the front is high with new ST springs+KYB shocks

[BuDavid]

jmortensen, I'm really not sure about it anymore, because there was a sticker stating which springs are the front ones that I removed while painting them in black.. I made a note in my phone not to mix them up that's why I was 99% sure that the fronts are in thier place..

and about the number of turns, I aleays thaught that the front springs (mostly) are longer because they tend to be compressed more due to the weight of the engine.

while insetring the springs the rear ones had clearance between the upper spring seat and the spring itself, while the fronts were exactly the same length to sit on the spring seat..

Carl Beck,

Carl, the car is a bit lower than before as in the picture, I'll try to loosen the control arm bushings nuts and retighten them and then I'll see if the nose will drop more or not..

besides, the picture of the 240Z you sent, seems almost the same as my car right now, maybe mine is still a bit higher and I'm just lieing to myself just to feel better:cry:

I'll send an email to shox.com to ask them about the number of turns of the front and rear springs, I really don't wish to go through the spring process again coz it sucks!

by the way, the tires size on my car is 225/60 R14 which is very close to the stock tire hight..

[Carl Beck]

.....

and about the number of turns, I aleays thaught that the front springs (mostly) are longer because they tend to be compressed more due to the weight of the engine.

Hi Mohammed:

I can't be certain because the Factory Service Manuals that I have for 77/78 do not provide the Installed Height, nor the Load for the Front/Rear Springs on the 280Z. The Free Length of the OEM springs is longer in Front... but the Spring Rate is higher in the Rear.

Number of Coils = 9.5 Front and 8.5 Rear

Free Length = 15.98 in. Front and 15.43 Rear

Spring Rate = 103 lbs/in. Front and 127.7 lbs/in. Rear

For example - the 240-Z's had a 48/52 Front/Rear weight distribution per the Factory Service Manuals. 1166 lbs. on the front and 1270 lbs. on the rear. 48% Front and 52% rear.

I wouldn't assume that the weight of the engine in front makes the front of the 280Z heavier than the rear. As I recall from different road test the front/rear weight distribution stayed about the same for the 240-Z, 260-Z and 280-Z's.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[jmortensen]

Yep, my car was 49/51 roughly when I scaled it, and none of the Zs is front heavy by design. Bottom line for me on this one is that it certainly LOOKS like the springs are switched. I can't think of any reason not to switch them the other way, or any other way to fix the problem...

Here's a way to save yourself some time. Put the car on jackstands with all the wheels up in the air. Remove tires, disconnect the sway bar(s), the rubber brake lines, and the halfshafts in the rear. Then the top 3 nuts on the strut tower. With all of this removed the struts should swing down far enough to pull the spring out of the fenderwell front and rear. Now just pull the center nut that holds the strut top on, and you can pull the springs and swap front to rear. Reassemble, bleed brakes, and you're done. Should literally take 2 maybe 3 hours to do the whole job, especially since you've just been in there and none of the bolts is rusted on or anything like that.

[BuDavid]

Carl, thank you for the information, I took a look at a picture that I had when the springs were new, thanks god that I found it, the "front" sticker was sticked on the longer spring which has 9 coils, and the rear were without indivation and they have 8 coils, the car tend to be lower by now, I'll try to loosen the conotrol arm bushings coz I really suspect them because they are new and I guess they are resisting the car from getting lower.. since it is an easy job just to go under the car, loosen, move the car and shake the front and tighten again!

I cant enter 3 fingers under the fender's arc today, maybe because I have big tires, other wise I might be able to enter 4 fingers as you mentioned..

Jon, for you it might be an easy job, but for me I really was nervous with those parts to unbolt:( and besides, fotunately I didnt have any rusty or jammed bolts when I disconnect the sway bars and the halfshafts..

I still assume that I have the correct mounting of the springs because the front should have more coils..

and maybe I'm in a shock because the previous owner had the nose drop more with higher rear which made me get used to the old view of the car and shocked me when the opposite thing happened now.. I'll post a picture later of the car now, and IF the nose of the car will be lower after loosening the bolt of the control arm bushings I'll post a nother picture..

thank you for the feedback gentelmen, some replies really cheered me up:)

Mohamed.

[ktm]

Carl, I am not ignoring your request. I am tracking down the information.

[e_racer1999]

mohamed - if it makes you feel any better my Z is the same way

[jmortensen]

mohamed - if it makes you feel any better my Z is the same way

Then your springs are switched too.

[BuDavid]

e_racer1999, thanks man! but are you sure that they are not switched also?

coz Jon (jmortensen) is still doing me bad hereLOL

jon please lie to me and tell me that it is ok..

I'm afraid if I switch the springs front to back, the rear will jump up and the nose will fall down, which I don't likr it to happen.. besides, the fender surface with the door is horizontal now, no inclination at all, and that what was I willing to do with the car earlier.. I don't know if you had ST springs, but maybe if you use some other springs such as Eibach or any others they might give a different inclination..

I'm not saying I'm right and you are wrong, maybe you are right and "we" are wrong, me and e_racer1999LOL (hopefully not):dead:

thanks guys..

Mohamed.

[BuDavid]

ok here is the news, I send an wmail to shox.com, told them about the problem with the springs I purchesed from them.. the answer was:

I called S/T and they said that the 8 coil spring is for the front and the 9 coil spring is for the rear.

nice eh?

I guess that I'll have a springs rest day:( I can't beleave that they switched the lables on the springs!

[jmortensen]

Sorry to hear it. Follow the directions I gave you and you'll save a lot of time vs pulling the struts all the way off. You don't need a spring compressor this time either. It won't be that bad. Just take your time and do it right.

[BuDavid]

yes jon, at the end you were right as it look like at the end!

but what was always bothering me is to beleave the idea that the front springs will have less coils and thickness!?

but since the hight in front dropped about an inch only after the last few

days, it seems that it wi'll remain as it is! so I think that THEY ARE switched

since some people allready stated that the weight distribution is about 51%

rear and 49 at front..

about the process, don't worry, lessono is learned from the first time,

beleave it or not, I managed to pull out the previous crap without opening

the brale hose!

thanks Jon and sorry not to do the job since you told:(

I'll post pictures if it will all go right, and with the new headlight covers:)

thanks for the advise all of you..

[Montezuma]

Mohamed, Jon is right....I had to change the insulators and put bump stops on my car after the new springs were installed. I was so easy so you job will not be as bad as you think. Besides when your car is sitting nice you will be so happy you took the time to fix it right. Have a great day....