Great deal on 240 & early 260Z Tokico illuminas with springs Brand new! (Ebay)

[deadflo]

Well I'm checking to see if anyone else has taken advantage of this deal in the last few weeks, and if you've installed them yet. I'm getting real close to picking up the set. He also has great deal on the standard tockicos(non illuminas) withj or without the springs. Any opinions on those ? Are we sure these tockico springs are "progressive" rate??

Any ideas what a tire shop would charge for installation of shocks or springs with shocks?

[Curtis240Z]

Yes, these are progressive springs. Good for the street, but not for the track.

[Jayru]

Yes, these are progressive springs. Good for the street, but not for the track.

Why?

Not being a d***, just don't know a lot about springs. Please elaborate on your answer.

[Curtis240Z]

Why?

Not being a d***, just don't know a lot about springs. Please elaborate on your answer.

Progressive springs get harder the more you compress them. So they are good for the street to absorb minor bumps to give you a comfortable ride, but on the track the initial compression makes the car bob and weave because the transisitions are much more extreme. The object on the track is to keep the suspension as stabile as possible to maintain correct geometry and tire contact often at the expense of ride quality.

[deadflo]

So I'm curious what other spring combos people may be using with the Illuminas?

Tockico claims the spring rates and struts are a matched set, which seems beleivable.

I wonder if matching the illuminas with another spring would be a good idea.

Also, any guesses on what price to install spings/ shocks would be?

I have a real old set of lowering springs (yellow, I think they may be interpart/mulholland, anyone familiar with those) on my 71 right now.

Im pretty sure they're sagging, they make noise somtimes and the shocks are shot, bottoming, etc.

I am used to the harsh ride of this setup and would like to have a "performance" set up.

Am I getting the impression some feel the progressive tockicos may not be the best performance?

On the other hand this car is for road only, no track.

[Curtis240Z]

So I'm curious what other spring combos people may be using with the Illuminas?

On the street or for non-coilover use we prefer Suspension Techniques because they are straight rate springs. JC Whitney still sells them cheap.

I am using the Illuminas (modified) on my coilover setup. Illuminas aren't recommended for spring rates over 300 lb so you need to keep that in mind.

[Gav240z]

Okay i still have some questions I'd like to ask before I make my final decision. I almost got enough cash together for the Tokico's + shipping to down under and getting pretty excited at the prospect of having good suspension in the Z.

However having spoken with a friend who owns a 240z with an L28 Turbo producing 400+ HP he seems to think the Tokico's arn't as good as Koni's. He was also saying you can't get parts for Tokico locally here in Aus which he's probably correct. However he is running 18" rims and coilovers in his car and I don't think 18" rims are a good idea on a Z myself.

I'm wondering if the Illuminas can be regassed? The Koni's from what I've read can be pulled out and regassed every 5 years or so at minimal cost and there as good as new. Is it possible to do the same with the Tokico's?

I've sent off emails to various people but nobody replies. :mad:

I'm so confused because i get different opinions from different people some say the Tokico's are better others the Koni's. My car will be used as a street car auto x car, and occasionally a track car. I don't plan to run springs over 300lbs.

I'll also be going with a coil over set up at some stage down the track so the illumina package with the progressive springs will be fine since it will be a street car for a while yet.

The price difference between buying Tokico's in the states and Koni's here is a couple of hundred dollars not including the springs i get with the Tokico's. So as you can see i want to make the right decision first time :classic: .

Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

BTW i'll probably be buying them from www.xshocks.com

PS: sorry for long winded question. :stupid:

[Murph]

Hey Gav, can you let me know the sort of prices you're looking at for the springs + shocks + shipping (have you factored in gst, customs duty etc?)? I might be interested in buying some as well at the same time and splitting the shipping etc.

[gramercyjam]

Tokico Illuminas has a lifetime guarantee, if they wear out, send them back for replacement. No they don't come apart or anything like that so you can't regas them or replace seals or revalve them.

I use them with 300# eibach ERS coilovers (shocks are set on 1 or 2 in the front, 2 or 3 in the rear) and they seem fine to me. At some point I'll probably upgrade to stiffer springs, so I will probably need a different set of shocks, but I'll wear these out first.

I've never tried the Konis, but since the Konis can be revalved/rebuilt, they might be a better choice for those who race and want to go with a stiffer spring.

[SER240Z]

I'm running Illiminas and Tokico springs. I love 'em. I've had them a while now, and they're great. Set at 2f/3r. Ride is a little stiff, but I could always set it lower also.

For the comments on the red spring, the old Tokico springs were black. At least mine are. But then again I've had mine for almost 8 years now I think.

Has anyone checked Nopi.com for prices? That is where I originally got mine, and they were the best price I could find at the time. They were also willing to match a price that I had found at another shop. But then again that was before internet ordering was around so I had to call it in.

Scott

[Gav240z]

Thanks for the information guys I think that helps a little. The Tokico's sound good 300 pound springs are probably border line the most I'd want in my Z anyway.

A friend of mine and an experienced race car driver Len Brennan , has run his 260z in Targa tasmania(rally here in Australia on some of the toughest roads). He runs specially rebuilt standard shocks and 280 lbs springs in his car and he's keeping up with the likes of 911's of the same vintage and even quicker. I think half of that comes down to the fact he's an exceptional driver.

Before i go too far off topic you can read about him at http://www.len-brennan.com.au/

Hey Gav, can you let me know the sort of prices you're looking at for the springs + shocks + shipping (have you factored in gst, customs duty etc?)? I might be interested in buying some as well at the same time and splitting the shipping etc.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16965&page=1&pp=15 MrDatto ordered some shocks from these guys and shipping was $90 US.

So from xshocks.com $525 for springs and struts + ~$90 for shipping not sure if the springs will change it by much.

I got a quote back from a place here in Melbourne:- " Gavin , price on Koni reds for the 240Z as follows . Fronts - $586pr , Rears - $586pr. These prices include GST " and they arn't even adjustable externally. :paranoid:

[Murph]

Thanks Gav. For a bit under AU$800, that seems pretty good to me. That's about the same as I paid for my kings/KYB setup. Now....can I justify spending the $.