Vogtland springs

[DaveR]

I am assuming you realize the post 20 ones are for a 280z and mine were for a 240. But yes I don't know why they are different in terms of the coil count.  

[Patcon]

I would say denser coil count equates to higher spring rate

[gundee]

What I am saying is, yes the 280Z had longer and heavier oem rate springs so they would

be different than the 240Z. But the Design was the same for both. Not different.

[DaveR]

JDMWerks states:"Follow the writing on the spring. Do not put the writing upside down."

Typically this isn't the most foolproof way to do things due to the ability to mix up the printing during manufacturing, but maybe for a small run of these it is okay.  I am hoping @John Coffey can reach out to his acquaintance responsible for bringing these to us, and maybe give a more reassuring answer.

Edited August 11, 2016 by DaveR

[Zed Head]

I thought you asked him about the progressive rate springs.  His answer seems boilerplate for installation.  Irrelevant to performance though, and installation in your case.  He did have some issues as noted earlier.  I'd guess that these are low volume parts compared to his other products, so he probably doesn't have a ton of time for them.

John Coffey died in a motorcycle accident a few months ago.  He did comment in the past though, over on Hybridz, that he was only doing both sides a favor by telling about the new products.  He didn't have anything to do with their development.

[DaveR]

  Sorry to hear that.

I didn't ask JDMwerks about progressive rates, because they are not supposed to be progressive springs. I also didn't ask why there were more coils on one end, because honestly I didn't expect them to know the answer to that.

Either way, not sure where i'm left with for installation. I suppose whichever way fits best, which I believe lines up with the wording being right side up as well.

Edited August 11, 2016 by DaveR

[DaveR]

Update for you guys/girls... I am in the process of installing the springs and struts, and hopefully it will be done this weekend and the car running for the first time in my ownership (fingers crossed)

The rear's went together pretty easily, no need for spring compressors to reassemble (nor on the front for that matter). Only needed a slim washer on one side to make the strut properly fit the tube (fronts needed 2 washers).  Bolted back up, no real issues.

Front is going okay, but interestingly enough the assembly with the new spring/strut is about 1" taller than the old when off the car/in the air.  I measure 13" from the fop of the bottom spring seat to the top of the isolator on the new, and 12-1/8" on the old. Who knows why, but it would seem that the strut itself has less overall travel. (or since mine are super old and don't move very smoothly maybe its just seized up I find that unlikely since those springs are pushing so hard.)

Either way, due to this length it makes reassembling the front corners a bit annoying. Hard to get the tension rod bolted to the control arm. I haven't really analyzed things but it feels like the length of the tension rod might hold the rest of the suspension up in the air when the car is jacked up. Maybe this is intentional, I don't know.   My tension rod bushings are also original to the car, as are the front control arm bushings... so both of those like to resist motion and mean I have to fight to get the strut back into place as the control arm doesn't drop down as low as it might otherwise. That may be where the trouble is.

[Zed Head]

The T/C rods are much much easier to install with the car on the ground and suspension compressed.  The extra length of your assembly would be because the new shocks extend farther.  May not be directly tied to full travel.

[gundee]

Did you disconnect the tie rod end as well as the T/C rod?

I did mine that way. Having the car on jackstands under the frame rails, the jack is now

free to lift the strut back in to place. Once the top 3 nuts are installed you can then tighten the shock nut.

Then bolt up the tie rod and T/C rod while compressing the strut with the jack under the control arm.

Makes the job pretty easy.

[DaveR]

I have everything disconnected, so yes. I suppose I was just nervous about compressing the strut to get the T/C rod in place. It seems that once its bolted to the control arm and I remove the jack... that TC rod would effectively be suspending the strut and more worrisome, resisting the significant downward force that the spring is imposing.

It seems that its intentional and that force is expected on the T/C rod (it is a tension rod after all)... but it just was curious. I also believe I jacked the corner up from the front so it pulled it away from the T/C rod. Next time I do it I will jack it from the side so it doesn't kick it towards the front of the car and further away from the T/C rod.  We shall see.

[gundee]

I do not see where JDMWerks lists Vogtland for the 240Z anymore.

Who knows what anyone recieved.

I may take a chance if they relist them.

[mgmoreau]

I have a few basic question after reading all the threads on this site and Hybrid Z related to these springs.

1.  Are these Vogtland model 9161031 for the 240Z considered progressive springs?  

2.  Can anyone comment on their ride quality after replacing stock springs these Vogtland springs for ?  

3.  Do these springs make your car stiffer and does ride quality/comfort suffer from their compression over bumps?

 

Thanks,

Marc M