rear traction rod install...just hit a brick wall

[PAintballa45]

I bent my driver side rear traction rod and am installing the new one. The bolt that mounts the link to the subframe doesnt have enough room to come out all the way because it hits the gas fill neck. I have half a tank right now and dont want to unbolt it from the tank and have 10 gallons of gas on my garage floor. Does anybody have any experience with this or any tricks around this? I'm at a stand still on how to approach this.

[A Paratroopers 300zx]

I just did this when I was replacing mine a few months ago. I don't think there is any way around it unless you can undo the filler neck at the gas cap opening. I couldn't do it there, so I just unbolted it from the tank. You can catch the gas in a clean container... that way you can just pour it back in when you're done. What a retarded design though... thank you Nissan Engineers and their damn tiny hands! When you re-install the bolt... do it going opposite direction so you don't have this issue again.

[sdhsbaseball]

wait i know there is a write up somewhere on the net for this give me a second i will try to find it and it explains what they did to combate this issue orginally i know after you just put the bolt in the opposite way then you dont have to worry about hitting the tank

Edit: i looked where i thought it might be and couldnt find it all i know is i member them loosing the shield that is in the inner fender well and then loosening the fill cap by the body and they could wiggle the bolt out with just enough space

[PAintballa45]

I just did this when I was replacing mine a few months ago. I don't think there is any way around it unless you can undo the filler neck at the gas cap opening. I couldn't do it there, so I just unbolted it from the tank. You can catch the gas in a clean container... that way you can just pour it back in when you're done. What a retarded design though... thank you Nissan Engineers and their damn tiny hands! When you re-install the bolt... do it going opposite direction so you don't have this issue again.

seriously i don't understand the logic behind it whatsoever. Such a simple fix just switching it around, I was thinking about doing that earlier too. Going to try for the neck first, realllllllly not feeling the tank side option

[A Paratroopers 300zx]

seriously i don't understand the logic behind it whatsoever. Such a simple fix just switching it around, I was thinking about doing that earlier too. Going to try for the neck first, realllllllly not feeling the tank side option

Ya I don't blame you! Getting to those tank bolts kinda sucks too lol. Good luck man!

[PAintballa45]

ended up using a dremel and just cutting the head off the bolt, sliding it through the other side. Nice and easy, took all of about 15 minutes : D

[A Paratroopers 300zx]

Very nice! But do you have a replacement bolt? I'd assume so, or you wouldn't have cut it lol.

[PAintballa45]

yup yup used one i bought came with the bolts. replacing the upper control arm too, not taking any chances after smackin a curb hahaha off to the body shop this week to have everything measured and some minor welding to the subframe, just got my rim sanded and balanced. In pretty good shape! all together all the parts and fixing the rim cost about 60 bucks, very happy how everythings moving along...dont know how many times ive said that owning a z haha