I'm planing on redoing the suspension on my 1980 s130. Right now i'm planning on getting these two kits. http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/PSDC06A/23-4100KX and maybe this one as well http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/PSDC05/23-4103
opinions on these kits? Will the sway bar kit make enough difference to be worth the money and is there anything else i should consider getting?

 

Double check on eBay for the bushing kit. Look up the prothane kit for your Z. The one there sell for about $95.

 

replace outer tie rod ends and ball joints or the other stuff is a waste. urethane bushings are the way to go but be sure to lube them per instructions or things get really squeaky.

 

HPK255 is one of the best suspension upgrades you can do to a stock 280ZX. The next step up is to go to a coilover like the Megans for the 240SX but it's not a bolt in solution.

If something in your suspension is worn out then it NEEDS to be replaced - if it's not worn then there is no sense in replacing it. If the tie rods and ball joints are OK replacing them is a waste of time and money. They do tend to wear out but they do also get replaced over the life of the vehicle so they may be fine. If you decide to upgrade to urethane it will stiffen everything up just don't replace both bushings in the TC rods with urethane. Do a search on the TC rods and urethane as they frequently break causing extremely dangerous situations. Urethane is the way to go if you need to replace bushings.

Sway bars make a big difference but you might want to go with a 1 1/8th on the front for the 280ZX. Suspension Techniques makes a nice sway bar kit

 

unless you know they have been done NOT replacing tie rods and balljoints is a foolish move. you don't save that much money and are defeating the other things that you are spending dollars on. you must have a reason to work on the suspension. probably wanders the road. fric frac is penny wise and pound foolish. unless you have owned the car for a while and know the history chances are very good those parts are gone. I know a few guys didn't do that spent money on shocks, springs, bushings, and alignment. Much to their dismay the car still wouldn't go where they pointed it. had to replace those parts and when your are doing the other stuff most of the labor is already done. And you pay for two alignments.

 

Haha I'm hardly penny wise. I do however believe in thinking things through. If something is up to the factory specs there is no reason to replace it unless of course you're going for that "good feeling". No play in the ball joints - no reason to replace them. Perhaps you have some emperical evidence as to why you should be replacing parts that are not damaged or worn or required to be replaced by the factory over a certain period of time or mileage?

It's important to diagnose then repair. It's a waste of time and money to use shotgun replacement techniques.

If your car is wandering the bushings and/or alignment is what needs to be addressed. If your friend checked the ball joints in the first place they would have seen they were worn....