I'm switching to coil overs and shorter struts. The shorter struts require sectionign the strut housing to "increase travel" which is actualy reducing gross travel but moves the travel higher up and lowers the car.

For my 240Z I am actually using 280Z strut tubes so your measurements will vary. The main reason is the housings on the 240Z are narrower and if not perfectly aligned or a touch out of round, can keep the strut cartrige from fitting in. I started with the rears, first thing was to remove the stock spring pearch, here I have ground off the weld holding the pearch on with my angle grinder. A few taps with my mallet and ti slides right off.Next cut a few inches off the top, you need the threaded part to hold the struts in with the gland nuts, I thought of removing a section lower but i figure this way I can clean up the inside of the weld if need be. With the gland nut threaded into the removed setion, I placed it on the strut cartridge and made a simple mark with a permanant marker.I then took that piece off and slid the cartridge into the housing and made a mark on the shaft showing where the tube came up.I then measured the distance between the 2 marks and removed that much from the tube, in my case about 3 inches. Here you can see the shortened strut body and the 2 marks on the strut (well maybe you can't see them but trust me they are there).Here you can see the 2 pieces fitted together and the strut cartridge in place.Here you can see the section removed as well as the upper and lower pieces to be welded back together.Here is it assymbled and ready for welding, you can see the section removed.For comparison purposes, here is the sectioned housing with the coil over sitting next to the uncut housing with the stock size shock and suspension technique spring.The fronts worked the same way only the amount removed was only 1.5".Compare to the stock housing and ST spring.

Hey Dave - What holds the ST threaded collar in place, then?


...and what cartridges did you go with? I have a new set of KYB 361001 / 361002 here, but they're OEM height I think.

sorry half way through I stopped taking pic's and got the job done there is basically a thick washer that comes with the kit that you slide over the housing and weld into place, I'm using tokiko illumina BZ3099's in the front (intended for the rear of an 87-89 MR2) and BZ3015 rears (intended for the front of the S30), also known as the MR2 struts, I didn't post the parts I used as there is debate about which ones to use, some prefer the golf struts but according to dave at koni the golf valving is all wrong for the s30 and the MR2 is a good option, and of course there are different brands so I went with the illumina as a budget option to the 8610-1437 Race or the 8611-1259RACE, or something even more exotic and expensive

of course you don't have to section the housings and use shorter struts to run coil overs it just allows me to keep my car low and stay int he shocks happy zone, as I'm sure you know running stock struts at significantly lower ride heights shortens the life of the strut

Interesting.

I'm about ready to tackle the suspension on Bex's S30 and have NO CLUE where to start.

I may take some pics, perhaps you can have a peek and see what I'm up against. The "lowering springs" I bought with the parts car have turned out to be quite high - and stiff, even with the RB25 installed.

are they on right? you'd be suprised how often shops put the fronts on the rear and vise versa

yours is a 280 right?what brand springs are they? what year is the parts car? the strut housings on the 240 are different thickness and pearch height

also on a 280 you can swap in 240 upper strut mounts and take an inch off your ride height

72 240Z. Parts car was a 240Z also. Unknown springs (blue powdercoat). Rears are too tall also.

maybe you should start with some known springs I guess I was thinking of jerry's 280

fwiw I used the 280 strut housings as the inisde bore is slightly larger, the 240 housings are a tight fit and if the tube is even the slightest bit tweeked or the sectioning isn't perfect you'll have to have they bored to fit the cartrige