Suspension For Dr30

[Kaido_RR]

Hey,

Im just after some information on suspension upgrades for DR30 (4door jap-spec if that matters :?). What is out there that can be used? Is there an off the shelf shocks and springs i can get from whiteline or similar aus-spec dealers?

If not can you use suspension from other nissan's? (r31, S13 etc etc?) and what is required if any to fit them to a dr30.

Not really looking for something hardcore just something to possible upgrade some old and worn stock stuff

Cheers Michael

[Kaido_RR]

i found a page which list Bilstein as making a shock for the dr30 (http://www.ennepetal.co.jp/01ss/poline/nissan/damper/page3.html)

does anyone know where i could get some in australia (perth?)

Cheers Michael

[Factory 5]

you can use R31 standard springs and struts in the rear, this will be about 30mm lower thatn standard R30. (im sure this applies for DR30 too.)

S13 coilovers go well in the front too....

KYB make struts for the front, i thing there is an 'orange' set and a 'red' set.... the orange ones are the ones to look for.

its also pretty easy to get custom spriings made too, just specify the loads and height etc.... probably alot cheaper than fancy brand names...

there is a thread with lots more detail in this foruim section, just gotta search mate!!!

[discopotato03]

If I was doing it again I would look at what the Local R31 GTS got in the way of Bilsteins . It sounds like the rear pretty much go straight in but the front may need some strut mods to get the length/height right .

Cheers A .

[Kaido_RR]

If I was doing it again I would look at what the Local R31 GTS got in the way of Bilsteins . It sounds like the rear pretty much go straight in but the front may need some strut mods to get the length/height right .

Cheers A .

Cheers for that , i will look into it

[Kaido_RR]

does anyone know if R30 suspension is the same as DR30?

I was looking on some jap website i found a listing for KYB shocks and it has DR30 the same as R30 and HR30 is this correct?

[rsx84]

does anyone know if R30 suspension is the same as DR30?

I was looking on some jap website i found a listing for KYB shocks and it has DR30 the same as R30 and HR30 is this correct?

you can get the Konis Orange range for the r30, externally adj shocks, i've got a set for mine, then i changed to the S-13 coilovers, only travelled about 100km with the Konis..

the price is the killer, i paid $750 for the fronts alone with the Koni's orange...

all R30 use the same strut set up at the front, DR30 use a larger rotor and calipar set up...

for the $$$ involved the best option is the S-13 conversion..

to go to the r31 set up, your looking at around $800 for a brand new set of sports shocks, $400 for Cusco r30 strut tops adj at the front, and depending on what brake upgrade you want the r31 struts will cost any where from $50 - $600 (Hr31 with a floating rotor set up)..

Edited May 4, 2007 by rsx84

[GTR30]

does anyone know if R30 suspension is the same as DR30?

I was looking on some jap website i found a listing for KYB shocks and it has DR30 the same as R30 and HR30 is this correct?

I have Koni adjustables all round in my four door, they're for a R31 and fitted with minimal effort... springs are another thing..

the first ones we got were Super low King Springs, but were actualy the same height just a shitload stiffer, so i got some custom made ones from the King Spring Factory in the Gold Coast, i think they cost $250

[boostd gem]

whats involved in the S13 coilover swap?

[skybt1]

Are the R31 rear struts really lower then standard r30 ones? My mate at pedders measured them up and the actual strut body of the R30 is shorter then the 31 strut. If this is the case how does the 31 strut lower the rear if in fact it is actually longer??

[Matty T]

For the rear of a (D)R30, use Bilstein part B46-0057 HO. King make springs to suit as well. You will want 300mm long springs. In my rally car, I use 180 pound springs - you may want to go stiffer.

The spring platform is located with a circlip in a groove cut into the shock body. If you know someone with a metal lathe, you can have additional grooves cut into it and move the platform wherever you want. 20mm lower on the strut equals 10mm in the body. Trust me, I just went through all this on Friday at my suspension place. You can also get an adjustable spring platform for the B46 shock. Just remember to get an appropriate length spring to suit your new platform height.

Everything was good until I snapped the trailing arm...

[skybt1]

Interesting stuff.

Trailing arms? Are they the rear control arms? But the proper name for them?

[Matty T]

Interesting stuff.

Trailing arms? Are they the rear control arms? But the proper name for them?

Yeah, same thing. Don't know which is the proper name. I have always referred to them as "trailing arm"...

[skybt1]

and you snapped it? Those things are thick and solid as! Thats some serious strain.

Ive bent one, and that was due to smashing a gutter years ago, but didnt think it would be breakable!

[Matty T]

and you snapped it? Those things are thick and solid as! Thats some serious strain.

Ive bent one, and that was due to smashing a gutter years ago, but didnt think it would be breakable!

Heheh, yeah I did. I will take a photo of it when I take it off the car (not that it looks that impressive now - I got Neal Bates' service crew to weld it up for me).

It snapped because I hit a 1 foot high grader ditch with it. Hit it hard. You can't really see it in the photo, but the front end is much worse off. The front wheel was pushed back into the guard, which pushed it into the front door. The front radius rod washer got inverted (but the rod didn't break. Yay!). The strut tower was moved up an inch and inwards by an inch. It tried its best to punch the spherical bearing out of the strut top. Tie rod got bent. My splinky Cusco strut brace now looks like a banana.

I didn't know I had done so much damage at the time. Sure, the steering wheel was off by about 90 degrees, but that happens when you hit stuff. It wasn't until I got back to the service park that I saw that both the front and back end were messed up. We got the back end welded up (as I mentioned), and in the front I replaced the tie rods and lower control arm. We went back out again, but only lasted another 2 stages before the rear end failed. And there's the pic!

[skybt1]

Jeezuz!! Thats a HARD hit. You pretty much stuffed up everything possible in the front end. Even the strut tower?? How fast were you going??

[Ghostrider]

How you off for trailing arms Matt, my spare parts dept might be able to help lol

[Matty T]

Jeezuz!! Thats a HARD hit. You pretty much stuffed up everything possible in the front end. Even the strut tower?? How fast were you going??

Not all that quick. We hit at probably 25 km/h or so. Maybe a bit quicker. Basically, we went straight through a crossroads in third gear, I laid in the boot, 14 pounds of boost kicked in, the back tyres were already destroyed, and she snapped sideways and off the road we went.

It was a basic Driver error. I was already tippy-toeing the car beacause I knew the tyres were gone (second set of rears for the day. Grr.). I thought I had more grip than I did.

I now have 5 weeks to straighten the car, plate some trailing arms, get some new spherical bearings and front control arms, and build a normally-aspirated engine. I hope the missus and kids like 2 minute noodles...

[Matty T]

How you off for trailing arms Matt, my spare parts dept might be able to help lol

I am OK for trailing arms at the moment. I have a spare set here that are already modified for my rear calipers (VT Commodore rears). I may have to call on you for (at least) a strut brace though. Oh, have you got any companion flanges? 6 bolt ones.

[Ghostrider]

Can't help with strut brace, Pat from Newcastle scored the only one I had spare, but companion flanges, um let me see, I have 2 x sets of rear trailing arms complete including hubs so I guess I might have. And I am yet to bring the 280ZX over home that I scored for FREE.