78 810 coilover?

[Trashy]

Hi I've got a 78 810 and looking to put coils on it, I've read bits and pieces here and there but nothing conclusive, are the front and rear suspension the same as a 280zx?  Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

[datzenmike]

They are extremely similar, but not exact. I assume you wish to slightly lower your ride height? There are practical limits to lowering using a stock 810 strut. One is that too much and you risk bottoming out the strut which can severely damage it. Two to three inches is doable and safer if you stiffen the spring.

 

Coil overs are too expensive to waste money on setting the ride height once and then just driving around on them. If you had a race car that needed 'tuning' several times during a race... sure.  Set once on the street, never set again... foolish. The money could be better put to use on new brakes or tires. You can do the same thing for about $25 on the front by using split collars. They are also ride height adjustable. By careful trimming of the stock coil spring you can also increase the spring rate* to what you like.

 

The rear coil can also be trimmed, but not for ride height (never cut the spring for height adjustment) but for increased spring rate*. If too low you just add rubber spacers under the coil to raise it back to what you want.

 

*Increasing the coil spring rate is very important on a lowered vehicle. It would otherwise travel the same distance on a bounce but now you are dangerously closer to the pavement. Increasing the spring rate reduces suspension travel. Most cars come from the factory with a 'soft' suspension and some firming of the spring improves the handing.

[ArchetypeDatsun]

There isn't anything specific for 810 honestly and that sucks, you will have to try and compare what can fit I would look at 240sx S13 coilovers and Infiniti Q45 Y33 coilovers for those I've seen them on the 81-84 Datsun Maxima 910 matter of fact there was a member who did it for his maxima.

 

I want coilovers for mine as I'm tired of my cut springs and busted up struts lol.

[Boundish]

im looking to lower my car maybe 1.5 inches and thinking about using some lowering springs . Found some lowering springs from Australia for the 180/200b (basicly the 810 the rest of the world got) ,but im not sure if the springs fit my 810.

 

Im not into cutting springs as the stock springs arent stiff enough.

 

 

http://m.ebay.com/itm/NISSAN-DATSUN-200B-1977-81-SEDAN-LOW-30mm-LOWERED-COIL-KING-SPRINGS-/150722111816?nav=SEARCH

[datzenmike]

http://m.ebay.com/it...1816?nav=SEARCH

 

They don't even specify the new spring rate. You could easily end up with only a 10 pound increase which would be meaningless. I have a '78 810 FSM that specifies the front coil spring rate at only 95 lb/in. This is very light.

 

 

Im not into cutting springs as the stock springs arent stiff enough.

 

The whole point of trimming the coil spring is it increases the stiffness. You can calculate the current spring rate and then work out how much to remove to increase it a set amount. My 710 springs were just about 100 lb/in. Removing 1.5 coils made it 150 lb/in, an increase of 50%. Trimming also shortens the length but this is secondary to increasing spring rate.

[Boundish]

http://m.ebay.com/it...1816?nav=SEARCH

 

They don't even specify the new spring rate. You could easily end up with only a 10 pound increase which would be meaningless. I have a '78 810 FSM that specifies the front coil spring rate at only 95 lb/in. This is very light.

 

 

 

The whole point of trimming the coil spring is it increases the stiffness. You can calculate the current spring rate and then work out how much to remove to increase it a set amount. My 710 springs were just about 100 lb/in. Removing 1.5 coils made it 150 lb/in, an increase of 50%. Trimming also shortens the length but this is secondary to increasing spring rate.

Aha i see. Well i will have to think a little more on it.

 

Btw what are the dimenisons on the stock 810 steel wheels?

 

5" or 5.5" and ET30 or 40?

 

The manual just specifies the tyre size.

[Trashy]

I used to build race cars for a living, mostly alms cars and daytona prototypes so I'm a bit of a stickler for doing things as I see correct and doing it once lol.  That being said really trying to stick to a full adjustable coilover with an adjustable lower perch to prevent any bottoming out what so ever no matter how low I want to go.  I don't mind fab work if it comes to it.  Today however I was looking under the car and comparing to an S13, has anyone changed to S13/s14 front spindles?  It looks like I would only have to make a new lower ball joint mount, or possibly just make some new lower control arms, then I could run full S13 coilovers unmodified and it would also allow me to get the rim off the strut allowing me to run wider wheels.

Here is my terd BTW

[Trashy]

Well doing some more research and measuring mine it appears S13 lower control arms are the exact same length, so thinking I'm going to try S13 front hubs, S13 brakes (may go to Z32 brakes later but for now have some 15"s I have an eye on), s13 adjustable aftermarket control arms, and s13 full coils.  Looks as though I am going to need to make a sway bar bracket or new sway bar and either make or modify the tension rods.  Other than that everything appears to be the right sizes and in the right places, should also bring the strut back some for more wheel clearance.

[Lockleaf]

FWIW, Infiniti M30 brakes are about 10% larger, 4 lug, and direct swap on to the s13 spindle.

 

Also z32 stuff clears most 15s, though not all.

[Boundish]

I used to build race cars for a living, mostly alms cars and daytona prototypes so I'm a bit of a stickler for doing things as I see correct and doing it once lol. That being said really trying to stick to a full adjustable coilover with an adjustable lower perch to prevent any bottoming out what so ever no matter how low I want to go. I don't mind fab work if it comes to it. Today however I was looking under the car and comparing to an S13, has anyone changed to S13/s14 front spindles? It looks like I would only have to make a new lower ball joint mount, or possibly just make some new lower control arms, then I could run full S13 coilovers unmodified and it would also allow me to get the rim off the strut allowing me to run wider wheels.

 

Here is my terd BTW

Sweet lookin 810 ! Wheel dimensions?

[Trashy]

Lockleaf, this is true and I could always do a little caliper grinding if I have too haha

 

 

Wheels are 15x7 0 offset but theyre gonna go, want something wider and a little more aggressive

[datzenmike]

Aha i see. Well i will have to think a little more on it.

 

Btw what are the dimenisons on the stock 810 steel wheels?

 

5" or 5.5" and ET30 or 40?

 

The manual just specifies the tyre size.

 

Well the '78 810 had 5J-14" and 175/70HR14 tires but your 810 were 4 cylinder and shorter cars.

[Boundish]

5J as in 5"? Yeah i know but mine is a US model :p

[RedBanner]

as a racecar builder it should be pretty easy to fit the sx stuff you want to run.

[Trashy]

Lol that's at my friend's, I live in a warehouse.. literally

[Trashy]

Also bumper was hit and tweaked in it when I got the car so decided to cut bumper supports since they were bent and bolts wouldnt come off, no point in saving something thats trashed anyways, been using the tow hooks as jacking points since Ive been working on it alot which is why I havent messed with them, on a side note way to sound like a judgemental s chassis owner!! Thats why I got out of Nissans like 5 years ago because it got old. Want to post some pictures of your cars so I can judge the crap out of them?

[datzenmike]

.

[Trashy]

still exploring all my options, would these work if I wanted to stay with 810 everything else?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Megan-Racing-Street-Series-Coilovers-Coils-Kit-for-1975-1978-Nissan-280Z-Datsun-/222064887403?hash=item33b419466b:g:-IEAAOSwiLdWAK31&vxp=mtr

[datzenmike]

$900 when you can do the same for under $30?

 

"Aggressive spring rate" what does this even mean?

[Trashy]

How is something under $30 going to be the same thing

[datzenmike]

Well it won't look the same but it will do the same thing. Unless you adjust your ride height several times a week why tie up so much money? Lets face it, you are going to find the ride height you like, (it might take a couple of tries) but then, you'll never adjust it again and all that money is just going for a ride and doing absolutely ....nothing. Like a super model girlfriend.... looks great... does nothing.

 

Of course, you would have to do some small amount of work, but then, you would have to anyway, to put those things on. If you enjoy working on your car it's perfect and you can tell everyone you did it yourself and how.

 

 

With luck those struts have the original oil filled dampers still. The hydraulic oil is very thin and watery. Replacing the oil with motorcycle fork oil that is thicker will turn them into a firmer heavy duty absorber. I did this by using Bel-Ray 20W fork oil on my Maxima strut swap. Thicker is harder to push through the internal valves and you get to keep the original compression and rebound ratios, just firmer. It comes in a variety of thicknesses and is how motorcycle suspensions are tuned.

 

Just saying there are lots of ways to get where you want to go, and it doesn't have to cost a lot.

 

 

 

 

That $900 would buy you some nice rims or tires, brakes and a larger sway bar, ....

[Trashy]

It's not really a budget build or a daily driver, the problem I have with using the stock struts is as soon as I go as low as I want to go the struts will be bottoming out.  I typically corner balance all of my cars as well, and adjust the suspension literally constantly, I'm not quite your typical ratsun owner, I've built quite a few pretty serious cars from track cars to "stanced cars" (stanced cars have all been within reason and still very functional, my definition of stanced isnt quite what these retards are doing these days lol), the 810 is also going rb25 in the near future so once again with the weight change the suspension will again need to be readjusted.  Also with a standard coilover not only can I adjust dampening I can swap spring rates easily as well.




 

[RedBanner]

you might get alot more help with a different approach, the " i build racecars for a living, only the best, i know what im doing!" is not meshing with your "can i use this stuff, from a completely different car on my car?" questions.

your struts have built in insert tubes welded to the spindle, no lower adjustment, no clamp on hub/spindle. there is no bolt on fan boy kit to help you "build" your car. you have to go out to your car, remove the wheel (with tools) and get in there and check it out. pretty simple compared to some of those other cars.

as for the rb swap.... you couldn't get the bumper off, I have doubts bro, but cool story.

[Lockleaf]

Are the struts the correct size to drop jetta/rabbit inserts into? Those are almost 4 inches shorter than 280zx I believe. Or mr2 or whatever other options guys are using.

 

What's the benefit of corner balancing a street car, unless you street race?

[Trashy]

Cool, way to keep members, Im done here, way to sound like a 16 year old obnoxious s13 owner, I remember when it was cool to act like that like 13 years ago when I bought my first 240, I really expected more. If youve ever asked yourself why the scene has died well just look at yourself. You ever think maybe I have done all my own research and measuring? Ever think gee it's a fucking 810 no one has actually done shit to them thats well documented online, only an idiot jumps into something without learning from other people's mistakes.