[Unknown User]

I am getting ready to do bushings and struts on my '81 ZXT. Does anyone have any experience with the GMachine bushings from Victoria British? Also, what kind of struts do you guys recommend for daily drivers. I want good performance, but don't want to get beat to death on the streets. Thanks for any input.

 

[Ken Hawkins]

> I am getting ready to do bushings and struts
> on my '81 ZXT. Does anyone have any
> experience with the GMachine bushings from
> Victoria British? Also, what kind of struts
> do you guys recommend for daily drivers. I
> want good performance, but don't want to get
> beat to death on the streets. Thanks for any
> input.

I put Tokico gas struts in my '82, they work great! It did not spoil the ride either. I think you will be happy.

Ken

 

[Unknown User]

What about Koni??

First off, the GMachine bushings will give you a bit more stiffness and a little bit harsher ride - they are far more firm than the flimsy rubber bushings supplied by Nissan. Don't get me wrong, I use them, but I LIKE to get beat to death on the streets. My wife would disagree, BUT I like the firm ride. I have been a big fan of the Konis as well, The Tokico's are great, especially the Illumina, but are just as pricey as the Koni's. Another possible alternative is KYB. They give a good smooth ride, and if you are not looking to autocross or any other racing, they are the best bang for the buck replacements.

> I am getting ready to do bushings and struts
> on my '81 ZXT. Does anyone have any
> experience with the GMachine bushings from
> Victoria British? Also, what kind of struts
> do you guys recommend for daily drivers. I
> want good performance, but don't want to get
> beat to death on the streets. Thanks for any
> input.

 

[jeff]

> I am getting ready to do bushings and struts
> on my '81 ZXT. Does anyone have any
> experience with the GMachine bushings from
> Victoria British? Also, what kind of struts
> do you guys recommend for daily drivers. I
> want good performance, but don't want to get
> beat to death on the streets. Thanks for any
> input.
For anything other than racing I would stay away from the Koni's. Don't get me wrong they make excellent struts, but are valved way too stiff to be put in a daily driver.
I'd recommend the KYB's or Tokico. The G-Machine bushings make a big difference in the handling (if you put all the suspension bushings in) with a very slight difference in ride quality.

 

[Unknown User]

>This past weekend, i began to replace the end-link, sway bar, rack, and tie-rod bushings. Very EZ to take apart, not so EZ to replace. I found the G-Machine bushings to be much larger than the old bushing I took off, naturally, but that also meant they were hard to fit. I used petroleum jelly on the rack bushing because they just would not fit. I also had to vice the sway bar down to fit the end link in and tie-rods.
Overall not a hard job in the sense of building an engine, but time consuming.

While the front-end was apart, I painted onto the cross member, control-arms, and splash pan Eastwood company's CORROLESS rust neutralizer, and painted the sway bar and tie-rods black.

I am getting ready to do bushings and struts
> on my '81 ZXT. Does anyone have any
> experience with the GMachine bushings from
> Victoria British? Also, what kind of struts
> do you guys recommend for daily drivers. I
> want good performance, but don't want to get
> beat to death on the streets. Thanks for any
> input.

 

[Unknown User]

For all of you who've done suspension mods...ZX

I own an 83 n/t
I want to drive a fun car. One that makes
you smile when driven around corners, like a
Miata. After you guys did extensive suspension
mods: springs,struts, bushings, did you find that
your ZX was fun to drive or was it still that
grand tourer, with less lean into corners.
I have to decide between making a bad ass 280ZX
or buying a 91 300ZXn/t or a VW Corrado.
thanks

 

[Unknown User]

Re: For all of you who've done suspension mods...Z

>I have not pushed the car yet since i replaced
the bushing. But on a quick drive around I noted all the wheel play has gone, very tight now

that makes
> you smile when driven around corners, like a
> Miata. After you guys did extensive
> suspension
> mods: springs,struts, bushings, did you find
> that
> your ZX was fun to drive or was it still
> that
> grand tourer, with less lean into corners.
> I have to decide between making a bad ass
> 280ZX
> or buying a 91 300ZXn/t or a VW Corrado.
> thanks

 

[Larry 260Z]

Re: For all of you who've done suspension mods...Z

> After you guys did extensive
> suspension
> mods: springs,struts, bushings, did you find
> that
> your ZX was fun to drive or was it still
> that
> grand tourer, with less lean into corners.

I lowered my '74 260 2 with the springs, replaced all bushings with G-Machine, 1 sway bar in front-stock in back, high performance struts, strut tower stiffeners, 205 tires on 7 rims aired up to 40lbs- rides like a buckboard- not for general street use, but I haven't been beat in my class yet in autocross-jusr don't forget the kidney belt.

 

[Unknown User]

Re: For all of you who've done suspension mods...Z

I have motorsport springs, koni shocks and motorsports urethane bushings all around (I think they are G-machine) and I don't think the car rides rough at all, neither does my wife! Its rougher than it was, but the shocks that I took off still hadn't rebounded two hours after I compressed them. It rode like a caddy before, now it handles and still rides pretty good.

 

[Doug Dawson]

> I am getting ready to do bushings and struts
> on my '81 ZXT. Does anyone have any
> experience with the GMachine bushings from
> Victoria British?

Good. Nylon is better, if you can get or
fabricate them. Articulated metal is even
better still. ( Major fabrication effort. )

> Also, what kind of struts
> do you guys recommend for daily drivers.

Tokico Illuminas. Roll yer own settings.

> I want good performance, but don't want to get
> beat to death on the streets.

Y'ain't gonna drive a Buick now, hear. The
concept of too hard suspension is far too
abstract for me. I drive my cars d*mn hard,
and at the same time I'm too young to die, so
the choices don't get much simpler.

Kirk out.

Doug Dawson ( on the home stretch now... )
[email protected]

 

[Unknown User]

Welcome back Doug! n/m

How's your car coming along?

> Good. Nylon is better, if you can get or
> fabricate them. Articulated metal is even
> better still. ( Major fabrication effort. )

> Tokico Illuminas. Roll yer own settings.

> Y'ain't gonna drive a Buick now, hear. The
> concept of too hard suspension
> is far too
> abstract for me. I drive my cars d*mn hard,
> and at the same time I'm too young to die,
> so
> the choices don't get much simpler.

> Kirk out.

> Doug Dawson ( on the home stretch now... )
> [email protected]

 

[Doug Dawson]

Re: Welcome back Doug! n/m

> How's your car coming along?

Providing me endless hours of fun, both in it and under it. IOW, I'm halfway to the point where I think I'm halfway done! ;^)

Doug Dawson
[email protected]as.edu