coilovers / shortening housings / the usual ...

[jmortensen]

Oh man, there's a can of worms...

The 280 stub axles are 27 spline, the 240s are 25 spline. This means that the 240 stub is theoretically weaker. Either stub fits in either housing, and the bearings are the same. You MUST use the correct spacer between the bearings, that part is critical. Every single strut I've had apart has had a "B" spacer, but supposedly there is an "A" and a "C" as well. The 240 and 280 rear brakes are slightly different, I don't think this will be much of a problem for you, except when ordering replacement parts.

If you're swapping in the front struts from a 240 the hubs are different than your 280. The bearings are the same, but the 280 hub has a different offset, so 240 and 280 rotors are different, and I think the calipers are different as well. What's more, the size of the strut tubes themselves is different, so the coilover parts need to be ordered for a 240 or a 280. If you aren't going to camber plates, then the top hats on the struts are also different (the 280 has an inch taller rear top hat).

Can you give us a list of what exactly you are changing? If you're going to camber plates for instance, you'll lose those rear strut tops, and then you would probably want to section the rears less than the fronts. If you're going to an aftermarket front brake kit, a lot of them require 280 front hubs and won't work with 240 hubs because they need the extra offset.

[EricB]

Jon

1973 240z

280z housings front & rear (I did get the rear stub axles + spacers with them)

AD struts & GC camber plates

I still for the time being have stock 240z brakes & hubs on the car

I will swap to rear disk at some point, maybe not right now unless the rear 280 housing mandates the use of the matching rear stub axle which it itself requires something else than rear 240z brakes

Need anything else?

thanks

-e

[jmortensen]

Camber plates or stock rubber isolators?

[jmortensen]

No info on the possibility of camber plates yet, but you should section the struts just like you would 240 struts, because they're going in a 240. The reason the 280 struts are different is because the rear strut towers are higher inside the car, and so the top hat and the strut have to be taller to get all the way up there. DO NOT use the 280 isolators in the rear. Use 240 parts, because the 280 stuff is an inch taller. The fronts are the same as I recall, so no problems there.

You can check on the hubs and brakes in the front, but I think you may need to use the 280 hubs, discs, and calipers, even though they're heavier. I don't have too much experience here, so double check that.

I believe the rear hub offset is the same, so you can use the 280 brake parts with 240 stub axles, but the 280 stub axles are again theoretically stronger so you might want to go that way.

[EricB]

Hi Jon

Yes I do plan to use camber plates...

Have the strut tower already marked up for cutting but haven't gone through with it yet