In 1975, Nissan bumped up the power of the popular 240Z with their new 280Z. Only sold in the American market, the new model featured a 2.8 Liter engine and some surprisingly modern driving characteristics. With some minor modifications, such as removal of the bumper, comparisons have been made between it and the BMW Z3.
The steering of the Nissan 280Z is described as incredibly tight, and you really only need to think about turning and barely turn the wheel to make all but the sharpest turns. A key component of the vehicle’s handling is the steering rack.
The steering rack translates the driver’s input motion on the steering wheel into lateral pushes on the spindle of the front wheels, which causes them to turn. The Nissan 280Z steering rack features a 2.7 turn lock to lock, which is equal to many of the sharpest sports cars of today. The rack and pinion steering is durable, but like all, the components will wear out. The failure of a steering rack primarily comes from internal seals wearing out, allowing the lubricating fluid to leak out, and then friction damages the internals. While some repair kits are available, it is far simpler to simply replace the entire rack. Because of the geometry of the vehicle, replacing the Nissan 280Z steering rack is a somewhat complicated endeavor, but most moderately competent home mechanics should be able to pull it off without too much difficulty. It can be a time consuming process, but the mechanical skills needed are not advanced. You can order a new or rebuilt steering rack from our convenient online catalogue.There may be a core charge which will be refunded to you as soon as your old Nissan 280Z steering rack is received.