I want to completely rebuild the suspension and brakes for my 1979 280zx N/T. Where should I start?

(This is my first project car, I know a little about cars but not that much to know exactly what I need to completely overhaul the suspension and braking system.)

 

suspension is realativly easy, order a ureathane kit from msa or other compitent parts shop. shocks and maybe new springs as well. try ebay for those. as for brakes, stock is easy, get new rotors and try and find metalic pads, not stock ones, you wouldnt believe the difference. there are big brake kits, but they cost tons and require bigger wheels. wheels are out there, but again lots more money.

 

outer tie rod ends, ball joints, poly bushings get the car to go where you point it. providing you get it aligned and the tires balanced afterward. New shocks (kyb or tokico) will improve the ride considerably. After that you have a stable platform and can decide if you want to do something with the springing. Brakes get the rotors turned, rebuilt master cyl, rebuilt calipers (or clean and lubricate what you got). metal pads

 

I know the idler arms and tension rods are pretty worn out too. I thought those were part of the suspension?

 

yeah those are just general maintanace items that can be purchased at the local parts bin. tension rods kinda wear out, mostly just bushings there too, if you use ureathane on the t/c rod, you have a chance of breaking it under hard loading. you can get a new t/c rod from techno toy tuning, very nice piece, i know bleach is happy with his

 

Well after spending hours doing my suspension the other day. My rear end still sits a little lower than the front. So I have a bad feeling my springs are shot. So I am thinking about putting in spacers for now. Thoughts anyone? And sorry to thread jack. But I am on topic.

 

What did you "do" to your suspension?

 

I changed all the struts, and shocks. (Gabriel's) To the same type and brand. I really can't afford springs right now. I wanted the Tokico springs and struts, but it was too much money right now. I just wanted something to work for now. And have a better ride. It does ride better, but the rear end sits a little low for my tastes.

 

just cut the front springs down a hair to match.

 

Mercedes 300D springs...

 

Thanks guys, but I think I will just put spacers in for now. Before I do that, I am going to wait and see if maybe it gets more even, the more I drive it. It could be that, they are not quite broken in yet. I'll keep you posted.

 

I just bought the tokico advanced handling kit and some urethane bushings. As soon as my car gets out of the shop it's all going on. I can't wait. I've got some new tie rods too.

 

You could just bolt on s13 everything. Its what i did it sits like an inch lower than the stock 280zx suspension. But then you got all the aftermarket support. Like coilovers and brakes even knuckles. Im running sentra coilovers in the rear and s13 in the front and it still has travel. I was going to use the s13 lower controle arms but decided not to since then i would have to worry alot about mounting my tension arms up straight with that. Ill post some pics up here soon.

oh and i swear ive read on here quiet a few times that s13 s14 suspension wouldn't work on the zx?

 

Isnt she lowvley

 

i think your missing your brakes there!! that ball joint is at a really bad angle, there not meant to do that regularly.

 

I just completed my suspension rebuild on my 280ZXT this weekend. It included the Tokico lower kit (springs & struts all around) as well as urethane bushing, outer tie rods & ball joints. I dropped the car to the ground and the front sits 3/4" higher than the rear. I live in the snow belt so I have not had a chance to put any miles on the car or get it aligned and probably won't for another 2 months. I just wante to see if anyone else has had a siliar experience? Here are the measurements that I took vertically from the centerline of the front axle going from the ground to the bottom of the wheel arch.

Front = 25.5"
Rear = 24.75"

I am also running the stock tire size (205/60R15) for a turbo. If anyone else could take a measurement and let me know where they ride, it would be appreciated! I just want to make sure that don't have something installed incorrectly in the front.

 

I recently installed the Tokico spring/strut kit on my 82 N/A. And new ball joints. I'm running 205/70/14 tires. I measured my height the same way as you. I have 25.5 rear and 25 up front. My tires are probably about 1/2in higher than yours. Did you measure your height before you changed out the suspension? Wondering how much it lowered yours. Mine was more than the 1in drop that they quote. Very satisfied with the change, both visually and how it handles. Just need to get better tires.

 

lv280zx, thanks for the reply. I wish I knew how far mine dropped but I failed to record a measurement before the install. I would guess that it was close to 2 inches it lowered my Z. Did you have a typo with the "25.5 rear and 25 up front" measurement? This would mean that your rear is higher than your front. On mine, the front is higher than the rear.

 

I just checked the height again and it is a 1/2in higher in the back. I don't have the original height numbers in front of me now, but, it was like 1.5in drop in the rear and almost 2 up front if i remember right.

 

Does anyone have any input on this subject? I contacted the Tokico technical support and they were not able to help. Could I have forgotten to install something? Does anyone else have ride height numbers?

 

Did you let them seat in? I noticed mine were higher in the rear than the front when I first had them on but now they are pretty even.... make sure your springs are sitting properly on the pearch as well.

 

Be careful with the TC rod bushing - stay stock with those. There have been quite a few guys with broken TC Rods from the solid bushings. I just happen to have the parts numbers for the urethane bushing sitting here....

Control Arm set #7-3103R (R is red, G is black)
RR Control Arm #7-3105R
Tie Rod end (grease cap IIRC) #9-13103R
End Link set #9-8122R

I know Northern Auto Parts and Summit Racing both carry these....