Datsun 260z Will not move

rdfdr78

Club Member
Hello everyone,

this is my first post for some time, i have a 260z that was passed down to me, I have had the car in the garage for sometime and i have neglected to take it out for over 18 months, it is currenlty sorn. I have had the handbreak off for that period f time however i have come to move it this morning and it will not budge one inch, the battery is disconnected.

I am a total novice when it comes to this car.

Any help or advice appreciated

Thanks Richard
 

mattbibbey

Well-Known Forum User
Jack up the corners one at a time, remove the wheel and tap brakes lightly with a hammer. See if that frees them up.
 

rdfdr78

Club Member
HI Matt,

Thanks for the prompt response, if i get the car to start up and try to reverse it would this be wise? or would it best to carry out what you suggested. I`ve never jacked up the car or removed the wheels, is this easy to do? is it easy to locate the brakes?

Thanks Richard
 

mattbibbey

Well-Known Forum User
Yeah just don't jack it up using the body work!! Ha. You should be able to see if the discs are seized. It might be just the front or rears on their own so jacking them up will show you. If they're really siezed, oil will probably be your best bet. Soak then return later. If you do use oil- you MUST clean them thoroughly afterwards with an oil solvent/ degreaser spray. If any oil remains, you'll have dramas when it comes time to stop :) Post back if you've any more info or if this doesn't work.
 

racer

Club Member
Erh I think a 260 might have drum brakes at the rear! If you soak these in oil you will need to throw away your contaminated brake shoes afterwards. Personally I wouldn't use oil anywhere near my brakes, disks or drums.

Just jack it up at the back on the diff and support at the sides with axel stands. Remove rear wheels tap the drums with a copper hammer only until free. If there really bad you will have to take the drums off and clean them up with a wire brush. This is not an unusual problem with drums so don't worry about it. The front disks may be a bit rusty, if it's only suface that will clean off with a bit driving. Just go easy until there cleaned up.
 

johnymd

Club Member
If you've never jacked a car up or removed the wheels then it may be best if you try and get someone to give you a hand. If you can get it started and the hand brake has been left off then you could try moveing it back and forward to release them. This could be safe for you than trying to jack the car up.



P.S. The brakes are located at each corner of the car, under the wheels.
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
As racer has said the rear brakes may be the biggest problem. Recently I helped move a 260Z that had stood in a garage for 20 years. The front discs were rusty but WD40 on them helped there. However the rears were well and truely seized - the brake shoes were 'welded' to the drums.

We even tried towing the car down the road and one of the rear wheels just skidded. We had to use an angle grinder to cut the drum off.

As Johny has said you should involve someone who has a lot of experience of these things. There were 3 of us with quite a few years experience and we had a tough time getting this car mobile. If you don't know what you are doing you probably won't shift it and you could hurt yourself (strains, cuts, rust in eyes etc).
 
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Mr.G

Club Member
Yes, don't attempt this yourself if you are a car maintenance novice. Like Rob said even people with experience have got helpers with experience to give them a hand.

Hopefully a member in Chester/near Chester may be able to give you a hand.

I'd also recommend you buy a Haynes manual as a starting point. Also find out where the safe jacking points are, usually just under the diff cover and the diff if jacking the reat or the centre of the front cross member, there is a double patch of steel where you should place the jack and don't attempt with a scissors jack. And buy yourself some axle stands and find out where to place them, jacking the car up can be very dangerous if not done before. I'd recommend you jack the car up with with supervision from someone who knows how to do it safely.
 

No Hands

Well-Known Forum User
or just take your bike and get to your local garage and ask someone to come and help you.
might cost you 30 pounds but then you are sure all is safe and done properly.
 

mattbibbey

Well-Known Forum User
Erh I think a 260 might have drum brakes at the rear! If you soak these in oil you will need to throw away your contaminated brake shoes afterwards. Personally I wouldn't use oil anywhere near my brakes, disks or drums.

If his rear drums are rusted solid like the ones on my last 240Z, he'll have no choice but to get soaking with oil! No amount of tapping will loosen them. We tried dragging mine too with the same result - big skid mark up the road:).

Here's a pic of me and a mate from work trying to unsieze the rear right of my last Z! Took us nearly an hour:eek:
View attachment P250809_16.41.JPG
 
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rdfdr78

Club Member
Hi guys,

Thanks for everyone help and advice and upload of jacking points.jpg, with the Datsun stuck in the garage and not much room to manoeuvre on each side of the wheels ( where the breaks are :) ) i`m going to get someone to give me a hand that knows more about cars then me.

I`ll upload some photos when i`ve started it off.

Thanks again

Rich :)
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Rich, what was a BIG help when we moved the stuck 260 from it's garage was 4 'dollies' (no not that sort ;)). We jacked the car up and put one under each wheel and then we could move it out of the garage to work on freeing the siezed brakes.
 

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