Miles Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 The threads inside the left front strut housing on my 72 240Z are messed up. Is there any way I can clean up the threads where the gland nut screws into the strut housing? It took a lot of effort to get the gland nut off and the new one won't start into the threads. I suspect the nut was cross threaded into the housing. Thanks Miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Unless you can find a tap that size or a "thread re-storer"... here is a long shot !!....try a good gland nut as it's own tap to restore the internal threads of the strut... heat the gland nut cherry red and drop it in oil or water to quench it. this will give you a hardened gland nut "tap"... do not use this gland nut as a replacement since it will be brittle hard to use as a fastening nut. go slowly with cutting oil or lubrication to try to restore the threads with a gland nut. or.....You could cut off the damaged threads and weld on another strut top but in that case it would easier to replace the complete strut. Just about every strut tube I pulled apart contained the original oil filled strut assembly held in place by a gland nut that had not been disturbed for 30 years Maybe some one else has a better method Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted August 27, 2005 Author Share Posted August 27, 2005 A machine shop might have the right size taps. If I new what size and type of thread I might be able to rent a tap and die set to clean out the threads myself. Otherwise I'll have to find a replacement strut housing. If anyone has a spare 240z strut housing let me know. Thanks Miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 It is also possible to turn threads on a lathe. If you could find a machinist who can do that and has a big enough lathe to put the strut in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
technicalninja Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 You can make a version of a thread chaser with a good used gland nut by grooving it. Make 4-6 straight cuts perpendicular to the threads evenly spaced around the nut. You can use a hacksaw/file but it is important to keep the edges straight and "clean". Each grove makes a little cutting tooth on each thread and the grooves allow cuttings to have somewhere to go. I like to use a new dremel cutting wheel as you can create truly sharp edges (can't allow tool to skip across nut when cutting-hold very tightly).You can taper the first few threads with a flat file to ease starting of the tool in the damaged housing. I have never heated and quenched the tools I made but it sounds like a wonderful idea. I think it would make the tool a permanet addition instead of a one or two use tool. I have fixed badly damaged threads in both steel and aluminum using this method but I would be critical of a repair to a strut tube. If I could get one I would use a good housing over one with wobbled out thread section as the gland nut will loosen up and come out of the housing if it has any play at all. I have a pair of early housings which are perfect, been cleaned/bead blasted and painted but I am not willing to sell just one. Jerry@ALLZs here in Ft. Worth might be a source for a single unit. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Rick ....Please answer my e-mail about shipping costs on KYB struts. great idea on cross grooving threads on gland nut....also a strut cartridge can be installed in strut tube so strut shaft can "center" modified gland nut for re-threading. One of the real problems of the damaged strut tube is so thin there is not much meat to work with in restoring threads.... another last step on the modified gland nut after grooving and heat treating, is to heat the gland nut slightly to a "straw" color with torch and then turnig off oxygen allowing the acetylene to blacken the gland nut with black soot which will anneal the gland nut to make it tougher and less brittle .. Actually if you turn off the oxygen when the gland nut is cherry red hot and allow the acetylene black soot to contact the red hot gland nut....you will introduce carbon to the steel of the gland nut making it even stronger but will have to immerse it immediately in preferrably in an oil bath while still red hot . Dirty black engine crank case oil will also introduce more carbon to the gland nut...........ie..high carbon steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted August 28, 2005 Author Share Posted August 28, 2005 I found a strut housing in good condition at a local recycling yard for $75.00. The yard had a complete 72 240 plus some new Nissan and after market stuff. If you are near Sacramento the yard is called N.O.W. and deals in Nissan, Datsun and Infinity parts. They are located in a suburb of Sacamento called Rancho Cordova at 3561 Recycle Rd. Phone: 916-631-8333, 800-649-9936. They can special order Nissan and after market stuff for you. Ask for Mike. Also, the gland nut is a M48 x 1.5 thread according to the info that came with my struts. Miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezzzzzzz Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 I've cleaned up threads similarly to post #2. The only thing I would add is use a cutoff wheel to notch the threads about 1/2 way from the the leading thread so it will cut the damage from the strut tube. Notch it such that you create a cutting edge going into the strut tube. It is equivalent to a cheap tap or thread chaser. Take it very slow, with cutting oil, and back it up with each 1/16" to 1/8" turn to clear the threads and prevent galling. If it doesn't work you've lost nothing but the time to attempt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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