Removing Rear Suspension 1975 280Z

[ernesto]

Looking for guidance. I have my 1975 280Z up on jack stands.The jack stands are placed per the maintenance manual. I am going to remove the gas tank and the rear suspension. Should I have any issues with the car tipping on its nose due to removing the weight from the back of the car?

Thanks!

E

[Racer X]

16 minutes ago, ernesto said:

Looking for guidance. I have my 1975 280Z up on jack stands.The jack stands are placed per the maintenance manual. I am going to remove the gas tank and the rear suspension. Should I have any issues with the car tipping on its nose due to removing the weight from the back of the car?

Thanks!

E

When I place one of my Z cars on stands, I put the front stands under the engine crossmember, just under the lower control arm pivots. That should be far enough ahead to offset any weight unbalance.

 

Edited November 21, 2020 by Racer X

[Zed Head]

There are several points to jack from and support from.  This is from the General Information chapter.  You'll probably be fine.  The car is only tippy if you lift in the middle, between the recommended points.

[pogden]

With my 76 280Z on stands under the FSM-specified support points (as show in Zed’s post), and with the engine, transmission, interior (including seats and dash) and front undercarriage out, it was easy to tilt the car back off of the front stands. My point is that the FSM support points may be focused mainly on chassis strength and not on balance shift due to major disassembly of heavy parts.

As Zed said, you will probably be okay (as long as you don’t lift the rear or sit on the front while the suspension and tank are out), but it could not hurt to throw a bottle jack or something under the front crossmember just to be safe.


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[Zed Head]

1 hour ago, ernesto said:

 I am going to remove the gas tank and the rear suspension. Should I have any issues with the car tipping on its nose due to removing the weight from the back of the car?

Just one more follow-up, maybe should have been the first response.  If you're removing the tank and rear suspension the nose of the car should already be on the ground.  There's no reason to lift the front.  That would be the most stable situation for you.  Only lift the back end.

[ernesto]

Thank you for the information. I followed the FSM and used the recommended jack points. I will put a support under the front cross-member to be safe. I am hoping to get to the front also and went ahead and lifted it all the way around. 

E

[AK260]

And then there is this ...



The lift was £450 and the best thing I’ve ever owned for working on the car! ;)


On removing the suspension thing, I found that doing it on my own, it was easiest undoing the bushes first, then taking off the strut nuts while you support the weight. But putting it back was easiest with putting the brackets / bushes on first then lifting the strut top into place. But if you can get someone else to help, then your world will be a nicer place! ;)

[Zed Head]

11 hours ago, AK260 said:

And then there is this ...

Can't really see it, do you have a separate link?  Looks like a giant scissors-type jack?  Blue?

$600 USD.

Edited November 22, 2020 by Zed Head

[Racer X]

7 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

Can't really see it, do you have a separate link?  Looks like a giant scissors-type jack?  Blue?

$600 USD.

It is a low rise scissor lift. Not too sure about using to only lift one end of the car though, all the ones I have ever seen are a pantograph type, and the platform rises and falls parallel to the shop floor.

[Zed Head]

Tried to find one on Amazon just to get a view but there's too many choices for those words.  I did find these though, which look really useful for our cars.

https://www.amazon.com/DEDC-Universal-Slotted-Rubber-Medium/dp/B074TBZMLZ/ref=sr_1_31?dchild=1&keywords=low+rise+auto+scissor+lift&qid=1606085425&refinements=p_36%3A-80000&rnid=386419011&s=automotive&sr=1-31

Edited November 22, 2020 by Zed Head

[AK260]

Can't really see it, do you have a separate link?  Looks like a giant scissors-type jack?  Blue?
$600 USD.

It’s a tilting scissor lift made by CJ Autos in the UK ...


https://cjautosheywood.co.uk/product/3in1-tilting-adjustable-car-lift-1-5-ton-cl01/


I haven’t needed to get it to max lift yet, but once at 75% and tilted, I can happily sit upright under the car and work.



The see-saw feature was particularly useful (and equally worrisome) when I was working on all the brakes and fitting the full exhaust system. The only thing it won’t be good for is a transmission removal.




While I will never use it on anything other than the Z, if you keep two wheels on the ground, you can lift a car heavier than 1.5 tonnes.