fl327 Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 Ive heard that 280z strut housing are taller and bigger and diameter than the 240z housings. Im wondering if anyone has just taken the full suspension off a 280z, just popped off the struts and the control arms, and bolted it up to a 240z? Im wondering if the top isolator perch is what makes a 280z strut housing taller, and if I could swap those out to make up the difference? I like the way a 280z rides but I miss the way the minilite 240z accelerates and handles. Just did a good rebuild of my 280z suspension but found a 240z deal I cant pass up, and I want the 280z stubs for an r230 conversion. 280z is lowered an inch on eibach springs and new shocks, big sway bars and lots of poly bushings. I would basically be pulling the control arms off and dropping the struts with it in the front and dropping the entire subframe out of the rear and switching places, Im wondering what I should look out for. Thanx guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPMS Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 I know the rear suspension isn't a valid swap, because I tried it. My car looked like it had full hydraulics on it - WAAAAAY up there. Remember how kids in the 70's would jack up the rear end on their Novas? Same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j260z Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 the isolator is what makes the struts taller. the 280 isolator will raise your car about 3/4" compared to the 240 one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPMS Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 The isolator is indeed different, but not enough to singlehandedly account for the 2-3" my car was raised in back. I replaced the strut mounts (I think this is what you're talking about ) with the original 240 style mounts, and it didn't lower the car very much. YMMV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-TARD Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 Perhaps the pring perch itself is mounted higher on the strut tube in the 280, more spring preload for the extra weight of the 280 vs the 240. I dunno, just brainstorming. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted April 14, 2004 Share Posted April 14, 2004 I have 280Z units on the rear of my car, but I'm running coilovers..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPMS Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 I have 280Z units on the rear of my car, but I'm running coilovers..... So the solution to my jacked-up rear end is to buy coilovers? I like the way you think!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullbound Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 im putting 280 units on the rear of my car without coilovers. i am, however, using 240 hats and 240 lowering springs. the effect on one of my friend's cars with 15x8's and 245-60/15's is like this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPMS Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 Nullbound, Let me get this straight - Is your friend running the same setup you describe? 280 struts, 240 lowering springs, and 240 hats? If so, it looks like that might be an interesting solution to the problem of getting a higher spring rate without dumping the car on the ground. I like a low car, but I hate scraping asphalt on each and every driveway or speedbump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullbound Posted April 15, 2004 Share Posted April 15, 2004 Nullbound' date=' Let me get this straight - Is your friend running the same setup you describe? 280 struts, 240 lowering springs, and 240 hats? [/quote'] yes, exactly that setup, and with tokico 280 strut cartridges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evildky Posted April 17, 2004 Share Posted April 17, 2004 I also have the 280 full suspension under my 240, it jacks the rear way up, using the upper "hat" from the 240 lowers it about an inch but thats still way hight, it appears that the 280 mounts are physically higher on the car, I am switching back to the 240 suspension when ever I get around to cleaning and painting the 240 housings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullbound Posted April 23, 2004 Share Posted April 23, 2004 yes, the mounts are physically higher. that's why we're using the lowering springs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corzette Posted June 4, 2005 Share Posted June 4, 2005 Hmmm couldnt we just measure the mounting point difference side by side and have a shop remount the perches? I have an extra set of 240 rears and I just bought this BBC 396 280Z so I can measure the difference if anyone is interested. Im sure the relocation of the perch would not be expensive or time consuming to have it done...anyone interested? I think putting lowering springs on to make up the difference may put undue stress on the travel of your struts by keeping them partially compressed at all times...just thinking into this a little... Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted June 4, 2005 Share Posted June 4, 2005 If you're going to that trouble you should section the strut housing too. If you just lower the spring perch to lower the car then the car will be sitting near the bumpstops just to get the right height. If you section then you can cut the strut tube to the height of a 240Z strut tube, or even to the height of a sectioned 240Z strut tube and get more travel. Then you can use coilovers or just relocate the stock spring perch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted June 4, 2005 Share Posted June 4, 2005 I just remembered this thread. This might help to understand what's going on if you follow this one back to Juan's thread: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=101565 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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