ToolBoy

Thanks to anyone in advance, This afternoon finally greased and reassembled steering rack on series 1 car. I am discovering that the pinion gear catches (like a clunk) right in the centered position where the steering would be centered. It does it again when the gear turns a full revolution in either direction. I was able to source the pinion seal but had hoped the rest of it was in decent shape. How wrong I was. I have been reading older posts that give parts sources but most were 3 or 4 years ago. Can anyone direct me to a source that would have the pinion gear and bearing? I'm hoping to not have to replace the entire unit but I suppose the rack could be bad too. Thanks again .

Hello to all, I've stripped and rough sanded FRP lightbuckets. I have a repair to make on one broken flange and I want to start to detail and prep for paint. Can anyone recommend materials for repair and surface filling please?? If there are trusted products would be great to know. West System epoxy with microfibres? Surfboard resin?? Don't want to ruin 'em. . . Thanks!!

BTW. . . Factory manual calls it "Compression rod" and Haynes calls it "Radius Rod" (at least the ones I have). Also what's called "transverse link" in FSM is "track control arm" in Haynes. Go figure.

Thanks to all who clarified and confirmed. . . I stole those single use nuts from my shocks for now but will acquire more soon. . . Wish they came in a 25 pack. . .

Thanks Yarb, yeah, I think you're right. . . Big cup washers go the other way round against the bushings. Just cuz some guy makes a bunch of videos while working on his Z doesn't mean he always knows what he's talking about. . . . Thanks for pointing it out.

Thanks Yarb, They were the other way round when I took it apart but I watched a video that specifically stated the concave side went toward the bushings? I've also since bought the real rubber bushings for radius rods but they're so much thicker I'll need to clamp em in to even get the nut on. Maybe they go as you say?? Also got rubber for the sway bar drop links and pressed the new rubber upper bushings for track control arms. That was fun. Just need the bearing and seal for the pinion gear. Then it all goes back in the car and I start on the back.

Almost ready to put this stuff back in the car. . .

Hey Bill, I just researched this and heavy silicone spray is recommended to moisturize rubber parts. As far as cleaning, degreaser is probably ok but something milder might be better if the rubber is older. Dish soap maybe? . . . my two cents worth. I have a set of snap ring pliers arriving monday and I'll be able to do the final disassembly on my steering rack. Best, Andy

Hey ConVerTT, Thanks for including me in your last progress update. I have a "shop" question. You are clearly "THE WELDER" among many other things and welding is something I've wanted to get into for a long time. I've started researching recently but I'll be buying the gear and then diving in (which I've done many times. . . no worries). Please share with me what you would go out and buy tomorrow if your stuff needed to be replaced for whatever reason? I'm not afraid to spend the money if I know I'm getting good stuff and I don't want to worry about "outgrowing it". I'm a cabinetmaker and finish carpenter by trade and part-time boatbuilder and I'm doing a Z that needs some but not too much frame and sheet metal work. I would really be grateful for any equipment preferences and insights you might share. Thanks a lot!! Andy

Oh yeah, Outers and lower ball joints are Moog but wasn't able to locate Moog for inners so got 'em from Z Depot. . .

Additional tie rod question fer y'all. Doing tie rod inners and outers on Jan 71 series one car. What I'm replacing has an internal spring that drives a cup that tensions the ball of the inner. Do I include that spring with the new inner that has no loose cup required? also do I turn the new inner in till it bottoms out? I am also assuming I will reuse the stop and the lock nut from the earlier iteration. Thanks ahead-a-time. . . Andy

So Left hand drive is left side of car as in US market cars. That would make sense. thx. . .

When Factory manual references left side and right side does that assume looking from front of car looking aft or driver's seat looking forward? Anybody know?

Yeah, That all looks like so much fun I'm starting to wonder why I spent so much money to find a rust free car? And this as close as I could get to a pristine minimalistic workspace. Hah.

O.M.G. this is so friggin cool!! I'm not alone in this cruel world!!

Thanks Patcon, After I posted I started doing a preliminary assembly and I'm much more confident than I was. And you're right about the key. . . the big rubber diaphram holds it in. I had a hard time stuffing the bell shaped rubber piece on the central rod but it finally went in. Looking forward to getting it to close up in the end. That should be fun to figure out. Thought about modifying an oil filter wrench to make it the right diameter. Thanks for the feedback. . .

Hello to all, I understand that this topic was created a year and a half ago but I didn't acquire my Z till december and my booster is ripped apart now. Patcon was super helpful by directing me to this conversation and I've poured through the discussion and the photos repeatedly. I am suspicious of the booster as it came on the car and I'm thinking it wasn't done right the last time. I'm now doing my best to match up the new rebuild kit parts with what I have and preparing to reassemble after some final paint work I still need to do. This morning I put the poppet assembly back together and re-punched the 3 divets thanks to the input and courage you all provided. I have included a photo of how I'm thinking the unit will be reassembled with a few questions. If anyone would take a look, I'd be real appreciative. Questions. . . I didn't notice when I took it apart but I'm wondering if the key that holds the poppet assembly needs to be facing up so as not to fall out ever. Also I'm thinking bearing/seal part "P" is to replace soft seal "L" . The new part is a really tight fit but once lubricated, I think it'll go in. Also thinking the metal ring side goes in first and installer pushes on the hard plastic side? And then it's followed by the serrated ring? "I" is the old dust boot which I like better than the replacement and it's still pretty supple. The poppet assembly is also a super tight fit but with silicone grease it should go. If anyone wants to chime in with comments I'm all ears. Thanks to all and stay well and prosperous, Andy

Yes. actually very good. I didn't look at the following pages at first. Didn't realize the post was so deep. I'll pop the unit apart tomorrow. Thanks.

Hello to all, It seems I have shot myself in the foot needlessly again. The expression goes "If it aint broke, don't fix it" Well, I really fixed it. Bought the rebuild kit for 7 inch brake booster, bead blasted and cleaned it up, pulled it apart and got down to the "valve operating rod assembly" There is a cylindrical rubber boot in the rebuild kit so I proceeded to rip off the existing rubber part, trusting that I would figure out how to disassemble and remove the springs etc to install the new one. Now I'm thinking the parts are permanently crimped on and not designed to be removed. I either need to find a way to dissassemble this part or order a replacement valve operating rod assy.or buy an entirely new booster if that is even an option. Can't figure out why that part is included in the kit if one can't remove the old one? Any input is welcome. . . Thanks Andy.

Thanks Patcon, I read thru all the posts and comments on your Brake Booster topic but there doesn't doesn't seem to be any information that addresses my problem.

Hello to all, It seems I have shot myself in the foot needlessly again. The expression goes "If it aint broke, don't fix it" Well, I really fixed it. Bought the rebuild kit for 7 inch brake booster, bead blasted and cleaned it up, pulled it apart and got down to the "valve operating rod assembly" There is a cylindrical rubber boot in the rebuild kit so I proceeded to rip off the existing rubber part, trusting that I would figure out how to disassemble and remove the springs etc to install the new one. Now I'm thinking the parts are permanently crimped on and not designed to be removed. I either need to find a way to dissassemble this part or order a replacement valve operating rod assy.or buy an entirely new booster if that is the only option. Can't figure out why that part is included in the kit if one can't remove the old one? Any input is welcome. . . Thanks Andy.

Sounds like by ditching the flat tops and using the roundtops the power should be a little better? Flat top was the emissions carb? . . . What are the head options? After market head? Different valves? Do you like the petronix ignition and what sort of a setup? Thanks. . .

Hey Zed Head! Do I have that right??

Hey Patcon, My understanding is that the stroke was slightly lengthened but the bore didn't change. Also slightly more torque but less horsepower. If I was all about power I'd go to the fuel injected L28 but I'm more interested in re-creating the Z I had when I was a kid. Thanks tho. . .

thx!!