From: CSMSETS@MVS.OAC.UCLA.EDU (CSMSETS)
Subject: Nissan 4WD owners please read...
Date: 22 Jul 92 16:03:56 PDT

Hi, I don't typically read this news group but I just wanted to post
   this to see if anyone else had an experience like this/and wanted
   to warn others about it. If you have a reply/question please
   E-mail me at "csmsets@mvs.oac.ucla.edu" or "csmsets@uclamvs.bitnet"
   because I don't read this list.

    Last sunday afternoon I was driving home on the 405 N on the
number 2 lane when I heard a loud pop, the front right end of my
truck dropped 8 inches and I swerved half way into the number 3
lane (my truck is a '86 Nissan Hard Body King Cab, v6, 4WD,
manufacture date 7/86). The first thing that came to mind was
'blow out'.  I got off the freeway, parked and checked, no flat.
Looked under the car and figured I blew a shock. Limpped home,
replaced the shock and the truck settled down all the way to
where it was before.
    Next day I take it into the dealer and they tell me that the
bottom 'control' arm of the suspension (the maint manual calls it
the lower arm of the suspension I think) had broken off and it'll
cost me about $480 to replace. I asked them if they had ever seen
this and they said no, NEVER! The next day when they get the part
and replace it I get another call and they said that they want me
to see this, the other side (driver side) is also cracked and needed
to be replaced.  Boy, they weren't kidding, it was about to go.

   The question/warning I have is has anybody seen/heard of this
problem with Nissan hardbody (the new models with the v6 that started
to come out in '86, not the hl/dl 620's) in the 4wd or 2wd model?
I suspect if this is a problem it would only start to show up now
since my vehicle is about as old as they come (I thik they started
to manufacture these for import into the U.S. at about 2/86 and mine
was build in 7/86). I have driven my truck off road in Mexico and in
snow while skiing but I haven't done anything that would be called
abusive (how hard can you drive your car with a Rottweiler in the
passenger seat and six cases of Corona in the back!).

   If you want to check for this problem in your vehicle you might
have to remove the strike plate this is in the front center of
your truck (right below the engine). Check the lower suspention
arm where it mounts on the back part of the frame for cracks and
in the front where it mounts onto the frame where the torsion bar
connects.

   In summary what happened was the front passenger side, lower
suspension arm broke off bending the torsion bar and trearing
the torsion bar mounts off. Both the right and left lower arm
assemblies had to be replaced, the torsion bar, and the torsion
bar mounts. Total cost about $1100.
   If I was driving in the right most lane I probably would have gone
off of the freeway.

What to look for: (from under passenger side looking front)
                            \\
                             \\    __________upper arm
                              \\  /
     ----------------------   "\\
                             " \\     =
            Truck frame      "  \\     
     --------------\\------  ========== Wheel
                  / \\       ========== 
                 /   =============//    
                /          \           =
               /            \
              /              \__________________lower arm
             /
            /
           /
          /_______This is where the lower arm bolts onto the body and
                  this is where the lower arm cracked.




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