front suspension and tire clearance problem

[newbzee]

So it's more likely I have a slight bend.  I'm wondering if it would go back into shape?  If I put a straight edge to it I think I see it's off right at the base where the tube goes into the spindle.  Based on the difference in spacing over the distance of the tube, it's off by such a small amount.

[HS30-H]

1 hour ago, newbzee said:

So it's more likely I have a slight bend. 

It's more likely to be something else entirely. A bent spindle would possibly cause all sorts of other problems, not least of which would be hub bearing trouble. I don't see it as the likeliest scenario here yet, so don't do anything rash. You need to fully understand the problem before you make any attempt at rectification.

[240260280]

Rotate the wheel: Does the wheel spin on the same plane  or does it wobble?

 

 

[Patcon]

4 hours ago, newbzee said:

So it's more likely I have a slight bend.  I'm wondering if it would go back into shape?  If I put a straight edge to it I think I see it's off right at the base where the tube goes into the spindle.  Based on the difference in spacing over the distance of the tube, it's off by such a small amount.

Nope, I doubt it. If you find the strut is damage, you would be better of to replace it. I think it would be hard to straighten with out damaging the ID of the strut tube. That would make strut removal or installation impossible.

[Zed Head]

Parts get damaged.  Sliding in to a curb, a big pot hole...

[newbzee]

Well I'm not opposed to replacing the assembly if I can find one for a reasonable price.  I'm in NW Pennsylvania if anyone has one or knows of a bone yard that would.

[Patcon]

What year car? It always helps if that is in your signature line

[newbzee]

1973, I updated my profile but it hasn't shown up yet

[Patcon]

So you need a 240z strut. I don't think I have one...

[gundee]

I have never seen a bent Datsun strut, but there is always a first time. How were you and the previous owner even able to drive it around 

being like this. I don't get it.

[Zed Head]

No offense to Z car fans but the Z was, at the time, the economical, aka "cheap", sports car.  The poor man's Maserati.  Costs were minimized.  There are other known manufacturing defects, like spindle pin bores drilled off-axis, causing excessive rear toe-in.

I searched "240z bent strut" on Google and these three were on the first page.  It's not common but not unknown either.

https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/39265-possible-bent-strut-or-spindle/

http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/108051-strut-bent/

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1754694-bent-front-struts

[newbzee]

Interesting threads but no resolution.  Regarding driving the car, If I had to guess, either the gap is enough to not cause a problem on a casual test drive or the smaller tires in the back were once in the the front and I swapped them at some time in a drinking stuper to see how they would look in the front and don't remember.  I'll probably switch the tires to day to see how things look and put the car on the car to give it a roll to see what happens.  I need to take the assembly apart to change the inserts anyway so maybe that will reveal the problem.