Ongoing work on my '72 240Z

[uk66fastback]

I'm starting a thread on my car not because I'm doing a full resto - far from it - but just as somewhere to document the work I plan on doing to it over the next few years ... a bit of this and that, small jobs mainly, all the time trying to keep it as standard and original as I can within reason ...

I've not long sold a fastback Mustang which I rebuilt - long story but the stress of owning it filled me with little joy to be honest when it was done and I realised I wanted something with a lot less hassle attached - hence the Z!

Anyway. I took the car for an MOT just to see where we were and it failed on a few things, one of which surprisingly was the steering rack bushes ...

So here are some new ones, courtesy of MJP.



And here are the old ones, not ripped, torn, or anything ... so can't see what was wrong - they are MUCH thinner but that was all.



When suitably lubricated both these managed to slip in after the clamps were removed. BUT ... the driver's side one was way too wide - well about 4mm - which meant I had to shave a couple of mm off each side. There was no way it would fit otherwise. You can see from the pic below, that on the outside edges, some has been shaved off.



One of the other fail points was the ARB bushes and link bushes. So again I fitted some new ones.

As you can see, they looked a bit dried out and worn!



The ones on the ARB were okay but I did them as well as they come in one kit.



The new ones look, well, new. And the old ones, old ...







Now, a question. On the end of the ARB should it go (from the top) ...

NUT
WASHER (loose one)
BUSH
ARB
BUSH
WASHER (Fixed on the droplink)
| |
| |
WASHER (Fixed on the droplink)
BUSH
LCA
BUSH
WASHER (LOOSE)
NUT

Or should there be any other washers in there ... the new droplinks available suggest not but some exploded drawings I have seen suggest there should be ONE more washer on the top of the ARB.

Not the most exciting jobs in the world but needed for the MOT which I am working towards ...

 

[Rob Gaskin]

First of all what you are doing is common - most of us have had vague steering because the rack moves from side to side when steering (narrow tyres help ). I remember the bushes being a very tight fit but I got away with it. Mine were orange I think (it was nearly 20 years ago).

ARB washers - I have found two sorts, a domed sort with a recess for the nuts and another type with a lip on the inside which locates in the ARB to centralise the link.

 

[johnymd]

How you have fitted looks correct to me. The top nut is a nylok so you dont need a split washer. I may go through the same problem with my recently purchased rack bushes. Mine is a 260, although date is 10/73 and got the wider of the 2 bush kits. Its difficult to see which one is on the car. I'm back at Mike's this morning so will probably pick up the narrow kit as well as all the imports will nead replaceing as a matter of course.

 

[Albrecht]

A copy (digital or otherwise) of the factory parts manual that covers your car (north American market, and correct year) is going to be one of the most useful tools in your restoration.

Copies of the north American version are available to download online.

Here's a scan of front suspension layout from a hard copy (but RHD):

 

[Rob Gaskin]

.....ARB washers - I have found two sorts, a domed sort with a recess for the nuts and another type with a lip on the inside which locates in the ARB to centralise the link.

So to clarify with the help of the parts diag:

Domed washer with recess for nut is Part 29.

Washer with lip for location into ARH hole is Part 30.

So you should have extra washers, sorry John. However the poly bushes may have the 'lip' shape moulded into them and being poly (harder) that may suffice. Mike I'm surprised your old bushes didn't have all the washers - can't see the top bush from your pic.

At the end of the day it's not a big issue but could prevent metal-on-metal wear and noise.

 

[Mr.F]

The urethane bushes have a raised centre which performs the locating function of the special washer. Standard rubber bushes are flat.

 

[uk66fastback]

They DID have the extra washers ... ! I should have bought the complete links from MJP but didn't cos I saw you got the rear ARB bushes as well, then I cottoned on to the fact I don't have one ...

But I looked at the pic on the MJP site of the new links and the extra washers weren't there ... So as I had bought the new bushes (that I saw came with the new links) I thought I'd leave them off. I can't think you'd have metal to metal contact if you could avoid it, surely? And these new ones are a lot harder ...

EDIT: thanks for clearing that up Mike!

 

[johnymd]

I like to work out why parts are used and what the function of a part is. Interesting studying the diagram and why they used the additional washer on top of the ARB.

Thanks for posting the diagram and enlightening me.