tokico shocks

[dpellizzaro]

Hi, I purchased a pair of front tokico blue shocks for my 260 2+2 and went to install today to find they are slightly longer and the gland nut wont go on the strut tube. They were second hand struts and i was told they would fit my early model 260z. Strut codes are TOHZ3015.

 

Im thinking they are the wrong struts, what are they for and can i fix this? or does it mean new shocks?

 

thanks

david

[Scoota G]

Are your old shocks shorter? Someone may have used the wrong ones before you and put a spacer in the strut tube.

[gav240z]

I think the 2+2 are different to the 2 seater ones from memory. So perhaps you have 2 seater ones instead of 2+2 ones?

[dpellizzaro]

The old shocks are roughly 10-15mm difference. Would i be able to cut the difference from the bottom of the shock. I know it wouldnt be recommended but how much meat would be at the bottom? The best option would be to sell and buy the correct shocks. Any one have any other ideas?

 

Thanks

David

[dpellizzaro]

Would i be able to use the front shocks in the rear and just buy some new front shocks? How different are the rears?

 

Thanks

David

[gav240z]

Sorry David, been over 10 years since I owned a 2+2 now. I can't recall what all the differences are, but I remember differences in the rear struts.

 

Honestly, you may need to just pass this set on again on eBay or to a 2 seater owner and buy another set. I know it sucks, but sometimes you gotta take a small hit on stuff like this, live, learn and move on.

 

I recently sold on an alarm I was going to install for the same reason mate.

[dpellizzaro]

Yeah im thinking i will have to part with them. Just wondering whilst i was looking at struts online, i notice some of them showed new gland nuts to tighten in the strut. I didn't get these with my struts, by any chance would they be the reason the struts don't fit by 10-15mm?

 

thanks

David

[dat2kman]

You pulled your old inserts out first, measured them, and then bought something that is 15 mm longer?

Sometimes, in the bottom of the strut tube, when changing from wetlegs to inserts, fitters use a stack of spacer washers to take up any slack under the big top nut( gland nut?)

 

Pick up your strut, tip upside down and shake/bang it, if any thete they should drop out.

Smart fitters will use racetape to hold the washer stack onto bottom of insert.

 

Some inserts have an obviuos knob, lump of protuberance, that can be docked off, some up to 20 mm long, this is done when a shock insert manufacturer makes a single unit that can be multi fitted to various cars, by trimming the "knob"

 

Do NOT under any circumstance cut the insert tube, it is under high pressure, and when you break through with a hacksaw the hole is miniscule, and becomes an extreme high pressure jet of metal filings and oil.

 

The rear insert lengths may be difderent to fronts, dismantle and trial fit.

 

FWIW in future get absolute confirmation that what you are buying is for your car.

The inserts ypu got could be for a Massey Ferguson tractor for all you know, and could be dangerous to use, as it is not valved for your car.

Generally, buy inserts as a set of four from one manufacturer.

 

Bloke i race against was having a big whinge about what his car is doing under cornering, i adked him about suspension set up, he tells me he has Bilsteins gas in front, and Koni oils in rear, and could not understand concept of gas pressure vs non gas pressure on foaming oil in race use. Either or, but not a combe !!

[dpellizzaro]

Thanks for the tips dat2kman i didn't measure the struts i just bought them trusting they would fit, as the seller told me they would(1st mistake) but maybe he got confused with the models? I tried tapping and even got a long rod and tried poking around and couldn't find any spacers down the bottom...

 

If i was to get lucky and these struts fit into the rears, if there is a gap should i pack the bottom or the top of the tube?

 

cheers

david

[zed240au]

pack the bottom piece of exhuast tube works a treat just measure tube diameter and go to a exhaust shop get piece cut to length

 

mick

[dat2kman]

pack the bottom piece of exhuast tube works a treat just measure tube diameter and go to a exhaust shop get piece cut to length

 

mick

Suggest not, you need to use flat thick washers around diam of insert tube, or slightly less, dummy assemble, to see how "sloppy" up and down movement there is, with top nut done up, add washers, to take up slack, plus 1, tape them to bottom of insert to hold in place, slide down, do up top nut tight, all done.

 

Exhaust tube as a sleeve will not "lift" the insert.

Do noy put spacers under top gland nut, the insert tube needs clearance, plus the top nut threaded collar "wraps" around the insert.

[zed240au]

exhaust tube is cut and used as a spacer between bottom of strut insert and strut housing Was recomended in jags that run book for sectioning struts has worked fine for me

 

mick

[dpellizzaro]

Cool, thanks guys i will try to get some time to see if the rears will fit and then need to start shopping for some new fronts.... are the iluminas worth the extra money or would the blue's be fine. Im not looking for heaps of tunability but if its not too much extra i wouldn't mind...

 

thanks

david

[luvemfast]

For the extra, I'd just get the Illumina's. Its not much difference $$$ wise.

Blue HP's are set to an Illumina 3 position.

 

[dpellizzaro]

ok great thanks for the heads up will look into it. Are there any aus stockists that can compete with the us prices? or is it best to buy online?

 

thanks

David