cgsheen1

Oh, I can! They probably finally figured out that it was more of a bother to eliminate the unused pins than to just install and not use them... I'm sure their connector manufacturer was complaining about having to leave out pins. Now every ECU has any number of unused pins - but they're still in the connectors.

If you can't find one closer to home, PM me and I'll get you a FedEx shipping quote on the 1972 front strut assembly I have. It'll be coming from Arizona though...

If you're committed to this path, make sure it's perpendicular in both (all) planes. Did your inboard/outboard repositioning affect the forward/aft position of the tube?

https://www.boltdepot.com/Metric_JIS_hex_bolts_Zinc_plated_class_8.8_steel.aspx boltdepot.com carries a smallish selection of JIS standard hex bolts. They have the "correct" head size for our S30's. Unfortunately, you won't find every bolt you'll need for a Z car there - many very useful sizes though... I hate having to pull out a 13mm wrench for a bolt that should have a 12mm head - but, that's just me.

You've done it right and even if there is a little wiggle as it sits on that block, I think you can still see that the strut tube is no longer at a 90 degree angle to it's base. I have installation instruction photos on our website that show the relationship of the strut tube to the milled bottom surface of the hub where it bolts to the steering arm and ball joint - it's perpendicular in every case for the front strut assemblies. You can't do this same thing with the rear strut tube, but it's angle of inclination in relation to the mounting surface of the wheel is measurable and verifiable as well.

Here's a test: Set the strut assembly on a flat surface - or a surface that you can verify it's "tilt" with a level. I'm talking about the surface showing in your last picture - The surface that bolts to the steering arm (and thus the ball joint). The bottom of the hub. We've found that the strut tube is at a 90 degree angle to this surface. Put a level on the top of the strut tube and see if it's actually in the same plane as the bottom surface. If the base is level (on a level surface) the top of the tube will be also - and all sides of the tube will be at a 90 degree angle to that surface. (That's how we determine position (lean) of a weld-on adapter tube when installing fully adjustable coilovers) If the strut tube is bent - and I believe it is, I would never try to repair that or suggest that to another. Personally, I stand by my initial suggestion that you replace the strut assembly.

That's too bad...

If you think the Energy Suspension Poly bushings are too stiff, you'll need to replace all the suspension bushings and possibly the sway bar bushings... That would include all the lower control arm bushings (front and rear), the compression rod bushings, and probably the sway bar end links. If you think the mustache bar transmits too much noise into the hatch area, you should replace those too.

Yes. Nissan refers to those as "Rear Transverse Link Bushings". We mostly refer to that as the "Rear Lower Control Arm" and "Rear Lower Control Arm Bushings". But there are "inboard bushings" (64 on the diagram) and "outboard bushings" (57 on the diagram) (or- inner and outer). Most of us call the outboard bushings the "spindle pin bushings". If the shop installed poly bushings, they would have already removed the old bushings and the pesky outer casing of the stock bushing. Removing the poly bushings and installing stock should be pretty easy - depending on how the spindle pin removal; goes...

Yup, carpartsmanual.com shows the same strut assembly part number through 07/73. The front strut assembly part number changes 08/73 - 08/74 - that's the early 260Z time frame. IDK when the cutoff was for the 1973's. The early 260Z has struts similar to the 240Z - or same length and tube diameter. The 260Z was heavier so the springs are different (a little longer, and thicker wire). The spring perch may be slightly different as the installed length of the early 260Z spring is 3/4" longer than the 240Z spring. I don't think the 260Z stance is 3/4 higher in front than the 240Z, so they may have lowered the perch slightly to use a little longer spring. I might measure that at some point...

Just looking at the picture in post #38, I'd say the strut tube is bent. With the other issues the OP is having, I don't know why he isn't just sourcing a replacement strut assembly. I wouldn't put more time or energy into the current strut/hub - but then I have a spare in the shop so "that's easy for me to say"... I agree with Zed Head though about the top of the strut assembly. When I read the post about the wheel moving away from the lower perch when he loosened the top bolt and re-tightening it threw up all kinds of red-flags. If everything up at the top of the strut was OK, that never would have happened - it would have returned to the same position. I'm inclined to believe there might also be a problem with the isolater (top hat).

Oh my gosh that guy is good!!

Well, you can learn all kinds of things from the FSM - even damping force: I just found out the 1972 European models had more than twice the damping force than models sold in other countries... I was actually looking at the 240Z spring rates. They are constant 1970-1973: Front springs 70-73 - 1.48 kg/mm or 83 in/lb Rear springs 70-73 - 1.85 kg/mm or 103.6 in/lb The difference between front and rear is about 20% In the front, the two springs are nearly identical in specs except for length and load! The RH spring is 13mm (~1/2") longer (free length) than the LH spring. Installed they are the same height because the RH spring carries more weight apparently.

Thanks for that research and clarification. The same error is in the 1975 280Z FSM. We rarely work with lates ('77-'78) and I've always taken the published spring rate (in ft lbs) in the '75-'76 FSM as gospel (never even looking at the kg/mm figure). Going to edit my post above.

Stock Stance USA XR-1 coilovers use 175mm long springs and minimum rate they show is 4K. They have listed 3K (168 lb.) springs in 200mm length. If you're interested, talk to Stance USA Customer Service about those springs on your struts and ask if your struts would need to be re-valved to use them. That is important to know. The 3K springs would be just over an inch longer than your current springs IIRC. That means your lower perch would need to drop just over an inch. At your current ride-height you should have plenty of thread to lower the perch on the strut tube. (You could move your 4K springs (or strut) to the rear and use the 3K springs on the front. Stock 280Z spring rates were 103 lb. front and 198 (see below) 128 lb. rear (3K=168 lb. vs. 103 lb. - 4K=224 Lb. vs. 198 128 lb.). Your springs would be softer than they are now, still stiffer than stock. edit: the information sited below may change you opinion about the 4K springs... The 15-step damper adjustment is for damping - it doesn't change the spring rate ("stiffness"), it dampens compression and rebound of the spring.

We reinstall the windshield and hatch glass without sealant. This is Arizona, not much weather... If you look through the Factory Service Manuals, the early ones never mention using any type of sealant. By the time you get to the later 280's, the install procedure points out a few spots to add sealant - not the entire gasket, but in corners IIRC. I guess by then they saw a few spots where leakage problems may occur with the seal if the installer wasn't as careful as he needed to be. Sealant is not needed to keep the windshield in place. The gasket is engineered to seal the glass and hold the windshield firmly in the frame. The stainless steel trim is not just for "looks"... It actually helps hold the gasket to the proper shape and keeps the corners from pulling in too far. My 260Z is my daily driver. We installed my new windshield 6 years ago without any sealant. I don't have any problems with water leakage. If you're concerned, take a look at the 280Z install procedure and see what you think. (Use a cotton rope or cord, get it wet before you put it in the channel, better to have two guys outside holding the glass - don't let it slip, at the top corners work the cord in a circular motion to get the gasket corner to pull through)

https://www.energysuspensionparts.com/7.3104 Don't mind that the listing is for the 280Z. If you search the site for the 240Z rear lower control arm bushings, you'll see that they are the same part number. The rear lower control arm is the same in all S30's.

Then they stiffed you on those bushings... The Energy master kit comes with bushings and metal sleeves to replace both sides of the rear lower control arm bushings (inner and outer (inboard and outboard)). I was going to make a comment on your pictures of the LCA, rear hub, and pristine (if dirty) lock pin nut. It's obvious that no one has pulled your spindle pin. And it's very obvious that a new set of poly bushings has NOT been installed on the outboard side. (In the picture above, the bushings for the rear outboard LCA are just above the steering rack bushings (8 black "tophats" and 4 metal tubes) - just above them is half of the inboard bushings for the rear LCA (4 large "tophats" and 2 large tubes)) edit: Looking at the pics again, those might be poly bushings, and the shop might have had a bad time getting getting that hub and LCA back together again... (Is it really that dirty in Panama?? Only 3 years?) With the Energy poly bushings, there should be bushing showing between the LCA and the hub - it's a VERY tight fit and difficult to get together without damaging the bushing. They may have cut that one putting it back together... Those bushings can be a real challenge if you haven't done it a time or two.

I installed a Felpro permatorque dry on my L28ET a couple of months ago - running 14 pounds of boost...

That's awesome - the head has the original overspray of Datsun Blue from the block!

Yes. And they wired differently. The red lens should be a 2-filament bulb for "park" and "stop" lamps. The amber should be single filament and used only for turn signal and flasher.

All 240/260/280 Z's have Independent Rear Suspension. So... I don't know what you mean by "straight axle"... Your suspension has been modified - that's not a stock rear strut. The strut has been "sectioned" or an adjustable lower spring perch has been added. You would have to take it apart to see if the stock strut insert (damper) is still there or if the insert has been changed (which is what usually happens when someone modifies the strut that way) The stock rear brakes were not discs - they were drum brakes.

Your Sherwin Shop is not nearly as kind as ours is. My son and I run Sakura Garage in Tempe, AZ - so, ya, we've had a shop account for years. But we've sent several Regular Joe's down there to get help with their painting needs. Here we also have a couple of Retail paint stores selling to the general public that also carry some Sherwin products along with all the other brands they Rep. But, there's nothing wrong with Deltron!

Wow... This is interesting. We've had a BUNCH of S30's come through the shop over the last 10 years and I've never seen that sheet metal piece. I was tempted to say "that can't be from a U.S. Z..." - and I would have been so wrong. Just goes to show - never say never... Oops, how many times did I just say never.