72 521 Fulcrum bushing help

[FASTCRS]

Hi everyone, first time post. I don’t ask for help unless I exhausted all of my options and haven’t drank enough beer. I just got my king pins done on my 72 521. I started to reassemble things back together and the driver side spindle gets super hard to move when I torque down the fulcrum bushings to 80-90 lbs. The passenger side is fine. I tried swapping bushings thinking it was the issue, but nope. Another thing that’s really got me confused is I torque bushings to 90lbs. and the right side bushing on the fulcrum rotates with the spindle when I move it around. This is my first Datsun so Any help would be greatly appreciated. I did search, but found no solution. She’s my daily and I need to get her back in the road, thanks in advance.

[mklotz70]

They need to go back in the exact same orientation and position as they came out.  The pin needs to go back in the same as it came out.  You'll have to figure out which bushing was in the front and which way the pin was.  If you intermixed the parts with the other side, you made need to swap with them.  They're a pin in the butt to get figured out if you mixed everything up.

 

I explain it a bit around the 8min mark.

 

[FASTCRS]

Thanks Mklotz, I watched that video several times prior to the reinstall very useful, by the way. I’ll go ahead and start moving things around and hope I figure it out this puzzle. I need to get this rig back on the road. Thanks for responding greatly appreciated.

 

[banzai510(hainz)]

great vid

[mklotz70]

Thanks guys. I'm glad you like it.  Maybe I should go back to doing car videos.....they get way more attention. lol

[mainer311]

5 hours ago, mklotz70 said:

Thanks guys. I'm glad you like it.  Maybe I should go back to doing car videos.....they get way more attention. lol

 

I think you should go back to making bomb-ass Datsun parts. 🙂

[FASTCRS]

I think I found the problem, seems that the inner threads of the lower control arm to where the fulcrum bushings screw onto are stripped. Causing the bushings to move w/the control arm when they are tight and I move it with force. I’m going to see if I can find a spare one local to me...sux.

[mklotz70]

Have you got a welder?  I've know a couple of guys that got them in as tight as they could and then tacked the nuts to the arms in 3-6 places.  I not recall if there's were actually stripped or not.  I think they did it because when they cranked the nuts down really tight, the pin would bind a bit.  So, they tightened them down firmly and then tacked them.

[mklotz70]

7 hours ago, mainer311 said:

 

I think you should go back to making bomb-ass Datsun parts. 🙂

Things are moving in that direction.  I'm going to try to do them on demand for a bit.  I could start a company in a commercial space right now, I'm just not sure there's enough of a market to sustain it or that I'll have enough time.

[Charlie69]

Mr Mike Klotz I think you should keep designing and having parts produced for you to sell on a retail level.  Also keep making videos that are informative and presnt things in a layman format for the enthusisits that are more mechanically challenged.  Remember Mike If you can not make a profit then it is a hobby!

[mklotz70]

11 hours ago, Charlie69 said:

Mr Mike Klotz I think you should keep designing and having parts produced for you to sell on a retail level.  Also keep making videos that are informative and presnt things in a layman format for the enthusisits that are more mechanically challenged.  Remember Mike If you can not make a profit then it is a hobby!

I'm going to try "on demand" manufacturing for a bit.  I'm not sure I want to get too busy just yet.  The down time has been kinda nice!  No hassles or overseas shipping. :)  Haven't missed that at all. lol  If I get too busy making parts, I won't have time to design.....so I'm going to try to keep a better balance.  We'll see how it goes.  Time for videos?  I haven't missed all the editing, but I'll see what I can do.  Is it still a hobby if I never make anything for myself? lol  Oh.....and I haven't forgotten about your water temp sensors.  I'm hoping to play with that fairly soon. :)

[yenpit]

I'm new to the 521 scene (510's 20++ years, Z cars 6++ years), having just bought a 1972 flat bed!  mklotz70 what parts did you make?  What parts are you considering making now?  Only 521 parts or other Datsun models?

 

I've been in & out of the British parts market since the mid 80's, have seen early repop junk & how that repop market grew to what it is today.  Sure, there is still repop junk out there, but a good solid 75% of the British repop parts are quite good to even better then original!  The one thing I am seeing here in the Datsun market, is that the 510 & Z car values are going thru the roof, which to me means that the 520 521 620 720 truck values will follow suit by going up in value.......sure, likely NOT as quickly or as high as the 510's & Z's, but at least up!  I chuckle when I see people asking 510 & Z car money for some of the other Datsun sub models, but that is typical in ANY classic car market.

 

FYI I sell quite a few USED 510 & Z car parts on FleaBay.  One of the best things to happen with eBay was their introduction of their Global Shipping Program......at least for sellers.  If an international buyer purchases something, it gets processed thru that program...................I only have to ship the part to eBay's GSP facility in KY, which means I do NOT have to do ANY of the international pain in the rear stuff to ship it!  I have even sold parts internationally thru the forums or Facebook, made a deal with the buyer for me to set up a listing on eBay, I purposefully misspell Datsun or add asterisks etc so nobody else will find & buy out from under the guy I'm working with, the buyer buys it (Buy It Now) & all I do is ship it to KY!  I still sell directly internationally every once in a while if the sale is dead simple, but eBay has really made it easier!  I know......eBay fees fees fees!  Fees are the cost of doing business on an international level, so I gladly deal with it................

 

TJ

[Charlie69]

Yenpit you will love the 521 and keep selling parts I have purchased from you and I think sold to you also.   Mike Klotz Brake kits are the best out there in my opinion.  If you can get him to make one for you it is the best safety up grade you can do for the 521.

 

I purchased Mikes last brake kit and ended up selling it to iota 1966 520

Edited February 15, 2020 by Charlie69

[yenpit]

Mike responded via PM.........looks like some cool stuff!   Gonna get on the road first, then chip away at upgrades.............. 😎

[mklotz70]

Thanks Charlie!! :)

 

Yenpit......very interesting info about the int'l ebay shipping.  I'll have to check into that more.  I've never sold on ebay.  Typically, it I make a batch of ten kits, I'm pretty much sold out by the time I'm done actually making them all. lol    

[yenpit]

The eBay international program just makes selling overseas so much easier for the seller!  As far as I know, the buyer gets a discounted cost on shipping too, but I leave that decision up to the buyer!

[thisismatt]

Never had much trouble shipping directly overseas, and when I don't want to I still get overseas buyers who have me ship to their US agent 😄

[yenpit]

thisismatt it's too time consuming for me to box up, get quote, go back n forth with buyer.......but yes, I will do it if necessary!  With eBay, I just list a part with a flat rate shipping cost, an international buyer buys it & I simply ship to eBay in KY!  Prior to eBay's program, I have had TWO lost international packages & had to spend quite a bit of time trying to rectify...........eBay would now handle all of that thru the program!

[FASTCRS]

Update: I finally got around to installing a different lower control arm and fulcrum pin. Everything went on as it should. I tighten up the fulcrum pin and The dog bone had the same movement as the other side so I would consider this a successful fix! I’ll try to add pictures once I figure it out. I would like to thank everyone for your help, greatly appreciated and keep up the good work guys!
 

Mklotz, I think it would be great if you continue making parts for these trucks. Some of us can definitely use them. 

[mklotz70]

I've been busy making parts.  I've got a few of most items and trying to get more made of everything.  The site is back on for now.  Not sure just how long I'll keep at it....maybe it's just today, but I'm already feeling a bit burned out. lol