510 Suspension Recommendations

[ctdavid73510]

Hello everyone.

 

I'm new to the community. Had 510s 30 years ago and now just acquired a 73 2 door to build with my teenage daughter. She is excited to get her hands dirty and build this car over time. I will post pictures later. I know this topic has probably been covered many times. I'm still navigating the site and digging through information.

 

I would like to get recommendations about suspension upgrades. What to do first? What products to get? I want to lower the car and of course get the benefits of improved handling. I don't have a huge budget but I know you pay for what you get. I'm comfortable with DIY work and some modification work.

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and let me know if there is any other information I should provide.

 

Thanks

 

David

[banzai510(hainz)]

73 is rare you, sure you want to give a teenage new driver a classic car.

 

Most young girls don't like old carbureted cars and they often on the side of the road as these are pushing 40 years old and break often. Even with experience Datsun owners.

 

 

Mine fall apart all the time. Just the way it is.

 

I had a list of what I swapped out in just a few years It was a page of work. Would you trust your daughter  with a car like this?

 

 

 

Leave it stock. nice and slow

Teenage girls and lowered cars don't mix. Oil pans go bad

[dgi]

Welcome to Ratsun.  A warning!  These guys like pictures... they will be demanding them immediately.  Be prepared!

 

Here is a link   http://community.ratsun.net/topic/68939-shorting-510-strut/ to a post about 510 struts that contains other links too.  Unless you need larger brakes, the 510 strut can be easily massaged to give you great handling and sufficient lowering.  I personally used uncut struts, the original coil spring cut 1 1/4 coil, and 280ZX inserts with 1 1/8 inch spacers on the front of my 510 (originally titled as a 73 in Canada)   This gave me the exact stance I wanted, not too low, with near correct camber.  While doing this (last year) I completely rebuilt the front suspension, tie rod ends, ball joints, lower control arm bushings, control arm bushings.  My total cost was approx $160.  I then added new calipers and brake pads to complete the job.   Warning:  Stock rotors are very difficult to find.  

 

I also redid my rear brakes, new shocks, and cut the rear coils 1/4 coil.  That lowered it slightly, but maintained camber for me.  Some folks go to coilovers to replace the rear springs and shocks, but I don't trust the upper shock mount that much myself.

 

Like youself, I've had 510s and other Datsuns since the early 1970s.  So, I still run my choice of one of three sets of 13" wheels and 185/70x13 tires, currently AR Libres.  The younger guys all want bigger wheels, wider tires, and lowered cars.  I just smile at them and keep on happily driving my cars like I'm stuck in the '70s.

 

dgi

[Dolomite]

If your daughter is ever going to be driving it, first thing I would do is 280zx struts and brakes. 510 brakes are less than stellar as you probably know. The zx struts will get you some drop and get huge braking power at the same time.

[ctdavid73510]

73 is rare you, sure you want to give a teenage new driver a classic car.

 

Most young girls don't like old carbureted cars and they often on the side of the road as these are pushing 40 years old and break often. Even with experience Datsun owners.

 

 

Mine fall apart all the time. Just the way it is.

 

I had a list of what I swapped out in just a few years It was a page of work. Would you trust your daughter with a car like this?

 

 

 

Leave it stock. nice and slow

Teenage girls and lowered cars don't mix. Oil pans go bad

 

Actually my daughter won't be given the car. We will build together but it is mine. She will certainly get the opportunity to drive it at some point. She actually likes working on the car and isn't afraid to get dirty

[Draker]

280zx struts up front, T3 or whatever you choose coilovers. T3 camber plates. Spring rate of your choice. Cut D50 spring in the back with 69 camaro shocks. Pretty common swap for these cars.

[ctdavid73510]

Thanks for the responses. More questions will be coming. Happy to post pictures if I can figure out where and how.

[Icehouse]

We just got done modeling the 510 front suspension in solidworks.  What we've learned from 2 years of research and modeling is that there are 4 different possible suspension combo's from the factory.  If you want less bump steer the wagon steering box arm and idler with the late style crossmember is the hot ticket.  yes the roll center is slightly worse but unless its a track only car it's not going to matter.  Also slotting the rear crossmember to fix the toe problem on lowered cars is key.   Byron's brackets are kind of expensive but you'll save money not going through tires.  On that note don't cheap out on tires.  That's a quick way to ruin a 510.  I've been running autocross tires on my car everyday.  So so nice and if the alignment is good they don't wear to terribly fast.  

 

 

 

[q-tip]

^^^^listen to that man, no one has put more time into 510 suspension, at least on his own car....

[ctdavid73510]

Not sure if the image will post.

 

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