The problems are starting

[Tourniqet]

Okay,

The problems are starting. I took the z to the shop and got it aligned on a digital rack thing. I want to say it got a little better but that may just be wishfull thinking I forgot the printout at the store... The guy said it probobly needed struts and shocks all around, it sounds like WWII when i go over those little circular lane markers. steering wheel shakes back and forth about a half inch gradually up from 40. The car still veres to the right when i let go at higher speeds, but it goes the the left when I hit the brakes heavily. He also said there was a loose rod of some type (forgot :stupid:) Heres the weird part. My front left tire is worn on the inside. Cruising along i hear a vvhhrrrrrrrrrrrr sound like the treads not hitting the round right? Like the sound the bicicle tires use to make at high speeds. BUT when i turn right the sound goes away (front right tire is brand new front left is old and worn in inside) and when i turn left the sound gets louder... The guy who I bought the car from said he replaced the rotors and maybe the calipers right b 4 I bought it.

Thanks for your help guys!

Oh and I think my hitatchi's are tunned rich, smells rich and bogs out on me some times when i step on it at lower rpms...:tapemouth :tapemouth

[biker]

Shocks (not the whole strut just the insert) will affect everything to do with the wheels such as braking, handling, cornering. Get a second opinion but a bounce test should also show the obvious.

If you think it is running rich, pull the sprk plugs out and have a look at them for colour after a good run in the car in normal conditions.

If it is running rich the plugs should look sooty and black. You need to get them to a tan colour by adjusting the nut at the base of the carbs. Take a mental note where they were before turning the nut so you know where you started from. Turn the nut on both carbys inwards until it seats counting the number of turns on each. Turn it back out but stop at 1/4 turn less and take it for another run. Trial and error my boy:ermm:

[Tourniqet]

I ran into it. And I bounced off, Sooooo I guess it passed the ole bounce test....

Hey biker, What is the bounce test???

[thefastestz]

i got my Z wearing the edges off the tires and it was just the alighnment. I took it to a shop and they alighned it all wrong. (i compared their printout to the factory shop manual)

I sent it back and told them to use the manual(I told them the first time, but who cares what I say) and I never had any problems again.

[2ManyZs]

Before you end up spending money over and over on alignments, you need to find out what is wrong with the suspension and steering in the first place and replace any worn out parts.

First on the list is wheel bearings, then tie rod ends, ball joints, steering rack bushings and steering coupler. After you have checked and/or replaced these items you can then get the alignment done and it more than likely cure 95% or more of your problems. The last thing to do is have it aligned and replace the worn out tires.

If you are wearing out the inside edge of the tire it sounds like it is toed out. I always set my Z's to 0 to 1 1/8 toe out but no more than that.

[Tourniqet]

I swaped the worn out tire with a rear one that has more tread evenly on it. It seemed to make it considerably better. How do I check wheel bearings, then tie rod ends, ball joints, steering rack bushings and steering coupler. Where would I get these parts?

[Victor Laury]

Allen,

It's going to be worth it to chase down your suspension woes. It may look daunting now, since you just got the car and facing a list of issues. But, if you care for those issues, the list will get smaller.

There's got to be a Z club in the Dallas/FW area that can suggest a reputable Z shop.

Your ride will never be right if -

Your tires are worn unevenly,

Incorrect tire pressures,

wheel bearings aren't set properly,

struts in poor shape

The answer for me was to replace the entire front end. It was that hard or expensive.

[Tourniqet]

Any reputable z shops in dallas?

[Tourniqet]

:mad: wow, I thought I checked the whole car for rust... The last six inches of the passenger side frame rail is rusted, I cant tell how bad because of the amount of dirt and asphalt that is plastered on. But I can move this one about a half inch up and down and i cant move the other side at all... I am trying not to panic but my first z is just getting worse and worse. I will try to post a pic later so you guys can see it.

[CNIXZGO]

It sounds like you have bad bushings, ball joints and outer tie rods.

Luckily I found a Z expert at my local Nissan dealer and he did a FREE 40 point inspection right after i bought my 280. See if you can get something like that, it might save you from replacing parts unnecessairly. You can buy ball joints and outer tie rods and rack bushings on Ebay real cheap!

Nick