S130 Suspension Tech

[BleachZee]

I don't mean to imply that the Tokicos are not good. I had the somewhat standard tokico/eibach combination for many years and was certainly satisfied with them and think they're appropriate for a street car with occasional light track duty. You would get your money's worth out of them.

I put the Tokico "Advanced handling kit" on my 280ZX. Comes with four springs, front struts, rear shocks. Its low and more firm than stock for sure but that rear still sags on takeoff. My Z is all stock for the engine too. I'd say I'm not totally happy with the stiffness of the rear. its still a bit too soft.

 

Looks like I'll deal with it for a stricktly daily driver, no track at all for this car. I do want to do coilovers on all four corners one day since the Tokicos are too soft and I'd like more caster on the front wheels for long distance highway driving.

[ArchetypeDatsun]

These are my HKS Hypermax D rear coilovers that came off my 83 280zx donor car.

 

http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab149/muerte_miquiztli/ae0f75ed.jpg

 

http://i858.photobucket.com/albums/ab149/muerte_miquiztli/0fb3a2b5.jpg

[PurePontiacKid]

very sexy. lol are you going to use them?

Edited March 13, 2010 by PurePontiacKid

[Heathhh]

I hope i dont regret pondering this one but i have looked for suspension kits and only seem to find ones that EXCLUDE the 2+2 model. Why is this? And where could i buy a set for a 2+2?

As i said before, hope i do not regret that one.

[BleachZee]

i have looked for suspension kits and only seem to find ones that EXCLUDE the 2+2 model.

I dont' know why they exclude the 2+2, but the suspension is the same. I put the ST (not for 2+2) kit on a 280ZX turbo 2+2 and it works just fine. I even think that particular kit had the rear up a little higher so you could always cut a small amount off the springs to bring it down further.

[ArchetypeDatsun]

very sexy. lol are you going to use them?

 

no I wish the coilover shocks on both are messed up so I sold the springs, these coilovers were for a S13 but could fit on a 280zx like they did on my donor car but it was missing a lot of parts for the right feel.

[Heathhh]

I dont' know why they exclude the 2+2, but the suspension is the same. I put the ST (not for 2+2) kit on a 280ZX turbo 2+2 and it works just fine. I even think that particular kit had the rear up a little higher so you could always cut a small amount off the springs to bring it down further.

 

Oh, well then. Now that i know for sure i will be saving up for a set. What's the difficulty of replacing the entire set one by one and how much time does it take to do just one wheel?

Any tutorials or threads dedicated with pictures and how to put new suspension in btw, too?

[BleachZee]

I could write up instructions. I've done this twice on a 280ZX now. The rear pair are far easier than the front. You have to battle the sway bar and holding it all in there to line up the lower control arm spacers and start the two bolts threaded can be a little struggle.

[JMortensen]

You can do the fronts without taking them off of the car. Just unbolt the top and undo the brake lines and swaybar, and you can swing the strut out of the fenderwell. Put your spring compressor on right there, take the top hat off and swap in your new springs and shocks, then put it all back together and bleed the brakes. Pretty easy, and you can even bolt the strut back up with no spring to give yourself a lot of room to get those damn gland nuts loose.

[BleachZee]

I put spacers under the struts each time I lowered the car with springs so I removed the whole strut.

The second Z I also put on larger sway bars and T3 tension rods at the same time.

[Heathhh]

I could write up instructions. I've done this twice on a 280ZX now.

 

Sounds like something a beginner could do actually without a sweat almost. Yeah definitely, a write up would be nice. One of my strut tubes are bent in on the front. The previous owner had hit a curb, pretty hard

 

It is riding toe out but it is not urgent to fix as of right now, i can still drive it but it is unevenly wearing my tire. The suspension kit i think that i want is the Tokicos from the majority of people that ride them say they do like them. I do not plan to race my car on the track as of now and not for a great while. It is a partial DD so just some nice handling and ride is what i want.

 

I'll probably do the conversion sometime during the summer. Anytime that write up could be made (with some pictures as well) would be superb. In fact it would probably be a sticky if it was a good detailed write up for a How To application. I'll be sure to use it as soon as you make it BleachZee

[zxtman]

...,these coilovers were for a S13 but could fit on a 280zx like they did on my donor car...

 

 

...so S13 rear coil overs fit on an S130??? Can anyone confirm this?

[frank280zx]

Yes they do

[PurePontiacKid]

He kinda just said that...

 

They are basically a bolt-in, except you have to either reuse you're stock upper mount or drill a hole in the chassis (240SX only has two mounting bolts compared to the 280ZX's three) or create an adaptor like Project Car Mag did on their M30 Project.

 

And this is what I've accomplished most recently:

they're welded now, but this is the only comparison shot I have of the two...

[JMortensen]

I assume you know that your threaded adjusters will have to be installed quite a bit higher than shown in the picture.

[frank280zx]

I assume you know that your threaded adjusters will have to be installed quite a bit higher than shown in the picture.

 

haha lets hope he does or uses springs of a Baja racer

 

 

But guys lets keep focussed on suspension tech.. i dont want to be an ass but lets keep it a topic that could be a sticky if valueble enough, how to swap tociko's should not be asked here but searched.

Lets see what really can be done to make ZX handle and with what set ups.

 

the option for coil overs sofar are:

 

-Use an s13 set and adapt it.

-Fabricate your own.

- Have a set made by i.e. Intrax ( us1000 per side)

 

For normal struts

-Tockiko's

-Koni's (can be revalved to suit application)

-Bilsteins

 

For springs

-suspension tech

-Tockiko

-eibach

 

Rear camber adjustment

-move/adapt pick up points, jet i havent seen any pics for it on a s130

[Heathhh]

Of topic but of concern, there is not a write up that i am aware of from searching for any of the following, S130 280zx suspension kit How To but write ups are available for previous Z gens. All i had done instead was ask (in the right place mostly, S130 suspension tech) about a 2+2 suspension kit and how come these kits are "excluded" for 2+2 models etc. I was then offered help by someone offering to write it up for the 280zx 2+2 so that was very appreciated nonetheless. I can assure you it wouldn't change the entire topic all the way over to 2+2 models swapping suspension etc, either. Rather just a side note of the main subject itself was mentioned here and briefly continued.

 

How else or where else should my question have been brought up concerning "excluded" 2+2 suspension kits?

 

Honestly, not trying to do a thread jack but rather asking a question about S130 suspension tech with a 2+2 model.

 

I'll PM you BleachZee.

[PurePontiacKid]

^I'm not sure what you're trying to say there? 2+2 280ZX suspensions are EXACTLY the same as the coupe suspension... maybe you could run a little heavier (stiffer) spring in the rear to offset the little bit extra weight, but even that's getting a little anal.

 

And yes, I just put my adjusters on there for show lol that's anything but permanent (I had run those before I cut them up to make them shorter)

[Heathhh]

Well then see you didn't read the post entirely i do not think then. If you have ever bought lets say, Tokico HP suspension kit you will notice that it says "Does not fit 2+2". In fact, here is a link Tokico HP Kit If you just scroll down to "Installation" you will read that it says, "Does not fit 2+2".

 

Here is another site saying the same thing ProStreet Tokico Set and then just look underneath the picture and it says "Fits-Except 2+2".

 

So my question was why is this and is there a set that "fits" 2+2 models. But that seems to be answered now because people claim that it does actually fit and that the suspension is the same. Yet one question of mine still does remain, why do they say that they do not fit 2+2?

[frank280zx]

Well then see you didn't read the post entirely i do not think then. If you have ever bought lets say, Tokico HP suspension kit you will notice that it says "Does not fit 2+2". In fact, here is a link Tokico HP Kit If you just scroll down to "Installation" you will read that it says, "Does not fit 2+2".

 

Here is another site saying the same thing ProStreet Tokico Set and then just look underneath the picture and it says "Fits-Except 2+2".

 

So my question was why is this and is there a set that "fits" 2+2 models. But that seems to be answered now because people claim that it does actually fit and that the suspension is the same. Yet one question of mine still does remain, why do they say that they do not fit 2+2?

 

 

I think it is a liability thing more than anything else.

As we all agree here for something that 'does not fit' it sure bolts in nicely and from personal experiance (i had several 2+2 wagons) they work fine, you dont need anything stiffer on the back.

Edited March 18, 2010 by frank280zx