z ing the frame

hey i got kustom werks control arms should i just z the frame up front for the body drop cause u dont have to use the front stabilizer bar things ????

where exactly are you talking about 'z'ing' it?

right between the front crossmember and the powersteering gear box
sorry gear box no powersteering

that should be it I think.

You got your arms installed? got any pics?

still waiting for them hopefully buy the end of thr week
but that should be the best way right
instead of just moving the the mounts
cause im doin a 1 1/2" motor drop

what do you mean "moving the mounts"?

You only need a 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch frame Z to make the front crossmember even with the stock frame rails. Most people just drag this much off their crossmember after bagging. You'll still have to bodydrop the truck to get the body even with the bottom of the frame rails.

The easiest way to Z a mazda is to raise the whole front clip, not cut behind the steering box too. If you raise just the center portion, your steering shaft will likely hit the a arm, and the tie rods will be lower.

Instead, just cut behind the front suspension and raise the wholw clip, then just drop the core support "ears" the 1/2 inch to 3/4. This keeps you from having to line the front end back up.

The most I have ever seen a successful motor drop without modifying the oil pan for the steering cross shaft and lower crossmember is 3/4 inch. If you make a new oil pan to clear both, you could maybe get 1 1/2,

but wont it be fine if i just z it 3 1/2" like my body drop cause noting else is in the way

I guess I dont understand what you are asking.

If you are thinking that you can z your frame 3.5 inches and lay rocker, you are not thinking clearly, or dont really know what a frame z is.

A Z is where you cut the framerails right behind the front suspension and move it up a little (or a lot). You usually do this because the front crossmember hangs a little lower than the framerails, which gives you a "ghetto lean" when laid out, where the front is higher than the back like the old ghetto cadillacs in the 70's.

A Z can be done WITH a bodydrop, for example I gave my frame a 1/2 inch Z when I did my stock floor body drop, and it lays out super hard.

But if you move the corssmember up 3.5 inches, it will just be 2.5 inches higher than your framerails. Mazdas only need about an inch to make everything level. You wont lay rocker, still, until you lower the body with respect to the frame. Your comment that "nothing else is in the way" is confusing, because you cant cut the lower part of the frame off, EVERYTHING would hit the ground, tranny, crossmembers etc. You still will need to body drop the cab.


If you are just talking about doing a regular bodydrop and z'ing the whole front clip instead of cutting off the whole core support, you can save a LOT of time by just cutting off the "ears" that hold the core support and dropping them the amount of your bd, then notching the core support crossmember for the lower radiator hose. Took me about an hour to do.

A 3 1/2" frame z would mean you would need to raise the tranny to match, and that would hit the tunnel.

Clarify step by step what you are doing, I'll help out anyway I can.

i think he's just talking about a traditional bd russ, lowering the core mounts/horns 3.5inches for the BD


if that what you mean low87, that isnt Z'ing the frame. that's just a regular procedure for a BD


EDIT: ok i just read yer whole post ^^...you alrady covered it lol

You see, thats what I thought TOO, till he started talking about just raising the CENTER of the front clip 3.5 inches, cutting in front and behind the front suspension and lifting just that section up. That wouldnt lower his core mounts at all.... He'd STILL need to lower them for a bodydrop, so his engine would be in effect 3.5 inches higher (from the z) plus 3.5 inches higher (from the bodydrop) so SEVEN INCHES HIGHER. Even if you could lower it an inch and a half, thats still 5 inches of motor through the hood.

So then I started thinking, "why would anyone want to raise the front suspension 3.5 inches". You'd just be taking away lift from the bags.


And BTW, you dont need a 3.5 inch bd unless you are cutting an inch off the rockers. A 2.5" body drop will lay rocker (especially with a z, but even if you dont z and just drag that front cross member a bit), a 2" body drop will lay pinch welds.