uzs131 rear suspension (airbag to spring)

[japlish]

Ok so most of you know the problem's with crown air-bags so I won't go into any detailed explanation as to how they work.
The problem is how to fix it?
I know I could just get some more second-hand units but at $600 a pop and no assurance that they will last any longer I don't want to go down that path.
The main problem with trying anything else out is that no-one outside japan has probaly done this and all I get from japanese websites when translated is, well...japlish

At the moment the car's up on stands and I have taken one of the struts out (that sucked! )
I had at first thought of converting the standard strut to a spring/shock setup, but now I don't think that's such a good idea because of it being:
1: gas filled (can't weld)
2: strange shap (pics to come)

I'll see if i can get a pic of what it's mounted to aswell.
I also went to the wreckers today to try and find a complete replacement strut, which I eventually found from a 98' pulsar that MAY work....thats it for now.

[The Witzl]

there's a place in brissy that will convert the whole lot to a coilover setup - about $3-4k.

I just replaced the struts with replacement airstruts..... there's just nothing else available without massive modifications.

[japlish]

3-4k!!

I'm not even guna consider that
thanks anyway Witzl.

[gianttomato]

Yeah...chassis is totally different apparently. Then again, 3-4K is peanuts compared to getting new units from Toyota at roughly 1500 a corner.

Maybe source a cheap 130 series shitter with springs and swap everything over....would be a massive job.

[CrUZida]

Damn, the UZS131 sucks.

With the UCF11 an American company does refurbished OEM quality struts (with aftermarket German bags) for about $500AUD a corner (plus postage).

Perhaps give them an email and see if they'll do Crown struts if you post them over?

http://www.arnottindustries.com/part...arts_yid7.html

[japlish]

hmm that may be an option if what i'm trying to do now costs too much (coilover).
thanks crUZida

[CrUZida]

The airbags are the 2nd best thing since sliced bread, only bettered by the UZZ32's hydraulic suspension (for a road car that is).

My Celsior with 18" rims has a ride that is smoother, softer, and quieter than my MX73 with 15" rims, but it also handles way better.

[japlish]

yeah it feels very cruisy when it works
i was very surprised at how thin the bags are when pulled apart

[Johnzoku]

i know for the y31 cedric JIC make coilover sets for both sprung cars (cedrics, cimas) and air bag versions (cimas).

so you might be able to track down some coilovers on yahoo auctions that are a direct bolt in jsut like the cedric... maybe?

[Johnzoku]

http://page15.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/t29049728 - maybe import this, might be cheeper than getting one in oz...

[japlish]

yeah i had thought of doing that but who knows how long they will last?

i was supposed to go to the suspension shop today to check on the 'research' progress but ran out of time.

[Johnzoku]

maybe look into coilovers for celisors of z31 soarers, they might be similar enough for you to bolt in or mod to fit. and theres a couple of places that are getting celsior coilovers in ATM...

eg... some like these perhaps?

http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h45209682

[japlish]

mmm if only i had the money

thing is because of the design of the original strut, a replacement one has to be alot shorter. and anything with a decent shock on it is to long....this is gay.

thanks for the help so far xcedricx.

[japlish]

aha! progress!
a week or two ago i was at a performance shop and while waiting to talk to someone i decided to look under the front of a r33 skyline , (as you do)
looking at the front struts i though ''that might work'' so without doing any measurments i ordered a second han set from a shop down in brissie.

i just picked them up yesterday and compared them to the original crown strut, and get this...they are almost EXACTLY the same EXT length from bottom eyelet to top mounting point, the bottom eyelet needs to be made bigger by 1mm yes 1mm!

i still need to make a plate up to mount the strut to the original point on the chassis but its not rocket science if anyone's ever seen these cars

cost so far
struts - $60
metal - $30


i'll get some pics up at lunch.....

[japlish]