Rear Pass wheel (when jacked up) hanging very low/not spinning

[gnosez]

Dave - I will be in the Danbury area next week and could stop by after work to look at your Z.

[black gold man]

I was in Danbury once maybe 1973, to visit pops in the Fed pen.  He over billed bluecross for perhaps 500k.

He was jailed with people like George Jung and G Gordon Liddy.

 

 

To bad we didn't make it to the Datsun dealer or lime rock.

[Captain Obvious]

If you can lift the wheel into the correct position manually with your hands, then the problem is in the strut mount at the top, not inside the strut body.

Why do I say that? I say that because if the strut internals had overextended then you would still have to compress the spring in order to lift the wheel, and there's no way you're doing that with bare hands. Looking at your pics, the top spring end still looks to be properly seated in the upper soring perch. And if that's the case, you're not going to compress it without mechanical advantage.

I think the problem is at the top of the strut assy.

 

[DaveR]

I can certainly not lift the wheel into position.  Only with significant rotational effort on the tire will it move upward at all, and I think I am gaining mechanical advantage with my motion. The strut/spring is definitely resisting my efforts to raise it. Even when jacking the corner, it is definitely overcoming the resistance of the strut/spring.

As far as I can tell the top of the strut appears to be seated correctly. The nut up there is the same height as the drivers side (from the inside of the car) and there doesn't seem to be anything mismatching between the two sides with the exception of the extension of the strut internals. From what I can see of course.

Edited July 21, 2016 by DaveR

[Captain Obvious]

Oh, I thought you could just lift it but it sounds like you're getting the mechanical advantage by rotating over the square corners of the half shaft flange.

Whatever the issue, I hope you get to the bottom of it! I remember there was another guy with a similar problem a short time ago... I wonder if he figured his out.

[DaveR]

On 7/21/2016 at 8:27 AM, gnosez said:

Dave - I will be in the Danbury area next week and could stop by after work to look at your Z.

I appreciate this, but unless you are coming right by me its probably not worth it. Milford isn't very close to Danbury ~45min southeast.  (although New Milford is, which may be what you are thinking of)

I think I have my plan going forward, just requires replacing some struts!

[Zed Head]

I wonder if the PO was using that plate as a clamp for the upholstery?  Doesn't seem to serve a purpose.

Have you decided on struts?  There seem to be three options available - Tokico, KYB, and Stagg.  Tokico might still be hard to get though.

[DaveR]

The plate seemed to be so there was something for the strut tower cap to snap to.  

I was going to go with the Tokico's, but was getting a bit of sticker shock. Based on your comment I looked at the Staggs and will probably go that route since I can realistically do springs at the same time without too much more of a $ hit.  This car won't be a daily driver, more of a weekend project and cruiser.  Based on that I think the Stagg seems like a good choice.

[Zed Head]

Interested in what you find with that hyper-extended shock.  Good luck.  Don't be nervous about disassembling/removing more than you think is necessary.  Everything back there is pretty simple.  I spent loads of time once trying to change a diff by removing as few parts as possible.  Waste of time, I should have just dropped everything, did the swap and put it all back in.  I've done the same on struts, trying to fiddle the strut out the side by loosening a few bolts instead of just dropping everything.  Almost wacked myself in the face with the strut when it dropped out the fenderwell.

Take the time to inspect and grease the u-joints on your half-shafts.  The little plugs come out and a Zerk fitting goes in, for regreasing.

[DaveR]

So for dropping the rear end... what is involved?   I assume I have to lower the rear diff, I would prefer to string up the drive shaft simply because I JUST refilled the trans with fresh fluid and changed the tailshaft seal.

I also just put the exhaust back on, but I could take that off as well. I imagine I would have to.

- Disconnect brake lines
- Disconnect e-brake cable
- Remove exhaust
- Unbolt driveshaft from rear diff and in my case secure it somehow 
- Unbolt brace under differential/mustache bar/link mounting base from frame, and lower the whole thing?

 

Can I lower it all from a single point under the differential? or I imagine the links and stuff will start to flop over as it comes down. 

I say all this because my 4 jack stands are currently tied up supporting the car. I will have to relocate the rear 2 as they are currently under the brace below the differential.

 

Or conversely.... I disconnect e-brake/ brake line/half shaft. Unbolt the link bracket in the rear, slide the bar out from the bushing in the front and lower just that corner.  Given my available tools and hands this might be easier.

Edited July 25, 2016 by DaveR

[grannyknot]

Dave, I would add to your list,

-drain the nice clean diff oil and save it.

-remove the 6 nuts holding the struts in at the top and with your jack ease them down so they are supporting their own weight, they may not want to move.

-get your jack under the the diff supporting it them loosen the mustache bar nuts and drop the entire unit, diff, mustache bar, links and struts. Just try and balance the whole thing on the jack as it rides down, once the whole thing is on the floor it's much easier to examine and take apart then it is lying on your back.

 

[Zed Head]

People do remove everything all at in one shot but it's a lot of weight and bulky.  I think that I would remove one suspension assembly at a time, with the diff nose supported (with a block or hang it from above, or wiggle the control arm out and put the bolts back in), then drop the diff and mustache bar as a unit.  Or drop the diff and mustache bar together, with the two sides supported, then drop them as sub-assemblies, one at a time.  Basically three sub-assemblies to work with.

Don't let the left or right suspension components hang from the top mount though if you remove the diff.  When you remove the center control arm caps, the triangulation is gone and the load will be fully swinging on the rubber, unless the halfshafts re still in place.  When assembled more of the load is distributed in to various mounting points.

Found a picture showing the three assemblies, and marked the attachment bolts.  Didn't mark the halfshaft nuts and bolts.  Those are somewhat time-consuming.  Tight fit.