1987 NISSAN PULSAR boot

158 Front Suspension


Installed view of the front suspension. When using a floor jack locate the head of the jack on the crossmember.
(2) Remove the cap, split pin, castellated re-
tainer and with the aid of an assistant applying the
brakes, loosen and remove the hub nut.
(3) Remove the split pin and the castellated nut
retaining the tie rod end to the steering knuckle. (4) Disconnect the tie rod end from the steering
knuckle using a suitable puller. Alternatively place a
suitable dolly or hammer against one side of the
steering knuckle eye and strike the opposite side with
a hammer.
(5) Remove the brake caliper anchor plate bolts,
withdraw the caliper from the disc and support it with
a piece of wire inside the inner mudguard. Ensure that
the brake hose is not twisted.
(6) Withdraw the brake disc from the hub.
(7) Loosely install the hub nut and tap on the nut
with a soft faced hammer to separate the drive shaft
from the hub. (8) Place a mark on the suspension unit to
steering knuckle cam head bolt to ensure correct wheel
alignment on assembly. (9) Remove the steering knuckle to suspension
unit nuts and bolts. (10) Remove the split pin and the castellated nut
retaining the lower ball joint stud to the steering
knuckle. (11) Disconnect the ball joint stud from the steering knuckle using a suitable puller or alternatively
place a suitable dolly or hammer against one side of
the steering knuckle eye and strike the opposite side
with a hammer.

(12)
Withdraw the steering knuckle from the
vehicle taking care not to drop the drive shaft or
damage its boot. (13) Clean and check the steering knuckle for
wear, cracks and damage. (14) If necessary, dismantle the hub and check
the bearing assembly using the dismantling procedure
described later in this section. Installation is a reversal of the removal procedure
with attention to the following points:

(1) Install the steering knuckle and hub assembly
over the drive shaft and loosely install the ball joint
stud nut and the suspension unit to knuckle bolts and
nuts.
(2) Ensure that the suspension unit to steering
knuckle cam head bolt mark s are aligned and tighten
the retaining nuts to the specified torque.
NOTE: If the cam head bolt is not installed
in its original position, a wheel alignment
should be performed.

(3) Tighten the ball joint to steering knuckle stud
bolt to the specified torque.

160 Front Suspension

(2) Disconnect the flexible brake hoses from the
suspension unit bracket.
(3) Using quick drying paint, place mating
marks on the camber adjustin g cam head bolt and the
suspension unit lower mounti ng as an aid to installa-
tion. (4) Remove the bolts and nuts retaining the
suspension unit lower mounting to the steering
knuckle. (5) Open the bonnet and remove the nuts
retaining the suspension unit upper mounting to the
inner mudguard panel and remove the suspension
unit assembly from the vehicle. Use care when
removing not to damage the drive shaft boot.

(6) Remove the dust cover and loosen the piston
rod nut but do not remove it at this stage. (7) Install a spring compressor to the
suspension
unit assembly. Compress the coil spring and remove
the piston rod nut. (8) Remove the washer, upper mounting assem-
bly, the thrust washer, spring seat, insulator, coil
spring, bump rubber and dust cover from the suspen-
sion unit. (9) Check the operation of the suspension unit.
With the suspension unit in a vertical position, move
the piston rod up and down a number of times. A

Dismantled view of the front suspension unit.
uniform resistance should be felt with no abnormal
slack spots or noise evident. If the suspension unit is
defective, it should be renewed.

NOTE: It is recommended that the suspen-
sion unit on the opposite side be renewed at
the same time.

(10) Check the upper mounting assembly for
damage and fatigue. Check the thrust washer for wear.
Check all rubber components, the spring seat and
insulator for wear, damage and deterioration. Renew
worn or damaged components. (11) Check the coil spring for fatigue by compar-
ison with a new spring. Al so check the spring for
cracks and damage. If the coil spring is defective, it is
recommended that the springs on both sides be
renewed.
TO ASSEMBLE AND INSTAL

Assembly and installation is a reversal of the
removal and dismantling procedure with attention to
the following points:
View of the front suspension unit with the spring
compressor installed.

Front Suspension 163
(2) Ensure that the stabilizer bar links are in
good condition. Renew if necessary.
(3) When installing the stabilizer bar ensure that
the links are installed perpendicular to the control arm
with the ball joint socket face parallel to the end of the
stabilizer bar. (4) Ensure that the brackets are installed with
the flat portion facing towards the front of the vehicle.
Tighten the retaining bolts securely.
7. SUSPENSION AND STEERING ANGLES

ADJUSTMENT
NOTE: Extensive knowledge and special-
ised equipment are required to measure and
correct the suspension and steering angles
with the exception of the front wheel toe in.
Therefore, as it is not a viable proposition
for the average person to carry out a com-
plete wheel alignment, the vehicle should be
taken to a wheel alignment specialist.

Prior to carrying out a wheel alignment, a thor-
ough inspection of the steering linkage, front hub
bearings, ball joints and suspension units should be
carried out. Faulty components should be renewed or
repaired as necessary.

The tread of the front ti res should be examined
for excessive or uneven wear as certain conditions of
tire wear are indicative of damaged or worn compo-
nents in the suspension, stee ring linkage and/or wheels
and bearings. Refer to the heading Tire Wear Trouble
Shooting in the Wheels and Tires section. If the tires
are found to be defective, renew them with serviceable
lyres.

TO CHECK AND ADJUST TOE IN/OUT
NOTE: The vehicle s hould be unladen ex-
cept for the normal amount of fuel and with
the tires inflated to the correct pressures.

(1) With the vehicle on a level floor, raise the
front of the vehicle and s upport it on chassis stands.
(2) Spin each front wheel in turn and using a
piece of chalk, mark a line around the periphery of
each tire as near to the centre as possible. (3) Lower the vehicle to the ground and bounce
the front several times to stabilize the suspension. (4) Set the wheels in the straight ahead position.
(5) Mark the centre chalk line on both tires at a
point approximately 200 mm above the floor and
forward of the suspension. (6) Using a tape measure, measure and record
the distance between the two marked points on the
tire centers.

Diagram indicating the front wheel toe in. Refer to
Specifications for the correct difference between
measurement A and B.
(7) Maintaining the wheels in the straight ahead
position, roll the vehicle forward until the marks are
the same distance from the floor but to the rear of the
suspension. (8) Again using the tape measure, measure and
record the distance between the marks on the tires.
(9) The difference between the front and rear
measurement will give the correct toe in/out reading.
If the larger measurement is at the front, the wheels
are in a toe out position. If the reverse is true, the
wheels are in toe in position. Compare the reading
obtained with the figure given in Specifications.
(10) If adjustment of the to e in/out is necessary,
loosen the tie rod locknuts on both sides. (11) Remove the retaining clips from the small
end of the steering rack rubber boots. (12) Turn the tie rods as required until the correct
toe in/out reading is obtained.
NOTE: It is important to turn each tie rod
equally to maintain the central position of
the steering gear. Ensure that the lengths of
the tie rods are the same.

(13) Tighten the tie rod locknuts to the specified
torque without changing the positions of the adjusters.
(14) Install the retaining clips to the small end
of
the steering rack rubber boots, ensuring that the boots
are not twisted.

Brakes 179


Installed view of the front brake pads, spring clips and shims.
NOTE: Do not drain all the fluid from the
reservoir or it will be necessary to bleed the
hydraulic system. The fluid is drained from
the reservoir to prevent overflow when the
caliper piston is pushed back into the caliper
bore to facilitate pad renewal.

(4) Remove the lower guide bolt and rotate the
caliper body upwards, pivoting on the upper guide
bolt.
(5) Remove the brake pad assemblies from the
anchor plate. (6) Noting the installed positions, remove the
spring clips from the anchor plate and the shims from
the brake pads.
(7) Squarely push the piston into its bore in the
caliper body. If necessary, us e a G clamp to push the
piston into the caliper b ody. Check for fluid leaks
from the calip er body.
(8) If necessary, check the disc runout and
thickness as described under the Brake Disc heading.

(9) Ensure that the guide bolts move freely in the
anchor plate and that the dust boots are in good
condition. (10) Install the brake pads, shims and spring
clips
in the position noted on removal. (11) Rotate the caliper body downwards, to re-
turn to its original position. Lubricate the lower guide
bolt with suitable grease. In stall and tighten the guide
bolt to the specified torque. (12) Repeat the procedure on the opposite front
brake assembly. (13) Replenish the master cylinder reservoir with the recommended fluid to the correct level and pump
the brake pedal several times to locate the disc pads.

(14)
Install the front wheels and lower the
vehicle
to the ground. (15) Road lest the vehicle and check for correct
brake operation.
CALIPER

To Remove and Install
(1) Raise the front of the vehicle and place it on
chassis stands. Remove the relevant front wheel. (2) Remove the brake hose retaining bolt and
plug the hose to prevent the loss of fluid and the
ingress of dirt. (3) Remove the bolts retaining the caliper an-
chor plate to the steering knuckle and slide the caliper
off the disc.

Installed view of the front brake caliper.
Installation is a reversal of the removal procedure
with attention to the following points:

(1) Tighten the caliper anch or plate bolts to the
specified torque.
(2) Install the brake hose to the caliper
body
ensuring that new seal washers are installed.
NOTE: Ensure that the brake hose is cor-
rectly located against the protrusion on the
caliper body.

(3) Bleed the brake hydraulic system as de-
scribed under the Hydraulic System heading. (4) Install the fron t wheel and lower the vehicle
to the ground. (5) Road test the vehicle and check for correct
brake operation.
To Dismantle
(1) Raise the front of the vehicle and place it on
chassis stands. Remove the relevant front wheel.

(2) Remove the brake hose retaining bolt from

Brakes 181

chor plate to the steering knuckle and slide the caliper
off the brake disc. Suspend the caliper clear of the
work area using wire or cord.

(3) Suitably mark the location of the disc in
relation to the hub.

(4) Slide the disc off the hub. If the disc is
difficult to remove, install two M8 x 1.25 mm bolts in
the disc and by alternatively tightening the bolts,
remove the disc.

Do not use a hammer to remove the disc.
Installation is a reversal of the removal procedure
ensuring that the mating face s of the disc and hub are
clean and free from burrs and that the marks made on
removal are aligned.

To Inspect
(1) Inspect the machined faces of the disc for
scores, cracks, wear and signs of overheating. (2) Using a micrometer, measure the thickness
of the disc at several positi ons around the face of the
disc. Renew the disc if the minimum thickness is
below Specifications.

Inspect the brake discs for scoring and wear.
(3) If the disc thickness is satisfactory but the
disc is scored, machine equal amounts from the
machined face on each side of the disc, to restore the
serviceability of the disc.

NOTE: Disc machining is best entrusted to
a reliable brake specialist who can advise on
disc serviceability.

6. REAR DISC BRAKES
Special Equipment Required:
To Check Disc Runout — Dial gauge
To Check Disc Thickness — Micrometer
TO CHECK AND RENEW BRAKE PADS
( 1 ) Raise the rear of the vehicle and place it on
chassis stands. Remove the rear wheels.


Renew the rear brake pads if the friction material is less
than 2 mm thick.
(2) Inspect the brake pads on both sides of the
vehicle. If the friction material on one or more of the
pads is less than 2 mm thick or contaminated with
fluid or grease, renew the brake pad as a set as follows.

NOTE: If the brake pads are contaminated
trace and rectify the cause prior to installing
the new set of pads.

(3) Drain approximately two thirds of the brake
fluid from the master cylinder reservoir. This can be
done by loosening the bleeder valve on the caliper and
allowing the fluid to drai n into a container. Discard
this fluid.

NOTE: Do not drain all the fluid from the
reservoir otherwise it will be necessary to
bleed the hydraulic system. The fluid is
drained from the reservoir to prevent over-
flow when the caliper piston is pushed back
into the caliper bore to facilitate pad re-
newal.

(4) Remove the guide bolts and lift the caliper
body clear of the disc.

NOTE: Do not allow the caliper to hang on
the brake hose.

(5) Noting the installed positions, remove the
brake pads, shims and spring clips from the anchor
plate.
(6) Using a pair of long nosed pliers with the
nose located in the recesses of the piston, rotate the
piston clockwise to retract it into the cylinder body.
Align the recesses between the brake pad retaining
lugs on the caliper body. Refer to the illustration. (7) If necessary, check the disc runout and
thickness as described under the Brake Disc heading.
(8) Ensure that the guide bolts move freely in the
caliper body and that the dust boots are in good
condition.

Brakes 185
(6) Using a suitable pair of pliers, disengage the
upper and lower return springs from the leading shoe,
and then remove them from the trailing shoe. (7) Using a pair of pliers, compress the leading
shoe retainer, turn through ninety degrees and remove
the retainer, spring and pin. Remove the leading shoe
from the backing plate. (8) Using the same procedure, remove the trail-
ing shoe retainer. (9) Lift the trailing shoe from the backing plate
and disconnect the handbrake cable from the hand-
brake lever. Remove the trailing shoe assembly from
the backing plate.
(10) If the brake shoes are to be renewed, remove
the C clip from the trailing shoe and remove the
handbrake lever assembly. (11) If the wheel cylinder is to be overhauled,
proceed as follows:
(a) Disconnect the brake pipe from the rear of
the wheel cylinder and plug the pipe to prevent the
loss of fluid and the ingress of dirt. (b) Remove the bolts retaining the wheel cylin-
der to the backing plate and withdraw the wheel
cylinder from the vehicle. (c) Remove the rubber boots, pistons and spring
from the wheel cylinder bore. Remove the seals from
the pistons. Discard th e rubber boots and seals.
(d) Remove the rubber boot and bleeder valve
from the wheel cylinder.
TO CLEAN AND INSPECT

(1) Thoroughly clean all the brake components,
except the brake shoes in methylated spirits.
(2) Inspect the brake shoe linings. If the thick-
ness of the lining on one or more of the shoes is less
than 1.5 mm thick or contaminated with fluid or
grease, the brake shoes must be renewed as a set. (3) Inspect the wheel cylinder bore and piston
for pitting, wear or damage. Renew the wheel cylinder
assembly if any damage is evident. (4) Check the brake drums for cracks, scoring or
out of round. Renew or machine the brake drums as
necessary.
(5) Inspect the springs and handbrake lever for
fatigue and distortion. Renew as required. (6) Operate the handbrake lever and check for.
smooth operation of the handbrake cable. Renew as
required under the Hand brake Cable and Lever
Assembly heading. (7) Check the bleeder valve for blockage.
(8) Clean and lubricate the adjuster rod.
(9) Clean and inspect the backing plate for
cracks, damage and wear. Renew as required.
TO ASSEMBLE AND INSTAL

(1) If the wheel cylinder was overhauled, pro-
ceed as follows:

(a) Lubricate the pistons and seats with brake
fluid and install the seals on to the pistons so that the
l i p on the seals will be facing towards the centre of the
cylinder.
(b) Install the spring, pistons and rubber boots to
the wheel cylinder ensuring that the rubber boots are
securely located in the cy linder. If necessary, use a
clamp to hold the pistons in the cylinder.
(c) Position the wheel cylinder in the backing
plate and install the brake pi pe to the cylinder. Do not
fully tighten the pipe at this stage. (d) Install the wheel cylinder retaining bolts and
tighten the retaining bolts and brake pipe securely.
Install and tighten the bleeder valve. Install the
valve
boot.


Dismantled view of the right hand rear drum brake
components. Dismantled view of the rear wheel cylinder.

(2) Sparingly lubricate the brake shoe moving
contact surfaces on the backing plate and the adjuster
assembly with a high melting point grease.
(3) If necessary, position the adjusting lever
on
the handbrake lever. (4) If necessary, position the handbrake lever
assembly and washer on the trailing shoe and secure it
with the C clip.
(5) Ensure that the adjuster assembly is adjusted
to its shortest length. (6) Install the adjusting lever return spring to
the
trailing shoe.

186 Brakes
(7) Using a pair of pliers, compress the hand-
brake cable spring and install the cable to the hand-
brake lever.
(8) Position the trailing shoe on the backing
plate with the upper end located on the wheel cylinder
piston and the lower end on the anchor plate. (9) Install the adjuster assembly to the
trailing
shoe ensuring that the adjuster fork is correctly
located on the upper end of the shoe. (10) Install the pin, spring and retainer to the
trailing shoe, turn the reta iner through 90 degrees and
secure the brake shoe to the backing plate. (11) Connect the upper and lower return springs
to the trailing shoe as noted on removal. (12) Position the leading shoe on the backing
plate with the upper end located on the wheel cylinder
piston and the lower end on the anchor plate. Ensure
that the adjuster assembly is correctly located on the
upper end of the shoe. (13) Install the pin, spring and retainer to the
leading shoe, turn the retainer through 90 degrees and
secure the shoe to the backing plate. (14) Connect the upper and lower return springs
to the leading shoe.
(15) By alternatively adjust ing the automatic ad-
juster manually and sliding the brake drum on and off
the brake shoe assembly, adjust the brakes until the
brake drum will just slide over the brake shoes. Ensure
that the adjuster lever contacts the adjuster star wheel.
Install the brake drum and operate the handbrake
several times to adjust the brake shoes. (16) Install the rear wheels and rotate each wheel
to ensure that the brake shoe linings are not dragging.
(17) Bleed the hydraulic system as described
under the Hydraulic System heading. (18) Adjust the handbrake as described under the
Brake Adjustments heading.
8. HANDBRAKE CABLE AND LEVER
ASSEMBLY

HANDBRAKE LEVER AND FRONT CABLE
ASSEMBLY

To Remove and Install
(1) Raise the vehicle and support it on chassis
stands. Release the handbrake.

(2) Working beneath the vehicle, remove the
exhaust pipe centre heat shield retaining bolts and
maneuver the shield from the vehicle. (3) Remove the rear handbrake cable front
clamp retaining nuts and disconnect the rear hand-
brake cable from the equalizer. (4) Working within the vehicle, remove the
carpet square from the rear of the console. Remove
the retaining screw from the front and rear of the rear
console section and maneuver the rear console from
the vehicle.

Dismantled view of the handbrake lever components.
(5) Disconnect the handbrake warning lamp
switch wiring. (6) Remove the handbrake lever assembly re-
taining bolts and remove the handbrake lever and
front cable assembly. (7) If necessary slide the boot and cover towards
the equalizer, straighten the tang on the lower edge of
the lever and remove the adjuster nut and washer.
(8) Withdraw the front cable from the lever and
remove the boot and cover. Inspect the cable for
chafing or broken strands. Renew the cable if damage
is evident. (9) Check the handbrake lever ratchet and pawl
for wear and renew as necessary. Installation is a reversal of the removal procedure
with attention to the following points:

(1) Apply lubricant to all the working parts prior
to installation. (2) Ensure that the handbrake cable clamp is
correctly installed. (3) Adjust the handbrake cable as described
under the Brake Adjustments heading.
REAR HANDBRAKE CABLES
TO Remove and Install
(1) Raise the rear of the vehicle and support it
on chassis stands. Remove th e rear wheels and release
the handbrake.

(2) Working beneath the vehicle, remove the
exhaust pipe centre and rear heat shield retaining
bolts and maneuver the heat shields from the
vehicle.
(3) Remove the bolts and nuts retaining the
handbrake cable clamps to the underbody and discon-
nect the rear handbrake cable from the equalizer.
(4) On disc brake models, remove the handbrake
cable to bracket retaining clip on the rear of the
caliper and disconnect the handbrake cable from the
cam lever. Remove the cable from the vehicle.
(5) On drum brake models , proceed as follows:
(a) Remove and dismantle the rear brakes as

previously described.

Body 235
lever and remove the screws underneath. Withdraw
the rear console.

On manual transaxle models, unscrew the
gear lever knob and prise out the gear lever rubber
boot. On automatic transaxle models, prise out the
panel around the selector lever and maneuver the
panel over the lever. Remove the screws retaining the front of the
console to the floor panel and withdraw the console
from the vehicle. Installation is a reversal of the removal procedure.

9, DASHBOARD
TO REMOVE AND INSTAL
Disconnect the negative battery terminal.
Remove the centre console as previously
described in this section. Remove the steering wheel as described in
the Steering section. Remove the upper and lower steering col-
umn shrouds and remove the combination switch.
Refer to the Electrical System section if necessary. Remove the retaining screws and withdraw
the lower trim panel from underneath the steering
column. Remove the screws from underneath the
bonnet lock handle and slide the bonnet lock handle
downwards out of the dashboard. Remove the screws retaining the centre fas-
cia panel, two upper and two lower, withdraw the
fascia panel slightly and disconnect the wiring to the
cigarette lighter.

Dismantled view of the centre console assembly. Au-
tomatic transaxle model.
Remove the radio/cassette bracket retaining
screws. Disconnect the aerial and the wiring and
withdraw the radio/cassette from the centre bracket. Remove the heater control knobs and re-
move the heater fascia panel screws. Carefully remove
the heater fascia panel leaving the heater controls in
place.
Loosen the bolt retaining the large wiring
connector at the lower right hand side of the dash-
board. As the bolt is loosened it will force the
connector apart. Using a screwdriver, carefully prise out the
demister ducts from th e top of the dashboard.
Using a suitable socket, remove the bolts
from underneath the demister ducts. Remove the bolts from the outer lower edges
and the lower part of th e centre bracket assembly.
NOTE: Refer to the illustration for the
location of the dashboard retaining bolts.

(14) With the aid of an assistant lift the dash-
board straight up at the door pillar brackets. Tilt the


View of the dashboard removed from the vehicle. The arrows indicate the location of the retaining bolts.