New inserts for shortened strut tubes?

[blueovalz]

I recently tore down the struts on my Z for inspection. All was fine, but it occured to me that I may want to find some spare strut inserts for future use. Currently I am using Tokico TZ3039 PRODRA-G inserts (on all fours) which was a drag race strut that Tokico made only for a few years. As unreasonable as this sounds, the damping in both directions worked quite well for the road courses. Anyway, on the the point; Tokico no longer makes these inserts, which have tubes 12.6" long, and 1-1116" in diameter. The insert is a good fit (almost snug) in the shortened struts. Questions: are these 240 size in diameter (when I built these I couldn't remember if I used 240 or 280 strut tubes)? Also, is anybody running other types of inserts in their "shortened" struts, and if so what are they?. Thanks.

[Guest Anonymous]

My 280 Z with "two inch sectioned" struts have an outside diameter of "2 1/4 inch" and a rough estimate of "1 15/16 inch" inside diameter. The inside length of the struts tube measure "13 inches" from very bottom to the top of the inside threads. The inside threads measure roughly "1/2 inch" and at a point "1 1/4 inches" inside the tube begins a shoulder to an inside diameter I believe to be the 1 15/16 inch inside diameter that goes all the way to the bottom of the tube. I have no struts for my McPhearson tubes. I am hoping that a Rabbit replacement cartridge is under 12 inches.???????

[Modern Motorsports Ltd]

Terry, those are 240 tubes. I just checked 240Z Illumina's here and OD is same and strut body length was 14-3/4" overall from top to include the narrowed base at base of strut(removing the spacer they stick on the bottom).

HTH.

[Guest Anonymous]

Another question asked in the original post:.... Is any one using other kinds of struts?......... I see some good prices for used racing shocks (rebuildable?) at "Racer's Auction". My question: can these shocks be converted to struts for Datsun's McPhearson tubes since many like Bilstein and Carerra have some fairly large shafts with threaded ends for eyelet mounting????? I found that Bilstein coilover nuts that I have interchange with the tightening lock nuts found on Ground Control units. Are the Bilstein and Carerra racing shocks rebuildable??? It appears that the fat racing shocks may fit in the 280 tubes but what shocks I have seen at auction are in the 7 to 10 inch length.

[Guest Anonymous]

Stock Datsun strut shafts are around 3/4 of an inch.

[johnc]

EMI Racing can convert any standard high end racing shock into a strut configuration (Penskes, Koni 28,30 series, Ohlins, Sachs.) Generally the shock has to allow disassembly down to a seprate shock body. Our design works just like the stock configuration instead of the designs where the shock is inverted, a sleeve rides over the outside of the original shock body, and the strut shaft is attched at the bottom of the strut.

 

Its not cheap, but it works very well.

[RedNeckZ]

Hello BlueOvalZ, Have a question for you about the inserts? Are those inserts for both the front and rears or just he fronts? I was told you move the front inserts to thr rear on the 2" sectioning. Then added the VW inserts to the front. Have I been told the wrong info? Getting ready to do this to a 71 240Z and need to get the right inserts. Thanks for the help, Rich.

[blueovalz]

Follow-up on this query: For Tokico fans, here are the options I was given, reference finding a good insert for shortened 240 strut tubes. The RZ1100 is very similar to the insert I am currently using. It is again, a "generic" insert, that is non-adjustable, pressurize gas, designed for spring rates in the 160-400lb/inch range, and cost ~$98/insert. The body is 11.6" long and 42mm in diameter. The second option is part # BZ1073, which is an adjustable gas insert, that is designed for a wide range of VW products. It costs ~$170/insert, has a body that is 12.6" long and 1.6" in diameter, and I was told should work well with spring rates up to about 300lb/in.