mdbrandy

They are original to at least the later 280Z's. I would expect they would work fine on 240's as well, although I have never tried. I bought 4 from Chloe quite a while back that I am now installing on my 280Z. Victoria British has them in their catalog, but they are very pricy. At least $200 for the set. And the circlips at the bottom are NLA. Even Chloe couldn't find them for me back the day. The aftermarket sounds pretty good if you can find something to fit . Edit: VB 2005 Winter catalog, pages 90-91, part 62-368. Lists the same part for front and rear, and lists 70-78 as the application. The bottom clips are not listed as available. The price is $49.95.

Aren't we talking about ball joints and not tie rod ends?

Are they Nissan parts? If so, the current Courtesy Nissan price for the 14mm ball joints is about $95. Which is why I put Moog on my 280Z. If they aren't Nissan parts, then that is way too much. If they are, then I'm sure you'll be able to get that for them after you find enough originality-oriented restorers.

I just cut off the peened part. If you try to get the rest of it off, you will undoubtedly get into the threads and then you'll have trouble. The parts that aren't peened are just normal nut-threads anyway, so there is nothing to be gained by taking them off, and lots to lose by making a mistake, going too deep and getting into the threads. The machined flats have no threads to damage. My 2 cents.

Here's a picture of the flat on the axle end. There is a matching flat machined on the other side of the axle. Also a pic of the axle removed from the strut for reference. If you want any better pics, now's the time to ask! It's all apart!

Here's the real thing . Last Saturday at a local car show here in Champaign.

If you look at one of my posts above, you'll see pictures of the nuts before I cut off the peening. It is essentially the top edge of the nut bent in against flats on either side of the axle to 'lock' it in place. By cutting it off, the threads on my axle are now still in perfect shape. I don't know what it would do to the threads by not cutting the peening off. The factory manual says not to cut it off, but several members here have insisted that it should be done (and it worked for me!). I was VERY careful with my dremel not to get into the threads while cutting.

Wow! I hadn't noticed that one. Maybe I'll invest $75 for next time (I'll still have the 240Z to do some time in the future). There are some other bolts that my current wrench has not been able to handle either....

Well, thanks for all the ideas! I cut off the peening as panchovisa admonished me to do (thanks), used a torch per ChrisA, and then set up a rig of my own invention, but from ideas of a bunch of others. The dime-store air gun was still a bust, but a 3 foot breaker bar, with an 8 foot 2x6 tied to the wheel worked like a charm! I didn't even have to break much of a sweat! One helper on the tire, and one on the other end of the board to keep them from tipping, and I broke it loose in just a couple tries. Now off to do the other one...

Chris has pointed out where the nut is, and here are a couple of close-ups for fun! The first is at an angle so you can see the "peening", and the second is from above so you can see how it is crimped to the flats nicely.

If I don't get them apart tonight, that will be Thursday's answer. I just can't help myself - I have to try!

Well said!

I wonder if they sell Jedi breaker bars... The torch idea is easy to try. I used heat to get the tie rod nuts loose on the front end a month ago. Maybe cutting the peening off, heating up the nuts and using the good old dime store air gun will do it...if not, nothing lost! I shall try that first before setting up a "torque station" on my bench.

I'd have to reassemble the entire rear end of the car - diff mounts, A-arms, rear hanger mounts, and then the struts. LOTS of work. If I can't do it off the car, it's off to a shop that has a BIG air gun. Tonight's work...

I've got a 10 foot 2x6 with nothing better to do. Maybe I can combine this with panchovisa's ideas....I wonder if it will take the force needed?

Concrete walls, no studs available. Good 36"x80" bench top, though. Nice Record Woodworking vice, but I've been meaning to get a "real" vice.... I've got a 24" breaker bar and a couple feet of pipe right now. I could get more pipe.... I'm SO not looking forward to this... :sick: But the beer sounds good! OK, OK! :classic:

280Z is the same as the 240Z for this part. My gun is a 250ft-lb max model which is of the "dime store variety" (you got that right!). I'd rather not invest several hundred $ just to get these nuts off (buying a good, new gun). So I'll take it somewhere before I do that. But a long breaker bar and elbow grease should do the job IF I can hold the assembly solid like it would have been had I removed this nut before taking the struts off the car. And on the peening, there seems to be varying opinions. I had another thread on a similar subject where some said remove and some didn't. The factory manual and a couple of after market manuals specifically say don't. So far, I can't get enough torque on the thing to see if I can get it off without removing the peening. I wanted to try that first before breaking out the dremel....so I have to figure out how to hold it in place...

Ok, I admit, I didn't think ahead. So, the other weekend, I completely stripped the rear suspension off my 280Z. Evernthing from struts to differential. Going to redo everything, just like the front suspension. So what is the problem? I didn't remove the axle nuts before taking the struts off! :stupid: I've read all the "techniques" for removing this nut while on the car. I tried the following: bolted the strut to the wheel, and had 400+ lb of wife and 2 children stand on the tire. With the 3 foot breaker bar I have on it, I could spin them around without all that much trouble. I figured rubber on garage floor with 400 lbs of weight would provide more friction! So, I'm now trying to figure out some way to attach the hub to something else immobile so I can go after this nut. I did try my (cheap) impact wrench, and it didn't so much as even think about budging. But I didn't think it would. Worst case, I'll take it someplace and let them get the darned things off, but I hate admitting defeat! So, any ideas here for the terminally stupid (me)? Edit: After reading this again, I wanted to make clear that's 400 lb total of wife + children, not a 400 lb wife, and then children! :tapemouth

Not a problem Carl. A good idea is a good idea.

You're right, Carl, and I'll do that tomorrow. I was in meetings all afternoon and didn't get a chance to do it.

And yet it is not obvious that the parts are different without taking detailed measurements, and it was their mistake that they sent the wrong part. So why should I suffer? And if you note, I said I was ready to accept a "no" answer. But do you, dealing in retail stuff, regularly insinuate that your customers are liars? That is what really chaps my a$$ about this interaction. And if you do, then I wouldn't give you any further business either.

Well, there is no joy in mudville. They did exchange the rotors, although I got soaked for $35 due to a price increase over the 6 months I held them before noting that they were different. I ate that since they apparently don't even carry the Mountain rotor brand that were the originals they sent any more. At least they did that. However, I just talked to them about refunding the $26 it cost me to UPS the rotors back. They refused, and pretty much said that they'd gone above and beyond allowing me to send them back in the first place (even though it was their screwup). If they'd stopped there, I wouldn't be writing this. However, on top of that, the "customer service agent" (I'd love to post his name, but I won't) essentially said that since I have both a 240Z and a 280Z, he couldn't tell if I was lying or not, and maybe I'd ordered them for the 240Z and had just changed my mind. So, given that they will go so far as to call a customer a liar, I guess they won't be getting any more of my business if I can help it.

I just got back from the Nissan dealer. That is the right number, and I have a pair coming. Thanks to all for the info! I splurged and also bought a pair of the 43262-21000 parts for $8. I wanted to see what the differences were. I'll take a pic when I get them.

It also shows a steering wheel without holes, and an aircleaner without the winter/summer valve.

Ah, I shall try that part number tomorrow. Maybe the other number just has a typo? If I can get a replacement (which it looks like I should be able to), I will dremel the peened portion first. With everything already off the car, I can do it very carefully and hopefully not hurt the threads.