JMortensen

Juan, don't make them like the 300ZX hub. You have a chance to fix the dust seal issue while you're doing this. The 300 hubs are too narrow and don't fit quite right on the inside. Get a 240 hub and a 300 hub. Make the races and bearings and seal fit like the 240, but with the 300 lug pattern. My $.02, Jon

Just to clarify, I'm saying camber increase, not negative camber increase. I see that we are using opposite terms there. Jon

I thought camber increased (relatively speaking) after the arms go horizontal, because as the suspension continues to move the angle effectively makes the control arm shorter and shorter, drawing the wheel further into the wheel well, shortening the distance from the bottom outside of the tire to the centerline of the car and reducing the camber. Never seen a Z go past horizontal before? Take a look at a really low Z with sectioned struts (I think yours might even qualify). The fronts go past horizontal before the rears, but the rears can go past as well. Here's Tom Holt's website showing his rear end at full droop: http://sth2.com/Z-car/fulldroop2.jpg I can only imagine that this setup goes past horizontal pretty often, despite the stiff springs and heavy shocks. Probably past horizontal when you put it on the ground... Also, my understanding is that once the arms go past horizontal then side loads on the tire will compress the suspension, but they don't if the angle of the control arms is down. That's been my take on it for years. I'd be interested to know if I'm wrong, but in my own little mental geometry example it still seems that I am right. Jon

Uhhh, camber does change on a Z. A double wishbone IRS may have camber changes cancelled out, but any Z out there (not sure about the Z32 or the 350) is going to have a camber curve, where the camber will get more negative until the control arm goes horizontal, then less negative as it continues through its sweep. ZX's have camber AND toe change like a Porsche or a 510. Setting camber is not a final thing. You set where it starts out, then based on tire temps or tire rollover or whatever you adjust to get the best perfomance. It constantly changes as you drive. Jon

If that's true then the Z driver rocks! Any Porsche owner who has a license plate frame that says "I'd rather be driving my Z" would definitely have an open invite to a free beer after the event from me! Jon

I think that was the Z06 driver, personally. That was Buttonwillow. He looked like he was lifting or coasting through the esses, REALLY took his time going into the first hill, coasting through the bus stop, went way too easy over both hills, and going way too easy in general. It also looked like he was coasting into the braking zones too. Too afraid to gas it until he needed to brake. I can say that I was guilty of all these things the first time I went to a big track. Its really hard to learn, but Open Track events are a good place to go, because you can get a pro in the car with you. It's $150 well spent. FWIW - I LAPPED a '99 Turbo 911 there in a 30 min session at an Open Track HPDE, and no, he didn't spin. He was however a 65 year old dentist... You gotta give the Z some credit too. He was certainly doing a better job than the Z06, and probably walked away with a HUGE smile on his face. FUN TO WATCH!!! Thanks thefastestz. Jon

Worst case scenario couldn't you get a copper headgasket made fairly cheaply? I thought they were reasonably inexpensive to have custom made. Jon

BRE put VW CV's in the original 510. Not too far from there to get a 930 CV from a Turbo 911. I've seen rifle drilled chromoly custom axles for those too. Lightweight and super strong... Couple more things on the 9", you can set up 3 or 4 3rd members and swap them out fairly easily so you can change your gear ratio from one track to the next. The have a 3rd pinion bearing called a pilot bearing after the ring gear contact point which keeps the pinion from flexing away from the ring gear. This is better than the standard bearing setup which only holds the pinion behind the head. Jon

There are a number of different ways to mount a solid axle, but the one you're going to see most often around here is 4 link with panhard bar and coilovers, I'm not even going to try to explain that, look it up on the web and the pictures will be better than a description. Leaf springs are not the best, so people wanting to swap probably won't go that way. The Ford 9" came in lots of performance cars and light trucks from the 60's to '86 in the Bronco. They come in 28 and 31 spline from Ford, but you can order aftermarket 35 spline, and if memory serves I seem to remember seeing a 45 spline once (more splines means thicker axle=more strength). The stock cast iron housings tend to crack over about 350 hp, especially if you can put it to the ground. Aftermarket nodular iron and aluminum 3rd members can address this issue. Also the axle tubes tend to flex, but there are weld in braces you can buy to fix that as well. The 9" is good because the axles bolt in, which is required at some level (I think it's once you get into the 11's) in NHRA competition. By comparison, 12 bolt Chevy rear ends come with C-clips, which are excluded once you hit that break point. You can modify a 12 bolt for bolt in axles, but you don't need to if you start with the 9". The 3rd members are very easy to set up, and since road racers, circle track, drag racers, and off roaders all like them there are a HUGE number of gear ratios available, and parts like ring and pinions and lockers and spools are cheap. They do have a really low pinion, so problems with pinion angle are common (at least in 4x4's). Anyone care to expand further? Jon

Brad makes good sense here. I was thinking that the lifters would bleed at high rpms, but it makes a lot of sense that they would bleed at low rpms when oil pressure is down, and may hold the valves open at high rpms if the pressure in the lifter is too high. Thanks Brad! Jon

Return it and buy a set off of ebay that was actually taken off a Z. If TEP gives you any hassle, dispute with your credit card company. One more thing: for some reason I've come across several Weber carbed Z's that had no insulators between the carb and the manifold. If you didn't get those with this kit (sounds like it since you say the studs are too long) make sure you get them with the next setup you buy. Jon

SBC400, that hub cap makes it look like you've got a full float rear axle! Jon

Good point. I won't be adjusting that thing for a LONG WHILE Jon

I guess I was looking at the same cell with no foam on their website. Jon

One idea: You can take the plug out of the oil pump, drill a hole in it, tap it for a large bolt, then cut the head off the bolt and cut a slot in it for a screwdriver and put it back together, now you have adjustable pressure. I think someone sells something like this, maybe MSA? A buddy made mine, and gave it to me when he no longer needed it. It works, but it drips just a little bit. I'm not a clean freak though. I'd rather have the oil pressure where I want it and have a little drip... Jon

It wasn't my 20 hp argument to start with (I don't know who came up with that #), but I was playing devil's advocate with Cody's post. I was trying to figure out how the HLA's would lose hp vs a solid pivot. I think the HLA's are run by oil pressure, and the spring just acts to keep it from totally collapsing and possibly even falling out when the car is not running. The spring in the chain tensioner does not provide the pressure, it just keeps the tensioner against the chain when the engine is off, so that the chain doesn't flop all over when you start the car. I don't think the spring pressure is what keeps it from bleeding down. I think its the oil pressure. I could be wrong. If I am right, more oil pressure would mean less bleeding, more lift. I think the lifter example is a good one because they still take up the slack in the valvetrain like a lifter does, and they are still subjected to pressure when the cam opens the valves. If they bleed, you would still lose lift. How much difference that makes is a question I can't answer. Mostly I'm just throwing ideas out to try and help. Jon

That fuel cell has no foam, so what keeps the fuel from sloshing? Baffles? Jon

That doesn't mean that the HLA's don't bleed. Look at the V8 guys. They obviously understand the difference in solid lifter vs hyd lifter. You can make 1000 horsepower with hyd lifters in a V8. Does that mean that it does the same thing as a solid lifter? Jon

That makes me wonder if Comp oil pressure springs might help. Might also wear the cam and rockers faster... Jon

How about if the HLA bleeds down at max lift on the cam basically robbing you of .010 or .020 lift? Don't know that this happens, but I'm sure that is the reasoning behind the theory that it loses hp versus solid valvetrain. Jon

Those rear discs are not vented, I'm 99.99999% sure. Jon

NGK spark plugs and if you need to replace the wires, NGK or Magnacor. The platinum plugs and all that are a waste of money IMO. Jon

That's so he can figure the distance he needs to hit 88 mph... Jon

Oh, I didn't sell mine with tires either. Too much weight for shipping. Jon

I sold a set on ebay for more than $250. Then I sold the center caps separately for around $50. I don't think mine were in quite as good condition as what you've got, but it's hard to judge from the little pics. Shipping was a PITA, and expensive as well. Jon