Help Please! Ground Control Install - Strut inserts too long?

[78-280]

So I was ready to section my strut housings until I put my one of my front KYB struts into a front housing and found the strut already seems too long for the housing - can't screw in the cap - about 2 inches off.

Do I have the wrong shocks (link below)? The bottom of the housing (tube) looks like it might have been modified (picture attached). Does that look factory or is there a chance they've been modified?

I appreciate your help.

Thanks,

John

KYB 4 Shocks Datsun Nissan 280z 75 to 78 260z 74 75 Late Check Vin No | eBay

Edited May 1, 2014 by 78-280

[Zed Head]

Isn't that the other side of the strut mount, where the ball joint bolts on? Looks normal, I believe. It's the inside of the tube that matters. You might have four rear shocks. The fronts are shorter, by about 3 1/8", for a 280Z. If my measurements on some Tokicos are correct. ~18" for the rears, and 14 7/8" for the fronts.

[78-280]

Yes, that's the bottom of the tube where the ball joint mounts. I took a pic of it because I thought it looks like it could have been modified. But the more I think about it that seems unlikely. Everything in the suspension was old and stock looking.

I am trying to install the front (361002) struts. The rears (361003) are significantly longer. There is a little dish shaped piece on the bottom of the strut. It's almost seems like I could cut those pieces off and they would fit in the tube. Actually it seems like that would reduce the length of the strut insert body by about 1 inch and I need the body to be almost 2 inches shorter.

I was going to section the housing, but I guess that only applies if you're using a non-stock, shorter strut?

Thanks,

John

[SteveJ]

KYB rear strut part number: 361003

KYB front strut part number: 361002

The part numbers listed in the eBay ad are correct. Did you receive two of each part number? Are you putting the 361002s in front?

Edited May 1, 2014 by SteveJ

[Zed Head]

Yes, you need a shorter shock to run in a sectioned tube. You'll have to search around to find the right numbers, I think that some people run the fronts in the back, then use an MR2 shock for the front. There are probably some good writeups on Hybridz.org. Good luck.

By the way, measuring first with the shock in hand is the way to go. As you've found.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Zed Head

[78-280]

I don't want it much lower than stock ride height, maybe 2" below stock. Does anyone run the GC kit with the stock struts without sectioning the housings? Can that work well without bottoming the struts as long as I don't run too low? If that's a workable option, I still need to figure out why my stock struts don't seem to fit in my stock housings...

[Captain Obvious]

I am trying to install the front (361002) struts. The rears (361003) are significantly longer.

I just put those numbers on my 77 and they fit fine without any modifications to either the inserts or the housings.

Are you sure someone hasn't already shortened your tubes? Are you sure there isn't anything stuffed down into the insides of your tubes preventing the inserts from inserting all the way? Are the new KYB inserts about the same length as the old inserts you took out (assuming you took inserts out...)?

[Zed Head]

What was in there before? Does it have part numbers?

To CO's point - some shocks come with a pressed on extension. It might still be in there.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Zed Head

[78-280]

So I went back to the garage and checked the inserts I took out and they are shorter. The pictures shows the new fronts, the old fronts, and the new rears. The new fronts have a significantly longer body that the old front strut inserts. The other pic is what it looks like when I put the new struts in the housing. The caps can't even catch the first thread. Do you think the housing must have been sectioned a long time ago? Everything seemed old and stock, rusty, worn, doesn't really make sense...

Thanks

[78-280]

I just realized I may be missing a cap on the old insert that makes us for at least some of the difference in the body length... I guess I'll look at it all a lot closer tomorrow.

[Zed Head]

I think that what you took out are the original damper assemblies. They are essentially the internals of a shock absorber and the strut housing is the outer tube of the shock. I did the same on my 76. The KYB's should have come with their own nut, it's called a gland nut and it's designed to fit the top of the shock. It's also possible that there is some crud down in the bottom of the tube. I think I may also have read about the occasional weld bump down there also, that needs to be dealt with. The KYB's with the KYB gland nuts should work. You don't want to use the old gland nuts with the new KYB's. But with the KYB's you'll be at the same ride height, plus a little extra from the gas charge.

Find the KYB gland nuts and try again. That's all there is, the gland nut, the insert, and the strut tube.

[78-280]

Thanks, Zed Head.

I thought I was supposed to use the old gland nut, so that's probably the issue. So I guess I could still use the GC kit and springs to lower the car (depending on where I weld the new spring perches), but I would risk bottoming the struts under hard driving. I only want to go a couple of inches lower than stock. Should I buy shorter struts and section the tubes, or is that only needed with more extreme low ride heights?

Thanks