AK260

Interesting thread. Now here’s the thing that worries me about these things: my friend had a brand spanking new F-Type with 20” wheels. After the second time the wheel had warped and been replaced under warranty, the Jaguar dealership told her that it’s her fault for living in London and that she’s taking speed humps the wrong way (@ less than 20mph) - she should be passing them under the middle of the car apparently. Kind of a poor excuse. So even a company like Jaguar can have poor quality metal coming through their supply chain. Speaking of big firms and quality issues, here’s one on a Volvo ... https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=972549 My 3.2 Audi was new to me by 3 days when I had to mount a 3 inch curb @30mph to avoid a bad collision with Stevie Wonder pulling out on me at the last second with 2m to go. Front left bent and that was when I discovered that the wheels were copies of the desirable and quite costly Audi Le Mans wheels. But it didn’t break, just deformed. We discovered a flat area in the wheel when we couldn’t get it to stop vibrating after balancing. Here’s the external damage but the damage inside the wheel (the flat spot) was imperceptible until we took the tyre off. I often wonder if the genuine Audi wheels that are on there now would have fared any better in that situation? [emoji848]

It hadn’t gone home all the way - There must have been only 0.5 - 1mm in it. Look at the friction it caused ....

Interesting. When I did mine, both sides were tested for preload and once I got past my issue with the grease seal, I found that the difference between 230 and 190lbft was minimal (but the force required on the torque wrench to go from one to the other was significant!), see below... Why I thought. Then I looked closer at the diagram and in effect the bearing centre races, hub centre spacer, axle shaft, washer and nut are becoming as one. The only thing the torque is affecting is compression / deflection in that centre spacer (“distance piece”) - which is a beast of a bit of metal. I can imagine a copper washer being softer would “crush” more if tightened to those later specs. As you say though, I didn’t bother with end play measurements.

Ah yes, forgot you had an earlier car. I know others have had a lot of success with the 280zx nuts but I personally feel more comfortable knowing what a female dog that peening is to get off and therefore how it’s never gonna let go once bent into the flat. Also what is the torque spec for the 280zx v the 90lbft? What is the thinking on the nut being designed for use with higher torque but being torqued to half that on an earlier car? I don’t wish to complicate your life but this is one of those safety things that keeps me awake at night! Except of course for children coming in to tell me they had a successful moment in the loo, or their teddy fell off etc! Maybe when they are teenagers I get to wake them up in the middle of the night and tell them my ear plug fell off.

I’m with zed head on this one!! I literally found myself hanging off a massive 300lbft torque wrench to get close to the spec’s max. OK, I do only weigh 73kg (160lb) but it’s all pure muscle and teeth! The range in the spec is so wide between the years that I wouldn’t fret a 10lb here and there difference. When you get close to the required min torque (say over 190lbft on mine) there is so little movement required to jump up 10lbft that I doubt it would really matter! Unlike you, I went peened nut as it was in the end a fire and forget situation. It’s one of those that you can’t really inspect that easily after a few miles and you never want to go loose. Strangely, by contrast the front bearings are practically finger tight at the correct torque and pre-load settings!

Amen to that! [emoji482]

You are most welcome chap - glad the musings of a madman had some value.

CO, you are most welcome and I’m glad to be of service. The offer is very serious, if you want them from here just tap me up. The OD on mine was also 55mm hence why the gaiter has such a great stretch fit without over stretching. I spent hours on google before I came across something that was right or very close on all three dimensions. I also didn’t want anything too short that would pop off every time the car was jacked up.

In simple terms, in the UK, typically vehicles that are considered to be “kit cars” or have their identity in doubt or have been substantially altered get a Q number plate. See at the bottom of this post for a formal description. Historically, Q plate cars have had a “don’t go near it with a bloody barge pole” stigma as many of them were two cars welded together or bodged repairs on written off cars etc. On our pre-2001 plates, a letter on it’s own signifies the year of the vehicle’s registration (or in imported classics circles, year of manufacture). But if that letter is a Q then you have a Q plate. For example, my plate is TYM 787 S - the S means 1977. But if the S was on the other side I.e. S787 TYM, it would have meant registered between mid 1998 - early 1999. In 2001 they changed this convention. Q plates are perceived OK if you have built your own car like the one above - but not great on a classic. In one extreme case I am aware of, a Q plate was issued on a restored MGB for “substantial alterations”, slashing it’s value. The substantial alterations rules are new and before clarifications were made, were feared by classic car owners such as myself who like non-standard classics. In 99.9% of cases the DVLA is sensible about it. There is a points system depending on levels of mods. For example, if you take off the front suspension and replace with a double wishbone setup, or transplant a V8 (not an in-line 6) etc then you start losing points and get closer to a Q plate. But if you replace your front suspension arm with TTT ones of the “same configuration” or weld on coil overs, then you are still keeping the same configuration and thus, your points. The issue this law is addressing, I understand was started by a classic Bugatti owners club who started to build cars out of parts, issued their own VINs and sold them as original classics (Happy to be corrected). Something like the body shell being discussed here will not have that issue as it is a genuine VIN from factory on an original shell and once the car is together (one hopes as a tribute or other non-substantially modified incarnation), will likely be treated as any other imported Z project that I’ve written formal date of manufacture validation letters for. Here’s a better explanation of what gets a Q plate. There are certain types of cars which will be issued with Q-plates, including: Self-built kit cars Radically modified or altered cars Former Ministry of Defence military vehicles (whose history cannot be released as they are classified) Self-imported vehicles Cars without a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Q-plates are issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to cars whose age or identity is in doubt, with any previous vehicle registration that may have been associated with the car invalid once Q-plates are issued. Sorry for the long reply, but you did ask [emoji1787]

One other thought, can these guys help source for you locally? https://www.classicbritishspares.com/

Sorry to see you have the same issue Captain. Totally agree on the original design being elegant. If you’re not bothered by originality, the classic BSA motorbike ones worked perfectly and look all the money - way better than the RockAuto ones. I had to trim the edge off one end to help it over the spring top-hat lip without covering the drain holes (a tight fit even with the originals). The dimensions on the other end are tight enough over the strut tube body (late 260z) that I could have gotten away without the clip. I did add the clip regardless but it’s not hidden like on the originals gaiters. Here’s the link. Let me know if you can’t find them or anything else suitable state-side and I will get some to you. https://www.classicbikeshop.co.uk/bsa-fork-gaiters-42-5320.html Here are some dimensions for comparison ...

And if the buyer is UK based, I will be in a position to provide a formal dating letter confirming the age of the chassis to the DVLA for the purposes of first registration (and hopefully avoid the dreaded Q plate).

Everything these gentlemen (and by that definition I am making a huge assumption of course[emoji12]) have said !!!!! The only thing I would add to what has already been said, is that having done this job, I did have to take off one side about 4 times as I was getting quite a lot of inexplicable friction when I was using the fish scales to measure pre-load. Thanks to HS30-H’s brilliant advice, it transpired that the seal in discussion hadn’t fully gone home and needed some gentle persuasion to go that final 1/2 mm that made all the difference. So, plan for undoing that nut and make sure you are super happy before peening!!

One day, when I’m state side, I really must buy you a beer!! [emoji1787]

!!!!!!!!! DAD JOKE ALERT !!!!!!!!

Ps. One of my neighbours has a machine that feeds the brake fluid in from the callipers!!!! Now that’s a cool way to chase the air back to the M/C! [emoji106]

Shame that history is unsubstantiated :( I wish they weren’t storing the doors on the roof! [emoji33] Forgive my ignorance but those round holes in the rear valence, were they for US style fat bumpers or are they exhaust exit holes?

Wow! There was a time you could import a running car for that money. Shame it has an RB conversion, given it’s low vin. But at least they kept it in the family.

That’s good to hear. I had a pump action one that created a vacuum and while it got 90% there, it really was never as good as a second person’s right foot on the middle pedal. It also broke after a couple of years.

What!?!?!? Sacrilege!! Most setups (even stock) on L6s don’t really come to life until 3.5-3.8k rpm. Poor pony isn’t allowed to stretch her legs!! ;) My father’s gen I 16v 1.8L Ford Mundano used to run like a pig until I drove it once in a while with my leaden right foot. He never took it over 3k rpm!!! There was also the case of a lawsuit of an old guy who bought a 16v Mondeo and refused to take it past 2k; his valves kept sticking and having warranty repairs. Ford told him he had to get it to 4K or over to let the valves “turn” but he felt that was excessive and didn’t suit his driving style. On a more serious note though - have you guys who use these products considered changing your oil after using the product? You will get “blow by” and this stuff is sitting in your oil having all sorts of reactions. I am coming from a point of utter ignorance of course as I don’t know what these products contain for sure and to what levels (some are nitrogen based but not seafoam I think). One would assume they must have some pretty corrosive elements that shouldn’t sit inside an engine or in the oil for a long period of time. [emoji848] Having taken off and manually cleaned the throttle body on my 3.2v6 Audi, I watched many videos of people pouring all sorts of magic cleaners into the intake with massive plumes of smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes for 5-10 mins. I cannot imagine that was good long term for the Cats or any O2 sensors etc. You can’t break carbon down or melt it with these products, you can only break down the substances that clump to carbon or help it cling on. The one thing that worries me is carbon, the toughest known substance, breaking off in tiny chunks and sitting between piston rings, grinding away. Now I know why I’m an insomniac!

It’s an interesting point. The trouble with that is as we head towards downsizing and hybrids the numbers will head backwards and I guess the marketing depts want it to sound progressive. So going with displacement we may get the Z150E at some point! Or even the fully electric Zero! [emoji2957]

For what it’s worth, I bought one from Rockauto to go with my L28 transplant 3 years ago (even though the original was still OK). It had a Bosch sticker on it but having bought lots of Bosch kit for my other cars, i could tell that it clearly wasn’t re-manufactured by Bosch itself. It cost me less than half the price of the others being sold by the usual Z suppliers and hasn’t missed a beat yet. I have given it a lot of abuse too. If I had your dilemma, and didn’t want to spend silly money on one, I would opt for the AC Delco brand out of the ones listed on RA. On RA you often find alternate parts numbers listed, see below:

Dear God! Just no!!!!!!!!!!

They have been excellent in dealing with by UK Zclub members and have been producing great quality things that are reasonably priced!

Well done for sorting out the cylinder. [emoji106] No matter how much we know, we are all learning every time someone else has an issue! I find using a clear tube and opening the bleeder very slightly works a treat. In my experience, I have found that sometimes even though you haven’t raised the pedal yet, it sucks air in through the side of the bleed nipple. So I undo it a little and tighten again while it’s still squirting out. My method: 3 pumps of the pedal by your helper, keep it down, undo nipple slightly and watch the air come out in the clear tube, close the nipple quickly before it stops flowing. Finally, I had air coming back into the system at the front right since I re-made the brake lines. Could not figure it out until I found a leak on the rear left!!! Strange how the air works it’s way around the system!