MUSTACHE BAR QUANDRY/HELP!!!

[jlenownnab]

I'm posting a new thread hoping to get some feed back (Thinking about freshening up my suspension). If you have been there done this or know without a doubt the facts, please respond. 

My ASE mechanic friend and I just spent 6 hours trying to put the rear end/suspension back in to my car, a 1975. I am no further now then I was when I started, just frustrated and pissed. It should not have taken 2 hours tops. Long story, short... I removed the sleeves out of the mustache bar in preperation for my Prothane kit and now realize I should'nt have. I waited 2 weeks for new Oem bushings that are probably on indefinate back order and decided to purchase a used mustache bar instead. Here is the catch, I have a r200 rear differential that requires the r200 mustache bar, but I was told by Z Car Source where I bought it from that the cheaper r180 bar will work fine if you oval out the diff mounting holes and use a lock washer, cool. I am not cheap nor am I trying to cut corners but I knew I could oval out the holes in 5 minutes which I did and be good to go. First of all, the bars look nothing alike. Second, the r200 is much heavier. So, here's the problem.... there is no way that I can find to get the rear control arms to line up with where the bushings fit in. On a 75 the mustache bar mounts backwards from earlier years, I tried both ways. I tried swithing the U shaped bracket around that hangs down behind the diff, I tried it every which way. In the end we feel that we tried every different scenario. Tell me I'm not crazy, has anybody swapped out mustache bars from a r200 to a r180?????

[Pop's Z]

Long story short...the two mustache bars are NOT interchangeable. R 200 diffy requires R 200 bar ('75-'78 cars with manual tranny). R 180 bars will not work with R 200 diify and vice versa. Put the Prothane bushings in the R 200 bar and call it good. Good luck.

Cheers, Mike

[jlenownnab]

Thanks pops, I figured so much by the end of the day. I guess I need to thank kyle at z car source for totally wasting my time and money! 

[siteunseen]

Have you seen this?  It's what I followed when I put the Energy Suspension kit on my '77 by myself.

http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/moustache/index.html

[EuroDat]

I have never heard of them being interchangable. Seems strange that Z Car Source would say that without reseaching it better.

Like Pop's Z said, I think the R200 mustache bar with the PU bushes is you best option.

[gnosez]

The R180 bar mounts in the opposite direction from the R200 (the way the bar bends) so the alignment would be off whether you drill out the diff bolt holes. A quick look at FSM version for the 240 and 280 diff and rear suspension diagram would show how they line up differently.

Sorry you had to spend the extra and I'm sure frustrating time only to find it wasn't anything you did wrong.

[Jeff G 78]

Nine years ago during my first 24 hour race with my 260Z, we broke the R180 diff and the only diff I could get my hands on mid-race was a R200.  With no R200 mustache bar handy, we modified the R180 mustache bar to fit the R200 diff.  This happened at 1am in the rain with practically no fabrication tools.  It wasn't easy, but we did get it mounted and got the Z back on the track.  Bottom line is that they are indeed very different, but ANYTHING can be made to fit with the right motivation.  

Edited February 19, 2017 by Jeff G 78

[zKars]

Part of the problem/confusion here is that there are two different R180 Z M-bars. The early ones, until they moved the diff back ro straighten up the half shafts, (72's?) were FLAT, and cannot be used with an R200. The ones with the diff moved in the rearward position are curved and CAN be used with an R200. Yes you have to open up the holes for the 12mm R200 holes. I've done it, its not conjecture.

[jlenownnab]

That is absolutely classic!! I asked my friend today if I should take it up to the welder and he said "just find an r200 bar", we are so done with it. The thing that kept us trying was that we actually were so close to making it work, live and learn.

I don't think I am making it clear why I am in this jam. I went through and cleaned, painted and prepped all suspension parts while I was waiting on new parts to arrive. From memory I thought I remembered cutting the sleeves out of the mustache bar last time I did bushings, so when I fitted new urethane bushings they had play in them. Mustache bar ruined. Fiasco begins! I found a new listing on Ebay today for an r200 bar and I snagged it for $85, so as soon as it arrives in approx 10 days I am back in business. Thanks for responses, hopefully this little thread will save someone in the future from headache and frustration.

[jlenownnab]

zKars, so your telling me they sent me the wrong r180 bar?

[Zed Head]

8 hours ago, jlenownnab said:

I was told by Z Car Source where I bought it from that the cheaper r180 bar will work fine if you oval out the diff mounting holes and use a lock washer,

.... there is no way that I can find to get the rear control arms to line up with where the bushings fit in.

Z Car Source has been a mystery to me, just an internet name that sells parts.  Interesting that there's actually a person or persons behind the name that will actually give advice.  Bad, in your case.  Did you talk by phone, or text, or email...?

And, by the way, those aren't what we would call control arms.  Although I think that Nissan might call them links, maybe of the transverse kind.  Most people think of control arms as the part between the body and the wheel hub. (Actually, that whole statement about control arms doesn't really jibe with the mustache bar issue.  Not clear where control arms entered the picture.)

[EuroDat]

8 hours ago, jlenownnab said:

zKars, so your telling me they sent me the wrong r180 bar?

A photo of your situation would be nice. Take a lot of guess work out of it.