New tie rods and ball joints installed today

[DatsunZsRule]

greekmaster,

I noticed in your post above that you got an '83 280ZX. I know 1st generation Z Cars the best obviously and I'm sure Datsun may have done some re-designing in the front end? so my instructions may be different so you should still read over YOUR service Manual on your '83 280ZX incase different. You really should get a FSM (Factory Service Manual) for your specific yr. Z car. Haynes manuals like you said can be "pretty vague" Courtesy Nissan (where I got my parts from) sells the FSM's on CD ROM or you can shop around on ebay for the actual book.

How hard was it? For me, not hard at all. I don't know where your mechanic skill level is or what you got for tools? Thats what really determines how difficult the job will be.

Equipment/tools: Some are optional but help make the job MUCH easier:

-Air Compressor

-Impact gun with impact sockets

-a good regular socket wrench set 1/4', 3/8', and 1/2' drive. (Metric for the Z )

-an open end wrech set (Metric)

-Channel Lock Pliers

-Needle Nose

-regular hammer and BIG dead blow Hammer if your unable to use an air hammer to separate the tie rod ends from knuckle arms and remove knuckle arm off of ball joint. (You'll know what I mean when you read my instructions)

-Ball Joint separater or pickle fork set. I used a pickle fork set. Only time a pickle for kit should NOT be used is if you plan on reusing the ball joints which you won't be in this case. they are already shot

-Torque wrench. (I used both my 1/2" and 3/8" drive Torque wrenches for reassembly)

-Pry Bar

-Crescent Wrench

-Floor Jack

-Jack Stands

Thats about all I can think of right now

Now how I did it:

-Jack up the front end and support it with Jack stands

-Remove the splash pan underneith

-remove cotter pin off tie rod end and remove castle nut

-separate Tie Rod end socket from knuckle arm

-loosen the bolts at bottom of strut that hold the knuckle arm in place then separate it from bottom end of strut. This is done by forcing the transverse link down with your pry bar.

-remove the compression rod-back off the nut that secures compression rod to bracket, then remove the 2 bolts that secures the compression rod to transverse link

-then remove the stabilizer bar-remove the 1 nut that connects the stabilizer connecting rod to transverse link, then remove the 2 bolts that secure the stabilizer bracket to frame. remove stabilizer from car frame.

-loosen the transverse link mounting bar then separate the transverse link from suspension member.

-remove the transverse link with ball joint and knuckle arm then put the transverse link in your bench vise.

-remove cotter pin and castle nut for ball joint to remove knuckle arm. It will more than likely NOT want to separate. This is where the pickle fork kit comes in. Hopefully you have an air compressor and a air hammer. it will save you a lot of work and swearing

-then remove the nuts (2 if I remember right) that secure ball joint to transverse link and remove the ball joint from transverse link.

For the Tie Rod end:

Loosen the side rod locknut and then you can unscrew tie rod end off. Not hard at all really.

Hope this helps give you an idea If you still think your comfortable doing this and want to proceed, then I'll continue with the reassembling