OK, there are multiple threads about getting this bad boy out, but what about putting it all back together?

I thought it was going to be very straight forward, I greased the pins plenty in a hope they wont seize again any time soon and pursuaded them back into place taking care that the notch lined up with the lock bolt hole. This went fairly easily however I am having trouble fitting the lock bolt. It will go in but not completely, enough for me to start fitting the nut on the other side, but not enough to be tightened to its full extent, with around 1cm (less than 0.5") still sticking up the top.

The noth is in position as i can see it through the hole, and have tried turning it a bit using nuts and a spanner on the spindle pin but it just doesnt want to go in.

Anyone got any tips on this one or something I may have missed/done wrong?

I was tempted towards the end just to give it a big whack but the strut assembly blocks a clear swing at the top of the bolt.

Ideas would be great.

Thanks,

James

James

I have found that to install them 'easily' you need to check first whether the area around the lock bolt on the pin itself has been damaged. If the lock bolt is overtightened it can distort the sides of the chamfer on the pin where the lock bolt goes, which effectively increases the diameter of the pin slightly ( making it harder to insert). If you file the distortion down it should make the pin much easier to insert

hope it helps

Andrew

Though you have the spindle pin rotated to the correct position the s-pin may not be located lengthwise "exactly". With the lock pin where it is try putting a nut on each end of s-pin. The tap one end of s-pin and see if locking pin can easily be tightened more. If it can't be tightened more, then tap s-pin the opposite direction.

The only purpose of the lock pin was to keep s-pin from rotating while tightening outer nuts. Also to keep s-pin located lengthwise so that an equal amount of threads existed on each end of s-pin. I don't think getting locking pin fully seated affects anything as long as you are able to torque both s-pin end nuts.

Agreed check that the pin and locking nut are aligned correctly i had to do this with a torch and get underside view so i could see just how things were lining up.

Have fun

Installing the lock pins took me awhile too. I ended up using a small hand held press or vice to squeeze them in. Mine weren't deformed because they were new parts, and they were still difficult to install. I stacked several washers on the receiving side so the threads could come through.

On mine, the problem ended up being resolved by rotating the spindle pin ever so slightly in one direction or the other. Once the spindle pin was EXACTLY in the right orientation, the locking pin went in easily.

Something else to do before assembly is clean the inside of the hub where the S-pin goes. This area gets forgotten and is usually in pretty bad shape. I took a shotgun bore brush. It's make out of copper so it won't dammage the inside. I attached it to my drill and ran the brush through until it was mirror clean. A trial fit of the S-pin comfirmed that everything was moving freely and smooth. Then at final assembly grease it up and insert. The S-pin will rotate freely allowing the lock pin to fall into position. A couple of taps with a brass hammer to get it to fully seat.

Thanks Ed that was really informative . I'll be doing that next time when i'm replacing the bushes in the area .

Thanks guys, I will have a closer/calmer look tonight or tomorrow.

Also now the control arm swings very freely where as all the Z cars I have removed the struts from, the control arms had a very limited axis of movement. Is this the way it should be?

Thanks guys, I will have a closer/calmer look tonight or tomorrow.

Also now the control arm swings very freely where as all the Z cars I have removed the struts from, the control arms had a very limited axis of movement. Is this the way it should be?

Did you use Polyurethane bushings or OEM rubbber? I believe that if you used rubber, the range of movement should be similar to what you experienced previously. With Poly bushings, I had quite a bit more range of movement than with the OEM bushings.

I used rubber.

I realised I havent tightened the end nuts yet as the locking bolt is not sitting satisfactorily, so that probably has a lot to do with it.

OK, i get them in tonight, it was just as you guys said, so thanks again for the great info.

It was like cracking a safe:

one twist 2 degrees clock wise, 2 taps to the left, one twist 1 degree anticlockwise 4 taps to the right, then push.