Mustache Bar Bushings... Anything Special I Need To Know?

[metalmonkey47]

Getting ready to pull the mustache bar possibly tomorrow to do the bushings. Is there anything I need to know before doing this? 

 

Do I need to support the diff in any special way? Or is it pretty much as easy as just pulling the two bolts on the diff, and the two on the body? 

 

 

 

 

Also planning on drilling the bushings and cutting the remainder of the rubber out of the bar. Is there any easier/more time efficient way to do it? Or is it about as simple as it sounds? 

 

[siteunseen]

Read through this, lots of pictures too.  http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/moustache/index.html

[Zed Head]

If you run a torch over the outside metal around the bushing rubber it will get hot enough to degrade and soften.  It can then be pushed out, leaving a few pieces of rubber to scrape away.  No need for the smoky fire, although it does look like fun.  Much cleaner too.

[metalmonkey47]

Thanks guys! I feel a lot more confident about doing this now. Cheers! 

[rcb280z]

Let us know it went well for you. The site that "siteunseen" gave you will work for you. I used the same one and it was a piece of cake. Once you see how easy it is you will want to do more.

[siteunseen]

Let us know it went well for you. The site that "siteunseen" gave you will work for you. I used the same one and it was a piece of cake. Once you see how easy it is you will want to do more.

Me too.  It worked great even without a helper and those communication headsets. 

 

Blue and his camera make my life easier almost daily.  Now if he would make a tip page for the rest of my life's crap I'd be forever grateful. 

[240260280z]

I wish I had more time in Atlanta... at least I could have bought you a beer.

 

My daughter in that photo is now 21.... time is faster than a Z.

[rcb280z]

Wow Philip, you are right! Time is flying by. And the older you get the faster it flies. Wish that was the same for my Z !

[metalmonkey47]

Knocked it out like a piece of cake guys! I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to do. However the insert for the original bushing (after burning away all of the old bushing) seemed to be rolled over on the edge, so I had to bang it out flat again before I could press the new bushing in place.  

I decided against painting the bar, as the original part numbers were still easily legible. So i cleaned it up, and put it back on. I WAS going to pull the diff cover and re-seal it, but after looking at it a little longer, I decided the diff was probably going to come out sooner or later (that's a thread for another day)

I decided to do the bushings, because I had a bit of a clunk from the rear when accelerating from a stop and shifting. The bushings were pretty close to original if my guess is right. They actually didn't even look broken when I pulled it, or cracked for that matter. Turns out I STILL have the clunk. Halfshafts are in good shape and have no joint play, driveshaft u joints are fine and tight, diff mount is just dandy and has no play. The limiting strap is still in place on the nose. My only guess is that there's slack in the diff. The car apparently had been doing some pretty intense burnouts according to the PO's neighbors. It's got a bit of a whine as well, so I would not be surprised if the lowly R180 is about to pop like a balloon. Fresh fluid didn't quiet the whine in the slightest. 

 

 

 

 

Phillip, I do indeed owe you quite a few beers. I'm quite the SU tuner now. Just a little tinkering and it seems to be much better after you walked me through them.

[siteunseen]

Congratulations, it's a good feeling when things work out.   

[rossiz]

congrats on getting that done - even if it didn't solve the clunk...

you're probably aware that there are quite a few "clunk" threads out there, some were able to solve it, others haven't. be sure to post if/when you do!

[rcb280z]

I had to replace my diff mount to get rid of the rear end clunk.