Dat 392 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Hi I am new to this forum but have found a lot of information on this site to be very helpfull.Basically took my car to the local dragstrip and on my second launch snapped the factory moustache bar.the car is a 1976 260zed 2+2 393 cube windsor,c4 auto 3800 histall,r200lsd 3.9 gears.Basically everytime I take it to the track the weakest link breaks and now im up to the moustache bar.Can anybody advise me on a stronger option.Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Pictures of the broken mustache bar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dat 392 Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 Here's a photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dat 392 Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 Having trouble uploading photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullbound Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I would try another stock bar before upgrading, but here's an upgrade option: http://www.arizonazcar.com/diffmount.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Having trouble uploading photo Hit More Reply Options then Choose File then Attach this File. You probably missed the last step. Could be that you're using the stock bar bushings and they're allowing too much flex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Just upload it to imgur.com, it's way easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 How long will imgur.com be around. There are threads with disappearing pictures happening now. When the site dies, the pictures and links go with it. It's a dilemma. Example - http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/62691-l6-heads-pics-and-descriptions/page-5?do=findComment&comment=1121078 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I'd get another stock Mustache bar and then make sure all the bolts/bushings are in good shape and the diffy is also solidly bolted to it. The stock mustache bar is very strong. Actually - this is the first time I've heard of one failing. Congratulations. Like I said, make sure you have all new hardware and bushings and that everything is bolted up properly on another stock unit and i'd bet you'll be ok. ZFAN used to run a similar setup to you but in a coupe and I don't believe he ever had that issue. You might PM him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 (edited) How long will imgur.com be around. There are threads with disappearing pictures happening now. When the site dies, the pictures and links go with it. It's a dilemma. Example - http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/62691-l6-heads-pics-and-descriptions/page-5?do=findComment&comment=1121078 Those images you linked are from a personal website, not photobucket or imgur. Regardless, I get your point but 1) imgur and pb are not going anywhere for the foreseeable future, and 2) How long will HybridZ be around? How long before it experiences another data loss event? Edited September 22, 2014 by BLOZ UP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 It's a discussion. Hybridz only lost a week though, And when Hybridz is gone, where the pictures were stored won't matter anyway. I don't know how you can tell that imgur and photobucket are viable businesses. Photobcuket is clunky and slow, I can easily imagine them going out of business. I may be jaded - I learned word processing using Word Star (all those memorized formatting codes useless now...), and my first e-mail account was on Eudora. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 NewZed - dang! Do you remember dinosaurs too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 If the front diff mount is weak, then the diff can really twist the bar hard. I had a friend with an R180 (weaker mustache bar) and the U-joints from the driveshaft hit the ebrake linkage and trans tunnel. That's a lot of twist. The bars are spring steel, but they aren't indestructable. I suspect that most of the time that has a lot to do with the the front mount not doing its job. FWIW, I don't think the aluminum mustache bar is a good idea, especially if you're using a stock front mount. Aluminum is a poor substitute for spring steel if the part needs to bend and return to its original shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullbound Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 If the front diff mount is weak, then the diff can really twist the bar hard. I had a friend with an R180 (weaker mustache bar) and the U-joints from the driveshaft hit the ebrake linkage and trans tunnel. That's a lot of twist. The bars are spring steel, but they aren't indestructable. I suspect that most of the time that has a lot to do with the the front mount not doing its job. I've broken a stock mustache bar with a stock L6 in a 280z. The reason in my case was exactly as JMortensen mentions. The front mount on my diff was toast. I had been dealing with the clunking for a few days with plans to replace the mount that weekend, but didn't make it to the weekend before the bar broke. Luckily it broke right in front of my house as I was leaving to go to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 It's posts like this that make me glad I don't have a front differential mount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I want to see these broken mustache bars. Send photos to my cell by text message. 256-366-4685. I put torque seal wax marker on my suspension and drivetrain bolts. This weekend I noticed that torque had been lost on the nuts and studs that hold the diff to the mustache bar. Very awkward location to try to get a socket on. Tightened as much as I could with a big box end wrench. Each nut took about 1/4-turn of torque. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I had the same issue. Had a funny sound whenever I hit small bumps and a strange noise at highway speeds. Turned out those nuts had backed off enough that the lock washers were loose. Tightened them up and the problems went way. May have to take another look at them - maybe back the existing nuts up with some nylon locknuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullbound Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 I don't have pics of mine since it was 11 years ago, but here's one that broke in relatively the same spot as mine (mine was cleaner & not as rusty): http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/help-me/49079-rear-suspension-bar-broken.html#post427575 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dat 392 Posted September 23, 2014 Author Share Posted September 23, 2014 Thanks for all your replies.All bushes and hardware were replaced and diff is braced at the front.Found out today, that the moustache bar that snapped seemed to have been reinforced with a welded plate across the wide part of the moustache bar and I didn't know as I'had a couple and ended up using this one.Welding on spring steel weakens it and does not allow it to do its job.It snapped just after the reinforcement.Motor makes 510foot pounds and with a GeForce drag radial it cut like butter.I ended up ordering the Arizona z car setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dat 392 Posted September 23, 2014 Author Share Posted September 23, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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