Rear suspension

[orangina1]

Hi all,
I am brand new to the forum. I write from Ireland. I have a 1973 240 which I have been restoring for the last 2 years.The Car seems to have the rear hub/struts from a 4 seat 260 or 280 ( thicker and longer than original 240). The coils have been cut to accommodate this and the car sits good. Unfortunately, there is very little travel on the springs which means the car bottoms out and busts shocks. My preference is for a stock 240 suspension. ( I have a set of original 240 coils)
It seems my options are

1 to buy replacement 240 hubs/cartridges but can't find any online at the moment

2 to section the 280 strut tubes to the same length as a 240 and find shocks that fit this arrangement (size of cartridge inner size, length of new shock cartridge gland nut to fit rod of shock)

3 fit modern components perhaps coilovers.

any advice would be very gratefully appreciated.

 

[johnymd]

Struts are getting harder to come by and I can't remember the last time a set came up for same. Gaz could make a set using your struts as they cut the whole tube out. Could section yours and that's probably the cheapest way.

 

[moggy240]

Measures the diameter of the rear strut tubes and you will know for sure.are they thicker than the front strut tubes if they are original 240Z.
If you section them you need to alter the spring seat height as well

 

[datsfun]

If you section them you need to alter the spring seat height as well

Surely if you section them, you may as well convert them to coil overs and have ride adjustment etc.

 

[orangina1]

Hi All
thanks for info. I'm thinking of sectioning my 260 struts as I can do this myself. If anyone would know the overall length of a 240 strut and the perch height for the coil (say from where the bottom of the coil to the top of strut or from where the perch is welded to the strut to the top of the strut . Preferably both measurements to be on the safe side.
I have a set of stock 240 coils which have been shortened slightly to 340mm. I will use these.
I will buy some stock TOKICOS from mike feeney and measure these before cutting the struts to make sure of snug fit inside .
PS the overall length of my current struts are 473 mm with internal diameter 49mm outer diameter 55-56 mm.
any info apprerciated.

 

[Rob Gaskin]

Surely if you section them, you may as well convert them to coil overs and have ride adjustment etc.

Seconded. It's the best way to achieve what you want. Juggling with measurements such as springs lengths and rates is a minefield.

 

[johnymd]

The other thing about converting to coilovers is the springs are really cheap. I change the 2.5" springs on my GAZ setup and they were only £20 each.

 

[zNathan]

Hi All
thanks for info. I'm thinking of sectioning my 260 struts as I can do this myself. If anyone would know the overall length of a 240 strut and the perch height for the coil (say from where the bottom of the coil to the top of strut or from where the perch is welded to the strut to the top of the strut . Preferably both measurements to be on the safe side.
I have a set of stock 240 coils which have been shortened slightly to 340mm. I will use these.
I will buy some stock TOKICOS from mike feeney and measure these before cutting the struts to make sure of snug fit inside .
PS the overall length of my current struts are 473 mm with internal diameter 49mm outer diameter 55-56 mm.
any info apprerciated.

Mike may be able to correct me but I don't think any of the Tokico's are in stock. I think the KYB's are in stock but from experience I think they're pretty **** if you want some sort of sporty ride.

 

[orangina1]

KYB s will be ok . It will just be a sunday car if weather ok.
This is what I am considering to do with my 260 struts.
1 section out the strut to accommodate the kyb inserts.
2 The springs that are currently on car are 210 mm long but give a good ride height. I plan to put in 240 springs that are shortened to 340 mm , when I had these in as a tester previously the ride height was way too high obviously. I measure the higher ride height deduct the ride height with the 210 springs and this will give me the distance to lower the spring perchs. I will do these measurements with 2 passangers on board. I will do this this weekend but I'm thinking of lowering the pertches by 100 mm or so .
I hope to have 100 - 150 mm of travel on the springs before they bottom out.
I'm looking for the length of stock 240 struts and perch height/ or bottom of spring height if anyone has them handy to do some calculations in meantime.

 

[johnymd]

Lowering the perch by 100mm sounds a lot.