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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 3:37 pm 
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Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2015 8:26 pm
Posts: 36
Trying to get my car on the road for the first time (to me) and recently discovered my rear strut is way over extended. Looking into replacing it but really wasn't planning on this expense at this time.

I'm not really ready to commit to super nice/new struts and all the trappings... but feel like i really may need something in the short term.

Any ideas are welcome. Ideally I will probably go Tokico HP struts, if someone happens to have those for sale.

Thanks


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 5:20 pm 
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm
Posts: 14778
Location: CT
What rotten luck. I have a set of McPerson struts (front) but you need Chapman struts for the rear.

Here's something which sounds useful if this is your first time pulling these apart (lots of horror stories involving compressed springs launching struts into faces and thru fenders..beware).

http://biopatent.com/rearstruts.html

While you're in there and have it all apart anyway, one of the nicest things you'll ever do for your Z is replace all the old rubber bushings ("bushes") with polyurethane units.

Frank T

_________________
1970 240Z


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 10:07 pm 
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Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2012 4:19 pm
Posts: 1644
I second the switch to poly! :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up:


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 3:13 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:16 pm
Posts: 1180
Location: Ansonia, CT
Strut removal can be dangerous as Frank T suggests. I've replaced the struts twice during my '71Z car's lifetime and NEVER used a spring compressor. I hated the thought of all that spring energy accidentally letting go.

I found that I was able to safely decompress the rear strut springs by having the car on jackstands, remove the wheel, disconnect the drive axle at the wheel spindle, place your car's scissor jack under the rear wishbone at the outside pivot point and compressing the spring slightly (being careful not to lift the car off its jackstands or supports), removing the center strut nut on the strut tower from inside the car (rear struts), removinig the strut flange fastening nuts (again inside the car), disconnecting the brake line, then gently lowering the whole assembly. The spring will be safely decompressed and you can then carefully pull the strut assembly outward from under the lip of the fender. It is even easier installling the Tokico struts and springs as thay are a little shorter.

Assemble in reverse order. You may need a helper to line up the strut bolt and strut flange bolts from inside the car when compresssing the strut during assembly. Remember to bleed the brakes.

The front struts can be done with the same method only you will need to dissonnect the tie rods. You should be able to unbolt your front caliper and hang it without disconnecting the brake lines.

I hope this is some help for you and others who may need strut work on their old Z's. :)

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John Kish
1971 240Z - original owner


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