comrade_Charlie

Im looking to lower my 82 maxima, I read that eibach 280zx springs work good, I heard tokico lowered too much, does any one have and pictures of this?

I want it lower than what he shows the eibachs do, I think ill try the tokico if I find no information.

On a side note untill I have 250 bucks to throw around... Are there any production springs that are stiffer than the rest, like say stock turbo 280zx springs? Might be on the wrong forum for this, but planning on going turbo soon and with the stock 120-130hp it goes low enough to rub, imagen what it will do with 200+hp. Trying to find a solution in the mean time. Or I should ask what is a cheap solution to the rear sagging?

82maxtx

I have the same problem with my 82' .... I 've been told that the thickness of the coils for the spring was just plain manu. way too thin, so after 80k miles they go soft, being 110# springs isn't too good either.... are you running the stock size tire 185 - 70 - 14? even some better size tires will help the suspension do it's work a little better... like run some 200 - 60 - 14 tires and it'll make a world of difference. I've heard different things about z suspension parts fitting on our cars, it is possible but i think it's all year specific and some may require a bit " work " to get things to fit good.... my 2 cents

comrade_Charlie

I dont know what you mean by run bigger tire to assist the suspension, you mean let the tire take more of the load?

Im running 195/xx/15 dont remeber side wall height. But they fit the car perfect, I can get 3 people to sit in the car and the gas tank will hit the ground with the wheel barely rubbing. Im looking to slam or really lower this car as far as I can... The front fenders may need to be rolled, the rub sometimes. But the back, the camber is perfect when its pushed down by having people in the car LOL.

I cant find anywhere that sells stock replacement springs for this car... I found some for 50 bucks from autozone for 280zx. My friend got advanced springs for this 300zx, they jacked the car up in the air but they were stiff, I bet you could cut a coil or two and still have a good spring rate...

82maxtx

where can I find those wheels? are those wheels the 4 x 4.5'' bolt circle? the rubbing in the front is probly cause the original wheels were 14''s and you got 15''s ... those tires look like 195-60-15s to me.... looks like it fills the front wells' GOOD lol

and that's debateable about cutting the springs.... get an extra set to play with, just in case it turns out to be crap... tried that before on a different car and it didn't work too good, though you might have a bit more experience than me on that.. I've heard of people using zx springs cut down a couple coils and fitting them over REPLACEMENT maxima struts and having a super ride quality.... not sure really what to do about mine.... I know zx struts fit on most all the 510's with out too much modification if any, so if that's any reference to the parts compatibility spectrum....

comrade_Charlie

The wheels are 4x114.3 bolt patern. I have no info on the wheels, they seem to be kinda old MOMO wheels, someone gave them to me, they look to be from the same period as the car, I think they fit the car perfect.

I read on a Z forum, that 79-83(76-85 might work, thats what years the 300d was made but the post from a guy on the forum says 79-83, just thought id share) mercedes 300d front springs work well on the rear of 280zx when cut to the proper length, and that they are really stiff, there are like 4 of them at a local pull-a-part junkyard, and im going to see how well they work.

With me sitting on the trunk and the car on ramps in the back(I weigh 220 something and am 6'5), It actually gets to where you cant see the top of the rim with 3 people sitting in the car. I want to lower the car but not that much. I dont know maybe to where you cant see the top of the rubber. but camber is not bad when slammed, if you do this on a 300zx(z31), your camber would be BAD.

82maxtx

heck yeah man, I've never heard of using mercedes springs before, I wouldn't doubt it though... might be crazy enough to work! let me know how it goes, that seems to be a cheap and easy fix...if it works well for you, I'll start diggin for some 300d's around here

comrade_Charlie

The springs do work, but make sure you dont cut them too short, I cut them probably half a inch or a inch to short, so when you tighten the nut down it does not compress the spring, I need to make a spacer so that it compresses the spring, it is bouncy because of this. It doesnt bother me but I plan on fixing it soon.

82maxtx

I'm assuming the spring on the right is the 300d spring...

and what is the exact length it SHOULD be cut to? going to pick up some Z wheels this afternoon.... and maybe some 300d springs this weekend..

81Max

I posted this a few months ago on a similar thread....

I did not modify my suspension at all and still use the stock alloy wheels on my '81 Max. I put on a lower and wider tire and that totally changed the look for the better. They are 215-60R14s. They have been on the car for 8 years with no rubbing....so I bet you could go even shorter and wider if you wanted to. That was an easy and cheap fix. You might give it a try, then fart with the suspension if you need more "lowness".

comrade_Charlie

It was not as much as lowering as much as it was to fix the gas tank dragging on the road with 3 people in the car.

I am going to go with 195/50/15, right now its 195/60/15

The thicker spring, the left one, is the 300d. I cut mine a little shorter than the maxima spring was when taken out of the car, but if you cut it about the same length as the maxima spring when out of the car it should compress a little when put on the strut and lower it a tiny bit. It is so nice being able to floor it and not scrape on the road LOL.

You have to cut the 300d spring, its like 6 inches longer than the maxima spring. but it is so thick it doesnt affect the spring rate.

Remeber front 300d spring 76-85, id imagen the newer/lower milage the better. They are easy to remove from the car too, 2 bolts and a towstrap and I got them out, paid 20 bucks, like 2 or 3 more at my local pull-a-part.

My struts seem to be fine, still worked.

82maxtx

yess!!! heck yeah dude, I'd very much like to NOT be scraping when I put it down lol. this is very intresting... I'mma start lookin for a 300d round' here and I think that make sense about the struts, again, what I heard was the springs alone were the problem in manufacturing... I'm pretty sure the springs alone will cure my sagging / scraping problem as well.

thanks for all the info, when I get mine, I'll post up in this thread...

Revs2Hard

iTrader: (7)

I like it and I think it looks good. You should put the springs in.

comrade_Charlie

I have the Mercedes springs in, that picture where the wheel is tucking is when the stock ones were in and it was on one ramp and I was sitting on the trunk. It sits even now, once I find or buy some stiff springs for the front I will lower the back more, but for now it will ride even.

turkeypantz

I tried lowering my 84 maxima with 280zx springs. I used Suspension Techniques (street springs). The front is lower than the rear. Supposedly, the Tokicos would do the same thing. Something unsafe about the Tokicos and the Suspension Techniques, is that the front coils (280zx part #) compressed too much when installed in the Maxima. This results in each coil closing without much suspension travel. The Eibach Prokit (280zx part #) didn't do this in the maxima. I say "didn't" because you can't find this set anywhere. They are discontinued. Any site that has them listed (even if you call) will take your money and refund it, when they realize their catalogue is out dated. Fortunately, Ground Control coilovers are available for the front of a 280zx (not the rear). Unfortunately, you have to purchase four coil springs from Suspension Techniques, to get the rears. Hopefully, the difference in springs doesn't make my maxima unsafe. I'm going for a low rider application. No racing. Below is a picture of my Maxima with only Suspension Techniques and some 15x7 Panasports (from my 77 280z). They rub at 10mph. I have 14x6 280zx wheels that I will clean and wrap with 185/60/14 tires. It will be era-correct. In the 80's nobody lowered their Japanese car and had wheels bigger than 14 inches.http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...panasports.jpg

LeX

iTrader: (14)

Please leave those on there, it looks great!

Easy solution to your rubbing is take off the chrome trim and roll the fenders.. then those rims will fit easy.

my maxima can do 15x7+0 front and 15x8+0 rear with 195 50 15 with rolled fenders

1982Maxima

How much are these cars worth in good condition running with no rust?

LeX

iTrader: (14)

i'd say a non-running car with no rust / good shape body on it is worth 1000 to me.. so prob 1250+ reasonably.

High5maxi!

anyone think some 240sx springs would work on the back at all?

LeX

iTrader: (14)

if you dont mind spending a bunch of money get 280zx coilovers mmmm

High5maxi!

has anyone else tried the 300d and z31 300zx springs? how stiff is this in comparison to stock or some tokicos?

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

Cutoff 1/2 coil on each end and it should be perfect!