Lower Rear Strut Tops

[Lurch]

Guys,
Today I fitted the front strut tops into the rear of my 2+2.
I'd already lowered it with Kings 'Lows', but I felt it needed to go a bit lower in the rear.
As you can see there is a noticeable difference in rear ride height - much flatter.
The front strut tops are a bit over an inch shorter then the rears on late 260 2 seaters & 2+2's (see pic).

Quick step-by-step Guide:

Jack up car & place on Axel stands.
Remove road wheels.
Undo the sway bar thats bolted to the lower A arm & move up out of the way.
Place a brake line pincher onto the rubber brake and unto the rubber brake hose from the body.
Undo the half-shaft from the hub via the 4 14mm nuts.
Undo the 3 nuts that hold the strut in the strut tower & slide the strut out.
Undo the 17mm nut & remove the strut top (use spring compressors to compress the spring if you have the std springs still in).
Swap the tops over.
Install is the reverse of the removal.

[Toecutter]

Yes definatley noticable. Sits just right now...hmmm who would have thought you could do that!? Good work.

Sulio

[reverendzed]

Go Lurch! that's cool.....Ben reackons he wants the cred for coming up with the idea?  I reackon we should call it a combined effort ha, Ha

[Lurch]

A combined effort sounds about right
Though really, we have Nat0 to thank for telling us in the first place!

[reverendzed]

yeah that's right! this is what makes this forum great, the ability to share information and ideas that not only saves a few bucks but also inspires some creativity.

[gav240z]

I know a certain someone who used to use those strut tops as engine mounts in a 300zx (Z32). They seem to be a universal tool!.

Should sell them on Ebay for big money! .

As a side note, I've bee told the 260z's changed their strut tower design to accommodate for the Rally cars. Apparently the early 240z rally cars butchered their strut towers in the gruelling rallies of the 70's . So they redesigned and strengthened them in the later RS30 series chassis.

*Might be the reason for the extra rubber.

Not that Lurch has any kiddies in the back seat .

[Lurch]

I certainly hope not Gav!

[zedevan]

does a similar thing work on a later 260z 2 seater? as the lowered king springs didn't do enough for my liking at the rear of my car either

[Lurch]

Evan,
If yours is a later 260 2 seater with the taller rear strut towers, then yes,
this conversion will work for you also

[zedevan]

yeah it is, so thats awesome news for once! lol

where's the best place to buy the parts from? (not that i'm in a rush, this wont be done for atleast a year...)

i reakon this would be a good write up for another one of your helpful how-to's lurch, i've heard you just undo the bolts with the car up and rotate the strut out?

[Lurch]

Updated just for you Evan

[Glen]

Thats awesome lurch thanks!

[nat0_240_chevZ]

cheers, i was hoping someone would share some cred.
another fellow here with his ice 2+2 geoff during did same and wasnt happy with the rear ride height, i told him about it and checked his rear end (i know that sounds a lil friskay) as you can reach up the strut and feel for the strut tops, careful of redbacks though.

this is just one of those lil tricks we find with our beloved datsuns, nissan etc.

the smaller tops which were also the same as the 240z rear topswill soon become a hard to find item with all those 260z's out there.
i also think the redesign was due to the greater load holding capbilty of the rear end of the 2+ 2 ie the extra 2 passengers(kiddies) in the back plus a pusher and a toolbox to fix you datsun on the side of the road.

cheers fellas.

[NZeder]

man where have you guys been - hell zed boys have been doing this for years. And if you want to go lower you can heat up the whole 240z top and the bonding of the rubber bit breaks away from the metal shell. You then remove the rubber bit, cut it down lower still then place it back into the metal shell, then cut the metal shell ie hack saw straight lines down to the new rubber height then fold the metal over to 1. hold the rubber in place etc I would also bond the rubber back in too. This was what racers here in NZ were doing in the 70's and 80's with 260z and 240z. My 260z had these lower 240z top installed since 1991 I thought everybody knew this trick.

[Scoota G]

I think the Motto here is Don't be afraid to Yell out if you have ideas or info. Seriously yell as loud as you can