shika805 Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 So I am currently rebuilding my 71 240z from the ground up... I'm currently working on the rear suspension and placing everything back together. I noticed on my car that it wasn't equipped with a rear sway bar???? I never noticed this when I was removing the rear suspension from my car? I took a look at my Haynes manual and found that indeed that the s30 was equipped with a rear sway bar? The new bushing kit that i ordered included new bushings and end links for a rear sway bar also???? Has anybody ran into this issue before??? This car has been in my family for about ten years sitting out in the from yard. My dad never touched the car and left it to me to restore when I got older. I recently took over the restoration about year ago and is about half done. I noticed this when getting my car back from the paint shop. My car is an early model Z, it was built in November 1970, but was sold in 71' if that helps. Thanks in advance guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONGO510 Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Early Z's were not equiped with sway bars from the factory. If I recall, the 260Z was the first to get it. Mongo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73z_in_sc Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 can you install one? with aftermarket stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 can you install one? with aftermarket stuff!Yes you can. I have a 12/70, and a PO upgraded the front bar and put on a rear bar. From what I can tell from being under it the other day, there are two solid chunks of metal that bolt (?) to the underside, and the sway bar is mounted to those. The two chunks of metal (per mount) looked to be about, guessing, 1.5" long, and 3/4" wide/thick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shika805 Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 Early Z's were not equiped with sway bars from the factory. If I recall, the 260Z was the first to get it. Mongo cool, i tried reading in the Haynes Manual but nothing explained about the missing sway bar??? Is is possible to swap a 260 sway bar into an early 240??? I wasnt quite sure where the mounts would be on the body of the car? i know that the control arms have the mount holes for the sway bar? would it work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shika805 Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 Yes you can. I have a 12/70, and a PO upgraded the front bar and put on a rear bar. From what I can tell from being under it the other day, there are two solid chunks of metal that bolt (?) to the underside, and the sway bar is mounted to those. The two chunks of metal (per mount) looked to be about, guessing, 1.5" long, and 3/4" wide/thick. do you have a pic of your set up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 do you have a pic of your set up?No, but I can get some. I'll try to remember to do that tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerryb Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Nissan (I think NISMO) use to sell kits that would allow install of a 280 bar. A stupidly expensive braket If you plan to drive your Z on the street without track use ...the bar is not required. If anything, it will induce oversteer. I too have an early 71 and at one time had a rear bar installed. I ran that set up on the track as well and found that it over came the front and the car was tail happy. I had to remove it when I intsalled my CV shafts and never looked back. I assure you....with a stockish suspension and general crusing the rear sway bar is not required. Even on mine......far from stock....its not missed. Dont lose sleep over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowCarbZ Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 ^ I'm with Jerry B and i'd have to say it isn't a necessity. I've got a sway bar in my 260Z from the factory with new poly bushings. But i've driven an older 240Z without the swaybar and I can't say it's a noticeable change. Certainly not worth the money and hassle in my opinion. Depending on the type of driving you're doing though that could greatly change your thoughts on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Rear anti-roll bars were factory installed on the 260Z but the late 1973 240Zs had the brackets on the chassis, just no bar installed. There are two styles of aftermarket rear ARBs for the S30. The first attaches to the factory brackets and only work on the late '73 and later cars. The other made by Suspension Techniques (and Design Products), which is a better design, uses modified transverse link braces to mount the bar behind the diff. Picture below of the ST install: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shika805 Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 thanks for the info guys, ok so this leads me to this question? my plans for the car is making it a weekend driver for now. I currently have shortened struts and the Ground Control kit on the car and is lowered about 3.5". I would love to take this car to autox someday but not now. Would you think a rear sway is in order or just leave it how it is? seems as if the rear sway bar doesnt have a noticeable difference in handling with your guys' experience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getoffmyinternet Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 I was under the impression that later 240s also had the sway bar. Couldn't you just yank one of those? Aftermarket rear suspension mods seem to all have allowance for the use of a sway bar, such as the azcar r200 kit. Although mine is a 72 and it doesn't have one either. It's like they left it out of the early models as an afterthought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shika805 Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 exactly??? i dont understand it, why make the mount area for the sway but not include one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerryb Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Because its not needed unless you drive real hard....look at JohnC seup......not mild. exactly??? i dont understand it, why make the mount area for the sway but not include one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS30-H Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 It's like they left it out of the early models as an afterthought. The North American market got a softened up and somewhat dumbed down version of the S30-series Z. All other markets had front and rear ARBs, higher spring and damper rates, faster steering rack ratios and an arguably more 'sporty' 5-speed transmission with matching diff ratio, right from the beginning of production. The rear ARB was part of the original design and engineering ( take a look at the end link holes in your rear 'wishbones' ) but North America was deemed - probably wrongly - to only need a plain vanilla Z with no chocolate sauce. Say thanks to Mr K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 my plans for the car is making it a weekend driver for now. I currently have shortened struts and the Ground Control kit on the car and is lowered about 3.5". I would love to take this car to autox someday but not now. Would you think a rear sway is in order or just leave it how it is? seems as if the rear sway bar doesnt have a noticeable difference in handling with your guys' experience? For autocross use on a typical street driven car a rear ARB is a must. You need the more neutral handling that the rear bar brings to get the car around the low speed corners at a typical autocross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shika805 Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 ^thanks john Because its not needed unless you drive real hard....look at JohnC seup......not mild. so your telling me that a early 240z is not for driving "hard???" and a later 240z and above that were equipped with a sway bar are meant be to ran the crap out of??? ^of course its not mild, I was pertaining more to why did the early 240z's were not equipped with a sway bar but have the mounts for a sway bar???... it just makes sense that we should have one, right? what's it gonna hurt anyway? like what HS30-H said, we just got shafted from the good stuff... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerryb Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 No Im not saying that...sort of stretched my words didnt you.....?. I have tracked my Z with and without the rear bar..and havent noticed a big difference. If anything, it was easier without. We are discusing your early Z arent we? What Im saying is you will be able to take advantage of the rear bar more so if you have a fully balanced suspension. Perhaps more in line with what Europe was able to buy. To just throw on a rear bar wont make it handle better. Foe autocross, I agree with Johnc....it does help bring the rear around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Well, here's that picture I said I'd get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shika805 Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 thanks man, i will be looking for area tomorrow on my car. 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.