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Suspension and Ride


Cid

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Hello Everyone I recently bought a 1976 710 sedan. Finally was able to drive it for a little the other day and noticed the ride was a little bouncy. I have been searching the threads to see what kind of options there are out there to create better handling and a more enjoyable ride. If you know of any threads or bolt in options please help me out.

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datsunfreak you’re probably right. I just don’t know how to check them but should be able to figure it out. I have leaf springs in the rear though so I would replace the leaf springs for the rear correct instead of shocks? Truth be told I am not that mechanically inclined and just trying to learn as much as I can.

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datsunfreak you’re probably right. I just don’t know how to check them but should be able to figure it out.

 

You don't need to check them. I can tell from here they're worn out. I promise.   ^_^

 

 

I have leaf springs in the rear though so I would replace the leaf springs for the rear correct instead of shocks?

 

No sir. Coil springs front, leaf springs rear, shocks on all 4 corners.

 

Fronts are often called "strut inserts", but serve the same purpose. 

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Have a read through the following 3 posts. It's for instaling 280zx struts but you can do the same thing to the stock 710 struts as well. I had 2 710s and I did this to the sedan like yours. If you have the original oil filled dampers you can replace the oil with something thicker. You can cut the coil to increase the spring rate and use split collars to set the ride height. NOT saying slammed to the ground maybe 2 1/2 " lower. All this for under $50.

 

 

If the original oil dampers are still there why not empty out the thin old oil and replace then thicker viscosity 20w motorcycle fork oil? Thicker oil is harder to push through the valves and increases the damping action but retains the proper compression /rebound. You can go up or down by raising or lowering the oil viscosity. This is what I did for under $20 CDN. If replaced already, you have little choice but to pay for new inserts.

 

 

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...............................................510................................................................. A10........................................................ 280zx

 

Cut the ZX coil? The ZX coil is too large a diameter to effectively fit the 510 strut tower and certainly wouldn't allow much room for camber adjustments. Better to cut the 510 and the ZX lower coil perches off their respective strut tubes and put the 510 lower perch, coil spring and top hat on the ZX strut tube. Secure the lower coil spring perch in place with a split collar. Ride height is now adjustable but within limits. 1 1/2 to 2" is safe enough on a ZX strut . Each split collar will hold 3,000 pounds.

 

Stock 510 coils have a spring rate of 99 lb/in. Removing one coil will raise this to 115 lb/in. This assumes a 510 front coil wire is 0.472" thick, the coil 5.121" diameter and there are 7 active coils. Yours may be different.

 

 

It's a 2" diameter same as the strut tube.

 

 

First loosen/remove the large gland nut and empty the damper or insert

 

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Trim perch with hacksaw or angle grinder just above the weld. Don't go too deep, just enough...

 

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Loosen and slide off strut tube...

 

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Grind down the remaining weld bead so the perch and split collar can slide up or down on the strut tube.

 

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Assemble with split collar on tube, the spring perch, spring and top hat.

 

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Here I'm compressing the spring with a block of wood and a jack.

 

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Tighten split collar and do the other side to match. When the other side goes up it will affect this side and will probably make it too high. So lower and check back and forth till you have the ride height you want. Make sure those screws are tight! Just to be sure it could never slip, I put a small weld under the collar where it's easy to get at should I need to remove the collar. Each collar will hold the entire weight of 1.3 510s

 

 

Inserts are ok but they are intended for either a different car or a wide range of different cars, a 'universal' fit. I prefer the original valving just firmed up.

I went to a motorcycle shop and bought a liter of BellRay 20W fork oil, about $17 CDN. Enough for three struts. This may all be moot as a previous owner may have already replaced them with inserts anyway.

 

The spring can be cut to tailor your spring preference by making a few careful measurements and some multiplying and dividing math. If you very carefully measure the wire width, the number of coils not touching each other (or free coils) and the outer overall diameter of the coil I can work out your rate more accurately and indicate how many coils to remove to get a rate you want. The split collars (aka shaft collars) are about $20-$25 and available on line or a fastener shore. I bumped my 710 from 100 to 150 lb./in. Alternatively you can buy coils with the spring rate you want but they may not fit the perch and top hat properly.

 

Extra firm shock, increased spring rate and adjustable ride height for under $50. The way I look at it is, expensive coil overs get set once and then are just along for the ride. You can tie up many hundreds of dollars on something you only use once.

 

For the rear leaf springs I used 2" drop blocks which space the leaf springs and the body 2" lower, but at the same time I added an extra leaf to stiffen them up to match the front. Car has a lower center of gravity, firmer springs and re-rewed strut dampers and the height is now adjustable, within limits. Keep in mind that if lowering you really must stiffen the springs to prevent bottoming out.

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I’ll take your word for it but how can you tell?

 

Ok yea I might have tried to replace the wrong part of you didn’t tell me that.

 

I’ll let you know the verdict once I replace them.

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I think new ones are $70-$80 and I assume that's for a pair. Also the inserts are some generic compression/rebound setting and not tailored for your 710 anyway. Fork oil is probably $14 US. You have to dismantle them anyway even if they have inserts in them.

 

Do more research on this if you are serious. There are math formulas for working out the spring rate and how much to cut to increase them. Don't just lop off a coil. Once cut, you can't put it back.

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