believe that a person ordering this product for their 280Z should be told that it is at stock ride height with the collar bottomed out. How is it my fault when I contacted the vendor and asked up front if he would recommend sectioning my struts? Would you not recommend sectioning?

The first photo is after I set the zip tie against the gland nut then lowered the car to set the zip tie to check the travel. I took the picture after jacking the car back up to see how far the zip tie had moved. After I installed the coilovers I saw that there is almost no travel left in the front struts. This is why I was wondering if others with a 280Z had experienced the same problem. I don't think that there is anything to do other than pull the struts off and section them. The struts that I ordered were the BZ3012 and BZ3013 I believe. I think I will be able to reuse the back because they use a spacer at the bottom. I am just frustrated at the time and money (wasted on the front struts) I have spent only to have to redo it all. What makes it more frustrating is that I did ask if I needed to section before installing the coilovers. I was told by Ross that most people do not need to section. I want to know if this is true. It seems to me that if you do not section then you are losing all adjustability of the coilovers unless you wanted your car to look like a baja racer...I didn't want a lift kit. If I am wrong then I am very sorry, but, it just hurts when you have limited time and money and you are counting on being told correct information by the products vendor. By the way, I did email Ross as soon as I saw this problem. I didn't recieve much advice other than being told that my car is at stock ride height. My original question to Ross was that I didn't want to section if I didn't have to as I was not looking for the car to be slammed. A nice 1.5 to 2" drop from stock would be fine...after all I was ordering these for the adjustability not the drop. I just think that it is ridiculous to tell someone that the product will do that and not to worry about strut sectioning. First, it doesn't appear to drop the car at all. Second, just to get the car to stock height the collars have to be bottomed out. Where is the adjustability that I paid for? I went with the recommended 10" springs as well... Sorry for the long rant but I am very frustrated.

Ok, I was finally able to borrow a camera. Here are the pictures I think you were asking for... I jacked the car up in the rear, set the zip tie down against the gland nut, then lowered the car onto the ground. These are of the front, I know I can cut the bump stop down, but is this a normal amount of travel? DaleMX, How much travel do you have left in your suspension? I don't want to sacrifice suspension travel and handeling just to drop it. If you have any pictures of your set up similar to the ones I posted that would be great. Thanks for all the help guys, and sorry for taking so long to get the pictures up. Bob

Sorry I haven't been able to take any pics yet. We are in the process of moving and I have been trying to get the car ready to go over to the new house and now it doesn't start:evil: . I will take some of the pictures you guys asked for tonight. The car does have the engine and trans in it, and it is on the stock 280 insulators. Do the 240 insulators really drop it about an inch? I don't know it still seems like this thing sit entirely too high. I will take better reference pics tonight. Thanks, Bob

I guess thats why I've never seen one like it before . Looks good, I love seeing people make custom stuff like this.

If you are looking for a car to just drive around and not be harassed or have the impulse to start modding then what about a mid '90s Buick/Oldsmobile? I don't know about your area but here they have absolutely no resale value. I picked mine up almost 4 years ago with a little over 100,000 miles for 2,000. I daily a '95 Buick Century with 178,000 miles on the clock and only minor maintenance. It has some problems but only because I spend all my money on the Z. It has never left me stranded, and trust me, you will not get noticed or have any urges to modify it. I can only recommend the 3.1 V6 cars, I have no experience with the others. Another plus is that they seem to have been owned mostly by older people which usually means one owner cars with a good maintenance history. Just another idea.

I think it looks good man. How much do you have left to finish? I don't think I've ever seen that airdam before; did you make it yourself?

Thanks for all the input, I would have responded earlier but I have been working on getting the car running. I did place the threaded sleeve 1" from the top of the tube...that is what I was told to do, and I didn't have any reason to think otherwise. I agree that it looks like the perches are too high, which is very frustrating. I will take pictures of the suspension as soon as possible. jmortensen, Do you want me to place the zip tie on the shaft just to mark how far the strut compresses? This is what I think you are asking for but just want to clarify. How much travel do the tokico struts have normally? The struts I ordered were the correct ones for the 280Z, but I will check the part # on the boxes tomorrow. I will definately try to get some pictures. Thanks for all the responses, I really do appreciate the help. Bob