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lowering spring slop
- Thread starter morbias
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I wouldn't like that situation. Do you have 'coilovers' , if so I would buy longer springs.
If not are you sure you've got the right springs for your struts? 240 v 260 etc
I need more info.
If not are you sure you've got the right springs for your struts? 240 v 260 etc
I need more info.
morbias
Well-Known Forum User
They are lowering springs supplied by Mr.F, the first set the spring company sent out to me were nowhere near what they should have been, there was about 1.5" gap at the top of the spring so Mike arranged to have my original springs sent off and measured. The new replacement ones still have a gap, but a lot less.
zbloke -- there are already drain holes in the lower spring perch I could use but the problem is the springs don't sit completely flat, so the top of the spring is off slightly.
Shocks are Tokico Illuminas by the way.
zbloke -- there are already drain holes in the lower spring perch I could use but the problem is the springs don't sit completely flat, so the top of the spring is off slightly.
Shocks are Tokico Illuminas by the way.
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You really need to assemble the struts on the car. You may well find that on car the gap doesnt materialise.. My good buddy Tim/Z bloke has also made a good suggestion.
Gimme a call to discuss further as Im not getting in to a debate on here about it. I have alrady exceeded my quota of posts on here for the month.
zbloke
Club Member
Could you temp. secure the springs in place, say with a couple of cable ties, then jack the suspension up and see if the spring locates in the upper perch?
If it does I'd go with lockwiring them, if not other options are shorter stroke dampers or droop limiters.
As long as you don't plan any rally style jumping then the spring should never come out of the upper perch under normal driving.
If it does I'd go with lockwiring them, if not other options are shorter stroke dampers or droop limiters.
As long as you don't plan any rally style jumping then the spring should never come out of the upper perch under normal driving.
If you are happy with the springs then the shockers are too long for them i.e. too much travel.
morbias
Well-Known Forum User
Pete - so if I understand correctly then the strut might need to compress a little to get the LCA bolted on, I might need to use spring compressors to achieve that?
zbloke - it looks like there's no way the springs will seat properly by themselves, I just put the top of the strut together with the bearing and there's more of a gap than I thought there would be, probably more like 1". The spring sits at an angle and won't locate properly by itself, I tried by compressing the strut by hand:
Droop limiters look like a major hassle to be honest, and not something I want to be adding particularly.
Rob - well I can't say either way that I am happy with the springs or not, seeing as the spring manufacturers have managed to screw up twice already it's not outside the realms of possibility they have managed to do it again. I haven't read about anyone having such bad problems with Illuminas with only a little drop (these are the 'standard' 1-1.5" lowering springs on the MJP site). Getting new shocks isn't really an option after what I've already spent out on suspension components.
zbloke - it looks like there's no way the springs will seat properly by themselves, I just put the top of the strut together with the bearing and there's more of a gap than I thought there would be, probably more like 1". The spring sits at an angle and won't locate properly by itself, I tried by compressing the strut by hand:
Droop limiters look like a major hassle to be honest, and not something I want to be adding particularly.
Rob - well I can't say either way that I am happy with the springs or not, seeing as the spring manufacturers have managed to screw up twice already it's not outside the realms of possibility they have managed to do it again. I haven't read about anyone having such bad problems with Illuminas with only a little drop (these are the 'standard' 1-1.5" lowering springs on the MJP site). Getting new shocks isn't really an option after what I've already spent out on suspension components.
Throttleton
Well-Known Forum User
Doesn't that mean if you had a puncture and jacked up the car the spring would dislodge at the top?
morbias
Well-Known Forum User
zbloke - these are new springs, but good point about the old ones, I'll dig them out tomorrow and compare the length of them.
Throttleton - exactly, or if the car was put on a lift or something that would be a big issue also.
Anyway, I'll have to get in touch with Mike and see where we go from here, the manufacturer's already measured both the front and rear stock springs so I don't see what else can be done to actually get some springs that are the right spec. Unless maybe progressive springs would solve the problem as they are longer unsprung?
I'm worried about the rear springs being wrong again now, I've only just put them back on and have a feeling I'll be pulling them off yet again...
And, cheers Pete for putting up with another lengthy off-on-a-tangent phone conversation
Throttleton - exactly, or if the car was put on a lift or something that would be a big issue also.
Anyway, I'll have to get in touch with Mike and see where we go from here, the manufacturer's already measured both the front and rear stock springs so I don't see what else can be done to actually get some springs that are the right spec. Unless maybe progressive springs would solve the problem as they are longer unsprung?
I'm worried about the rear springs being wrong again now, I've only just put them back on and have a feeling I'll be pulling them off yet again...
And, cheers Pete for putting up with another lengthy off-on-a-tangent phone conversation
Mr.G
Club Member
Is the rod part of the shock being compressed at all at the moment? Would you say it's currently at rest, ie with no force applied to it? Compare the length with the shock you removed. Could be that your new one is longer.
I know its difficult with the concern you already have with the springs being wrong but I would make sure, if only to rule it out, that your shocks are correct for your application, you may be using the wrong ones for your car. There are two different ones; 260 and 240 ones are not the same.
I know its difficult with the concern you already have with the springs being wrong but I would make sure, if only to rule it out, that your shocks are correct for your application, you may be using the wrong ones for your car. There are two different ones; 260 and 240 ones are not the same.
morbias
Well-Known Forum User
The early 260z uses the same shocks as the 240z, it's the 74.5 260z that uses different shocks as the strut internal diameter is bigger.
The shock is currently uncompressed; it's not really worth comparing it with the ones I took out as they are completely destroyed and blown in a big way.
The shock is currently uncompressed; it's not really worth comparing it with the ones I took out as they are completely destroyed and blown in a big way.
Just compare the length of the rod.
morbias
Well-Known Forum User
That would be tricky as they are the original style where the shock is not a sealed unit and it's only the gland nut that holds it together. Here's a comparison between the original springs and the new ones:
clearly a fairly big difference in length.
Anyway, none of that really matters now as I put the rear of the car on the ground this morning and it turns out the replacement rear springs are just as bad as the first set I was sent
Instead of being lowered 1.5" it looks like it's been raised 2-3".
Mike's going to be contacting the manufacturers tomorrow to see if they can shed any light on the situation.
clearly a fairly big difference in length.
Anyway, none of that really matters now as I put the rear of the car on the ground this morning and it turns out the replacement rear springs are just as bad as the first set I was sent
Instead of being lowered 1.5" it looks like it's been raised 2-3".
Mike's going to be contacting the manufacturers tomorrow to see if they can shed any light on the situation.
Looking at those two springs I'm sure that's where the problem is - as no doubt you are too. Also the new spring 'looks' to be make of smaller gauge wire which may result in it being softer.
Just a wild thought which may make me look silly - is it possible to get front/rear springs mixed up? Please bear in mind I have coilovers, a lowered car and shortened struts.
It's annoying isn't it when you buy something and look forward to doing the job and then the bits don't fit. Not blaming Mike here - I've always found his supply to be spot-on.
I'm guessing the confusion from the manufacturer is 240/260/UK/USA based.
Just a wild thought which may make me look silly - is it possible to get front/rear springs mixed up? Please bear in mind I have coilovers, a lowered car and shortened struts.
It's annoying isn't it when you buy something and look forward to doing the job and then the bits don't fit. Not blaming Mike here - I've always found his supply to be spot-on.
I'm guessing the confusion from the manufacturer is 240/260/UK/USA based.
morbias
Well-Known Forum User
Funny you should mention the gauge of the wire, the rear springs seem really soft (then again, they are way too long) and the rear suspension can be compressed easily by pushing down on the rear of the car. Can't really tell either way with the front as they have never had the weight of the car on them and it's hard to tell by just pushing down on the springs.
As for getting the front and rear springs mixed up -- when I first got the springs the two shorter springs had F on them, and the two longer ones had R on them, so it would be pretty hard to mix them up
When I realised the fronts were wrong they were sent back along with the original fronts to get a proper reading. So they got replaced, and then I realised the rears weren't right either, so they were sent back along with one of the original rear springs...
So now it looks like a third suspension removal which is getting a bit ridiculous really.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming Mike in any way. He's gone out of his way to try and get this sorted, he's lost money on this already and I appreciate him putting in the effort. But yeah, it is pretty annoying as this was supposed to be one of the easier parts of getting the car back on the road but instead has ended up delaying other things that need to be done by a couple of months.
As for getting the front and rear springs mixed up -- when I first got the springs the two shorter springs had F on them, and the two longer ones had R on them, so it would be pretty hard to mix them up
When I realised the fronts were wrong they were sent back along with the original fronts to get a proper reading. So they got replaced, and then I realised the rears weren't right either, so they were sent back along with one of the original rear springs...
So now it looks like a third suspension removal which is getting a bit ridiculous really.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming Mike in any way. He's gone out of his way to try and get this sorted, he's lost money on this already and I appreciate him putting in the effort. But yeah, it is pretty annoying as this was supposed to be one of the easier parts of getting the car back on the road but instead has ended up delaying other things that need to be done by a couple of months.
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