Struts and Springs Buying Guide

[Zs-ondabrain]

Question.....

If I throw my Tokico HP's in a pile. How do I tell front from rear. Which one is which?

Anyone?

Dave

[John Coffey]

HZ3015 front, HZ3016 rear.

[Zs-ondabrain]

That makes sense. And only the rears have the tube spacer? Correct?

So the rears are taller?

Just trying to lock it in my brain for future reference.

Thanks John,

Dave

[John Coffey]

The actual shocks are identical - same body, same shaft, same pistons, same valving. The only difference in the spacer. You could knock the spacer off the 3016 and put it on the 3015.

[Zs-ondabrain]

That's AWESOME news John!! MSA Sent me 4 rears because they had no fronts in stock (I ordered 2 complete sets for both Z's) So per your info, I can just knock the spacers off the other 2 rears and turn them into fronts. So I can finsh the job in a day, not days or a week.

Great news, Thank You.

Now does anyone have a set of rear Cylinders for an Early 72'??? My Bleeders are broke off.

Dave.

[woytovich]

Ok... so I've read this thread, carefully, and I have a couple of questions:

I am running 195/70R14 (stock size) tires on my 71 240z. I am not interested in any serious sport upgrade to the suspension. It rides hard now. The springs LOOK shiny and new. (I just bought this car in the fall and it is only now on the road for me - after 25+ years of being stored). There is some evidence that the PO made some (mostly minor) sport upgrades: camber adjust kit, expensive tires, Cibie headlights, Vitaloni mirrors...

1. Is there any way, short of pulling them out, to tell what shocks are installed?

2. Likewise with the springs...

I am looking for a stock height ride that is comfortable - not to the point of sloppy cornering but I won't be doing anything more than twisty mountain roads for my "fun" driving. I don't want to have to do any mods to make shocks/springs work.

Is there a basic "accepted" stock replacement combo I should look at?

Thanks,

Mark

[S30Driver]

I don't think you will be able to tell the brand of the strut inserts without disassembling the suspension & pulling them out of the tubes.

Unless the springs are marked by the mfg, & you can see them with a visual inspection, no way to tell that either, possibly you can take pictures & someone like John C. may be able to id them.

You may want to consider the Tokico Illumina's if you replace the cartridges. They are 5 position adjustable & position 1 and 2 will allow you to adjust for a softer ride than the fixed tokico blues or kyb's. Easy to change the setting with just a small slot screwdriver.

[Zs-ondabrain]

KYB's are a great "STOCK" suspension replacement strut. Tokico HP's and Ilumina's are better for altered suspensions (lowered).

Most stock rubber is available but urethane upgrades are every where.

I don't think it's possible to ID the struts until they are out. But I could be wrong. You'll find that the Top strut nut is a 17mm if it's aftermarket and 19mm if it's stock. Look under the strut tower cap.

[erectorset]

I find the 6" stock ride height mentioned to be confusing and the picture even more so. My 1971 240Z with Koni 82R-1716/82R-1717 shocks installed last year (I paid less for them in 2009 vs. 1976 when I last replaced them) with 175R14 tires on 4 1/2" J rims (I replaced the original 4" J rims when I crowned out my 185-14 Michelin XAS's: I was young then and did not know better.) measures +/- 26 1/8" from the ground up vertically through the centerline of the rear wheel to the underside of the rear quarter panel fender. The +/- depends on your tire pressure. How close is this to the stock ride height?

PS: It's too bad Michelin stopped making the XAS's. They were the best for the Z's.