AceOfDiamonds0 Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 I recently picked up a '72 510 and the springs are cut on the front and it bottoms out if driven over ANYTHING. What would be the cheapest way to take care of that, and also what are some decent but not too expensive struts/shocks to put under there. Right now I'm only fixing it up as a daily driver until I can afford to put the good stuff in there. Quote Link to comment
skyblue Posted February 7, 2013 Report Share Posted February 7, 2013 new shocks. not sure of any direct replacements but tokico hp HZ3038 will work, but they are shorter than 510 inserts so you will have to use a spacer in the strut tube. or you could shorten the strut. Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted February 7, 2013 Report Share Posted February 7, 2013 I recently picked up a '72 510 and the springs are cut on the front and it bottoms out if driven over ANYTHING. What would be the cheapest way to take care of that, and also what are some decent but not too expensive struts/shocks to put under there. Right now I'm only fixing it up as a daily driver until I can afford to put the good stuff in there. Cheapest option would just be to put uncut stock springs back in there. Quote Link to comment
AceOfDiamonds0 Posted February 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2013 Alright thanks for the info Quote Link to comment
AceOfDiamonds0 Posted February 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2013 Anybody know where I could get some strut springs? I'm hearing the 280zx coilovers fit, are there any other coilovers that fit as well? Quote Link to comment
dr.feltersnatch Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 280 springs are bigger diameter than 510. the 280 strut housing is a popular swap but people swap springs to the correct diameter ones. the 280 struts allow you to run bigger brakes. some people on here run the cheap egay coilover kits, the problem is its an unknown spring rate so your just hoping they will be close to what you need. Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 Put a wanted ad for 510 springs. Everyone has these left over. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 If it was lowered the strut may be bottoming out. If super low, I mean mental low...and you don't mind raising the body, add rubber rings on top or below the spring to lift it. This will increase the strut travel. Possibly the strut oil has leaked out or is low or has air in it. If this is the case air is very compressible and won't dampen. Basically you have no shock. Take the struts out and empty out the crappy water thin factory fluid. Replace with 20W motorcycle fork oil. Thicker fluid will resist flowing through the strut valves and will firm up the action. I did my zx struts with this and it was under $20 for a liter that will do three struts. You can use any hydraulic oil of equal viscosity, I used fork oil because it is full of rust inhibitors and anti foam agents. . Quote Link to comment
justplainjoe Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 Put a wanted ad for 510 springs. Everyone has these left over. i sold him some a little earlier today Quote Link to comment
AceOfDiamonds0 Posted February 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 I do appreciate the info guys! I'll try the 20W oil in the struts because they do bottom out BAD in the front so I REALLY don't want to drive it until I get a different set of springs or just new suspension all the way around. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 So is it severely lowered? If just a coil or two removed it shouldn't bottom. Probably the struts are low on oil. Quote Link to comment
AceOfDiamonds0 Posted February 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 Yeah, I'll take a pic and post it when I get the strut off. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted February 9, 2013 Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 510s had 3 shrut tube sizes. the 71s had the longest so when kids lowered then they more or less rode on the bump stops. Trick is get a shorter strut and longer spring and the Overall size is the same then cut maybe 1.5 coils. But best is like what was said find a guy with some stock springs till you figure what you really want. Most of us have domne this 2 or 3 times till we got it right also. Just read up and skip righ to the beat of a T3 coil over set up once you know what brake or strut set up you really want. 510 or a 280zx(prefered) then you can make a better wheel choice later.as offset are different. Quote Link to comment
AceOfDiamonds0 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 Ok so the springs on the left are stock. The springs on the right are the ones i pulled out. This is how it sits with the stock springs on it. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 The cut spring will be very stiff but if you like the feel just place shims under the spring to raise the ride height. Were the struts modified at all or are they stock? There is a way to make them height adjustable with that shorter spring for under $30. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 those springs are cut so much you had to be riding on the stops. since you got funky flairs you got to really lower the car to fill in the gap or put soem Donk wheels on this thing Just going by how is sitw to lower that car that much where the top of the tire is close to the lip the valance will almost be on the ground. BE HONEST I WOULD MAKE THIS MORE A RALLY CAR AND KEEP IT UP(HIGHER) Quote Link to comment
AceOfDiamonds0 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 I bought some 1" rubber spring spacers so I'm going to put the cut ones back in with the spacers and see how it is. If its still too low I'll just cut the stock ones a coil or two at a time until it sits just right without bottoming out. I did pull the struts apart and put some 40w fork oil in there and they're a hell of a lot stiffer so I think those spring spacers will work out until I can get some coil overs or something better under there. Quote Link to comment
AceOfDiamonds0 Posted February 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 Oh and those flares are MSA. I didn't put them one but I do know that the ones that were on there before were BRE and installed VERY poorly. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted February 28, 2013 Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 you could just buy some Box flairs to cover up the back and new front fender if its that bad. If this is a 2door Quote Link to comment
AceOfDiamonds0 Posted March 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Yeah it's a 2 door. The flares that are on it dont look that bad at all. I'm just gonna leave them for now. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 I'm running 20W motorcycle fork oil in my Maxima struts. Was warned the 30W may pop the valving in cold weather.... just saying. Also don't set your ride height by cutting the springs. Cutting the spring increases the spring rate or stiffness. Cut the spring only to get the ride quality where you want it, then add spacers to get the height where you want it. It's unlikely the ride height and the stiffness where you want it are the same. Quote Link to comment
AceOfDiamonds0 Posted March 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 The stiffness is ok with how much the springs are cut but too much is cut off and it sits to low. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Got ya. Stock springs are about 90 pounds per inch. Many like almost twice that, some even at 300 pounds/inch. I cut a coil and worked out mine on my 710 and they are at 150/inch. I feel that's good for me. Quote Link to comment
AceOfDiamonds0 Posted March 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 what does the pounds per inch mean? Quote Link to comment
420n620 Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Pound per inch is a linear density measurement unit. it takes 150 lbs to compress 1 liner inch. Quote Link to comment
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