Guest Anonymous Posted April 11, 2000 Share Posted April 11, 2000 I'm just about ready to start building my front strut towers and was wondering whether I should leave all suspension points in their stock or whether there are any adjustments I can make in the actual permanent locations? I am going to be lowering the car approx 2.5" so would it be a good idea to raise the tower points 2.5" so I can use stock strut inserts? SpencZ MonsterZ Cont. httP://members.xoom.com/SpencZ/index.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted April 11, 2000 Share Posted April 11, 2000 Why don't you use a Corvette front suspension, you'd have more engine compartment room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 11, 2000 Share Posted April 11, 2000 In the front you might want to work on getting more positive caster. raising the strut mounting points would not affect the strut cartridge issue, since you should be using those anyway, but you might be able to get away with factory height in the spring department, so long as you have fender clearance to the tires you are planning to run. I also like the Vette front end suggestion. You could also run a complete Mustang II setup with power steering. Now that you are reconstructing your own front end, you could make several innovative changes! Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 11, 2000 Share Posted April 11, 2000 What year's do the mustang 2 suspensions come out of? I think I'm going to stick with the z front suspension nonetheless...but if it is a real significant improvement I suppose I could look into it. I'm more interested in running the Z suspension components because they are so simple with very few moving parts. We all know this means low maintainence and high reliability. Mikelley...are you sure the stock strut inserts are still usable when the car is lowered 2.5"? I was under the impression that VW strut inserts had to be used to keep them from bottoming out!! Was I mislead somewhere? SpencZ MonsterZ Cont. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted April 11, 2000 Share Posted April 11, 2000 The Mustang II suspensions are in '74 -'77 . But if you look at any Street Rod mag, or catalog, they are chocked full of weld in Mustang II kits for any width frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 11, 2000 Share Posted April 11, 2000 If you have a later model Z, the strut tubes are longer than the earlier model. This becomes an issue when using stock like springs and inserts. I have in the past lowered early Zs by well over 2 inches without bottoming out the suspension. However, I would go with a coil over like setup with the trick setup you are going to have. That is the only way to go in my opinion if you plan to use the stock style design! Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 11, 2000 Share Posted April 11, 2000 I agree on the coilover if staying stock. That way you can have your cake (many spring lengths and stiffnesses available, as well as progressive rates) and eat it (relatively easy corner weight and ride height adjustment) too. One thing I would add is that if lowering the car more than say and inch, it's a good idea to section the strut tubes by 1.5" to 2.5" inches and use shorter strut cartridges. This way, when you lower the car by a like amount, you retain the jounce travel in the suspension and the car doesn't beat you up as bad as when you just put shorter springs on. I've done the MSA lowering springs only, with the strut spacers (ill-named as bumpsteer spacers) with Bilsteins and then KYBs and the ride was very rough, since it would bottom out alot. I've yet to run the shortened strut tube/coilover setup yet, but a few knowledgeable roadracers talked me into it based on their experience doing it both ways. I'm looking for comments on these ideas. Thanks, Pete ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project - pparaska@tidalwave.net">pparaska@tidalwave.net - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 11, 2000 Share Posted April 11, 2000 That sectioning is what I was refering to earlier in the thread. Is it possible to find high performance struts for the VW golf (I think these are the strut inserts that are used)? Is it necessary to section the rear as well? The actual process of sectioning doesn't seem too difficult but what are the actual experiences out there? Also a Q for mike k...what direction is more positive castor...top of strut further back or forward? Also...how many degrees in whatever direction? I'll be installing strut towers on thursday (It was going to happen today but I needed more info from you guys first). Thanks SpencZ MonsterZ Cont. http://members.xoom.com/SpencZ/index.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 11, 2000 Share Posted April 11, 2000 Top of strut is further back, with the axle center moving forward towards the bumper. I'd shoot for 5-8 degrees of positive caster! Mike ------------------ "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 12, 2000 Share Posted April 12, 2000 SpencZ, Not sure about what availability is for good HP struts for the VW Golf, but that's a good place to start. I'm running Golf KYBs up front and 240Z front inserts in the rear until I blow them out. Don't know what I'll run after that. Maybe some Carerras. Some of the race shock places like Carerra have different length bodies available to do this. As far as sectioning, I'd do the front and rear the same amount. I took out 1.5" since it's a street car. One of the more knowledgeable L6 guys (he's a road racer) is Wayne Burstein. He advised me to use a big pipe cutter to cut the tubes. Worked great. I just rented one and did it. Ground the chamfer on the pieces, laid them in a piece of angle steel to align them and used a 110V MIG to weld it back together. Worked great. But be sure you make the weld air tight, since it needs to hold cooling liquid around the insert. I had one small leak I had to repair after I had the parts powder coated. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project - pparaska@tidalwave.net">pparaska@tidalwave.net - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted April 12, 2000 Share Posted April 12, 2000 Are you sure you need cooling liquid? You don't need it for a regular shock, why an insert? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 12, 2000 Share Posted April 12, 2000 Mike kZ, I'm refering to the liquid you put in after you insert the strut cartridge. It's there to transfer the heat from the insert (which can be considerable if really going at it on a road course) to the strut housing. If you leave that void empty, you ar relying on convection in the air gap to transfer the heat, which isn't very efficient and is to slow/low. Seems most people put oil in the void which can be insulating depending on the oil or use antifreeze. I think anti-freeze is a good option. Comments? I'd like to here what others use in the space between the strut insert and the strut tube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 12, 2000 Share Posted April 12, 2000 I also use antifreeze.. That tip was from Dave at Arizona Zcar and I have followed it since... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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