Wrong strut tubes? Confirm?


  • Wrong strut tubes? Confirm?

    I have a 1989 NA that I'm restoring and doing an NA2T on. I've currently have the front in tore down to replace the rack, strut cartridges, springs, and all bushing with poly. I'm starting to put it all back together when I come across a potential issue with my passenger side strut tube. The cartridge won't seat all of the way down. I figured ok, it's just the welds on the bottom of the cartridge since it's the exact same cartridge, just new. (KYB Excel). I filed down the welds and she slid right in. Went to put the new gland nut on and it's not big enough? The driver side went together perfectly. So I decide to check part numbers since I've read that turbo and NA tubes have their differences.

    Driver side is 54303-21P00
    Pass side is 54302-11P00

    I googled those and it shows that the passenger side is for an 84-86 and the driver side is correct to my 89.

    Now again, I believe I've read that people can swap the 87-89 strut tubes(might be thinking of control arms) or tension rods to the 84-86 to gain caster/camber. So going by that, I would assume that using these mismatched struts would be a problem and could cause potential alignment issues for me. Or am I wrong? If I am, cool. If not, I hope someone has a 87-89 PS NA tube they'd sell me so I can get this thing put back together. :-)

  • #2
    Turbo strut tubes have a larger diameter, a larger gland nut and flare out slightly right above the spindle. NA tube are straight up all the way and have a smaller gland nut.



    1988 300ZX Turbo, Shiro Special #760
    1988 300ZX Turbo Automatic (wife's car)
    1991 Hard-body 2WD

    http://zccw.org/zccw/?page_id=1215

  • #3
    reddzx;346349 wrote: Turbo strut tubes have a larger diameter, a larger gland nut and flare out slightly right above the spindle. NA tube are straight up all the way and have a smaller gland nut.
    Alright. So other than the diameter I shouldn't have an issue using these? Ill just have to use the larger gland nut on the one side correct?

  • #4
    If the strut insert fits snugly into the housing. Typically turbo struts have a larger diameter.
    86na - BlueZ
    Shiro #366 - Kouki Monster
    85t - Mr Tickles

  • #5
    adamvann3;346362 wrote: If the strut insert fits snugly into the housing. Typically turbo struts have a larger diameter.
    With the turbo gland nut on there's no movement. So I'm going to go ahead and put it together for now. But I'll keep my eyes open for an NA tube just to be on the safe side.

    Thanks for the replies everyone.