Seriously, if someone came up to you and said "I want you to replace an entire suspension bushing set on my 1971 Z", what would you charge them? I couldnt help thinking what a pain in the arse changing all these bushings are and decided to come in the house and take a break, is why I ask. Im doing my restore in sections but every single time I get to an area where Im changing out bushings its a real hassle. Of course Im yanking spindle pins atm but the front bushings were not all that fun either. For me, Id prolly have to get at least 500 bucks to go thru the hassle. If I ever buy another Z again, which you could probably bank on, Im seriously going to take note if they have a fresh set of bushings on the car.

ive done it for free...for my friends dad's 280ZX.....
i wouldnt charge someone unless i had someting better to do that day, and even then, i wouldnt charge them anywhere near $500...
maybe gas money for getting there and lunch or something....
to me, working on Z'cars is a privilige........and i take it like that ;-)
i cant tel you how much work we have done to Adams ZX...then Kris' dad comes to me with his 79' ZX asking me if ill do the bushings....
a case of beer later, and about a day, he had all new urethane bushings ;-)
he couldnt tell the difference..hhahahaha
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

Just like everything....the more you do it, the easier it gets.
Ken
'82ZX n/a 2+2
'02 Sportster XL1200C

Dont get me wrong, I love to relax and work on my cars as much as anyone who does it as a hobby. Theres just something that gets me soooo irritated about this part. And when I say 500 bucks, I mean it. I would rather go to work to make the cash, and I trully despise that, and pay someone to do it. I guess its all the hassle to tear stuff apart just to get that little itty bitty piece of urethane in, then smack it back together.

I would first look in the under carriage
if it is clean rust free/cali car I would take a 1000
If it is rusty car then at least 1500 (may be more)
And I will also install the springs, sway bars, struts
You supply the parts and I will give help you with the list of stuff.
======
'74 2+2 -- MSA sway bars, Illuminas, Eibach Progressive, Energy Suspension
L28 with MN47, 240Z rods, milled down dished pistons (11.6:1 CR) and 240sx tranny
======
committing suicide in small managable payments

Zolorin, 1000 bucks? You sir, feel my pain.

I have done this suspenstion job three times (after I finish with the rear suspention on the 2+2), say 2.5 times and every time is a b!tch and a half.
It is always something that goes wrong -- Improper sized bushings
so you will have to hack saw the steel sleaves. Or spindle pin does not want to come out. I will help a Z-guuy out, on tuning stuff, or pulling the engine, or rebuilding an engine, but suspension is one of those things that will help only to good friends. It is a right of passage in my books.
and I have done it, I just don't like doing it
======
'74 2+2 -- MSA sway bars, Illuminas, Eibach Progressive, Energy Suspension
L28 with MN47, 240Z rods, milled down dished pistons (11.6:1 CR) and 240sx tranny
======
committing suicide in small managable payments

good god..........
talk about rip off!!! ;-)
when steve came over to help me install the SDS system, i filled his gas tank up everytime, and provided some food ;-)
thats all i would ask for the same...
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

Wobbles, don't call me Sir (I am not that old).
but I have done the job 3 times on allmy 3 Zs, I know what it involves and a thousand is a generous price.
You go to the shop that has everything
and they will change you
8 hours for struts only
say another 4 hours for springs
then 2 hours for sway bars
2 hours for tierod ends / ball joints
10-20 hours for all the bushings
25 - 35 hours of labor
which equates to $2000 to $4000 -- labor rates are 75-100 an hour depending on the shop
======
'74 2+2 -- MSA sway bars, Illuminas, Eibach Progressive, Energy Suspension
L28 with MN47, 240Z rods, milled down dished pistons (11.6:1 CR) and 240sx tranny
======
committing suicide in small managable payments

This is south cal prices and it is a hard labor
Bubbles, have you done this job by yourself? and going to the shop to get the bushings out does not count. I do old fashioned way -- torch, and then clean, then paint
======
'74 2+2 -- MSA sway bars, Illuminas, Eibach Progressive, Energy Suspension
L28 with MN47, 240Z rods, milled down dished pistons (11.6:1 CR) and 240sx tranny
======
committing suicide in small managable payments

sorry bubbles, I was not trying to be a jack ass, but I have done the each axle (front/rear) in a weekend in the parking lot on jack stands
======
'74 2+2 -- MSA sway bars, Illuminas, Eibach Progressive, Energy Suspension
L28 with MN47, 240Z rods, milled down dished pistons (11.6:1 CR) and 240sx tranny
======
committing suicide in small managable payments

Zolorin, I have no problem calling anyone Sir that I feel deserves my respect. No matter the age, you understand this is not easy! But I do admire your humbleness for your age, its a good trait to have. Bubbles, seriously if you could call a friend over and simply chit chat for a bit while slugging a few beers back and finish a "complete" bushing exchange that would be different, but you absolutely could not finish an entire task in one day. I would argue that it could be done in a few. With all the cleaning, prepping, rust prevention, painting, lubing, and proper reasembly its a headache of a task.

For my 260 I'd never done springs / struts before, much less the entire bushings. Couldn't get any Z guys that wanted to do it in a weekend so...I found a Z guy that worked at a Jag dealership. I think it was $200-$250 and it took around 15hrs even with all their tools. Every bushing, tie rods, control arms, springs, struts, etc--all swapped out and then we aligned it after it was all said and done.
Having a press REALLY helps. I didn't think that price was unfair at ALL and as a bonus I got to "help" and learned how to do it myself. It's definitely a PITA tho.
mnelson_260z
73 240zT w/ t3/t4e @ 13psi, MSnS, 450cc DSMs on pallnet rail, NPR IC, roll cage, more....
74.5 260z w/ AZZcar brakes up front, Tokico springs/struts, 99k orig miles, more...

yeah!!!
the first time it took me TWO days on my 2+2
burned the bushings out, painted, and reinstalled everything
my friend Adams ZX took one day, burning out no painting...
the friends dad's ZX took one day, burning, cleaning, painting, installing.....
ive done THREE cars...two by myself, one with a little help from my friend, but he doesnt really know what hes doing...
it isnt THAT hard like everyone makes it out to be....its just time consuming. and once you have done it once, it keeps getting easier and easier.
no i dont take the parts to a shop to press them out, i wouldnt even know where to go..ive got a nice big torch and a tank of gas i use ;-)
then a chisle, hammer, and WD-40 gets the sleeves out.
then vise to press new bushings in, then reinstall!
no need for "rust prevention" on a car that doesnt have rust???
damn- ship me out there and i will do it in a day or two..depending on if you want "rust prevention" and "painting"
as for lubing, that should take what, 3 seconds while you rub some supplied grease on the bushings?????? jeeze.
ill also redo your wiring harness while its in the car too if you want...
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

and i never said it was easy...i always end up with two or three DEEP gashes in my hands when ive done it....
but that comes with working on an old car.
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

3 seconds for the lubing?? Kids and there simple tasks these days!

2 days for everything -- I doubt that, well may be if everything was disassembled before, then it is still very long days. 3 long summer days can be done by yourself,
One day, if you are glutton for punishment and you have every tool in the shop and have few friends to help you.
======
'74 2+2 -- MSA sway bars, Illuminas, Eibach Progressive, Energy Suspension
L28 with MN47, 240Z rods, milled down dished pistons (11.6:1 CR) and 240sx tranny
======
committing suicide in small managable payments

uhhhh------- you rub the lube on the bushings and where they go??? how is that time consuming!?!??!?!
what, are you supposed to measure out exact amounts of lube for each bushing and apply the coat evenly??
sounds like something tonyD would say.
or are you taking my comment and refering it to something else? hehehe
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

Nah, but seriously there is no way in this world you are going to go from stock car to complete MSA or Hyperflex kit in one day, its just not gonna happen. Im talking front control, sway, tension,, rear control, dif, sway, ect. Maybe its just my un-planning and finally getting control arms cleaned out and the cleaning out and needing to clean up and paint, iono. And Im doing struts and springs in the meanwhile, but this "few day" task has certainly turned into weeks for me. Crank bolt, crank bolt, look, look, burn, burn, hit, hit, burn, burn, pry, pry, sand, sand, paint, paint, wait, wait, sand, sand, paint, paint, wait, wait, hammer, hammer....one day lol!!!!!!

How many here would let bubbles work on their suspension?
--Denver 6-29-1999 1st post.
82 280zxt 4 spd auto
73 240z--lsd, cv axles
ferget donations, I'm into blackmail.
spindle pin puller for sale.
I can't believe some people spend $15 on shifter bushings in the B trans

how about lazy man sits there and says how it cant be done in 1 day, while i go out and do it in one day.........
dont say it cant be done if you havent done it youself!
i bet this is your first time working on a zcars suspension???
it shows ;-)
kinda like taking a tranny out... or replacing a head gasket...
i can take apart my running engine, change head gasket, and crank engine up in 1 hour....you? probbaly not.
tranny? can change one in about 45 minutes... when it would take a "first" timer, it would take forever...
the point is, it doesnt matter. ive been working on zcars for what, three years now? gone through, lets see, 1,2,3,4,5,6 zcars....all either mine or my friends. i know how to get jobs done!
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

And you'll get it done right no matter how many times it takes huh?
--Denver 6-29-1999 1st post.
82 280zxt 4 spd auto
73 240z--lsd, cv axles
ferget donations, I'm into blackmail.
spindle pin puller for sale.
I can't believe some people spend $15 on shifter bushings in the B trans

Im sorry, but I must now take the side of the people who believe your full of chit. If you could tell me that on any regular day of the week of working on the car you could dis-assemble virtually every single suspension part of the car, beat and bang, clean up and do a proper job (theres more to a job then just re-install, theres preventative care), pull spindle pins, burn out bushings, cut sleaves, be aware ahead of time of any damage to any part, have all necessary items, wait for proper drying times of rust prevention (I do not believe that any car is not in need of this, 1971??). wait for drying times of primers and paint, re-order new bolts/nuts, I dont know. I dont know if I should say your a better man then me or say your a better bs'er then me, but for what its worth, for my expectations of a job well done I would still gladly pay you 500 bucks from start to finish.

BTW, lazy man! Thats about the most hilarious thing Ive heard since Letterman last night. I do work 60 hours a week so Im sorry if Im a little sluggish, and also, yep it is the first time I did the suspension on a Z. Ive done just about every other thing on my other Z, and this was probably back when you were in diapers. For this Z now, Im hoping it will be a long long time before I mess with it again.

hey noobie....ZX's dont have spindle pins--
so if this were a court case, the jury and judge would have just laughed at your case...
the rear suspension is what, 4 bolts and it comes completely off in the rear..so 8 total bolts each side...
good try thought ;-)
work on a ZX, then tell me how hard it is
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

$500 sounds fair to me. Write a disclaimer on the spindle pins and maybe pass on the shop charge to press them out.
Don't forget front differential mount and transmission mount
Injector Cleaning Service
THE FREE ONLINE INDEPENDENT Z STORE
Email me to add your product

...I wasnt asking about a zx, I clearly stated it was for a 1971 Z. Exactly Blue, Im talking a complete job, I really didnt think there was any other way to do things considering its all disasembled already.
Post Edited (Oct 18, 5:26pm)

well i said ive done two ZX in a day...'
my 2+2 i did in two days.
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

Ive seen your true colors, a foolish man has to look twice.

you just see a rainbow ;-)
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

earth to bubbleguinea, earth to bubbleguinea, respond bubbleguinea, you must land in fort lauderdale ASAP (mi casa su casa)
Have you shared the left lane today?

If you have the tools you can do the full job in a day.
Injector Cleaning Service
THE FREE ONLINE INDEPENDENT Z STORE
Email me to add your product

see? blue even agreess with me!!!
is my house really your house?
i dont get it, do you want me to come and do yours? pay for gas/and or plane ticket and im there!
got to schedual between my classes...
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

blue, don't have the tools, car handles well but rubber is either original or old job, (cracked)
and bubleguinea, what part of come home n do mi car you don't understand? LOL, gas? how much bloody gas do you need?
Have you shared the left lane today?

I love this site

however much gas it takes to get there and back?!?!!?!?
i love this site to...especiallly now that tonyD is gone...
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

"i can take apart my running engine, change head gasket, and crank engine up in 1 hour....you? probbaly not."
I call BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!
-----------------------------------------
12.804 @ 107.26 mph on crappy street tires with Dual SU Powered 2.9L Stroker!
ZCAR.COM member since Aug 1998

if you had a custom EFI manifold that gives easy access to all exhaust/intake bolts, you could too...its just those, radiator hose, fuel lines, and head bolts and it comes off...
not that hard...
now a stock engine is COMPLETELY different...took us 2 days to just change the intake/exhaust gasket...
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

Sorry Bubbles, I still ain't buying start to finish in just 1 hour.
It will take at least 30 minutes just to PROPERLY clean the old head gasket material from the block and head and spray off all the oil from the head so that it doesn't drip onto the head gasket as you are putting the head back on the block.
There is just no way you could do that job PROPERLY in 1 hour.
-----------------------------------------
12.804 @ 107.26 mph on crappy street tires with Dual SU Powered 2.9L Stroker!
ZCAR.COM member since Aug 1998

I did my bushings myself. It was a little bit of a pain but not too bad - one of the first things i did. But I have a 280zx, so no spindle pins to deal with. Still, to cut out the metal sleeves in rear control arms, I decided to remove control arms which meant removing brake calipers, unbolting half-shafts, etc. Also for some reason I disconnected brake lines too, so i had to bleed them when i put it all back.
But for me to do this on somebody ELSE's car, shoot I'd charge probably $300 labor (for the 280zx). maybe $200-250 if everything goes smooth, but i'd tell them first it would be $300 at least.
My time is worth money. Time that I am fixing somebody's Z-Car is time that I could be fixing somebody else's honda or ford or toyota and making money. Or I could be at my job at the auto-parts store getting more hours. So I don't give my time & labor away for free, sorry. I even charge my good friends money to fix their cars (I know I'm cold-blooded!) because every week they want me to look at or fix something else. The only people I don't charge is my mom and my buddy who invested a lot of time to help me with my engine swap! **disclaimer** ALTHOUGH if the person just wants HELP fixing their own car, and they are actually getting their hands dirty, then I don't charge them.. /***
And please don't say they should just "buy me some beer" and call it a day, because i don't drink! Now a pizza and a 12 pack of coke might lower the price a little. lol !!
1980 280zx w/L28ET MSnS-Extra, framerails are toast...
1982 280zx...newest acquisition...
1983 Maxima - just sits in the driveway these days...

ah but norm, you are wrong!!!
you see, i didt tell the whole story...
i went through 4 headgaskets in 1 week. thats right, 4.
when the head came off, the felpro gasket lifted right up.
what kept happeneing? i didnt think my head could be warped ;-)
point is, i chagnged the gasket about 5 times in one week, the 5th time i got the head shaved flat ;-)
so there was no peeling involved ;-)
it only took an hour with help of a friend.
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

head gasket in 1 hour, no wonder that you had to change it 5 times I am with norm on this one. Take your time, think through again and again as you assemlbe. You are building your ride and it is not the final product that counts but also the path you travel. I tend to do things at least twice and why?? because first time was a practice run for the second time. Right now I am assembling a transmission together and the first time did not work -- something was stuck (shift lever fork). Second time I got it right and now it works. Third time will be the final time because I will apply gaskets torque it to specs and then I will stand by the work I have done. I have learned this traight from one of my mentors (he is Ukraine) when we worked together on the prototype gas turbine. And to get the turbine running it took dozens of assembly and disassembly and measuring and slightly changing to make everything fit right. Once you have everything worked on all the bolts are lubed and easy to remove and second time always takes less time.
Now I can see why Tony D got in fight with you
======
'74 2+2 -- MSA sway bars, Illuminas, Eibach Progressive, Energy Suspension
L28 with MN47, 240Z rods, milled down dished pistons (11.6:1 CR) and 240sx tranny
======
committing suicide in small managable payments

hahahahah....
well the headgasket blew out the side, couldnt figure it out why it did it. didnt think the head could be warped, just thought it was a bad gasket. so i changed it. happened again, thought it was another bad gasket. went to a Nissan OEM gasket. blew again. tried a napa gasket, then figured check the head...
yeah, it was warped right where it blew. got it flattened, and installed new felpro one, havent had trouble since ;-)
1 hour change time after all that crap ;-)
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

"it only took an hour with help of a friend."
You didn't mention any help until now, so I don't think you can honestly say YOU did it in an hour.
BTW my statement stands that you can't do it PROPERLY in an hour.
You proved my point by doing it 5 times.
Doing a head job properly ALWAYS requires checking the head for straightness if the sole purpose of removing said head was due to head gasket leakage in the first place.
Speed isn't as important as doing it CORRECTLY the first time around!
Later,Norm
-----------------------------------------
12.804 @ 107.26 mph on crappy street tires with Dual SU Powered 2.9L Stroker!
ZCAR.COM member since Aug 1998

AMEN, brother norm,
======
'74 2+2 -- MSA sway bars, Illuminas, Eibach Progressive, Energy Suspension
L28 with MN47, 240Z rods, milled down dished pistons (11.6:1 CR) and 240sx tranny
======
committing suicide in small managable payments

blubbles:
took you 3 times to realize the head was warped? No wonder you are constantly re-working on your car. I'm sorry but you really dont have a halfway decent clue what the hell you are doing half the time but love to come on here and boast you know everything. I can honestly see why you are joining the Marines now. Its perfect for you.

bubbleguinea, where do you live? I know you famous* but down here false stars heroes n gurus live within 10 miles radius so i know fact you from out of town :)
* point is preventive medicine n car mechanics are very expensive down here IF they take you in which is unlikely with an ol Z n the ones that do same thing
Have you shared the left lane today?

i dont know anything but i have a 2500lb 2+2 that runs a low 13 quarter mile...
hmmmm.....
i thought they were overweight pigs that couldnt hit 14's?
;-)
i guess i know something?!!?!?
i know that its not that hard to replace a headgasket, and now im a pro at it!
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

i dont know anything but i have a 2500lb 2+2 that runs a low 13 quarter mile...
Low 13??
I thought you ran 13.9??
-----------------------------------------
12.804 @ 107.26 mph on crappy street tires with Dual SU Powered 2.9L Stroker!
ZCAR.COM member since Aug 1998

So, what are you doing on Sunday?
I'm six hours away, with nothing better to do.
You supply the beer.
I'll call when in Norcross...
Stupid comments are best kept to oneself, child.
People Are Idiots, Just look around here and you will see!
Tony D: "Knowledgeable but Caustic"... rationull
My brother from another mother calls himself "Willie D"

damn i thought you were gone
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

Tony D is Back!
-1981 280zx
-89 Jeep Cherokee
F-54 - N-47 - 9.8:1 comp - 6-3-1 header -Schneider (470 lift, 280 dur.) - full 2 1/4 exhaust- Pallnet fuel rail - 6 puck ceramic clutch

He never left!!! mmuuuhhhhaaaaa
-----------------------------------------
12.804 @ 107.26 mph on crappy street tires with Dual SU Powered 2.9L Stroker!
ZCAR.COM member since Aug 1998

oh man, for a z31 1000 easy! my time under the car in -30 weather is worth punitive time as my old partner used to say! LOL!

and here is the second coming of Tony D. He will bring justice to all
======
'74 2+2 -- MSA sway bars, Illuminas, Eibach Progressive, Energy Suspension
L28 with MN47, 240Z rods, milled down dished pistons (11.6:1 CR) and 240sx tranny
======
committing suicide in small managable payments

No real mechanic in their right mind would do a bushing job on an early Z for anything under $500 and even then it would be "plus the extra time it takes if the pins don't come out easy".
And bubbles, the only parts of your engine that haven't blown up are the parts of it someone else put together for you... Hardly what I'd call an "expert".

Steve 77 280z, 3.1L, SDS w/turbo injectors, MSD, 280/.510cam, titanium retainers, Sunbelt-intake and head, Nismo1.75 headers, susp mods, toyo calipers etc etc.. my engine

got me there steve ;-) well, techinally the--well, ok nevermind- i was going to say valve train, but you did that too ;-)
==============================================
High Performance NA L28 engine, Performance Suspension, Full Interior, 2500lbs, and room for 3 HOT girls in the car!
shift_2+2
13.9 @102.7 on 205mm street tires and 110 octane :-)

Worked some overtime this week so I could pick up some nifty items for my rebuild on payday! Back on the suspenion and drivetrain today. But I cant help but think how much a plane ticket would be to fly Bubbles out to Denver to finish some projects of mine. Let me see, he sleeps on the floor, works on the car like a dog all day, drinks a few beers here and there(meh, ill share a couple), listens to my father figure barking of "you've got to be kidding me, wtf are you doing!!", and if Im very lucky Ill talk him into taking the trash out for me so the wifey stops bit@#$*&^. A guy can dream cant he??