Rear allignment problem

[SHIFT_Z]

Rear ALIGNMENT* problem.

Hey guys, long time no posts.

For reference, my car is a 1985 300ZX TurboAnyhow, I've been off at college and havn't been driving my car, but since I'm home and driving again the problem has been called to my attention..... again.

Last season, I went to get front / rear alignment. Apparently there was a problem aligning the rear, and they weren't able to do it. When my Dad and I spoke to the tech, he told us that the camer bolt in the rear left was seized up, and we would be needing a "camber bolt kit" before they were able to do anything with it.

Does anyone have any idea what parts he is talking about specifically, and where I would be able to get them? I remember making a few phone calls last year, and no one knew what I was talking about.

Any help would be appreciated, Thanks
Modified by SHIFT_Z at 5:58 PM 12/27/2006

[evildky]

the Z31 uses a semitrailing arm set up which makes aligning impossible, at least without some modifications, the camber escentric bolts replace the trailing arm bushings allowing the trailing arms to be twisted in or out up or down to correct for toe and camber, they only allow for a few degrees of adjustment but they can get you closer to where you need to be, and when aligning a Z31 be sure to check the rear crocssmember bushings, the trailing arms attach to this crossmsmber and when the bushings go bad it moves making alignment impossible, they are prone to failure as the t-top drain tubes drain onto them

[SHIFT_Z]

If alignment on my car is impossible, what am I to do if it starts to pull to the left or the right...? (its pulling slightly to the right...)
Modified by SHIFT_Z at 8:43 PM 12/28/2006

[evildky]

if it's pulling to the right why? are the crossmember bushings allowing the rear crossmember to twist casusing the rear to be out of alignment? is the toe up front simply out of adjustment? is one of the rear trailing arms bent?

do you have a brake calliper dragging? this can also casue a pull?

sounds like you've had it on a rack, the question is what did they say exactly? and have you checked the crossmsmber bushings? also sagging rear springs can casue a bit if toe in in the rear

if the car is lowered or has a bent trailing arm the escentric bushings wil get you more inline, if the crossmsmber bushings are rotted away then you're gonna have to replace them, it's a huge PITA

[AZ-ZBum]

Stock Z31 rear only allows for some toe alignment. And that is sufficient for most applications and pulling. What it's not sufficient for is the wearing of the inside of the tires. For that, you need to modify the rear crossmember.

If the tech can't adjust the toe, it's because he's incompetent or afraid of breaking something. A "kit" won't do any good in that case.

If you need camber adjustment, read this:http://www.az-zbum.com/modific...shtml

[evildky]

I guess my memory has faded now and confused with the S130, are there escentric's on the outer joint, inner or both?

[AZ-ZBum]

inner mounting point.

[BadQ45t]

This is a common issue for this car. Do you still have the stock shocks and springs? If you do that is a big part of your problem and a camber kit, new springs and shocks will be required to fix it once and for all. I did my rear shocks and eventually added Eibach springs and have not had an issue with poor rear tire wear or pulling. I see 99% of Z31's on the road with the camber issue, for sure replace all shocks and springs while your in there. The good news is the rear is simple, get a whole set of springs and shocks while your at it, it will transform the handling of the car. There are lots of aftermarket stuff left for our cars, I just say Bilstein is now making shocks (I had not seen them before) and I'm thinking of replacing my 15 year old (with only 30k miles) KYB GasAdjusts with them just for grins.