full coilovers on a 280zx write up
 

well i have been looking for a coilover setup for my z but after crashing it i got my hands on another one and here she is

Attachment 18021

and here are my coilovers, megan track. got them for 500 bux off a nissan s13

Attachment 18022

the rears are easy, just take the top mount off and put the stock zx pillow ball mounts back on in its place, shitty pic alert

Attachment 18023

now the fronts are a bit more of a pain in the ass, 1st you have to cut the stock strut tubes down to about a inch or less and grind the out side till the bottom damper adjuster fits over the stock tube

Attachment 18024

Attachment 18025

then after hammering them together weld them then just screw the coilover back on the damper adjuster

Attachment 18026

Attachment 18027

Attachment 18028

and there ya go! a full coilover set up for all you ZX guys like me out there. more pix after the instal some time soon

and just for shits and giggles here is a pic of my girl modeling with my old zx

Attachment 18020

Did you take any measurements before cutting the strut and welding it back up?

X2
I want to know?

For the love of god please tell me you didn't just weld that to a cast iron spindlle.

well the tube was cut down to an inch then grinded down and then welded on. still have not gotten around to putting them in but ill keep you guys posted on weither or not it works out

^^^ I get that you "cut it down to an inch", but it sounds like you just slapped them (ok... hammered them) together.
Did you measure the height of the stock strut?
Did you measure both finished coilovers to make sure they are the same height?

ill be measure it once i take the fronts off. i just used some extra stut tubes i had lying around

nissan welded to the same cast iron spindle, all be it prettier and done when new. others on hybridz do the same thing to mount the front. technically if he hammered them all the way down to the spindle it should be really close to the same length and the coilover adjust should take up the 1/16" he may have been off. only problems i see is a pic fail and welding lessons required, plus if he slams it there wont be any shock travel, minor detail

well i put these on a while back and have yet to have any issues, its not slammed... yet... but at a nice aggressive hight. and yes my welds are shitty but they got the job done and they are not going anywhere... 2nd time welding in my life btw...

post pics of the drop please

+2! I wanna do the same but want to see how it turns out

Let me rephrase, THOSE welds look like crap with no penetration and will most likely fail.

Just because the welds are holding now, doesn't mean they won't fail next time you hit a bump! The weld looks very cold, with lots of porosity. Which means huge potential to crack at any time.

you know that adjusting the height (properly, with the lower mount and not the spring seat) on this style coilover doesn't result in less suspension travel, right?

technically porosity cannot cause cracks. The lack of fusion,slag and improper weld will end up cracking. Porosity is a hole.

Porosity is a hole, defect, and a weak point. The more porosity in the weld, the weaker the weld and more likely to fail!

I love how these guys are arguing about how my coilovers will not hold yet I drive it every day hitting many rail roads and speed bumps yet my asked hold and the car drives great... Idk what to call these guys... Keyboard worriors will have to do...

lol, go put some real loads and movement on it, have someone xray the weld and come back and say that.

If your weld looked like this....

Attachment 17519

It would be different, I'm simply giving a word of advice, from 8 years of knowledge and experience. It may hold forever... IT MIGHT BREAK TOMORROW, for no reason what so ever!!!! If it looked like the above weld I would bet money something else would fail before the weld. Out of curiosity what rod did you use? I would guess, 6010, 6011, or 6013.