das_hef Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 i am in the middle of a rear suspension rebuild with a rear disc brake conversion. i have thoroughly researched the work involved, mostly through this guide. however, the rear wheel bearings needed replacing, a job that i simply was not able to do. i took it to a shop who we refer to customers whose work we arent equipped to do. these guys overcharged me from the start, nearly $400 just to do all wheel bearings and upper control arm bushings. they also apparently had to remove the spindle pin to do the wheel bearings. unfourtunetly, on the bushings they neglected to use grease or remove any rust and one of the bushing sleeves was badly seized on the control arm. i returned it, they greased it and fixed the bushing, and for the inconvenience, i guess, offered to install my new pins for free, and this brings us to my next problem. where you can see my feet there would be closer to the front of the car. the guy with the brake drum and brake line still attached fits correctly. note the opposite curvatures of the control arm, and it would seem that they put the control arm on upside down, however, the indentations there for the sway bar are both in the correct, downward position. i have to say guys, im stumped. ive searched and searched for someone who had a similar problem and ive come up with nothing but empty leads. all your guy's help would be awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 OMFG! Sorry but I am laughing so hard inside. I feel obligated to tell you that you need to flip one of the control arms over. More specifically, the right one, near your left foot in the photo! The arms are mirror images to eachother and flipped from the factory. This is CLASSIC! Really, I'm not trying to be a jacka$$, you just merely made my day. Sorry to hear about the bad service shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
das_hef Posted July 27, 2008 Author Share Posted July 27, 2008 i understand, i figured it was something really simple. but my pessimism forced me to believe they destroyed one of my control arms removing the pin and got one from the wrong side at a junkyard. so if what i understand is correct, i need to remove the spindle pin and just simply flip it vertically so the indentation for the sway bar is facing up? thank god i told the guy to put lots of anti-seize on the pin. itll at least make things easier for him. thanks, im glad i made your day AND my problem could be fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I'm not laughing at you. I think Nissan knew it was going to throw off some people in the future. When I first began working on Z's, and saw the control arms for the first time, I thought I was being dupped also. That's why I'm laughing....I'm glad they used anti-sieze. Should be an easy fix. Those spindle pins can be the most difficult project of the entire car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Hawk Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 You could also try to run them like that. Cut or bend any pesky metal that gets in the way. The spindle pull is NOT an insignificant issue - it's one of the only jobs on a Z that actually does require a "special tool" most of the time. Do a search on spindle pin, or spindle pin puller, and you'll see what a PITA it is. It sounds like you've had a bad experience with this shop, but it is worth it to take it back to them to get the pin pressed out and redone rather than doing it yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffer949 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Honestly if they where just put in. and they used alot of antisieze it should really just slide out somewhat. you might have to use a long bolt to lightly tap them out. but it should come out easily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armand Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Hehe when I swapped out my bushings/wheel bearings I was really stumped too. I just kept looking at the damn things just thinking WTF!? THIS MAKES NO SENSE!!! Then I googled images of the rear suspension and found the answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WizardBlack Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 LOL probably every average joe (for this site, anyways) thinks the same thing the first time they look at it. The smacktards you took it to should have employed more than 3 brain cells to figure that out before giving them back to you, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators BRAAP Posted July 29, 2008 Administrators Share Posted July 29, 2008 .... .... YESSS!!!!!! YESSS!!!!! :lmao: Totally wicked!!!! Love it!!! We are not laughing at you, but laughing at the irony of your picture! I feel terrible that a shop did this to you and hopefully they will fix THEIR mistake! Again, we are not laughing at you. The early Z car has its design nuances, one being the rear control arms as you now are very much aware of. This is one of those things the rest of us just wish we would’ve done first… :lmao: Here are a couple shots of a Die Cast model I have of a '72 240-Z. The attention to detail on this model is uncanny, evidenced by the detail of the rear control arms. Even these Chinese model makers got the rear controls right... though the diff mount on this model is the ’70-’71 diff mounting location… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
das_hef Posted July 29, 2008 Author Share Posted July 29, 2008 haha, thanks for all your help, guys. the shop fixed the control arm and im probably gonna go pick that up today. needless to say, i will never go to that shop again. i knew that long before this post. luckily, i am now a little more aware of odd designs like that in the z. and hopefully this little turbo conversion will go a little more smoothly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 I think you have the Nismo Circle Track/NASCAR lower control arm option. Very rare and very valuable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Hawk Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I think you have the Nismo Circle Track/NASCAR lower control arm option. Very rare and very valuable. Even funnier because it is half true. Have you seen how they are running the cars this year on high downforce tracks? The drive wheels are set up skewed to the right in excess of five degrees, making the cars "crab" down the straightaways visibly cocked to the left. It looks ridiculous! They're doing it to increase side force on the new car design, to help them turn left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.