Brubaker

I am going on the cheap an dhoping for the best. I bought some 5/8 washers and a large steel nut, $4. These will slide over the spindle pin. My hope is to remove the spindle pin nut, slide on the washers, put the nut baclk on and tighten with a ratchet and breaker bar. As I tighten the rust seal will hopefully give it up. I fgure I will only get a couple hundred pounds of torque. If I need a ton of torque this won't work. I will hit with penetrating oil and I am hoping if I get some movement I can switch to the other end and do it again. The washers will push up against the control arm and the spindle can fit through the opening. It sounds like some had had success with this method. Once the rust seal is broken and the spindle starts to move, does it get easier or is it a bear the whole way out?

I found a guy to do the strut tube, t/c rod and control arm in silver, backing plate, hub, and strut/spring cap done in black. All parts had to be cleaned up of a fair amount of rust and had the guy sand blast the caliper and a couple other items. For one corner the guy wanted $130. He started out at $260. Sounds high but to do all 4 corners is sounding like $500. I was hoping for around $300. Maybe I need to get a cheap oven and the Eastwood kit.

I am looking to have my strut tubes, control arms, backing plates, t/c rods, idler arms, calipers, drums etc, powder coated. To do all 4 corners is this a $200 job or $1,000 job? Any input from those who have had it done is appreciated. I am looking at a metallic silver for the strut tubes, control arms, calipers, drums and rods and gloss black for all other parts. I also want whoever does this to strip the 34 year old parts of all rust down to clean metal.

Thanks for the input. I've done the front end stuff, struts springs, control arm bushings, rack, wheel bearings and races and none of this was hard. I was thinking compared to some of the new cars where you have to be a contortionist, the Z isn't to bad. The slow part is the cleaning of the rust and priming and painting. Clearly I am on the easy stuff. The rear end seems to be the challenge. I'm not under any time constraint as I bought the car for weekends. Looks like some extra beer will be in order.

New to the Z world. I have a project on my hands and would appreciate input on ranking the following items in level of difficulty - easiest to hardest. I am currently working on the front end and haven't found it to be too difficult. - Replace front stuts and springs with Eibach progressives and tokico illuminas - Replace rear struts and springs - Replace front wheel bearings and races - Replace rear wheel bearings and races - Replace ball joints - Replace all front bushings with urethane, control arm,tension rod, steering rack etc. - Replace all rear bushings - Replace spindle pins. - Replace 30 plus year stock exhaust manifold with msa 3-2 coated header - Replace exhaust with twice pipes - Replace all brake hardlines I think that covers it. To those who have traveled this path, any insight to what to expect. The car is a 1977 280Z all original and extremely rusty and corroded on the suspension and exhaust system. Hope this is in an ok thread, apologies if not.