Custom coilovers? Sunny specific

[metalmonkey47]

So I've been reading up on the interwebz about home-made coilovers, and spoken to a few local guys about it, and it seems like something I'd love to try. For obvious reasons duh.

 

Anyways, I was told it'd be as simple as cutting down the spring perches, but leaving enough of a lip to allow coilover sleeves to rest upon the lip. I'd like to weld it, but I'd prefer not to do the welding myself because I don't trust my welds.

 

I'm a suspension noob and I wanna make sure I have all my ducks in a row before hacking up the struts. I've found info on doing it on Fiero's, S13's, etc but nothing more specific to my car. No surprise.

 

Now I imagine these 210 struts can't be much different then 510 struts, correct? What kind of springs and sleeves would I want to look into and how would I go about attaching it to the mount on the car?

 

 

 

 

I know Ground Control sells a complete kit for $199, but again thats a weld in kit, and I don't have anyone that I trust to weld my suspension. I'd like to do it as cheaply as possible, but if I'm stuck spending $200 on it I may just have to.

 

 

 

I need the front end aligned, but I figured before that I'd give the suspension some attention. It's all factory with over 200K miles on it.

 

Here's what I'm working with now.

 

Edited February 10, 2011 by metalmonkey47

[izzo]

Cut the perches yourself, be careful with a grinder... Move them to desired length, and pay a SHOP to weld them on, probably cost you 30-40 bucks.

[ggzilla]

We talk about Sunny specific coilovers all the time on Datsun1200.com, and even the 210 struts and 280ZX struts. Got ton's of oics and stuff.

 

There are only weld-in kits. No other kind. But some guys use shaft collars, apparently they work well but many don't trust them.

[izzo]

We talk about Sunny specific coilovers all the time on Datsun1200.com, and even the 210 struts and 280ZX struts. Got ton's of oics and stuff.

 

There are only weld-in kits. No other kind. But some guys use shaft collars, apparently they work well but many don't trust them.

 

 

datto510 used that method on the white wagon, skib rolled around in it for a while. seems to hold up pretty well.

[metalmonkey47]

Cut the perches yourself, be careful with a grinder... Move them to desired length, and pay a SHOP to weld them on, probably cost you 30-40 bucks.

 

 

I imagine that may be my only choice. But at least I'd know that i had a quality suspension. My brother used to work for a metal fab company, so I'm talking to him now about getting shop time in and having a guy mig weld em. Also gonna use their break to make a new, better Aluminum dash ;)

 

We talk about Sunny specific coilovers all the time on Datsun1200.com, and even the 210 struts and 280ZX struts. Got ton's of oics and stuff.

 

There are only weld-in kits. No other kind. But some guys use shaft collars, apparently they work well but many don't trust them.

 

Just saw that as I posted. I've been trolling Datsun1200 wiki for a while. Thats why I checked into the ground controls kit.

 

Would you trust shaft collars? All I've found are mixed opinions on them.

[The Dat-side]

I've got the ZX struts and brakes on my 510. So I have the 510 perch and spring clamped on the strut tube with a muffler clamp. It was like that when I got the car. I was fine with it, I have since shortened the strut and was a little weary about putting the clamp back on myself (I just told myself the PO had Andre the Giant tighten the clamp). It's been a couple months and hasn't budged. I've heard of people just taking a 2.5 in spring and a clamp big enough as the bottom perch. It's like a really difficult to adjust coilover. Might as well fork out the 2 large for actual coilovers.

[ggzilla]

There have been no reports of failure when using a genuine shaft collar.

[metalmonkey47]

Perhaps I need to look into using a good shaft collar then. Is there a particular brand you recommend? And are they all set screw collars?

[ggzilla]

A shaft collar is an industrial part. Auto parts places don't sell them. See Coilovers.

Do not use a set-screw collar, these type are twice as strong.

 

Here is my Datsun Sunny 1200 coilovers. The disk & brakes are stock.

[78B210GTX]

Rear Leaf springs create slop and sway.

My idea to make the rear suspension stiffer. Weld a spring seat and a round tube to the underside of the body in order to hold a spring to the body. Then weld a spring seat and a round tube to the U bolts and or use the factory bump stop if its strong enough instead of round tubing? Then zip tie the spring to the tubes loosely to give slack for suspension, however keeping the springs attached.

[littlejason]

Hey metalmonker, look what I got:

 

[metalmonkey47]

^^^Nice!!!! Is that the ground control kit??

[littlejason]

Yes, T3/Ground Control.

[metalmonkey47]

Yes, T3/Ground Control.

 

Have you driven on them yet?

 

What kind of strut inserts and spring rate are you using?

Edited March 14, 2011 by metalmonkey47

[littlejason]

Not really, just down to the end of the street, I still need to torque some stuff down.

KYB AGX shocks, 250# springs.

[ggzilla]

stock front spring is 109 lbs. Those new ones should stiffen the suspension right up.

[littlejason]

Sooo, gg, I noticed you said your truck was stiff, do you know the spring rate?

 

EDIT: I need to go do some skidpad testing in the cul-de-sac, but it won't stop @#$%^&* raining around here, it would be inconclusive.

[MetalGear1200]

does anyone know what coilovers i can weld on my 210 struts?

[ggzilla]

You just need standard 2" coilover threads. Like most Datsun, Nissan and Toyoda uses.