suspension modification choices for a 240z

[5thhorsemann]

I got a 73 240Z last fall and spent the last year gathering the 72 intake and a header, along with a ton of odds and ends parts. Got the thing running sweet now, but I fear I made a costly mistake in simply replacing the tires with a set of new, in the same size.(BFG's 245/60R14) They look slick on the car, I'm an old guy and like the fat sidewall and raised white letter look. The problem comes in when I get the back end into a slide while curving to the left. the front left tire hits the tip of the lower fender extension. This is easily fixed using a fiberglass spoiler. The second is more significant. The original owner, who has died since I got the car, modified the struts with longer (and softer) springs so I rub tires on dips and bumps. All the spring setups I have come across can be lowered, but I need to go up like a 1/2 inch in the rear, and 3/4 inch in the front. That would put me exactly where I sit now. I'm looking for a source for a complete, adjustable coil & strut set that can be adjusted for height & damping. Also, I want to get stiffer spring rates as well. Anybody have an idea of a place to start my search?

Edited November 5, 2010 by 5thhorsemann

[gnosez]

Ground Control

betamotorsports

MSA

All sell coil-overs and springs can be ordered in the exact rate you want/need. All depends on the size of your wallet and the type of driving you plan on doing.

[5thhorsemann]

Ground control won't work. They only adjust down. If you weld the sleves in an upward adjustable position they will interfere with the strut travel and cause big problems. I could use that setup with a custom fabricated spring, but now we're talking big bucks.

[jmortensen]

Ground control won't work. They only adjust down. If you weld the sleves in an upward adjustable position they will interfere with the strut travel and cause big problems. I could use that setup with a custom fabricated spring, but now we're talking big bucks.

Nonsense. You can start the sleeve right at the top of the strut tube. Get a 10" or 12" spring and you can put a lot of preload on the spring, and the threaded tube will still be below the gland nut. If you go with a stiffer spring and preload it you could get the car to have virtually no sag at all if you wanted. You wouldn't want that, but you could do it.

[5thhorsemann]

It was my understanding that the GC sleeve is made to mount flush to the top of the strut tube, I got that in a phone conversation with a GC tech, If what you are saying is true, I could make that work with stock strut tubes and off the shelf struts. Have you ever installed the GC adjusters? If I can make them work It would be great.

[jmortensen]

Yes, I have them on my car. They are usually used to lower the car, but you can easily raise the car too, especially with stiffer springs.

Another way of thinking of it is like this; if the strut is extended all the way, then you have the car as high as it can go. You can set up the threaded adjuster so that the spring is touching the top and the bottom and it can still be screwed up further to preload the spring. Do that with a heavier spring, and like I said before, you can get it to where the strut barely compresses with the weight of the car on it if you really wanted (you wouldn't want that--but you could).

[5thhorsemann]

I get the concept, and it sounds like I came to the right place, Thanks for the input. I'm heading to my shop rite now to pull the drivers side suspension off the car and take some more measurements, and drink some beer. Thanks again.