Rear Pass wheel (when jacked up) hanging very low/not spinning

[DaveR]

Well I took a stab at it tonight, and by taking off the single corner at the pivot/bushing point I have it off the car.  I had to remove it because it couldn't pivot down far enough to release the overextended strut. When I got the thing out, the strut was so extended that there was no compression on the spring whatsoever.   I still have to get a wrench and take a stab at the gland nut, but barring that I think I will be okay. 

I will do the same thing on the other side, but hopefully I can get the strut pivoted out without removing the entire corner. A non-failed strut should let me do that I hope. I will end up doing all the struts now.

 

It looks as if I will pursue the stagg strut and Vogtland spring combination. Its unfortunate that they are linear and thus probably not help the ride quality, but I'm thinking I may prefer that reality over the somewhat mixed bag of opinions for the progressive Eibachs.

 

Edited July 27, 2016 by DaveR

[Zed Head]

Linear springs will work fine.  Rossiz has a set of Vogtland and Stagg on his 1978 car and likes them, If I recall right.  They will lower the car slightly from stock, I believe.  About an inch.

@rossiz

If those are the factory inserts, the tubes will be full of fishy-smelling oil, under the gland nut.  The aftermarket inserts are self-contained, not the factory units though.  Don't know if the factory units will over-extend or not.

[DaveR]

Trying to determine if I should replace my strut isolators, so here is a look at one. The rubber on the bottom is still flexible and compliant.  The top surface where it bolts to the car is basically stiff without any rubberish feel there. Not sure if it ever had any. No surface that currently has rubber seems to be in bad shape.

Guy at work who is a very experienced mechanic and spent many years with Z's when he was younger said absolutely no need to replace them. They are totally fine.  I tend to default to his judgement as he is truly a sharp guy, but in case there was supposed to be a bit of damping on the top surface I figured I would see what you guys thought.

Would be nice to save that $50 a corner or so they cost from Courtesy Nissan.

 

Looking at the pictures online, there doesn't appear to be any damping on the top surface, just the bottom. I think I am good to stick with what I have. 

Edited July 27, 2016 by DaveR

[Patcon]

The top is a steel hat with rubber inside of that. The studs on the steel hat bolt to the body of the car. I believe the steel washer the strut bolts to is encased in the rubber inside the hat

[Zed Head]

There is one small piece that can be replaced in there that will add some compliance.  Called a spacer, it sits between the spring seat and the insulator.  Still available I think, I bought some a couple of years ago.  They compress and look like one piece but they can be pried out.  It's just a rubber donut.

http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/axle/rear-suspension/13

[Patcon]

7 hours ago, Zed Head said:

There is one small piece that can be replaced in there that will add some compliance.  Called a spacer, it sits between the spring seat and the insulator.  Still available I think, I bought some a couple of years ago

Zed is right, although they are rubber in the back, there are bearings there in the front I believe. Normally I just wash them and put a little grease back on them