My new purchase

[datsun 521 ute]

Got my new rear shoes, side rods, inner front hub seals, rear leaf bushes and the other wheel cylinder kit today.

[banzai510(hainz)]

on my 521 (L series) you have a 2pc drive shaft) in the center is the carrier bearing so the drive shaft has suppert in the center. Which is surrounded by a rubber ring holding the bearing in.

 

If truck is really low with lowering blocks or springs removed the angle of the drive shaft changes putting a load on the bearing. Most times when kids do this they dont notice till it break and most trucks are sold by then.

But this is noticible whan 5 speeds are installed on these trucks.

 

Belltech makes a 2 deg lowering blocks to help this. This puts the differential more in line to the trans as the truck is lowered. Usually over 3 inch then it can get toucchy at high speeds or what ever. U joint wear ect...

 

This is why I suggest to use 65 series tires on a 15 inch rim as if you lower it 3 inch it still gives the optical illusion of a lowered truck and fills in the wheel whell. as a 50 series tire youll have to lower the truckl alot more by either butting more blocks or removing leaf springs which I dont suggest as youll get axle wrap if there is such a thing as a POWERFUL J motor.

 

However I dont have a J motor 521 so dont know if its a 1 pc or a 2 pc drive shaft.

 

I just dial the torsion bar in front down to the max and remove the rubber spacer from the frame ,abump stop or whatever you want to call it.

 

You can also reindex the torsion bar from the front A arm. No need to remove the C clips in back.

[datsun 521 ute]

Hi Hainz, we don't have the centre bearing, it's a one piece tailshaft. As for the J15, this will be staying standard except for a pair of twin SU's, a set of extractors, exhaust and electronic dizzy. Axle tramp can be ruled out. I will be aiming for about 3.5" and had a good chat with the guy from the spring makers who had actually done his apprenticeship there and 50 years service. I told him what I was after and he recommended to remove a couple leafs, and which ones, as the ute won't be used to carry the heavy loads it was intended to.

As for the torsion bars these have all been removed for painting so will have a crack at re-indexing them to lower the front. Now I just have to remember how they go back in, will be interesting or frustrating.

Thank you for your help and concerns.

[datsun 521 ute]

Looks good! Nice find

 

 

good job on puting another datsun gem on the road safely.... :cool:

 

Thanks guys.

 

More parts today, rear bearings and seals, front outer bearings, all new brake and clutch hoses and a new Crane XR700 electronic ignition. Now only waiting on front inner bearings and rear leafs.

 

Thought I would throw in a pic of my son in his cool onesie.

[mrbigtanker]

cute kid mate.

[mr928]

Where did you get the new clutch hose?

[wayno]

If you can't find the front inner bearings for a stock 521 drum brake setup, Mike K. makes a spacer that allows you to use 620 inner bearings, as they are easier to come by over here.

[datsun 521 ute]

cute kid mate.

Thanks MrB

 

Where did you get the new clutch hose?

I had the hoses made and cost between $35-$40 each depending on length.

 

If you can't find the front inner bearings for a stock 521 drum brake setup, Mike K. makes a spacer that allows you to use 620 inner bearings, as they are easier to come by over here.

Yes the front inner bearings are just as hard to find here also. After a little searching and a few phone calls I managed to find 4 of or 2 sets so grabbed them both. Now just waiting for their arrival. Just out of curiosity how much are these spacers?

[wayno]

[

 

Yes the front inner bearings are just as hard to find here also. After a little searching and a few phone calls I managed to find 4 of or 2 sets so grabbed them both. Now just waiting for their arrival. Just out of curiosity how much are these spacers?

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the link to that thread, they are $20.00 shipped in the USA.

http://community.rat...__fromsearch__1

[banzai510(hainz)]

mr928

try clutch hose at Rockauto.com

 

521s are weird for some reason they use different threads than say a 510 even tho they were made the same years

521 use alot of SAE sizes. hood bolts, lugs nuts brake bleed screw all different than a 510

[datsun 521 ute]

Well I haven't posted an update for a while due to being rather busy and not having much time to work on the ute but finally back on track.

New headers arrived yesterday and carbs almost complete, just need to make a linkage to sync them and a choke cable.

[wayno]

Can you show us a few photos of the J block Dual SU manifold please. :)

[datsun 521 ute]

Can you show us a few photos of the J block Dual SU manifold please. :)

It's from an MG, I haven't measured it up yet to see if it fits which I should have done first but I'm 90% certain it will. Suits 1 1/2" SU's. intake ports are 1 3/8", measures 7 3/8" from centre to centre of intake ports and the manifold stud spacing from 1-2 is approx 3 3/4" and 1-3 is approx 7 1/4" and 1-4 is approx 11 3/16". The SU's are from a 1600 Fairlady/SP311 R16, so hopefully won't need much in the way of tuning once the exhaust and electronic ignition are done.

The studs were a little long so I cut them down and re-threaded them to the length I needed.

[mrbigtanker]

He's back,how you doing mate from down under.

[datsun 521 ute]

Hey MrB, yeah doing good thanks mate and you?.

Rear end is complete and back in. I had 2 seized brake cylinder pistons which explains why the brakes went. Well all new now and back in, just need to throw on the tyres and see how the old girl sits.

 

[hardslammed]

looking good dude :thumbup:

[datsun 521 ute]

Couple more update pics, it's been a little slow going but getting it done.

[mrbigtanker]

Looking good dude.

[datsun 521 ute]

It's back on the ground but only temporarily as I need to re-index torsion bars, resting on bump stops in the front. Had to call it a night as it started raining, so back into it in the morning.

 

[mrbigtanker]

looking good its going to be finished before mine is.

[skyblue]

:thumbup:

[datsun 521 ute]

looking good its going to be finished before mine is.

:thumbup:

Thank guys.

 

Well it's been a great morning, I got my radio this morning I had won on ebay a couple weeks ago and it looks great. Now just need to get the rest of the parts I'm after

[STEVE K]

Your ute looks great mate, i can't believe you got it from Lower King, Albany in West Os. Im in perth, and go there all the time. I've been searching for 521's in WA for months,with no luck. How did you find it ?. How much if i can ask ?. I would like to contact you directly for information on getting parts here in Australia , as i cant get anyone here to find shit all ?. I've got a 521 van im just starting to rebiuld, and will be needing parts as i go. Mine has same drive line as yours,and I'm interested in gaining a bit more power from the old 1500. I'll be watching your biuld to see how you get on ?.

[datsun 521 ute]

Pulling the front apart now to repair the rust in the front left corner. So I am after some reasonable repair sections if anyone has them. I have listed photos in this section, the rest of the parts I'm after

The old repairs were pretty sad, they even welded the gaurd to the front valance/nose and the lower lip to the gaurd and valance/nose.

So I am in need of these sections as soon as possible and also the front left headlight assembly so I can get it to a point where I can get it road legal and registered and back to driving a Datsun.

[jon521]

I got my radio this morning I had won on ebay a couple weeks ago and it looks great

 

*jealous*