71 240z. I just started assembling my first "lowered spring kit" and I'm curious. Is it normal for me to NOT have to compress the front springs when I re-assemble the whole thing? I've double checked to make sure I have the front spring with the front strut cartridge and everything seems to be correct.

Did you purchase "lowering" springs and struts?

Yes, with the Tokico springs (I am assuming 5020's) no spring compressor required. Had them on my 71 at one time.

Rich

Yes, lowering springs and struts.

Completely normal. When you lower the car back down, the slack will be taken up.

Unless you're going airborne, you don't need to worry about the springs leaping off the perches.

like INF said, and be ready for a couple loud bangs when they fully seat on your first trip out of the garage- can be startling, sounds like something broke.

I pulled mine down and seated them to the top of the springs before lowering the car to make sure they lined up. It didnt seem to have any issues. I will say, it was an eye opener lowering back down and seeing how far it dropped. I was afraid my hand was going to get pinched under the urethane air dam

Good point, I would suggest lowering the car back down onto some 2x4's or something which you can then drive off of. It would be easy to hose an airdam or spook on your jack if you weren't careful.

So this kit claims it drops 1-1.5", but from what I have been reading here and other forums it's even more. I was going to order 17x7 Konig Imagine wheels this week, but I think I will wait until all four shocks are installed and it's on the ground. Thanks for all the info and advice everyone.

I didn't experience much of a drop at all - maybe 0.25", tops. You really could not tell a difference just by looking, at any rate. My old springs may have already been sagging a bit, though.

It seems to me like most of the stock 280Z's I've seen are always riding really high to my eye, so maybe there is a big decrease in ride height there?

So this kit claims it drops 1-1.5", but from what I have been reading here and other forums it's even more.

It all depends on the condition of the car, the suspension, the insulators, the springs that were in the car, condition of the shocks, etc.

Just thought I would pop back in here with a new experience I had.

The other day I went down to the garage to check out current clearances (ordered some Konig Rewinds that should arrive next week) and I just happened to glance at the springs in the process.

To my surprise, I noticed one of my rear Tokico 5020 springs had jumped the perch.

See pictures below. The dislodged spring is on the passenger side, and the correctly mounted spring is on the drivers side.

I'm not sure if this happened while on the road, or the last time I had the car up on jack stands (several months ago). Pretty sure I checked that they were all lined up afterward though.

Either way, I ordered some Eibach Pro springs from MSA, and they just arrived. At least these should have a long enough unsprung length to not come loose between the perches.

FWIW I also am running Tokico HP struts, and the suspension is stock otherwise.

Edited March 12, 201015 yr by Inf