Workinprogress Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 Ok, here goes, I'm disassembling the front suspension to rebuild/replace anything that looks tweeked or worn out. First off was the right side, the sway bar link was bent, no biggie. Then after I got the whole strut assembly and lower control arm out and was degreasing/scrubbing it, I realized that the lca has a slight rearward bend and twist to it. Is this right or did my z have a collision in a former life? I'll post pics as soon as I can find my camera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruxGNZ Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 It should be straight. If you were to cut it in half length wise, each side should be identical. !M! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Workinprogress Posted April 10, 2005 Author Share Posted April 10, 2005 Damn, that's what I thought. Well, here's the pictures. Does the T/C look tweaked also? Here's my progress on the rest of the wheelwell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruxGNZ Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 Yup, she's tweaked alright! Replace them both. Check to see if your strut tube is straight. There may be more damage then you think. !M! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Workinprogress Posted April 10, 2005 Author Share Posted April 10, 2005 Would it be worth my time to convert the LCA to adjustable? They are toast, so what's the loss? Well, off to bed. This sure has been a disappointing day, and to think, I thought I was getting somewere with this car... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 You are getting somewhere with the car! You're finding problems and fixing them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auxilary Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 I may have a spare LCA, I'll look around the garage and see if I find it. Yours if you pay shipping. Shoot me a PM to remind me, I'm not home right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolane Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 I don't think that converting THAT LCA to adjustable is a good idea. It appears that it is bent where the ball joint attaches, so I think you are starting with something that is already problematic. Speaking of converting LCA's, I did mine last night. I came up with a different method from those I have seen here. It is not a turnbuckle style, I do have to unbolt the inner rod end to adjust. Anyways, everything was going great, I had both sides welded up and ground to look pretty, when I decided to screw the rod end into the threaded fitting. One would not go, okay, no problem, run a tap through. Probably shrunk after welding. Tried #2. It went in fine, until appearantly it cooled (it did not seem hot to the touch), and not the rod end is siezed in the fitting! There goes a rod end, gonna have to cut and drill it out, and run a tap through the hole. Just when it seems a little progress is being made... Joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 Are you sure an alignment shop didn't tweak the arms to correct for a geometry deficency somewhere else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Workinprogress Posted April 11, 2005 Author Share Posted April 11, 2005 I'm not sure of anything in regards to this car. I know that the left upper frame is pushed in a bit and that fender was replaced, plus the right door was replaced (at least the skin). Also there was about 10lbs of bondo in the left rear quarter panel, I have it out, but it must be cut out and replaced, the metal is as thin as aluminum foil and about as wavy back there. I think this car was worked on by a bunch of morons. After the accident that caused the left rear to crunch, they beat the panel out a bit, then bondo'd over the paint, dirt and everything back there. After this bit of mechanical genius, they painted the whole car. Looks like 199 special, painted over dirt, rust, tar, everything. I found a nail that was used as a cotter pin. The left wheel bearings were scorched and looked like they had varnish on them. Right side had been re-packed but they didnt remove the old grease first, just added new. There are no Zerk fittings anywhere, just open holes.... it goes on and on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsunlover Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 I would say it was hit in the front, then possibly spun around and taped in the rear. Judging from the t/c rod and lca (wow.. those are bent..) I would guess the wheels were turned when the impact happened, and thats what may have bent your unibody as well.. Don't feel too bad man, my 280 was in a similar state when I got it. From what I can tell, it's had a light hit in the front passenger side (nothing bent like yours, but full of bondo) and oh... probly 3 hack body jobs.. Paper thin metal, brazed and glued in all over, 1/4" of bondo all over the entire car (except the roof..) what seams to be rear quarters off a red car, rear hatch from another, AND a half finished floor pan replacement. Ahh the silly things people do to cars... and the joys of fixing their F#$% ups... Nothing like it. It's gona be a job, but don't loose hope man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Guess if it were my car I would replace all the obviously bent parts then look into having a frame shop do a check on the chassis. You want to start with a nice, straight chassis before you weld in the rear quarter panel. Probably 95% of the guys wouldn't do it this way, but that's the way I would do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Workinprogress Posted April 11, 2005 Author Share Posted April 11, 2005 Thanks for the suggestions, sounds good to me. This "simple" R&R is snowballing. If I didnt have this bad habit it would be drinking or smoking or chasing skirts. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Workinprogress Posted April 14, 2005 Author Share Posted April 14, 2005 Here's an update, The left side front suspension appears to be straight, I dissasembled it last night and checked it out. The left LCA is significantly different than that bent up one I posted the pic of. Wow!! All the ball joints and tie rod ends are shot, but there appears to be an almost brand new frame to LCA bolt on the left side, right one was old and corroded, like most other things on this car. Makes me a little wary. Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolane Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 I was cleaning my LCA's this weekend, and making them adjustable, and noticed that there was yellow paint writing under the globs of dirt and grease. Seems that someone replaced at least one of my LCA's also, and I too feel a little apprehensive now. I am sure that, in the end, I will be able to adjust out any bent parts if required. Where I noticed my damage first was at the firewall, where the lower frame rail meets. My firewall had a bent there. As I measured, and used a level down the lower frame rails and the upper beams (where the front fenders attach along the top, with the fenders off), I started to notice a slight twist. After many nights of checking, trying to measure squareness, etc, I felt like I understood what happened to my car. I think someone hit a curb at some point with the wheel and possibly front end. It wasn't off by much, but enough to make me straighten it the best I could before any welding was done. I had to straighten the seam under the front fender, along the top, amoung other things. Just take it slow, measure a zillion times, figure out if there is any frame/chassis damage, and work from there. Maybe you situation is the same as mine, since all I had was a bare shell, I couldn't really take it over to a body shop to have them check the car out. And even if they did try to straighten it, how do I know it is still straight after getting it back to my garage, before I welded on it? Good luck, Joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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