DuoWing Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 So a couple years ago my forever in project status 280Z had the full Tokico Illumina/Spring set put on it. The car has only seen maybe 200-300 miles since they were put on. I've been in the middle of the Modern-Motorsports rear disc/Wilwood 1" master conversion. Anyway when I got up front I noticed that the passenger side spring has the writing flipped upside down on it while the driver's side has the writing right side up. I was wondering if this matters, should I just pull out that strut and swap the spring around? I was looking through what papers I had and I don't see anything mentioning about a proper way to install the springs so I'm not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3ryce Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 If the tops look the same as the bottom then I see no harm in leaving it. However I would flip it. But thats me. And I think that would be the safe side. Go a head and flip it. Better safe than sorry right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Doesn't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morbias Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Unless they are progressive springs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Doesn't matter with progressive springs either, but if they are progressive springs throw them in the trash. Only time it matters (right side up) is if they have been cut. In that case you want the cut end down on the perch that is welded to the strut tube. If both ends of the spring are square, it doesn't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morbias Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 It does matter; if they are progressive the unsprung weight changes depending on which way up they are installed. If you have the progressive section at the bottom the unsprung weight goes up. It might only be a small difference but you would want it the same on both sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 It does matter; if they are progressive the unsprung weight changes depending on which way up they are installed. If you have the progressive section at the bottom the unsprung weight goes up. It might only be a small difference but you would want it the same on both sides. It really doesn't matter. This isn't an F1 car. A tiny change in unsprung weight isn't going to be noticeable. The valving of those dampers is not that accurate, and again, this is not F1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Springs acting directly on a lower or upper arm or as part of a strut suspension are 100% unsprung weight. The thinking and modeling has changed over the last decade. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Springs acting directly on a lower or upper arm or as part of a strut suspension are 100% unsprung weight. The thinking and modeling has changed over the last decade. Interesting... Any Ortiz newsletters on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuoWing Posted May 15, 2013 Author Share Posted May 15, 2013 This turned out to be more interesting than I thought. I can't tell for sure, but they don't really look different. In that faq Tokico thread I thought it was mentioned the 280z springs are linear fronts. I can't really tell if there's much difference or not. I'll find out when I get the front on jack stands and take the wheels off. I'll be able to actually look at them easier. I figure it won't take that long to swap as I can probably just unbolt the few things attached to the shock tube and leave it connected to the control arm and swing it out enough to change the spring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankieD Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Doesn't matter with progressive springs either, but if they are progressive springs throw them in the trash. Only time it matters (right side up) is if they have been cut. In that case you want the cut end down on the perch that is welded to the strut tube. If both ends of the spring are square, it doesn't matter. Why throw them in the trash? I'm looking into replacing my 25 year old interpart springs and all MSA has are the Eibach progressive springs. Do they suck? If so...why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 This is only my opinion, so check with somebody like johnc, but I think progressive springs are a gimmick. At least with every progressive spring I have seen, the weak end is so weak that they collapse with just the weight of the car as if they aren't even there. Then, you have fewer active coils, so the spring coil binds and you lose total suspension travel. Perhaps if the soft end of the spring wasn't SO soft, but they all are. That is why one poster suggested just cutting them off. I had some and they sucked. Went to a standard style spring and it was great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 RebekahsZ is correct. I had progressive springs on my first 240Z and the "progressive" part of the spring was collapsed just sitting. I replaced them with Arizona Z springs (NLA last I checked). If they are still available the Arizona Z "heavey duty" springs are 180 lbs/in. front and 225 lbs./in. rear as I recall. I have used them on two 240Z v8 daily drivers. Check with Dave at Arizona Z for spring availability. Do some research here on progressive springs for more background information. You may end up having to specify the length and spring rates you want and go shopping. Also, check out Classic Z Car club for spring choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 Properly designed progressive springs work well. Every sing car made in the last few years the runs steel coil springs has progressive springs or progressivity build into the suspension. The 350z does it with progressive bump stops. The Eibachs are actually pretty good for a street spring on the S30 and I ran them on my 1971. Tokicos 5020f springs suck big do key balls and that's where the bad rap came from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stravi757 Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 Properly designed progressive springs work well. Every sing car made in the last few years the runs steel coil springs has progressive springs or progressivity build into the suspension. The 350z does it with progressive bump stops. The Eibachs are actually pretty good for a street spring on the S30 and I ran them on my 1971. Tokicos 5020f springs suck big do key balls and that's where the bad rap came from. Are there any "properly" designed progressive springs on the market for a 280z? I have Tokicos myself, but i felt they were a little stiff and too much of a drop for daily driving. Not that they were overly stiff by any means, just too stiff for me. I am personally going for a car that has slight drop from stock(but still makes it over speed bumps no problem), and is better handling than stock without sacrificing much comfort. I thought that the eibachs would have been a good candidate. Sounds like they are a waste of time now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuoWing Posted May 16, 2013 Author Share Posted May 16, 2013 Does anyone know for sure if these are progressive or not, at least the 280Z springs? Johnc did mention in that one thread he thinks the 280Z Tokico spring set is a very good kit for any S30 just that you would need to cut them for the earlier Zs. I mentioned that I saw one person say the fronts were linear. My Front springs look pretty much like my rears, they don't have the series of extra more tightly wound coils, they look pretty even throughout the whole spring so I'm going to go with that they're linear. I'm really pretty much a suspension newbie, so I keep reading through things on here trying to learn more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 You mentioned the writing in Post #1. What does it say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morbias Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 'This way up' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 The Tokico 5022 springs are linear front and rear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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