gearheadstik Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 Has anyone done away with your spindle pins???? I heated, soaked, and built the tool to pull these f...ing things and still screwed them up...i know I can purchase new ones but couldnt you just tap both sides to be able to run a bolt through the control arm into the base of the strut ???? Has anyone tried this or is it a bad idea??? I am aware that cast steel doesnt tap well sometimes, but is it worth the try to save time and money??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNeedForZ Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 I've been wondering why these pins are so difficult to remove? I think they can only be pulled. When the pins are pressed out with a hydraulic press, the pin grows size laterally due to compression that creates even more friction. I think anything that makes PULLing easier is worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2126 Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 Has anyone done away with your spindle pins???? I heated, soaked, and built the tool to pull these f...ing things and still screwed them up...i know I can purchase new ones but couldnt you just tap both sides to be able to run a bolt through the control arm into the base of the strut ???? Has anyone tried this or is it a bad idea??? I am aware that cast steel doesnt tap well sometimes, but is it worth the try to save time and money??? Did you remember to remove the tappered lock pin before you tried to pull the pin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruxGNZ Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 A new pin from Nissan is about $30. Why take the chance and extra effort to save a few bucks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearheadstik Posted March 15, 2006 Author Share Posted March 15, 2006 yes...i took out the lock pin...and i built the puller...mine are so tight i have nearly ruined my control arms...the design still sucks..money is not the issue...bolts seem to be a better idea to me just due to the ease of removal.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 A 5/8" bolt fits in there like it was meant to be, but you still have to keep everything centered. You could cut a keyway in there for the tapered pin if you wanted. Coat the pin or bolt with anti-seize and you won't ever have this problem again. That's the real answer IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2126 Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 yes...i took out the lock pin...and i built the puller...mine are so tight i have nearly ruined my control arms...the design still sucks..money is not the issue...bolts seem to be a better idea to me just due to the ease of removal.. Even the best designed parts will be a real pain in the a_ _ to work with when they have 30 years worth of corrosion on them! As Jmortensen mentions, besure to use anti-sieze liberally when reassembling. If it makes you feel any better I and likely many others here have spoken to god many time during the removal of the rear spindles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 If it makes you feel any better I and likely many others here have spoken to god many time during the removal of the rear spindles. I believe this task is responsible for a number of new expletives being invented. The smilie with the guy banging his head against the wall is the perfect graphical representation of doing this job. We all feel your pain, but at least you only have to do it once. (unless you buy another zcar) The new pins are available from any Nissan dealer. Do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Opinion only, but the ease with which cast steel taps, I'd be very leery of using such threaded material for suspension pickup points. Can anyone provide some metallurgical information to support or refute this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackBeaut Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 The ArizonaZ arms come with a 5/8" bolt to use instead of the spindle pin. I was planning on using some JB Weld to fill up the lock pin holes and then running a suitable sized drill bit down the spindle hole to clear out any excess JB and any corrosion crud. Then loads of anti-seize on the bolt. Not sure how important it is for the pin to be locked in place when using standard control arms with rubber or poly bushes, compared to the heim joints on the ARZ arms. Don't like the idea of tapping the cast steel, it'd weaking that area of the hub too much for my liking. My theory on why the pins seize is the lock bolt gets torqued down to hard and distorts the pin, plus water ingress through the lock pin hole causing corrosion around that area. Prob'ly wrong mind but I've got a pair of struts with pins still well and truly stuck in them! Cheers, Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 The ArizonaZ arms come with a 5/8" bolt to use instead of the spindle pin. I was planning on using some JB Weld to fill up the lock pin holes and then running a suitable sized drill bit down the spindle hole to clear out any excess JB and any corrosion crud. Then loads of anti-seize on the bolt. Not sure how important it is for the pin to be locked in place when using standard control arms with rubber or poly bushes, compared to the heim joints on the ARZ arms. To clean out the holes I use a steel brush on the end of a drill. Seems to work and is easy and quick. I usually spray a little WD40 or similar on it to help get the gunk out. My theory on why the pins seize is the lock bolt gets torqued down to hard and distorts the pin, plus water ingress through the lock pin hole causing corrosion around that area. Prob'ly wrong mind but I've got a pair of struts with pins still well and truly stuck in them! The last two I took apart definitely galled in this area. I put them on my lathe and used a file to flatten them down. Then loads of anti-seize as they went back together. I think when people tighten the wedge too much it does this. My race car was put back together with 5/8 bolts. When torqued they don't seem to move at all in the strut housing. I usually inspected them a couple of times a year. No wear issues that I could see. Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearheadstik Posted March 31, 2006 Author Share Posted March 31, 2006 A 5/8" bolt fits in there like it was meant to be, but you still have to keep everything centered. You could cut a keyway in there for the tapered pin if you wanted. Coat the pin or bolt with anti-seize and you won't ever have this problem again. That's the real answer IMO. Thanks for all you guys help...I'm thinking i'll go w the bolt. Dumb question but why does the bolt have to be centered??? I would think it would center it self. P.S. the removal tool just ripped the threads off the pins and bent my control arms.....OOOhhhh welllll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 31, 2006 Share Posted March 31, 2006 After careful consideration I don't think it needs to be. The key is probably there to keep the spindle pin from spinning in the strut housing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaleMX Posted April 1, 2006 Share Posted April 1, 2006 I had to use a Sawzall to cut the spindle pins. If your carefull you wont hurt the control arms. Then it took 2 days of heat and a 12 ton press to remove the pins. The heat is what did the trick for me. I believe that what has been said about pushing the pin out is true, it tends to expand the metal a bit and is harder than pulling, but once you cut the pins your committed to pushing them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearheadstik Posted June 7, 2006 Author Share Posted June 7, 2006 Just a update on this issue...here's a pic of 5/8 by 10in grade 8 bolt...fits perfect...not torqued in the pic..and for the wedge pin holes, I just put a little gasket maker in there tolal cost was like 5 bones.....why not go the cheap route when it works so well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam280Z Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 I'm not saying that this won't work, but... I would be concerned about that bolt turning inside of the strut housing and wallowing it out. I would try to find a way to ensure that the bolt / spindle pin does not turn. The tips of those threads will be under much more pressure than the surface of a round bar... I'm assuming that the bolt is completely threaded... Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srgunz Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 I applied liberal amounts of antisieze to my pins when I last had them apart. 8 years later they were impossible to remove! Antisieze helps but is not the answer IMO. Next time I have to take these struts apart (maybe I never will) I will use 5/8" aircraft mil spec bolts as replacements for the pins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tony78_280z Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 I'm not saying that this won't work' date=' but... I would be concerned about that bolt turning inside of the strut housing and wallowing it out. I would try to find a way to ensure that the bolt / spindle pin does not turn. The tips of those threads will be under much more pressure than the surface of a round bar... I'm assuming that the bolt is completely threaded...Sam[/quote']Yeah, what he said. Could you find spot to put a spot weld on the bolt to keep it from spinning? Update in a few months and let us know if it worked. I thought about doing something similar, but I hate to take chances with potentialy dangerous jimmy rigging. (not that I don't rig up alot of my stuff, just nothing that might drop a wheel at 75 mph) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Not to appear dumb, but what's the difference between a 10" long .625" OD bolt and a 10.5" long .625" OD spindle pin (other then an additional .5" of length). How is that bolt going to save time and trouble years from now as compared to a spindle pin when both are basically identical? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearheadstik Posted June 8, 2006 Author Share Posted June 8, 2006 The bolt is not all threaded...i don't think it will be any easier to remove just cheaper to replace...if Arizona z car uses this setup as stated by one of the other users i don't see why it wouldn't work here...good point on weight distribution though...we will see in time i guess.. If the twisting becomes a factor you could notch this w a drill bit through the wedge hole and use the wedges.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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