F31club.com Forums

I am new here and just bought a M30 vert 1992 a week or so ago- just now got it up on the rack at my friends shop and he says the 4 struts need to be replaced-the front ones are shot and the rear ones squeek like a mouse when you hit bumps. He has never worked on an M30 but is a good mechanic !! I read all the posts back to 1996. Many dif answers/ opinions to this question but I still need help! I am not a drifter or a mech and just want to restore and drive this great car. Im not rich and after buying the car I need to fix it also and the parts/ prices from the infiniti places must think we are rich?
I just want to replace the orig struts front & back.
What is the cheapest new ones/ options to use, I dont care about the sport or comfort mode so just to replace the struts as cheaply as possible. I am not a mech and will have my friend do the work. He needs to know what year 280zx for the rear and what year / model/ modification needed to replaces the front/ rear ones . Does anyone have year and exact car and/ or part numbers that I can tell him to use? Where are the best/ cheapest places to order new ones? I will order the parts and he will install them ! This car is in great shape except for the struts so I guess Im lucky. Thanks for your help in advance because I know you guys have this answer.
Robert-----------robertraw1@msn.com

I found a 92 vert in the junk yard a few hours away from me. The car has 50,000 miles on it. Is it worth buying the 4 used struts from it for $450 + shipping????? I might be able to get them to go lower on the price..Car was not in an accident --it was next to a house that burned and the front end is a little singed with some light bumper melt and bubbling on front from heat, and the ins co totaled it and now its sitting in the junk yard. tan interior I am having them check the interior and they will call me back in the morn for the parts im looking for . I will post the location and number as soon as I hear what cond the interior is in for those looking for interior parts wht /tan 92 vert. So my question is how long do these struts usually last and is it worth paying $450 +shipping (amt?) and paying some one to install used parts or is there a cheaper alternative see question above. And do you think it would be possible to install myself I am not a mechanic and have never worked on a suspension but I am willing to try it but I dont have a way to compress the front springs. My mech will charge $250 to replace all 4 is that a deal???? thanks for any imput
Robert

Where do you live? I've done the rears before, with 280ZX struts and springs.

In my opinion, $450.00 plus additional shipping is outrageous. If you look in the Infiniti M30 / Nissan Leopard Tech section under "Confirmed Suspension Information," you will find the information you seek to replace both front strut inserts/cartridges and rear struts. You can replace your front strut inserts/cartridges and rear struts with brand new parts for way cheaper than the $450.00 you were quoted for old approximately 18+ year old parts off of the 92 m30 convertible you found at the junk yard.

I agree 450 is way too much for 18 year old parts

Hey its Robert again never mind the used ones ordered all new stuff 88 Porsche fronts and boots and 83 280zx rear springs and shocks. total $280 thanks to the orther guys who helped with their threads.
Robert

I have all the new parts to do my front and back now sutting in my living room, I am still looking for the rubber for the top strut mounts for my front end. I might end up using the old ones if they arent too bad.
I have 1988 Porsche strut inserts and new boots and strut bearings for the front cant seem to find the rubber for the strut top mount any where --any ideas??????
I have the new springs and shock/stut for the rear from 1983 280zx I will also be putting in a rebuilt a/c comp and new dryer. I will also be cleaning all my ground points to try to fix my speedo/ tach/ temp gauge they just quit but my gas guage works???Im hoping its just the ground or voltage regulator behind the dash. !!!
The top down quit working and Im sure that might be a grounding issue as well. Ill let you know how all this stuff works out.
Learing about the M30 vert ----fast in Florida
Robert---Robertraw

I just had the struts to my 1991 m30 replaced by a competent mechanic (Cartenders, Inc, Rockville, MD), and here is what I found:
(and I apologize if I am repeating well-known info, as I am new to this club and car, though I love it!):
the fronts inserts were an exact match for the 1988 Porsche 944, part #KYB SB102 bellow and KYB 363014 strut, which I purchased through Rock Auto for about $105; the rears were KYB #KG9113 shocks from a 1983 280ZX (Rock Auto for about $130/pair) - I also purchased the corresponding coil springs, but my mechanic said they would not fit around the rubber bushings, so he re-used the original coil springs - but he said he had to slightly bend the spring cups on the top of the coil-overs to accept the original springs - the car now rides like a dream. As I am now hooked on this car, can any of the more experienced members of the F31 club recommend what parts I might purchase for reserve that are both difficult to locate and prone to breakage??? Thanks!

robertraw,

How you doing? I have several comments that might be of help.

1. I just posted a thread on my rear shock modification. It went smooth and I had it done in about 5 hours give or take. I posted several pictures.

2. Top down problem, there is a relay behind the drivers door panel attached to the door that controls the windows to the open position. It is approx. 3 inches in length and
1 1/2 inches square. I had a similar problem with my top and this relay was the culprit, you can clean the contacts inside, they look like an old set of ignition points.

3. Instrument panel, I would check the connectors behind the panel, maybe there is one loose. It is pretty easy to do, just tedious work in removing the face cover.

Good luck,

wuzz-upp

Well I have not worked on my rear shock/ struts yet its been really hot here in Florida (global warming my ass its been like a freaking pizza oven here for the past few weeks). I will wait for cooler weather to put in the rear shocks ! As far as the front struts went the Porsche ones fit perfect except for the drilling or the top hole on the strut mount to fit the larger Porsche strut through and a few washers to take up the extra length just like the original thread I read about this job. As far as the back ones I have the new 83 280zx springs and shocks and the original thread stated they fit exact so when it gets cooler out side I will find out.
As far as the problem with my tach /temp and speedo and top not going down --it all fixed itself when I did a burn out in my mechanics parking lot. After the burn out everything started working again. I think it was a ground problem that fixed its self?? I will remember to check the deal behind the door if it happens again.
Robert