Hitman47 Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 Guys im converting my 240z, im putting a 350 in it. Im wondering what suspension mods ill have to do. Can anyone fill me in as to there current setups, What kind of struts are the best, springs? I dont know much about irs suspension. Please help. I want the car to be a good handling car but 60 % drag 40% road race car if that is possible. Thanks guys Chad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudge Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 I can't help you too much, but the direction I have heard with overall car balance in mind, is no rear sway bar, and stiffer front springs than rear - as opposed to most other Z setups which have stiffer rear springs vs front. Plenty of V8Zers should be able to help you out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBC_400 Posted March 12, 2003 Share Posted March 12, 2003 I am going with the arizona z car springs with about a coil cut off for my 71 Z. but I am more of a road racer than a drag racer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deMideon Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 The questions you have to answer first are, how much horsepower, if you are going high you should do subframe connectors, possibly other frame stifening. Next are you going aluminum heads, waterpump etc, JTR setback? If so your initial weight distribution should be slightly better than original. Then you have to figure out how much street time and do you like your kidneys.... Your best bet is to get coilovers, there are a couple of people here that sell them very inexpesivly and can recommend the correct springs for your application. Also if you use the JTR you do need front and rear sway bars, thickness depending on your springs and application. I personnaly autocross and when my V8 Z is done will be AX and drag racing it. I prefer very heavy front and rear sway bars and lighter springs. But thats just me. Hope this helps some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbo240ez Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 Mine is set-up with heavier springs in the rear. But then I have a 302 Ford which is the same weight as a L28. You can probably go with the lighter spring in front concept and have a good general purpose ride. Getting some good adjustable shocks/struts seems like it would be more important. For drag racing a softer front coil will help with weight distribution (right, drag racers???) and it'll be better on the track unless you like understeer. Coilovers will help with a duel purpose car allowing you to adjust corner weight or front-to-back weight distribution. If it were me I'd pick either drag or track and optimize for it. There's always a compromise if you try to do two things and why compromise? But as always, that's just my opinion. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 Your best bet is to get coilovers, there are a couple of people here that sell them very inexpesivly and can recommend the correct springs for your application. I was woundring who the Couple of people are? because I was looking in to getting coilovers and I only found one place that sells them and thats Modern Motorsports, is $410 dollars cheap for a Coilover kit? is that what all of them cost? Thanks for your help. Blacklabel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudge Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 $410 dollars cheap for a Coilover kit? is that what all of them cost? You could actually make it yourself, and save about $30-$40, if of course you could find everything you need from only one place, otherwise you will get reamed on shipping. Frankly, I could not find everything from one place, so its just not worth the trouble, IMO. What I wish is that they would sell them without the springs, then I know I can save money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 i was about to ask this myself. i'm planning to drop in an LT1 w/T56 in the future (not for a couple years) so i'll be running with the stock L28E for a while. as for power, i don't really plan on a whole lot of power , maybe at the most 400RWHP or so. i plan to have this my 280Z as a daily driver, and take it to the track more than i would, to the strip. but i'd be more or less setting up the car somewhat as a DM, so i guess you could say setting it up for the track, but i'd be taking it to the strip here and there just so i can see what kinds of times i'm running. anyways, what kind of setup would be good for me? any good sites that you guys can throw out for me to check out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitman47 Posted March 13, 2003 Author Share Posted March 13, 2003 Where are the sites for suspension stuff, and do coilovers replace the strut? hows that work on a irs system? Will the coilover fit in the strut tower? thanx alot guys CHAD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudge Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 A coil over cannot replace a strut, the strut is part of the suspension, all a coil over means is an assembly with a spring over the shock/strut. Essentially this is what we have already, however it is not adjustable, and the coil over setup for our cars and most others, has a 2.5" spring ID making fitting big rubber, easier, and of course you can get springs in "any" rate for your car. Cornerweighting, yada yada Springs are $36 each I believe, from Summit, the rates not listed you can call for PN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted March 13, 2003 Share Posted March 13, 2003 Just stay with the stock suspension. For a V8 swap in a daily driver this will be fine. You don't need to incurr the expense of coil overs. Beyond that, just make sure the suspension is in good shape. I would strongly recommend a complete urethane kit to replace all the rotted rubber in your 30 year old car. This will really improve things, V8 or not. (There was a recent thread with several low buck sources. Do a search.) Also chances are the springs are worn and sagging and the struts may not be much better. New, slightly stiffer springs can be had from any number of sources (I run the Datsun equivalent of european spec springs from MSA). Struts cartridges can be had with all different performance levels, from your basic KYB gas struts to adjustable units. As someone pointed out in a different thread, technically a stock Z already has "coil overs". The term "coil over" is used generically on this site for a mod where you cut off the stock spring perch and weld on an adjustable collar in it's place. The advantages of the coil over upgrade is they allow you to adjust the car's ride height, the springs have a smaller diameter allowing wider tires (in some cases), and there are more options in terms of spring rates. All this helps you tune the car's suspension. Coil overs are particularly nice if you plan to lower the car more than a couple of inches (which usually means cutting an inch or so out of the strut tube and using shorter strut cartridges). There are some knowledgeable people on this site (not me, I just read a lot) who feel coil overs are not appropriate for a street machine. It all depends on what you want to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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