Decided to rebuild the front and rear suspension on my 73 Z.  Decided to splurge and buy the Koni Yellows, and Eibach progressive springs.  Going mostly rubber bushings instead of poly since it's mainly for pleasure driving.  Going to tackle the front first.

I wasn't planning on dropping the subframe, but couldn't remove the lower control arm bolts without hitting the rack.  Made a couple metal bars and used the anti-sway bar bracket bolt holes to support a piece of wood, which held the engine up resting on the oil pump.  Easier than dragging out my engine lift.

 

Sand blasted the subframe and repainted.  I used poly bushings for the rack mounts.

To remove the LCA bushings I drilled a couple holes through the rubber, then used a coping saw to saw around the rubber to remove.  Then cut inside of the outer bushing steel with a hacksaw as suggested in other threads.  To remove and install new bushings I used a 35 mm deep socket on the bottom, and a 1" socket on the top.  The 35 mm seems to support the welded in A-arm bushing good to support it without deforming the LCA.

When I dropped the Koni's into the strut housing, I had a 6 mm gap instead the required 1-4 mm.  Called MSA and they quickly shipped a set of the gland nuts with the relief cut, which got it down to 3 mm.  I guess Nissan had a few different suppliers for the strut housings, which made them slightly different.

Here's the only way I could figure out how to hold the strut while torquing the gland nuts.  Used an aluminum block with just enough pressure to keep it from turning.  

Here's the assembled pair ready to go.

Cleaned up the wheel wells with Simple Green and a brush.  Looks pretty good without the dirt and grime.  New ball joints and tie rod ends too.

Ken

Edited May 30, 20213 yr by sfm6s524
because

I'm back from a trip to Wyoming, need to get moving on this.  Got everything cleaned up, ready to bolt in.  Mounted the differential so I could measure and cut the TC mount bushing.  I tried a few sockets to stick between the mount and diff housing to get a measurement with about an 1/8" gap.  Using new front lower mount.  Then I busted that little plastic breather vent 😠, so I'm ordering another one of those from the dealer.   New Koni's, Eibach springs, and axle bearings installed.

 

I modified an old screwdriver to help remove the broken off breather vent.  Basically catch the top of the sideway holes and pull up.  New 38352-78600 is $7 from dealer.

Here's a pic of the TC mount clearance.  Hard to believe the factory used a belt instead of something like this.  

Rear suspension is back together.  Not sure how loose others leave the inner bushing brackets so they can be tightened with wheels on the ground, but I left about an 1/8" gap between brackets and frame.  Spindle nuts are loose too.  I guess I should start looking for an exhaust system, pretty rusty, saw a few small holes in the pipe.  It has Nichira mufflers, looks like they're date coded Dec-84.

Now onto the rear brakes.

On mine, the serrated washers were missing their teeth completely as they had been washed off with British weather over 40+ years.

The moustache bar used to clonk going over bumps or undulations in the road when accelerating.

As they are NLA, I used some 9mm and 3mm washers (60mm OD, 24mm ID -22mm if you want a very tight self centring fit) to make my own version. NEVER a clunk since and I’ve been pushing very hard.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-x-pick-own-size-Solid-Neoprene-Rubber-Washer-Washers-3mm-thk-upto-60mm-dia-/262163888110



I think the engineers put them there for a very good reason.


Ps. Great work - looks incredible under there - now you will fear puddles!!! [emoji1787]

On 7/26/2021 at 2:12 AM, AK260 said:

On mine, the serrated washers were missing their teeth completely as they had been washed off with British weather over 40+ years.

The moustache bar used to clonk going over bumps or undulations in the road when accelerating.

As they are NLA, I used some 9mm and 3mm washers (60mm OD, 24mm ID -22mm if you want a very tight self centring fit) to make my own version. NEVER a clunk since and I’ve been pushing very hard.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-x-pick-own-size-Solid-Neoprene-Rubber-Washer-Washers-3mm-thk-upto-60mm-dia-/262163888110



I think the engineers put them there for a very good reason.


Ps. Great work - looks incredible under there - now you will fear puddles!!!

So is this 2 3mm metal washers with a 9mm neoprene washer between them?

So is this 2 3mm metal washers with a 9mm neoprene washer between them?

Ok, what you see me holding is the metal washer at the bottom. Then glued to it is a 6mm (not 9mm my apologies) rubber washer, glued on top of that is a 3mm rubber washer. Makes sense?

5 hours ago, AK260 said:

 

Ok, what you see me holding is the metal washer at the bottom. Then glued to it is a 6mm (not 9mm my apologies) rubber washer, glued on top of that is a 3mm rubber washer. Makes sense?
 

 

AK, I measured the distance on my 240Z between the steel washer and the mustache bar, top and bottom, and it's about 10mm.   So, are you running a small 1mm gap?  Just curious.  

My worn serrated washers have about a 5mm gap between rubber nubs and mustache bar.

Got the rear brakes put back together.  Next step is to get my wife out there to help me bleed the brakes.  The new MSA wheel cylinders had a different angle on the inlet so ordered to new set of hard lines to fit.  

 

 

 

AK, I measured the distance on my 240Z between the steel washer and the mustache bar, top and bottom, and it's about 10mm.   So, are you running a small 1mm gap?  Just curious.  
My worn serrated washers have about a 5mm gap between rubber nubs and mustache bar.

Yes indeed a small gap! But the gaps to the metal washers on mine top and bottom look different when the car is on a jack. One side is 10mm the other side is closer to 14mm. Probably because I was jacking under the diff.

I have a ramp arrangement in my garage where the car is driven in, onto ramps when parked such that I lay under it and change an exhaust for example. The next time I’m in the garage, I will take a picture for you to show the gap when the car is on the ground / with suspension loaded up.

I am so very pleased with the improvement they made to the car and have no clocks / knocks or additional noise - regardless of how hard I push the car or the state of the roads oh and it cost me less than $15. ;)

14 hours ago, AK260 said:

 

Ok, what you see me holding is the metal washer at the bottom. Then glued to it is a 6mm (not 9mm my apologies) rubber washer, glued on top of that is a 3mm rubber washer. Makes sense?
 

 

Next dumb 2 questions... 1- Did you use a 6 + 3mm rubber washers because there wasn't a 9mm rubber washer? 2- I presume the metal washer is oriented away from the mustache bar?

Here are my "two passengers" loaded per the FSM while tightening a few of the suspension bolts.  Not sure what size passengers they had in mind, a Sumo wrestler, or a petite lady.  180 and 120 lbs should do.  I bounced the springs several times before tightening.

I guess I'll make up something to get the toe-in adjusted close enough to get it to an alignment shop.  The normal flat rate alignment charge is ridiculous for 240Z's, not much to adjust really!  But I'll bite the bullet and get it done, at least I'll know where it's at.  Once I get a few miles on the Eibach springs, I'll let you know how much the drop was.

 

How did you get your Z up on the elevator pads?