down_shfiting

hi everyone, i am new here, just like the title says. i am new to the 240 forum. i just picked one up about two day's ago. the whole car is stock. i dont have much for it for the first year. but after the first year i plan on dropping in a sr20det engine when the stock motor dies. and also plan on doing s15 front conversion for the body.

the reason i posted in the suspension forums is, i want to get some suspensions done to my ride with new rims and possibily brakes. first i woudl like to start on the shocks. which full coilover system would you recommend? my project for this car is to drift while keeping it a daily driver in a way. i had mind the tein flex coilover with edfc so i would be able to adjust the setting when i need to drift. the whole strut and tower bar i have no idea on, so if you would input that would be nice. and lastly. i am looking into buying some rims. 5zigen Fn01r-c in bronze. my car is red.

i think i will do the braking after i do the engine swap. thanks everyone for their input on this. and........i am a proud owner of the 240!!!!


edit: the reason why i stated the rims was because i want to know will it be any good in drifting, as in the strength of the wheel and the weight of it. it seems light to me. because in japan they always be using the expensive brands and i dont know if that will make a difference, not saying 5zigen is a cheap brand....

edit edit: and on tires. i want to go with toyo proxes t1's what do ya think? i had them on my old car and they were real good, but than again i dont know hwo they'll do for different kind of driving style. hehe

rkcarguy

I think drifting is stupid-my opinion. Just my opinion tho. The 240SX is very well balanced chassis in the handling dept. If you work the brakes at all they will fade, I'd upgrade them first. While deciding what brakes to get consider more wheels will be availble in 5 lug, and a skyline brake upgrade would be recommended, if you are already 5 lug it's very easy then. A SR20DET front clip will also come with larger brakes if it's complete, they are about 1" larger than the US versions. Strut bars front and rear are a must especially with a stiff suspension your shocks mounting points will flex all over without them.

l2aine

welcome. do a search for "coilovers" and you'll find a bunch of discussions on brands and owner opinions.

there is really no such thing as "best". There is however, "best for what you're using the car for, and what the driver likes".

5Zigen FN01RC's are used in drifting, so they're pretty good if that's what you're looking at.

question - is this your daily driver car?

down_shfiting

it will be a daily driver until i blow the motor and after the engine swap it's going to be my project car and i am going to buy another beater. i just want to work on the suspension right now.

so if i do end up doing the sr20 swap, and i get rims now, it'll be usless because the sr20 needs bigger brakes and they are 5 lugs. am i correct on this part so far?

edit: so let's say, i drop the whole suspension thing for right now, and do it after i upgrade the brakes. you suggested a skyline brake system. will that be just the front or front and rear. second question, how much is this going to cost me. third question, where can i find it. forth, since you said the sr20 motor if it is a complete package will come with a larger brakes is that just up front or front and rear? and if it's only the front i already have the skyline brakes in should i switch over or stay with the skyline. and last question, if the skyline brakes cost alot is there a cheaper alternative?

edit edit: say i order some coil over's right now and i put it to a soft setting. will the strut and sways bar be needed right away? or only when i will have it ont he stiff setting. because i dont have all the cash right now to get everything at once.

edit edit edit: haha, ok how about this. i dont drift at all. i build this to be a fast 1/4 mile car. would the brake upgrade kit still be needed?and the 5 lug pattern. i just want a fun car to drive without spending a whole lot of money. the sr20det motor will go in this car no matter what tho.

ArticDragon

Dude, you need to get straight what you wanna do with this car, lol. It'd get the strut bar even if you don't upgrade the suspension. It'd help stiffen your ride since the body won't flex under cornering allowing the suspension to do the job it was supposed to do without outside interference, such as the flexing I just mentioned. Just get one off E-bay, they'll work just fine at a good price too. As for the brakes, just stick with eitehr the Skyline or Z32 brakes. The 5 lug will alow you to get the brakes that would go on the Skyline or Z32 and gain a new variety of rims.

down_shfiting

yea. the 240 is more known as a drift car. i dont hear alot of people talking about drag much with the 240. should i be the first? or keep the tradition and tune this thing into a drifting machine.

edit: i have decided what i want to do with the car. DRIFT. so suspension wise, i am thinking tein HA's with upermount or HE's. and as far as the brakes. i think i will go with something like this. do the z32 conversion. or i will just buy cross drilled or slotted rotors. what ya think?

l2aine

here's my IMO's on everything:

1) On tires... everyone has their favorite. Depending on what your game plan is, go to the track one day when there's an event, and try talking to some of the drivers and see what they're using.

2) If you get the right wheel offset for the brakes you plan on upgrading to, then it'll be no problem. I'm assuming you have an S13 from the "and they're 5 lug" comment, so either you get dual drilled wheels (with 4x114.3 and 5x114.3 patterns) or you get a 5 lug swap first, because you're limited as to wheel size and offsets if you stay 4 lug.

3) Skyline brakes? It'll be easier to upgrade to Z32 brakes, or even Supra brakes. Past that, you can go full upgrade with systems like Rotora or Endless.

4) SR20DET front clip is just what you need for the whole engine swap; "motor set" is usually motor and tranny only - no harness, no ECU, etc. As for if brakes come with it, it depends on the front clip you get. Some are bare chassis, some have the front suspension still on, etc. It's hit or miss unless you actually look at what shops have in stock.

5) Strut bars are seperate from shock setting. Strut bars do one job, shock settings do another - they're not dependent on each other.

6) There's already a lot of drag 240's. The "240sx is a drift car" statement is only semi-true, most likely because of the current "drift" trend.

7) You say "i just want a fun car to drive without spending a whole lot of money" - well in that case, forget coilovers, forget SR swaps, forget 5 lug conversions, forget big brakes. The car is already fun to drive with maybe 1 or 2 light $ upgrades such as springs and brake pads.

And I agree with Arctic on this one: with all your ideas you should definitely plan ahead and write everything down because it doesn't seem like you know exactly where you want to go with your car yet.

Don't get offended - we get a lot of "I just got my 240 and I'm gonna swap and s15 conversion and rollcage and 500+hp..." people who don't realize that it takes a lot of work and a lot of $ to complete a project like that.

Oh and BTW - for price ideas, use the search button or browse some Internet sites.

down_shfiting

dude man! thanks alot. that really helped me. i guess i'll read over what you have said coupe times. and go to the track and hopfully catch some 240's and see what they think i should do. to bad i cant make it both. i want alot of things. but money is the enemy. haha i know i'll eventually have what i want, but not all at once. i didnt plan on spending 5000 and expect this car to last me a long time, that's why i chose to engine swap it later on, not because everyone else is doing it. i've always liked the 240, because it was not expensive, and it's rear wheel drive. i use to drive a celica and i would like to take corners hard in that car, it handled real good, i expect that from the 240. for daily driving, i would really like to be able to take corners hard like i did in my celica and not have the rear swing out. i have yet tryed to take a corner at 70 mph in the 240. this is my first rwd car. so i want to learn how to control it and all, before i start taking corners like that. that's when just making it a drag car came to mind, because enough though i am tired off just stright line accleration. it's safer than drifting(i know, if you know how to do it it'll be safe). so if ya could help me out with couple questions before i make the final final decision.

if i get the tein SS coilovers, i know it'llbe good for drag, but do you think i'll be able to take corners hard? without letting the rear come out.

for braking. i like these
http://www.streetbeatcustoms.com/rotrbk1701-1y.html
i think that's the front and rear correct? and i still think it's 4 lugs, and i am ok with that, as long as it's changed.

please help me guys/girls. i sold my celica for this car, and i dont even know where to start. i'll keep doing research and looking around. having ya's input makes it 75% easier!!

thanks for everyon's help so far.

drag.....drift.............
decision decisions

l2aine

SS are entry level actually... but they're pretty good for first timers... as for the brakes, it would be a waste to buy a 4 lug upgrade IMO might as well save up for a 5 lug swap and in the mean time get other parts first that will help the handling more (upgraded sways, adjustable upper arms, etc)

and BTW a lot of people are swapping SR's, RB's these days... it's not something new dude

Jedi Mind Gamez

ummm....if i were u...id take however much u plan on spending and triple it, cause thats how much ure prolly gonna spend...

i plan on spending 13k on my 240 and these are my planned mods...

rb20det
Hybrid Intercooler
Intercooler Pipes, etc.
RB Downpipe
240 Test pipe
Rsr ExMag
Walbro Fuel Pump
Greddy Profec B Boost Controller
Blitz Dual Turbo Timer DC
Fans
Sileighty conversion
Paint

speakers and deck
coilovers prolly tien he
strut/tower bars
brake/5 lug upgrade
tires and wheels
s15 seats

I'm already pretty convinced that i'm going to be going over budget and from the sound of it you're going to need/want alot of the same parts, except ure sr clip is gonna be more then my rb clip was...

oh but if u want to get started on upgrading ure brakes i got a skyline rotor, and caliper from my rb clip...ill sell it to u...

down_shfiting

how much are the z32 or the skyline brake conversions going for? just parts, excluding labor.

l2aine

Z32 upgrade with new calipers is probably around this price:
http://www.pdm-racing.com/products/brakesz32.html

down_shfiting

it's a 4 lug pattern, and it's only the front, i would also need the rear

down_shfiting

could cusco be used for drag? or is it only a drift set up? because someone is selling it and i was cusious if it could used for drag