STIFF lowering springs, not coilovers

[seventyfour]

Hey guys. I have a  73 240z that I purchased on cut springs. I have done a lot of other things to her since then including my flare/wheel setup as seen in the picture attached below. I ran out of money until recently (sold my former project car) and I'm ready to rectify the situation with the z's suspension. Personally, I think it sits absolutely perfect. The issue is that the stock cut springs are far too soft and my tires rub over decent bumps and I can't put two people in the car AT ALL.

 

I want a spring/shock combo that is much stiffer than stock but that won't make my car sit like a monster truck. Most lowering springs don't look too stiff, and they only advertise a 1" drop. Am I doomed to spending 1200+ dollars on coilovers, even on a car that will never see a racetrack? Thanks for any help.

[NewZed]

The issue is that the stock cut springs are far too soft and my tires rub over decent bumps and I can't put two people in the car AT ALL.

 

. Most lowering springs don't look too stiff, and they only advertise a 1" drop. Am I doomed to spending 1200+ dollars on coilovers,

Where do they rub?

 

Which springs have you looked at so far?  Make a list, so you can avoid the "already saw those" cycle.

 

"Coilovers" only offer adjustable ride height, if they're the design that just moves the spring perch up or down.  Otherwise, they use the spring the same as a fixed perch.

[RebekahsZ]

Buy 13" diameter wheels and tires. Then install stock springs. Car will be low and won't rub.

[NewZed]

The issue is that the stock cut springs are far too soft and my tires rub over decent bumps and I can't put two people in the car AT ALL.

I'm not a suspension expert but I think that a well-designed wheel/car/suspension system never rubs.  The wheel stops moving before rubbing occurs.  So one solution for you might just be more or longer bump stops.  

 

This will stop the rubbing, and you can keep the look, but the ride will still suck because you don't have enough travel.  That's one of your problems, besides spring and shock rates.  Your parts don't work together.

[johnc]

Chevrolet Chevette front springs are 200lb. In. Which are about double what are on your car now. You will need to cut them to get the ride height you want. All this has been discussed here before, please search.

 

Tokico HP shocks will work with those springs.

[Team Zleep]

You could get a set of sport springs, then run camber plates (you won't have much, if at all camber adjustment) to drop the height another 1.5in. while retaining shock travel.

 

Thread about the plates:

http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/118307-new-bolt-in-camber-top-mounts-on-the-market/page-3

 

I did just the fronts on my 280z, and swapped the short caps to the rear of the car. I'm on tokiko gray springs and kyb's. I have more than about 2 inches or so of travel before the bumpstops (they take up a bit of room, they're uncut). I don't rub, don't bottom out, nothing. That combined with poly bushings makes for a tight little car. I sit at just under 6in. rocker to ground front, just under 7in. out back on the rocker. 

 

[JCan]

From my experience ( Ihave tried both tokiko springs and eibach springs)

 

When you lower your car by cutting the spring, you move the operating position of the shock to close to the limit of it's travel.  Now you can add camber plates which eliminate the rubber bushing which should have the effect of lowering your car 1" without messing up the shock operating position.  The cost of this is the rubber bushing actually helps mellow out the ride.

 

Regarding springs, Tokiko and eibach springs both are progressive springs and both are very stiff as compared to the stock springs.

 

My suggestion is for you to purchase eibach springs ($225), cut the fronts 1 turn (on the soft side of the spring) and install them on your car and see how it looks.  next drive it to see how you like the stiffer springs.  if you like the stifness, and you believe it needs to go lower, maybe you could look at adding a camber plate to get an extra inch. 

 

 

My two cents -  best of luck

[Team Zleep]

Maybe the newer tokiko springs are progressive, but the ones I have (supposedly Tokikos, They were new old stock) are definitely not progressive.

[johnc]

240z TOKICO springs are progressive, 260 and 280 springs are linear.

[Team Zleep]

240z TOKICO springs are progressive, 260 and 280 springs are linear.

 

 

Ah-ha! That's good to know. 

[RebekahsZ]

Not a fan of progressive springs. I had a set once and the soft end was constantly coil-bound. I kinda think progressive springs are just so much hype.

[TimZ]

I'm not a suspension expert but I think that a well-designed wheel/car/suspension system never rubs.  The wheel stops moving before rubbing occurs.  So one solution for you might just be more or longer bump stops.  

 

This will stop the rubbing, and you can keep the look, but the ride will still suck because you don't have enough travel.  That's one of your problems, besides spring and shock rates.  Your parts don't work together.

^^This^^

 

Stop obsessing over what new parts to throw at it until you understand what problem you are trying to fix.

 

Your description indicates that you have interference at some point in your suspension's travel.  Changing springs/shocks might lessen the occurrence, but it won't make this problem go away.  You need to find the interference point and either address it or limit the suspension travel.

 

If you are dragging the frame rails on the ground or bottoming the suspension with two people in it then that's a different issue, but that's not what you have described so far.