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280ZX ---> S13 front/M30 rear?


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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.

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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.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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  • 3 years later...

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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  • 6 months later...

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