mull Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 "Everyone's" bashing the 240z front suspension and say the rear suspension is fine. Since I've swapped a R32 Skyline IRS into the back of my 240z I'd like to upgrade the front as well - the question is: To what? I was thinking about the S13/S14 200sx/240sx front suspension which looks a lot like the existing suspension on the Z. What's the difference between them anyway? Throw your ideas into the mixing pot. 240z front suspension. S14 front suspension. Same "crap" as the Z? R32 Skyline front suspension. Extra arms/weight. Superior? Same as the Z32 300zx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Put S14 front and back under my S130, from memory the R32 has similar multilink rear suspension to the Z32 and S13 while the S13 front is similar to but not the same as the S14. If you are prepared to change to front tension rods and the rear located steering rack is no problem then I'd suggest S13/14 front. Alternatively it may be possible to mix and match parts, the struts and axle assemblies are the important S13/14 bits although the rear located rack give you Ackerman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 How about SLA? There have been posts here before about GT2 cars that modified the strut to accept and upper control arm, didn't look too hard to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayz Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Mull, If was going to change the front suspension, I would look into double wishbone technology. RX7, RX8, 350z(I believe) would be good choices. There are some setup where both control arms bolt to the front crossmember, which makes it a lot easier to adapt to your car. Dayz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinOlson Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I'd say a rx8, C5 vette or something along those lines. I'm just not sure how you would find a good balance. Just slapping in a double wishbone front suspension isn't going to make it handle well instantly. There will be a good amount of setup necessary to make it all work well together. 2004 RX8: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big B Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I'm looking at doing the sc300 front. It along with most other double wishbone fronts would require a wider body/flares. Witch I'm pretty sure your doing anyways. Justin Posted some good pics of the sc300 front suspension. Just search sc300. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 "Everyone's" bashing the 240z front suspension Those same "Everyone's" in their Z06 Corvettes, Honda S2Ks, Porsche Boxsters, and Dodge Vipers finished behind my old 240Z with its "crap" front suspension. But hey, this is the Internet so "everyone" is an expert. OK, I'll get off my soapbox and be quiet now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 fast z Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Yea, what makes people think its a terrible suspension. Like johnc says, its how a car is setup. Ive seen prepared z cars run circles around cars with so called "better suspension". Its all how its prepared. For the money you would spend on swaping, you could have a guy like John setup your car for you, and come out on top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mull Posted February 21, 2008 Author Share Posted February 21, 2008 Those same "Everyone's" in their Z06 Corvettes, Honda S2Ks, Porsche Boxsters, and Dodge Vipers finished behind my old 240Z with its "crap" front suspension. But hey, this is the Internet so "everyone" is an expert. OK, I'll get off my soapbox and be quiet now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 I think the comments about the front suspension are usually made in threads where people are talking about swapping the rear suspension. I know I've made comments like "It's the front end that needs attention, not the rear" and my basis for making that comment is years of trying to get the front end to stick better for autoxing. That's not to say that you can't make a stock-ish front suspension handle with modifications, and everyone's interpretation of "good handling" is different, but if you're talking about a car where the guy has already torn out the rear suspension why hold onto the front? Certainly we can all agree that there are better suspension designs out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 I've seen too many stockish S13/14's do times around a circuit that a stockish S30 can only dream about. Obviously that is not all about the differences between the two strut front suspensions but from all accounts the later models front suspension works very well. Adapting it to a S30 though could be problematical as I indicated, depending on engine clearance and so on. Of course it may be easier to adapt a crossmember mounted double wishbone type from another car, depending on the track required. Another alternative is to fabricate something up using this stockcar stuff http://www.howeracing.com/Chassis/Index-Front.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sideways Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Not that im in any way shape or form knowldgeable on the difficulties of this- But what about something off of say an s2000? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlderThanMe Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 What is soo horrible about a 240Z suspension? By the time/money you installed some other front suspension you could have modified the stock suspension to work perfectly. marcg has a very interesting front suspension with an RX7 control arm and stock Z strut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big B Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 What is soo horrible about a 240Z suspension?By the time/money you installed some other front suspension you could have modified the stock suspension to work perfectly. marcg has a very interesting front suspension with an RX7 control arm and stock Z strut. Nobody said the stock stuff was horrible. But even with the stock stuff most people change everything out to aftermarket parts. So whats stock about that. And if nobody ever changes to other types of front suspension then we will never know if there are benefits to doing so. Same goes for any other mod you do to your car whether it be suspension, brakes, engine, etc. I mean this is HYBRID Z. Most people here do not want stock. And it's also fun to do new and diffrent things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Not that im in any way shape or form knowldgeable on the difficulties of this- But what about something off of say an s2000?Just thought I'd throw this out there as well - E36 M3 suspension? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mull Posted February 22, 2008 Author Share Posted February 22, 2008 Just thought I'd throw this out there as well - E36 M3 suspension? http://v8.webkitchen.net/mods_suspension.html Thanks for the tip - I'll look it up : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinOlson Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Heres that Lexus SC300 thread I started: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=127707 Regards, Justin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastRabbit24 Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Does anyone use a 280 setup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerryb Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 It more or less the same. Does anyone use a 280 setup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woldson Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 I don't know crud about the geomerty of suspention. It seems to make sence to me that you should use the frount suspension out of the same car the rear came out of.? How and what a car dose based on suspension has got to be more involed than the aero dynamics of cars. (guessing)_ I would just hate to see all that wonderful work that you have done go to waste, guess that is why your posting for an opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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