richie2619 Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Would it be feasible to weld on threaded sleeves without cutting the tubes? I currently have "Suspension Techniques" springs (1 1/2" drop) and I love the way my car sets. So I figure suspension travel is ok with my stock length Tokicos. I'm not interested in (slamming my car in the weeds) but I've haven't seen anyone do this. All I want, is to lose the big rubber hats and the big diameter spring perch and add a camber kit. I know I have to be rid of the stock spring perch, to fit the tires I want. ' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Send a PM to MiKelly. He has a 280z, but it shouldn't matter. He is road racicng with stock length tubes and camber plates. I think he has done exactly what you are wanting to do and he still has 6" of total travel per my last conversation with him, and he is in the weeds on huge tires. While you are at it, check his build thread in the Member Projects forum, so you can be educated on his car before you PM him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richie2619 Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I ran unsectioned struts and camber plates for years. Couple things to note: 1. Camber plates are shorter than rubber hats, so you'll lower the car without losing bump travel just by installing them. 2. The larger diameter tire you want to run, the lower you'll want the car to be to make it "look right". 3. You don't LOSE travel when you lower a Z without sectioning the struts. You move where the ride height is within the travel. Instead of having 3" of droop and 3" of compression, you might have 1" compression and 5" droop. That's where my car was. 4. When you get really low weird things start happening, particularly to bump steer. I had some hellacious bump steer in my car when running it really low. If you want to keep your car at its current height, but you're going to take out the ST springs and add camber plates, you'll GAIN bump travel, which will be better and you can also run a stiffer spring to keep it off the bumpstops. Suggestion: don't get polyurethane bumpstops. Get softer ones from Koni or similar. Bumpstops are a big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnickel Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 What were you alignment results with the stock top hats and the 1.5" drop? I personally am doing the opposite: sectioning tubes without camber plates. Also note that your spring to wheel interference will only be raised by the same camber plate removal amount. Coilovers also allow for more wheel room because people either run an 8" spring (which movea the perch up) and because the springs are narrower 2.5" ID Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richie2619 Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 I used the eccentric (aluminum delrin) bushings to correct rear camber and up front, I lowered the cross member with the JTR kit. I relocated the control arm mounting points and used bump-steer spacers to correct proper geometry. I'm not happy with the eccentric bushings because the delrin is very thin and prone to breaking. (3 sets now). I guess the next thing to research is, where to locate the spring perches to the right height! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I hated the eccentric bushings because they transmitted SO much road noise particularly on seams and bridge joints. Call me weird - or eccentric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richie2619 Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 Chuckle! Mike (Mikelly) gave me some great info... Thanks Rebekah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSM Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Can you elaborate on the advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osirus9 Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 I ran unsectioned struts and camber plates for years. Couple things to note: 1. Camber plates are shorter than rubber hats, so you'll lower the car without losing bump travel just by installing them. 2. The larger diameter tire you want to run, the lower you'll want the car to be to make it "look right". 3. You don't LOSE travel when you lower a Z without sectioning the struts. You move where the ride height is within the travel. Instead of having 3" of droop and 3" of compression, you might have 1" compression and 5" droop. That's where my car was. 4. When you get really low weird things start happening, particularly to bump steer. I had some hellacious bump steer in my car when running it really low. If you want to keep your car at its current height, but you're going to take out the ST springs and add camber plates, you'll GAIN bump travel, which will be better and you can also run a stiffer spring to keep it off the bumpstops. Suggestion: don't get polyurethane bumpstops. Get softer ones from Koni or similar. Bumpstops are a big deal. Hey there, I'm doing something similar but using the mckinney motorsports megan coilover kit http://mckinneymotorsports.com/prod_240+260+280Z+parts. Mostly I have some poly bumpstops and I want to get some nicer ones, but I'm not sure which to get. http://www.koniracing.com/bumpstops.cfm Would you use progressive or linear? I was leaning toward progressive, since that makes more sense to me. I can't find any info on what size struts this kit uses though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Here is some bumpstop tech: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75DC8BAD62876251 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdreView Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 (edited) 1. Camber plates are shorter than rubber hats, so you'll lower the car without losing bump travel just by installing them. If so, which camber plates can be mounted to the oem strut/spring assembly? Edited March 11, 2014 by AdreView Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 None to my knowledge. Part of the reason to switch to camber plates is so you can move them to change camber. The stock spring size takes up a lot of room so moving to a 2.5" ID coilover spring so that you have room to adjust the camber is part of the deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdreView Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 (edited) None to my knowledge. Part of the reason to switch to camber plates is so you can move them to change camber. The stock spring size takes up a lot of room so moving to a 2.5" ID coilover spring so that you have room to adjust the camber is part of the deal. So to statically lower more than swapping to a 240Z upper perch over a 280Z perch I would need to modify an aftermarket camber plate with an oem spring diameter upper perch OR just have someone fab up something around the oem mount. This would require some fabrication and welding.....huh Edited March 11, 2014 by AdreView Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osirus9 Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Mckinney motorsports will modify your tophats to accept their coilover kit if you want to keep them for reduced road noise or you want to just adjust your camber with an adjustable LCA or whatever. Thanks for the tech videos JMortenson. That dude sold me on getting nicer bumpstops. Unfortunately I still dont know what size I should get haha. I'm thinking a pretty hard (300#?) progressive... maybe 36mm? His video was about miatas, and the Z is kinda similar to that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 FatCat works on anything, but they made their name in Miatas. If you call I'm sure they could give you more advice. Not sure why you want to keep the stock springs, but it kind of defeats the purpose of the camber plates, namely adjusting camber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osirus9 Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Thanks JMortensen. I'll give them a call later. and I'm not keeping the stock springs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I just looked at McKinney's site. He has coilover kits that keep the stock isolator; those allow you to adjust the height, use a smaller spring, but don't lose the thick isolator so you don't gain the travel and lower the car at the same time as described before. He also has coilovers with camber plates. Just get the version with the camber plates and you will get the beneficial effect. You might ask if his camber plates require cutting and welding. Some do some don't. Then you can deal with Shaikh on the bumpstops. If you're not up on all of this though, you might want to do some more research until you understand what you're buying. Going to camber plates will put a lot more NVH in the car, so if it's a street car that never sees the track it might be overkill and more than you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3ryce Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 have you checked out zccjdm.com? I just got some threaded sleeves from them and will be using the 240sx coils to replace the current stuff. came with the camber plates to weld in too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdreView Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 (edited) It's difficult to tell with out quoting text who is responding to whom in this thread but I would like to add some info as I have been around the block several times with which direction to go for suspension modifications. Keep in mind this does not include any suspension linkage, control arms, etc as that is a entire convo in itself. Options are: 1) Replace strut/spring combo with drop in units, correct gland nut, retain upper mounts or use 240Z mounts to lower a 280Z slightly more. Wash hands and go drive. 2) Install a fully developed 2.5" ID coilover suspension for the Z (ie. McKinney, Arizona Z Car, etc.) with the weld in camber plates and tubes. Fab and welding required, additional height set-up and camber adjustability required. More for the advanced user. 3) Utilize a machined camber plate and tube combo (McKinney, Z Car Customs) with a "over-the-counter" 2.5" ID coilover system (S13 variant , Megan , Etc.). Same as #2 for install and adjustment. 4) Utilize bolt in camber plates (Ground Control, DP Racing, etc.) with any 2.5" ID coil (Swift springs, Ground Control Coils, etc.) and strut combo (Koni, Tokico, etc.) of your choosing. Avoids welding the chassis, but still required to weld/shorten the struts. Level up +1 install difficulty. 5) Retain oem struts (inspect and replace oil if necessary, higher weight?) install lowering springs (Suspension Techniques, Hyperco, etc.) and use 240Z upper mounts (if vehicle is 260/280Z) to effectively lower and stiffen ride height. Beginner approach, streetable, retain some comfort. 6) Bag it! Not gonna get too much into it. Price starts at $2,000 and goes up from there. Stance, slammed, adjustable ride height at the flick of a button. 7) Go all out and have a custom designed race suspension installed. 8) ? Any other options? Suggestions? Combos? Edited March 12, 2014 by AdreView Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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