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Rear suspension nightmare


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So when i got my 97 4x4 it needed new shocks. I put them on and had numerous problems with them im not going to get into. Then after a while it started to death wobble like bad, so i investgated and tested to find it was the upper control arms, i got two and installed the one that was bad, that fixed it for about a week before it started again. I had to drive it for about 3 months with the deathwobvle getting progressively worse until ever bump would unsettle it and make the car start swerving back and forth in the lane. So i finally saved up the money to buy all new control arms, i got the maxpeedingrod ones bc i heard they are good. I also got all new bolts and installed all of that. Now all the bolts rattle and one of the upper control arm bushings have blown out again. If it was just the rear suspension it would be fine, but ive spent everyday after work fixing various things on this car for the last 5 months. I mean literally everyday i have this car on the jack. ive spent 1300 dollars on it in PARTS. Im ready to set it on fire. If this rust bocket was worth something sure, i wouldnt find fixing it up, but my list of stuff to fix spans into next year. It keeps me broke so i cant even replace it. Whoever spread the rumor that these are reliable just had enough money and a spare car so this was just a "project" 

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When you tightened the trailing arm and control arm bolts, was the truck on ground (i.e., not on jacks, jack stands)?  Rubber bushings need to be tightened at ride height, otherwise they'll shear prematurely because you'll have effectively preloaded the bushings (they'll already be twisted at ride height).  Poly bushings can be tightened in lifted positions, provided the metal sleeves are not bonded to the poly bushings.

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2 minutes ago, hawairish said:

When you tightened the trailing arm and control arm bolts, was the truck on ground (i.e., not on jacks, jack stands)?  Rubber bushings need to be tightened at ride height, otherwise they'll shear prematurely because you'll have effectively preloaded the bushings (they'll already be twisted at ride height).  Poly bushings can be tightened in lifted positions, provided the metal sleeves are not bonded to the poly bushings.

I tighten them until they were stiff to move with the truck lifted. All of the bolts are greased 

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Im going to get a nolathane rebuild kit for the uppers if possible. I think they are dieing becuase they are shorter and move farther. 

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16 minutes ago, Everett said:

I tighten them until they were stiff to move with the truck lifted. All of the bolts are greased 

 

So were they tightened when the suspension was still drooped?  Greasing the bolts doesn't matter here because a bonded bushing sleeve does not rotate about the bolt.  If the bolts are already loose, greasing may be a cause.  What are you torquing them to?

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You absolutely need to perform final torque of the hardware with the truck on the ground. Just finger tighten them in the air. Torque spec really matters here, don't just buzz them on with an impact.

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There is rubber is rubber with a metal spacer bushing thing. I greased it and left the bolts with enough space so it will all pivot. They all move freely, maybe to freely, but their is no reason it should have already blown out. 

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Warning, went on a bit of a rant here. Dont be offended.

I guess ill just buy the new inserts, and exhuast and tires and wheel bearings and alignment and try to get a new steering rack. Oh right, and the bump stops and belts. Im wandering if i should get the speakers alswell becuase they are all completely destroyed. The shifter bushing has been getting worse. I gotta find some way to reattach the rusted out fender flair, the seats are rotten and falling apart so i need seat covers but they use a wierd extra small size i cant find. No chance im fixing the oilpan seal that leaks all over the new clutch or the burned out sincros that make it look like idk how to drive. The front struts that are rusty and boucy and i dont dare touch the rust holes behind them. Might try to put a light bar in the front where to fog lights are supposed to be but there are only wires now. Sorry for the rant, i needed to consolidate all this anyways. 

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No sweat, @Everett.  We've all gotten frustrated at a repair or two.  It's to be expected on older trucks.

 

So, it actually sounds like you just need a re-work.  Initially I thought you greased the bolts and tightened to spec, but I think what you're saying is that you only snugged them and the grease was to allow the bushings to rotate in their mounts.  If so, the correction here would be to:

  1. Put the truck on the ground
  2. Loosen the bolts a little (also do for the panhard bar, just in case)
  3. Get the suspension to settle to ride height (a few bounces on the bumpers and door sills ought to do)
  4. Tighten all bolts to spec
    1. Rear upper link: 103-116 ft-lbs
    2. Rear lower link: 85-98 ft-lbs for the forward hardware, 103-116 ft-lbs rearward hardware
    3. Panhard bar: 103-116 ft-lbs
    4. Front lower control arm: 69-96 ft-lbs for the forward bolt, 87-108 ft-lbs for the bolts that hold the bracket securing the tail bushing.

If you haven't already, get all the FSM chapters from https://www.nicoclub.com/nissan-service-manuals.  You'll find all the instructions there, parts diagrams, troubleshooting steps, torque specs, notes (straight from the book: "Final tightening for rubber parts requires to be carried out under unladen condition with tires on ground."), etc.  Get all the PDFs and save them to your computer.

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7 hours ago, hawairish said:

No sweat, @Everett.  We've all gotten frustrated at a repair or two.  It's to be expected on older trucks.

 

So, it actually sounds like you just need a re-work.  Initially I thought you greased the bolts and tightened to spec, but I think what you're saying is that you only snugged them and the grease was to allow the bushings to rotate in their mounts.  If so, the correction here would be to:

  1. Put the truck on the ground
  2. Loosen the bolts a little (also do for the panhard bar, just in case)
  3. Get the suspension to settle to ride height (a few bounces on the bumpers and door sills ought to do)
  4. Tighten all bolts to spec
    1. Rear upper link: 103-116 ft-lbs
    2. Rear lower link: 85-98 ft-lbs for the forward hardware, 103-116 ft-lbs rearward hardware
    3. Panhard bar: 103-116 ft-lbs
    4. Front lower control arm: 69-96 ft-lbs for the forward bolt, 87-108 ft-lbs for the bolts that hold the bracket securing the tail bushing.

If you haven't already, get all the FSM chapters from https://www.nicoclub.com/nissan-service-manuals.  You'll find all the instructions there, parts diagrams, troubleshooting steps, torque specs, notes (straight from the book: "Final tightening for rubber parts requires to be carried out under unladen condition with tires on ground."), etc.  Get all the PDFs and save them to your computer.

Thanks a bunch. Im going to get the exhuast fixed before though its killing my mileage. Im not really sure what the right answer is. Wish i could afford to have a shop do it.

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3 hours ago, Everett said:

Thanks a bunch. Im going to get the exhuast fixed before though its killing my mileage. Im not really sure what the right answer is. Wish i could afford to have a shop do it.

 

Right answer for what? 

 

On a side note, I think I saw you join the NiCO forums and chime in on the strut tower rust.  Do you have significant corrosion there?  

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18 hours ago, hawairish said:

 

Right answer for what? 

 

On a side note, I think I saw you join the NiCO forums and chime in on the strut tower rust.  Do you have significant corrosion there?  

Yeah, ive got pretty bad rust all over this car. Numerous holes and ive recently rebuilt the upper panhard bar mount. After it nearly broke off. Im not sure the right way to do the exhuast bc i cant really afford to have a shop work on it and i dont have any time to do it myself becuase of more pressing issues with this thing. I want to just have them side pipe it to keep it cheap but now im thinking ill soon have to just cut my losses and consider it totaled. 

Edited by Everett
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I was driving it home in the rain and the engine started rev limiting. I figure it was the maf getting water in it so i reatarted and did this a few times trying faster and slower and even checking the computer on the side of the road. I finally got fed up with it and pulled into a little leather shop on the side of the road. Then suddenly steam started boiling out of the hood. I jumped out and noticed the input nipple on the radiator had broken completely off. It pumped all the water out several miles ago by the looks of it so i had to get a bucket of water from the shop owner and jam the hose onto the jaged peice of the nipple left over and tighten it all down with my multitool. Then used and entire roll of electrical tape to reinforce. I also cut my hand trying to pull the hose off the over flow tank so i could jam it with a wire nut since that broke aswell. Now the engine rattles on start up and knocks even more at low rpms. 

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If i somehow find the time to do it all myself, i need 1100 dollars worth of stuff asap. The tires are the most expensive, i might be able to hold off a could weeks, so like 400 ish

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On 3/15/2023 at 10:33 AM, hawairish said:

No sweat, @Everett.  We've all gotten frustrated at a repair or two.  It's to be expected on older trucks.

 

So, it actually sounds like you just need a re-work.  Initially I thought you greased the bolts and tightened to spec, but I think what you're saying is that you only snugged them and the grease was to allow the bushings to rotate in their mounts.  If so, the correction here would be to:

  1. Put the truck on the ground
  2. Loosen the bolts a little (also do for the panhard bar, just in case)
  3. Get the suspension to settle to ride height (a few bounces on the bumpers and door sills ought to do)
  4. Tighten all bolts to spec
    1. Rear upper link: 103-116 ft-lbs
    2. Rear lower link: 85-98 ft-lbs for the forward hardware, 103-116 ft-lbs rearward hardware
    3. Panhard bar: 103-116 ft-lbs
    4. Front lower control arm: 69-96 ft-lbs for the forward bolt, 87-108 ft-lbs for the bolts that hold the bracket securing the tail bushing.

If you haven't already, get all the FSM chapters from https://www.nicoclub.com/nissan-service-manuals.  You'll find all the instructions there, parts diagrams, troubleshooting steps, torque specs, notes (straight from the book: "Final tightening for rubber parts requires to be carried out under unladen condition with tires on ground."), etc.  Get all the PDFs and save them to your computer.

Good instrustions. I completely negleted the fact it says it should be tightened on the ground, in the FSM when I did mine a few days ago. Looks like I'm retorquing those my next days off. Thanks for your awesome input as always.

 

On the strut tower thing, I could actually hear chassis groaning from that corner going over uneven surfaces. If you hear that noise from that direction, get it patched ASAP

Edited by Strato_54
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