hey all,

Ok, i could shoot myself for my latest problem on my 240z. I am undergoing a full restoration and I am in the process of redoing the suspension. Last week I was removing the hub nut on the stub axle and while attempting to remove the nut I snapped the stub axle in half. This by the way was after spending two horrible days removing the spindle pin. Does anyone know where I can get a new axle at a reasonable price?

Thanks in advance

Matt

Shouldn't be too hard to find on one of the forums. I'd try a non-tech post or WTB ad at www.hybridz.org since a lot of V8 guys upgrade the the Modern Motorsports units. You could upgrade too, or just replace what you have with stock if you're not racing the car or installing a torque monster engine.

I don't know if he still has any but here's an older post from our classifieds section:

http://www.classiczcars.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=3365&cat=4

It sounds like it was on the verge of giving out anyway, so you're lucky it happened as you were taking it apart.

I had one go bad a few months ago, and I had been driving it around like that for a while. The rear end had a very "floating" or "squirrely" feel to it. My mechanic found the problem and showed me the stub axle - completely sheared off.

thanks for the responses, Before I attempted to remove the hub nut I consulted every z manual I have about how to remove the nut. The service manual says to not remove the caulking whatever that means. the clymer manual say do not disturb the peening. On the atlantic z car website there is an informative tech tip concerning spindle pin and hub nut removal. That site recommends grinding the pressed part of the nut off before removing. I still have to remove the other hub nut. Any suggestions?

Follow the Atlantic Z car suggestion. If you don't do that first and just take the nut off with an impact gun, you'll wipe all the threads off of the stub axle from the peened section on out (done that one myself). I've heard people say you can take them off by hand without removing the peened part of the nut, but I've never tried that.

Another source for the stub axle is zbarn.com.

I found a stub axle by going to www.mazda-parts-dealer.com (they sell Nissan too). Dave B there can look it up and tell you which dealer in the US has one. You can probably ask your local dealer to check for you, if they have a clue. I found one in Oregon and it was not that expensive for brand new OEM. Make sure to get a new nut too!

Good tip on the new nut: get a nut from a 280ZXT. It doesn't need to be peened, so if you ever have to take it back off you don't need to grind the peened area again.

My car's in the shop getting the stub axle as well as a bunch of other stuff done now. A local guy here sells parts at http://baddogparts.com/ and that's where we got one for my car.

thank you guys for taking the time to answer my questions. On the first stub axle did grind off the peened portion of the nut and it still snapped. It must have been already is a weakened state. I intend to have my engine rebuilt by rebello so I think the stock stubs should be adequate. I'll let you know what happens when I remove the other nut. Also, a pair of new ones would cost about 500 bucks so I would prefer to find a more economical solution.

Years ago, I had a Z shop in Santa Barbara do a "clunk" removal. They lifted the car and took off the U-joints at the stub axle then used an air hammer to "un-peen" the nuts.

Then they put a huge breaker bar on the nut and tightened it (one guy hanging on the bar). After that they re-peened the nuts and put everything back together.

The clunks all went away!

Thje 280Z stubs are stronger so if you come across a set of these on the net or a junkyard at a reasonable price grab em. I can vouch for the fact that getting them from the JY is a real PITA. I have a bulging vertebral disc to prove it. I should have just dropped the $175 the guy on eBay wanted. Instead I paid $225 for a complete rear suspension setup and well over $1000 for medical bills. Anyone need a complete 280Z rear suspension setup minus the stubs?