I am getting ready to replace the stuts and springs on my '83 280zx na. I have read in searches that most people seem to like the Eibach springs and the KYB GR-2 shocks. Am i right? I found some used Eibachs on ebay and the guy gave me the response that he was selling them because he bought some Tokico shocks and wanted springs to match. He said the Eibach springs were a little soft. He also had heard that Eibach were no longer making springs for the 280zx. I found some Eibach springs at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...6320474&rd=1,1

and some KYB GR-2 shocks at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...0268139&rd=1,1

Both of these auctions have ended, but will probably repeat.
Has anyone bought from these guys? The shocks were about $140 shipped and the springs were about $235 shipped, about $ 375 together. Are these the springs and shocks i have seen recommended on zdriver? Most the talk about Tokicos, seem to be negative ... Help me, I only have the money to do this once and I don't want to mess up and regret this purchase. Any advice on these or other options are greatly appreciated. I plan this as a daily driver with no plans for racing or autocross, but when i do take a sharp turn at high speed, i want them to perform.
I dont want to start a new thread on an old topic, but peoples knowledge and experience with struts and shocks change.

 

eibachsa are progressive rate. that basically means the harder you turn, the stiffer they get. some people dont like this feeling. but if you drive it daily, and dont plan to autox, they should be fine. if you dont need adjustable shocks (hint: you dont), get the tokico HPs.

 

Yes Proggressive rates are VERY fun for a "spirited" daily driver..

 

So which spring set and struts would you guys recommend for curcuit racing and autocross? Like mountian roads with twistys type courses.

I guess the eibach get really stiff when hard cornoring? Or are tokico's just as good? I have a 1983 280zx like him lol, and getting good parts is like searching the void almost, only way to really do anything is make your own it seems.

 

If you're going to be doing hard core racing.... COIL OVERS FTMFW.

 

So, for my year, no one sells coil overs, and only adjustable struts for the front though. Do I have to like custom trim my rear and front holders to fit in some other ones that are avaible or do I create my own and do the cutting and welding. I saw some japanese 280zx increase the size of the rear strut holders, so I was just thinking thats what needs to be done (why does the zx have to suck so much when it comes to performance)

 

Modern Motorsports makes coilovers for the 280zx. You'll have to contact them about the front coilovers though as they only advertise their rears on their site. Also, check out A-1 racing. Through them you piece together your own set of coilovers if the Modern Motorsports setup is out of your price range.

 

they have the front, i was contacting ross for a set. they have some fancy rear setup that is 12 way adjustable, really expensive for that tho, too fancy for me, i just want std. coils.

 

OMG, how come I couldnt find these before
Rear
http://www.modern-motorsports.com/ca...products_id=66

I am going to do these in the rear and the illumina adjustables in the front with the eibach springs. Would that be a good idea lol.

 

Just make sure the spring rates you use on the rear coilovers will work well with the rate of the Eibach springs. I doubt you the Eibachs are available in different rates for our cars so you'll have to match the springs on the coilovers to the Eibachs. The dampers, I would imagine, are adjustable so that's not really an issue.

 

So it would be best to get the fronts to, if I get the rears. I am not very fimilar with the coilovers, but are they adjustable or do you have to pick the spring rate before hand? I was just thinking abotu that, since the eibach get harder when you turn hard I thought they be idle for the front, but its true they only have the same rate as a MSA's and tokico's, but is that when they are just normal or when turning, things I was thinking about.

Right now my cars a water bed!!!!

 

coilovers are adjustable, and you can order them with different spring rates, so you get the best of both worlds, and the can be ordered and tuned to match you driving style/conditions.

 

So say I buy these coilovers, do i have to tell em what spring rate I need, lol Ima really have to look into what i need because this is the first time I have worked on my own suspension. I have done springs and struts countless other cars, but I did not know what they were getting, and not one car I worked on before was a Zcar (but my brothers and mine)

 

That's why we have GOOGLE... you can do tons of research on coil overs & find out what rate and parts fit your needs.

 

Modern Motorsport can probably recommend spring rates to help you make the decision. And remember that unless the coilovers have fully threaded bodies, then when you change the ride-height you're also going to change the spring rate. Lowering the car will actually raise the spring rate on a coilover of that type. I'm not positive but if I remember correctly their coilovers are not full threaded, only the spring perch can thread up and down. A fully threaded setup allows ride height adjustment independantly of spring adjustment.

These are fully threaded (but not for the ZX ): http://arizonazcar.com/coil.html

 

correct j, he makes super fancy rear coils now that have both ride height and rate variables. the front are simmilar to the s30 setup. he asks you many q's aboot what you are going to do with your car.