Suspension Setups

Suspension, including wheel, tire and brake.
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pokey
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Joined: 03 Feb 2004 04:14
Location: Munich (now)

Suspension Setups

Post by pokey »

I've noticed a good number of suspension setup quesitons popping up, and hell I'm curious too. What are people running out there? If people could reply and say what their running, maybe we could get a database of sorts to help out others?

Info like:
Primary use of car. (autoX, rally, street...)
Struts (510, 280zx, 200sx...)
Pound Rate Front?
Pound Rate Rear?
Coilovers?
Sway bar diameters?
Camber/Caster Plate?
Satisfied with this setup?
General Impressions?
Approximate change in ride height?

Brands/ source junked car would be nice...

-Paul
Last edited by pokey on 19 Mar 2004 11:44, edited 1 time in total.
entix
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Joined: 02 Dec 2003 00:28

Post by entix »

prim use: street/soon to be autox
struts: 280zx
rate: 200# all around
ground control coilovers
tokiko 5 ways

rest is stock

very satisfied. the ride is smoother than stock, with little to no body roll. the shocks are a quality part, but didnt come with a dust boot, so well see what effect that has on longevity.

got it all from http://www.ermish-racing.com. bit pricey though..
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5teN
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Post by 5teN »

Vehicle: '72 510 Wagon
Use: Street/Autocross
Strut: Shortened 280zx
Shock: VW Golf - Byron details?
Spring: 2.5" ID 8" length, 225lb/in spring rate
Coilovers: Experimental Engineering
Camber Adjustability: Adjustable Lower Control Arms

Comments: Pretty happy with it, can put in lots of Neg. Camber. Car likes to pull over the road but this could be from many other factors.
Blk68510
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Location: 200m under water, BC

Post by Blk68510 »

Vehicle: 1968 510
Use: Street/Autocross
Strut: 280zx
Shock: Tokicco non adjustable
Spring: (front) 2.5'' ID 8'' length 225lb rate
(rear) Cut roadster comp. springs
Coliovers: Hypercoil
Camber adjustment: Ecentric LCA bushings.
Swaybar: 1'' front

Comments: Slight understeer, wich suddenly changes to oversteer in adverse conditions (verry fun in rain :D ). Slotting the rear crossmember and stiffer rear springs, or softer fronts will correct the problem.
73Wagon
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Joined: 16 Mar 2004 19:31

Post by 73Wagon »

When using a coil over setup on a 280zx strut that has been shortened to use a vw rabbit insert and eight inch springs, do you find that in order to run the car on the street the springs must be set at or very near the top of the threaded tube? In other words is using the rabbit insert and a shrotened strut too short and lower the car too much?
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5teN
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Post by 5teN »

Hey 73Wagon,
YES i do! Mine are at the top of the strut tube and pre-loaded quite a lot. If it wasnt a wagon and i could have to rearend lower I'd have the front lower so it wouldn't be such a problem. I'm hopeing to try out some 10" springs so I move the perch down a little and get rid of some of the preload.
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rnorrish
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Post by rnorrish »

sweet, I run the stiffest springs so far...people from Oregon think I'm still crazy from a few years ago on the way to Shasta. That, and the 44 Mikuni's on an 1800...

Front: 250#(2.5" ID x ??), Koni Gas Adjustables, ZX coilovers (ot shortened, custom camber plates, 3/4" sway bar
Rear: Specialty Engineering Road Race, Gas shocks, not slotted, no sway bar.
T/C bushings changed, rest stock

Oversteer in autocross, and on the street too I guess, but it feels more confident than anything. Power oversteer in the rain/snow. Pretty rough up here in Edmonton, but I love it back in the Valley. Good for the Cannonballs!!
richard norrish
'68 'goon resto / '71 ice racer / '72 'goon project / '70 4-door rust pile / '67 520 project
----------------------------------------------------------------------
shardik wrote: My swap will be made of solid gold and it will run on puppy farts.
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supersportsedan
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Post by supersportsedan »

Primary use of car: Daily driver, highway road trip destroyer in the passing lane, minimal autox
Struts: 610 with Bilstein inserts, camber plates, adjustable lower camber bushings.
Pound Rate Front: 300 take that richard! muhahaha!
Pound Rate Rear: Top Secret! (as in, I'm not really sure.) The leafs have been de-arc'ed with a stiffer leaf added. It compliments the front, anyways.

Satisfied with this setup: I suppose, despite the obscurity... :oops: There's a little bliss in ignorance, as I am a recent owner and not the builder of the car, but she sits nice and low and I found out last night that she is solid at high speed. What else do you need to know? :wink:
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gooned
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Post by gooned »

supersportsedan wrote:I found out last night that she is solid at high speed. What else do you need to know? :wink:
it'll pull in 5th for a looonnnggg way eh :!:
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bertvorgon
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Post by bertvorgon »

Summer driver, occasionally used for competition, Cannonballs, misc. other ridiculous speed events.
280zx struts with modified Bilstien shocks 300+/lbs front springs
fully adjustable front suspension. 1 1/8" front bar. 1/2 degree negative camber....lots of caster. Caster makes it incredibly stable at high speed, and induces MORE negative camber the tighter the turn ( Good thing ) Plus A few other Demon tweaks that no one has noticed! Ta, Da!
Rear shocks top secret, as is spring rate ( same as Supersport!) 1/2 degree negative camber , 1/4" TOE IN. No rear bar.
Car set up with very slight nose down attitude.
Car is pretty neutral on turn in, set up for understeer at the limit.
Has reasonable power for over-steer if required by driver. I am a believer for the real world of Cannonballs, etc., to have a car that is NOT taily by any stretch at stupid cornering speeds. For slaloms it likely is a bit too much of an understeerer, I just try not to go past the traction point.
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
scotth510
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Location: Nanaimo, BC

Post by scotth510 »

I am currently switching to coilovers in the front of my 510. The front springs I was thinking of using are 225lbs and the rear springs I have been offered are 700lbs. Is this setup advisable. I will be using the car for street driving and autocrossing. Any comments will be appreciated.
DO IT, IN A DATSUN.
1968 4DR Sedan
VIN PL-001796
mattc
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Post by mattc »

the 700 pound rear rate is for a stock location spring. if you are using coil overs on the rear, than 700 is waaaaaaaay too stiff. I run a 600 pounder in the rear (stock location) and a 350 up front with R compound tires in a race use only car. i would cut that by 100 rear and 75 front for strret tire use.
Gravity: it's not just a good idea, it's the law!!
scotth510
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Location: Nanaimo, BC

Post by scotth510 »

Thanks for the comment Matt. I am not using coilovers in the back yet. I've been told to increase the spring rate in the rear to 900 to match the 225lb coilovers up front. From what I've seen of cars with 700lb rears, they are too soft. Please let me know what you think of this plan.
DO IT, IN A DATSUN.
1968 4DR Sedan
VIN PL-001796
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bertvorgon
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Post by bertvorgon »

Just a comment on the rears, 9oo Is a good point to start. 700 is definately too soft. Do NOT be afraid to sneek up on 1000. That sounds really stiff to some, but, look where the whell is relative to the spring. Lots of leverage happening. The benefit also is the stiffer the rear, the less tendancy for toe change, which you REALLY feel on a 510.
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
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drignotum
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Post by drignotum »

I set my car up for mostly street with some autoX usage. 280zx front struts with tokico iluminas (for sw20 mr2 i think), ground control coilovers kit with 225lb 2.5in springs, camber plate/tophat kit, and some spacers. In the rear i have tokico illuminas (for a camaro i think) with ground control coilovers, 250lb 2.5in springs. penultimate Xmember, poly bushes all around....quickor sway bars front and rear. z31 hubs up front...all being put together in the next few days or so.
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