tec280zx Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Have you measured how much further back the z31 strut sits? I did today and its less than an inch. I wonder if that would stop it from bolting up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BleachZee Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 hmmm... I may look into this further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BleachZee Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 280ZX ---> late Z31 rear suspension? 1987-89 non-turbo with rear vented rotors. Ok, it appears that the lower mounting point on the rear strut is only an inch further back but it is about 3 inches lower on the Z31 a-arm than the 280ZX a-arm. Really stiff springs that would normally raise the car 1 to 1.5 inches would possibly work.. because after you lower the mounting point, the overall drop would be around 2 inches from stock. I have some Mercedes springs that may just work for this. The only downside is there will be very little upward spring travel. The strut will be almost fully extended at standard ride height. But if the a-arm itself bolts to the 280ZX crossmember, and if the half shafts are the same length.. (either S130 or Z31) then this swap should work. I have enough spare parts to mock up the entire rear suspension out of the 280ZX before I swap the rear. That is, if I go for this. Also, the two mounting points of the trailing a-arms will be slotted to help correct some toe and camber problems associated with a suspension drop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tec280zx Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Bleach, that sounds like it'll work. Take some pics if you go ahead with it. It seems like coilovers would solve the height problem, it didn't look like it sat that much lower. What do you plan on doing for the fronts? I just put my wildoods in not too long ago so i'm not sure i want to change it all up again for 5 lugs. I might try it this summer though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwdawg2 Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 well if anyone is interested i have the complete strut, 5 lug, and front brakes i also have the complete rear suspension (sub frame and all) and 5 lug and brakes for the rear everything from a z31 except the steering rack, cross member, and diff. pm me if anyone is interested. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zgeezer Posted May 6, 2006 Share Posted May 6, 2006 ok what is a M30? I assume this is a Nissan so what model a Maxima? Got a pic? M-30 = Infinity; sold as Leopard in Japan. Entry level Infinity mid 1990's. g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BleachZee Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 What do you plan on doing for the fronts? I was thinking of a straight Z31 strut swap on the front. The whole thing goes in there but adds some caster and pushes the wheel forward an inch. You can push it back about a half inch by adjusting the tension rods. That puts a little stress on the inner a-arm bushing but oh well. On the other hand, all this is for a brake upgrade? My brakes work great. The 4 to 5 lug adaptors from TechnoToyTuning are looking pretty attractive compared to all this work. Plus, its my only driver since my truck was stolen 3 weeks ago... I have new 280ZX struts front and rear... and this Z31 swap looks like it would require me to buy all new Z31 strut inserts. I can always re-sell the 280 stuff at a small loss. The timing is bad for a big project like this. If I had my truck, maybe it would work. I'll probably end up just putting in my 280ZX struts and then using 5-lug adaptors. I might hang onto the Z31 suspension for a while and see if I have time and money for it down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tec280zx Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Yea i've tried the z31 strut housing swap before. It works, everything bolts in, but the angle on the spindle is quite a bit different. You'll end up with a lot of positive camber. Lowering with tokico springs and slotting the strut towers weren't enough. It was close though, but never took it to an alignment shop to find out how far it was off. I ended up scrapping the project and buying wilwoods for the s130. Luckily all the parts were off a friends wrecked 300 so I really wasn't out any money, just time. Oh and the z31 struts are about an inch shorter so the 280zx ones won't work. I'm not sure how much Technotoy is charging for wheel adapters, I can't find them on their new site, but take a look at these guys also. Here I might go that route too because I wanna still keep my wilwoods. I doubt there is any jy 5 lug swap that'll work while still keeping my brakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BleachZee Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 oh ya, I forgot about the camber issue. That's just another reason not to do the swap. I guess I would need camber plates up top too which isn't a problem but they only work with coilovers. money, money, money... Stock brakes with stainless hoses should be fine for street driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macambra Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 So, has anyone actually done an F31 RCA swap yet? I'm looking at buying an M30 with a frozen engine and would like to do this.Any lessons learned would be nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterzed Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Here are some pics of a guy from my local area that has done the S13 swap so he could get better brakes and coil overs. Hope this helps you guys. Plenty of pics. http://newcastlezeds.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1184213091/80#80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macambra Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Looks like you have to sign up to view the forum,I was not allowed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterzed Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Looks like you have to sign up to view the forum,I was not allowed Here are a couple of the pics. S13 hub installed Adapters for the z32 calipers With coil overs installed And this is the car that they are on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macambra Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 The pics are awsome!! Thanks!! I'm going to source the parts for the front soon. Right now I am trying to find out about the rear M30 (F31)(leapard), because I have a line on a parts car and don't want to waste the money or time if it's not a quality swap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
200sxdatsun Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 I have a 200sx datsun with a transplanted 280zx rear trailing arm suspension, I was looking at the same thing ,I parted out a z31 turbo 88' and was looking what bolted up.Without changing the entire suspension the calipers won't bolt up. I allready put in poly bushing and camber kit in the 280zx arms and don't want to go threw that again.Does the maxima 81-83 front braket and calipers with rotors bolt on the 280zx rear suspension? It is a race/street car and the e-brake isn't that important(live in florida ,pretty flat) I have the twin turbo front brakes with the 87-89 front struts and still four lug.I just wanted to get vented rotors on the rear and not solid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterzed Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 I haven't gone as far as buying the parts yet and doing a side by side comparison but you can get the hubs off a z31 to bolt straight on to the 280zx and it will give you 5 stud as well as vented rotors. Without the parts in front of me I'm not sure if you need to swap the trailing arms as well as the hubs and I'm pretty sure the CV axles bolt straight up but the uni joint axles don't. But as I said without the parts right in front of me to compare I can't say for certain. I do know this has been done before to convert to 5 stud and the axles on the Z31 hubs don't taper down like the S130 does so they are a little stronger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David K Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 If you guys put the 87-89 Z31 Turbo brake stuff on the 280zx, you can use spacers to get the Z32 NISSAN calipers on there as well. http://www.redz31.net/pages/brakes.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
200sxdatsun Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 My car is at the body shop so I can't verify anything right now. The brake braket on the z31 rear that the calipers bolt to looked different , I took off the z31 calipers with the braket and it didn't bolt up . The only way I see it could work is with the whole trailing arm.I see the maxima braket used on 240z ,to use 85 maxima rotors and 280zx front calipers. Will this work on 280zx rear trailing arm suspension? I want to keep 4 lug , I have moroso studs , just easier. Just looking for a close as possiable bolt on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel13brx7 Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Here are a couple of the pics. What rotors are those in this picture? Stock Vented 280zx? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tec280zx Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 Heres some pics of my s13-s130 progress 87 300zx rear brakes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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