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Strut insert and Rear shock guide!!!


CoilOVerKid

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So, I've been searching on info for choosing which strut insert to use in my 280ZX struts. It was hard to choose without knowing which year/model strut insert to look for. I was inspired by a post I saw at InfamousNissan. Hopefully this "Guide", will offer some insight for the people who are undecided, searching for length specifics or are unsure as to which year/vehicle combination strut and or shock to use. If you need any other info head to gabriel.com or monroe.com

 

Disclaimer information:

 

Not all companies manufacture the strut inserts and shocks the same. For example, Monroe part# 5803 is for a '71 510 shows a compressed length of 12.750". Gabriel part# 82124 also for a '71 510 shows a compressed length of 13.34" so having said that shop accordingly :P Also Monroe is kind enough to provide a strut insert body length and Gabriel gives only a complete length (top of the rod (no homo, lol, to bottom of body)

 

I will start with the front most common strut swap insert information:

 

1983 Datsun 280ZX (front) Gabriel part# G44869

Compressed Length: 15.65"

Extended Length: 21.36"

Travel Length: 5.71"

 

1983 Datsun 280ZX (front) Illumina Tokico part# BZ3038

Body length: 14.75"

Compressed length: 17.250"

Extended length: 24.000"

Travel length: 7.250"

 

1992 Toyota MR2 (SW20 front) Monroe part# 73204

Body type: T3

Body Length:13.125"

Compressed length: 13.625"

Extended Length: 20.125"

Travel Length: 6.500"

 

1992 Toyota MR2 (SW20 rear) Monroe part# 73255

Body type: T3

Body length: 14.000"

Compressed length: 14.500"

Extended length: 21.500"

Travel length: 7.000"

 

 

1985 Toyota MR2 (AW11 front) Monroe part# 72880

Body type: T2

Body length: 14.500"

Compressed length: 15.750"

Extended length: 22.125"

Travel length: 6.375"

 

1885 Toyota MR2 (AW11 rear) Monroe part# 72881

Body type: "special mount"

Body length: 13.750"

Compressed length: 14.750"

Extended length: 21.250"

Travel length: 6.500"

 

1982 Volkswagen Rabbit (front) Monroe part# 72878

Body type: T2

Body length: 12.750"

Compressed length: 14.125"

Extended length: 20.125"

Travel length: 6.00"

 

The Koni race strut insert dimensions are as follows:

(P/N - Body Length - Stroke)

 

Single adjustable (@ top)

8610-1436 - 11.42" - 5.63"

8610-1437 - 13.07" - 6.02"

 

Double adjustable (top & bottom)

8611-1257 - 11.42" - 5.63"

8611-1258 - 15.39" - 6.22"

8611-1259 - 13.07" - 6.02"

 

Install notes: The OD of the Koni Race Strut Insert is 1.71”. These are a tight fit into most Datsun strut tubes. If you have shortened struts, the weld absolutely cannot penetrate into the inside of the tube or the cartridge will not slide in. In some cases you may need to sand off the paint so they will fit.

Now for the rear commonly swapped shocks.

 

1971 Datsun 510 (rear) Monroe part# 5803

Compressed length: 12.750"

Extended length: 21.500"

Travel length: 8.750"

Lower mounting code: L1/CP3

 

1968 Chevrolet Camaro (rear) Monroe part# 32143

Compressed length: 11.625"

Extended length: 19.250"

Travel length: 7.625"

Lower mounting code: 7/16" sleeve ID x 1.3/8" OAL

 

1992 Chevrolet Camaro (rear) Monroe part# 33122

Compressed length: 11.625"

Extended length: 18.750"

Travel length: 7.125"

Lower mounting code: L1/CP1

 

This one was a little wierd...

 

Both, 1978 Ford Mustang II (rear) and the 1987 Toyota Corolla (AE86 rear)

share the same Monroe part# 32191

Compressed length: 10.250"

Extended length: 16.500"

Travel length: 6.250"

Lower mounting code (the same for both) 7/16"x1.7/8" OAL

 

Hope this info is helpful for you guys and gals. If you want me to ad any other strut insert that is "compatible" with the 280ZX strut PM me the vehicle info. For some of the non Datsun strut inserts a bushing of sorts might be required to help the insert fit the housing properly.

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For the 87-89 MR2 tokico illumina rears the part num is BZ3099... I have those in the front of mine. If you want to SLAM it, probably the best option!

 

Great resource, thank you for posting it!

 

 

for AE86 rear shocks, I see they discontinued the illumina and replaced with the d-spec HTS102R.

 

I found the KYB AGX short stroke shock for Camaro and AE86 Corolla rear is part #743019. Better that tokico because the adjust knob is on the lower part.

 

I just installed these on the back of my goon, a great shock option. With 1" drop I never get diff slap with the knob set to the 4th setting(there are 8)

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  • 1 month later...

Wanted to add that I have 75 beetle shocks (front) in the rear of my 210, uncompressed mount to mount they are i believe 16-17 inches and bolt right in, stock is 21 inches I believe. also beetle bilsteins are readily available. dont know how similar 510 stuff is to 210, as im new to datsuns.

Found these because a buddy of mine that works at napa had an old discontinued book that was kickin around that has all the shock lengths, travels, mounting types top and bottom, of every shock for every car.

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@drowning in broken cars, The 210 are solid axle like the 510 goon. The shock options should be similar. It seems the beetle uses the same lower eyelet/top stud mounting as the 510 . How are those compressed? Its important for extremely lowered goons, 210's, ect to have a nice amount of shock travel.

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@drowning in broken cars, The 210 are solid axle like the 510 goon. The shock options should be similar. It seems the beetle uses the same lower eyelet/top stud mounting as the 510 . How are those compressed? Its important for extremely lowered goons, 210's, ect to have a nice amount of shock travel.

 

right now with 15s with rim tucking in the rear the shocks are probably compressed an inch or so from fully extended. So I could probably use actually going a bit lower or using something like the mustang 2 shocks so that I have a bit more upward travel. but its stiff enough that it doesnt matter, rides nice with the scirocco progressive rear springs which I might add are like they are made for the 210. but yea if you mean could they bottom out/downward travel they have more than the spring would ever allow.

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right now with 15s with rim tucking in the rear the shocks are probably compressed an inch or so from fully extended. So I could probably use actually going a bit lower or using something like the mustang 2 shocks so that I have a bit more upward travel. but its stiff enough that it doesnt matter, rides nice with the scirocco progressive rear springs which I might add are like they are made for the 210. but yea if you mean could they bottom out/downward travel they have more than the spring would ever allow.

 

Depends on how you're lowering it as well, I did not really explain myself. The rear of my goon is lowered by flattening out the leaf spring(flipped leaf) which brings the shock mounting closer to the chassis, if you have lowering blocks shock travel is not a problem(shock mount stays the same distance from the chassis).

 

Im looking at replacing the front cartridges on my 210 as I cant find 280zx stuff, so do the above listed cartridges fit 210s? I see that 510 and 210s share strut inserts so I was looking at 510 koni inserts, but if theres cheaper/more common options and maybe shorter Im all ears.

thanks

for the 210(B310) I'm pretty sure you can do the 280zx strut conversion.

 

Some information here ... do not confuse the B210 and B310(datsun 210) models.

http://datsun1200.com/modules/mediawiki/index.php?title=280ZX_Strut_Swap

 

 

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Depends on how you're lowering it as well, I did not really explain myself. The rear of my goon is lowered by flattening out the leaf spring(flipped leaf) which brings the shock mounting closer to the chassis, if you have lowering blocks shock travel is not a problem(shock mount stays the same distance from the chassis).

 

 

for the 210(B310) I'm pretty sure you can do the 280zx strut conversion.

 

Some information here ... do not confuse the B210 and B310(datsun 210) models.

http://datsun1200.co...80ZX_Strut_Swap

 

 

 

Okay, so I have a 210 but its a 310 in the vin? Yea I think I can do the 280zx strut conversion, however I cant seem to find em for the life of me, So for now I was gonna put new inserts in the 210 tubes. (tired of riding on the stock blown ones) I saw on one site they list a set of koni inserts as being for the 510/210, these would fit in my strut tubes? any other diy cartridges such as listed above that also fit?

thanks

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Okay, so I have a 210 but its a 310 in the vin? Yea I think I can do the 280zx strut conversion, however I cant seem to find em for the life of me, So for now I was gonna put new inserts in the 210 tubes. (tired of riding on the stock blown ones) I saw on one site they list a set of koni inserts as being for the 510/210, these would fit in my strut tubes? any other diy cartridges such as listed above that also fit?

thanks

 

Sorry I do not know if those will fit in the 210 struts. Try measuring or finding the measurements of the 210 ones and find something the same size.

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Excellent information here. With regard to measurements, See the pictures below I have attached.

 

Body length seem straight forward. But where are the EXTENDED Length and the COMPRESSED Length taken from? Does the lengths include the thread and the bearing location???

 

 

Full shock pictureDSC00951.jpgExtended lengthfulllength.jpgBody Lengthbodylength-1.jpgCompressed Lengthcompressed.jpg

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Hey guys I'm fairly new to the Datsun world I kinda fell into it by accident a neighbors house was foreclosed and didnt have the money to tow his 79 Datsun 510 so he gave it to me .... Now my ? Is I want to keep my ride height stock but would like a stiffer setup I was looking online and found that over the counter replacement inserts for the front of my 510 extended length is 24.22 and collapsed length is 17.089 and wanted ur opinion on what insert could achieve same ride height but stiff ride?

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Hey guys I'm fairly new to the Datsun world I kinda fell into it by accident a neighbors house was foreclosed and didnt have the money to tow his 79 Datsun 510 so he gave it to me .... Now my ? Is I want to keep my ride height stock but would like a stiffer setup I was looking online and found that over the counter replacement inserts for the front of my 510 extended length is 24.22 and collapsed length is 17.089 and wanted ur opinion on what insert could achieve same ride height but stiff ride?

 

Remove the strut and carefully remove the spring with a compressor. Unscrew the gland nut and dump out the strut's thin 5W ? oil. Refill with thicker 20w motorcycle front fork oil. Cost me $17 for the oil and there's enough to do 3 struts. Really firmed up the action.

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Hey guys I'm fairly new to the Datsun world I kinda fell into it by accident a neighbors house was foreclosed and didnt have the money to tow his 79 Datsun 510 so he gave it to me .... Now my ? Is I want to keep my ride height stock but would like a stiffer setup I was looking online and found that over the counter replacement inserts for the front of my 510 extended length is 24.22 and collapsed length is 17.089 and wanted ur opinion on what insert could achieve same ride height but stiff ride?

 

Just get a set of OE shocks that offer an adjustable stiffness. You dont need coilovers, but adjustable shocks will give you the ability to change the ride stiffness (not ride height) to your desired level.

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  • 8 months later...

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