updating worn out 240z suspension

[rinigado]

This week gives me some time off, and a chance to dig in on the 240z. I'm starting with suspension, since most everything rubber is rotten. I tested out a cheap little harbor freight sand blaster on the driver's side lca and steering knuckle. Here they are stripped down to metal, sitting next to a shiny new moog ball joint and tie end rod.

 

 

I'll clean up all the old parts and recoat with epoxy before I reassemble things. I did see a yellow paint daub on the steering knuckle before the part got blasted. Would those have been inspection marks from the factory?

 

Energy poly bushings are sitting ready for my paint to dry.

 

[datzenmike]

Polly... know the undesirable qualities of it... http://community.ratsun.net/topic/71013-nvh-issues/  ... Do NOT use it to replace the tension rod bushings.

[rinigado]

yeah, I've seen a bunch of talk about the risk of broken tension rods. Seems like there's a few options people talk about, from ball/socket bushings, to rubber on the back poly on front of the connection, to just plain sticking to rubber for that joint.My thoughts were to go poly everywhere else, and likely find a set of rubber replacements for the tension rod connection. Not sure what people on the forums here think about the other options. I'd rather keep my original tension rods intact especially while in motion. 

[datzenmike]

Well I would rather have rubber for it's superior vibration isolation. Tip... when tightening bolts on any suspension bushing, set the car down on it's wheels at ride height.

[Dolomite]

I have had poly bushings in the entire front end of my car for over a decade with no issues at all other than a mild squeak from the idler arm that went away after a month or two. There's a tc rod bushing set that are cone shaped, the tapered ends go into the cups and the flat ends to the washers. There's literally no difference in movement up and down from the stock rubber but they don't compress so the suspension is more consistent. For the record, I treat my car like a red headed step child, it gets its ass whooped with no apologies.

[rinigado]

Dolomite, are you talking about the kit from somewhere like the z store ( http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic20m01b/23-4190) with the abs ball and aluminum socket? That seems like you'd still want rubber in behind to allow the joint rotate up/down?

[rinigado]

Are the tie rod ends identical on both sides? I ordered moog replacements, and as far as I can see, even though there are different part numbers on the boxes, the rod ends look the same. I've got the Moog es-2109r and es2110r. Stamping on both parts are the same, showing 40024F H1A.

 

Anyone else ever use moog replacements and have an idea if the two sides are really different?

[datzenmike]

They look different to me. They are what you would call mirror images of each other. They should curve slightly forwards at the ball joint ends. If you use two from one side one will be bent to the rear.

[rinigado]

I can't touch the parts at the moment, just cleaned up and painted this afternoon and they're drying, but I'll pull them down and compare again once dry.

 

 

Before I painted them, both pieces looked straight (looking top down), without the little bend I expected. Threads should be lefty and righty for their side I guess, but it seemed weird that both ends were apparently straight. I assume that'd likely mean they'd thread on maybe slightly further to adjust angles during an alignment?