What are coilovers and do I need them?
The broad definition of “coilovers” are a shock or strut inside a coil spring sharing a common top or bottom mount. The stock 240/260/280Z front and rear suspensions have coilover spring/strut combinations in front and rear. A more common definition is: Coilovers consist of a threaded aluminum collar, a stop (some kind of ring of metal) for the collar to rest on, a threaded perch that rides on this collar (and incorporates some kind of locking mechanism), a spring that sits on the perch (typically 2.5 inch diameter and anywhere between 6 and 12 inches long), and an upper hat for the spring. In addition, threaded body shocks (like Penskes, Carrerras, etc.) eliminate the stop and collar by having the shock body itself threaded. You install coilovers by removing the strut from the car and the strut cartridge from the strut tube. Then cutoff the stock spring perch and grinding the weld smooth. Then the rest ring is slid down over the strut tube and positioned 5.25 inches above the bottom o
