front suspension and tire clearance problem

[newbzee]

I guess I understand what your saying but as of now the car doesn't roll because the tire is against the spring plate and I've actually tries loosening all the bolts and tightening with the control arm jacked up to see if that helped.  I have to think this is something stupid.  Maybe there are some key measurements I can take to see if something is bent?  anyone have pictures of their 2 sides, maybe that will provide inspiration.

[newbzee]

So doesn't it look like the spring on the side that is touching is indexed wrong?  Looking at the "good" side the coils follow the angle of travel but it looks like on the side that rubbing that the coils are spun 90 degrees.  I guess I'll check and see if thats even possible but something is weird with that assembly. 

[cbuczesk]

Post a picture of your wheels off the car. I wonder if the backspacing is wrong. Maybe a spacer stuck to the right hub but fell off the left side. That would do it.

Chuck

 

[newbzee]

Okay will do, that crossed my mind but I know there isn't a spacer on the side that rubs but didn't specifically check the other.  I did swap the tires, minus looking for a spacer and that made marginal difference which I think is a pressure issue and sitting in one place for so long.  However, while doing so I did mess around with the top mount and the center assembly nut and did have a noticeable event.  with the hub being jack up and the spring under tension, I loosened the center assembly nut and gave it a little waggle with wrench.  it dropped about 1/4 inch and when I tightened things up I now have about 1/4 clearance between the tire and spring base.  Still closer than the other side and too close for comfort but I'm thinking the bearing aren't seated properly or the bushings maybe?

[gundee]

2 hours ago, cbuczesk said:

Post a picture of your wheels off the car. I wonder if the backspacing is wrong. Maybe a spacer stuck to the right hub but fell off the left side. That would do it.

Chuck

 

Exactly what I was thinking. You can look at the wheel stud protrusion on each side too. If they are different then a wheel spacer must be involved I would think.

[newbzee]

Looks like these be later 280z wheels.  Both sides are the same, no spacer on the "good" side.  I feel like I need to come up with at least a 1/4 inch to be comfortable and better would be 1/2 inch.  front tires are 205/70/14 and the backs are 195/70/14 so thats a bit backwards but it doesn't explain the difference from right to left in the front.

[Zed Head]

The spindle that the bearings and wheel sit on are welded to the tube.  At this point I think that you're looking for the cause of the damage.  Here is an interesting picture from T3  showing the structure, but with a reinforcing gusset added.  Maybe they know something.  The only other possibility, it seems, is deep seated bearings.

https://technotoytuning.com/nissan/240z/front-coilover-conversion-datsun-240z

[newbzee]

ok gang this is where I'm at.  I've tried everyones suggestion minus the rolling since the car is one casters right now.  I tried spinning the top bushing, lowering the shock and reinstalling, switching tires.  Attached is the clearance I managed to gain.  At this point I'm pretty confident the assembly is tweaked.  At the base there is a tab that extends just above where the cartridge inserts and on the good side there is about an 1/8 inch more separation from the spindle than on the bad side.  So at this point I guess my options are, go with the narrower tire in the front, I'm getting new wheels all around so I could get a set with less offset, leave it if it looks like enough clearance, replace the assemble since I doubt it could be bent back.  Input is appreciated.

[Zed Head]

The fact that you got a change in that gap, to me, says that the base and tube joint is loose.  It's supposed to be rigid, you shouldn't have been able to make it move at all.  I'd get the angle right and have it rewelded.  Maybe add a gusset like T3 does.

Even if it doesn't fall off it's going to move while you're driving.  Probably break eventually.  I would not "leave it".

Grab the top of the wheel and shake it or just shove the front of the car side to side and see if the gap changes.  Maybe it will just fall apart and you'll have an easy decision.  You should be able to see a clean gap at the intersection of the tube and casting, at the bottom, where the tube is moving in the casting.  Use a bright light and take a look.

[newbzee]

Any chance you can show me on a diagram where your thinking the problem is?  I can weld so that's an easy fix if I know where and can get the angle.  You bring up a good point with shoving the car since I usually have to give it a good shove to get the casters to rotate and I just moved it so that could all be related.

[Zed Head]

The strut is a tube pressed in to a casting.  Actually I might be wrong on the welding.  They say that the spindle is attached to the "casing" then welded.  Might be a translation error.  Maybe the tube is just a press fit.  Can't be sure.  But that's where you want to look closely.  The bottom drawing is from 1976 because it's more clear.

[HS30-H]

11 hours ago, Zed Head said:

The strut is a tube pressed in to a casting.  Actually I might be wrong on the welding.  They say that the spindle is attached to the "casing" then welded.  Might be a translation error.  Maybe the tube is just a press fit.  Can't be sure.  But that's where you want to look closely.  The bottom drawing is from 1976 because it's more clear.

 

 

The strut tubes are indeed welded to the spindle casting/forging. If you invert a strut and look at the end where the knuckle is bolted onto it, you can clearly see the welded joint.

I can't imagine a tube being welded on at the wrong angle and passing quality control.