Cat D Rebuild - More of the jigsaw completed!

[David Hooper]

Have stripped rear down now so as to make it easier to sort brake/fuel pipes. Also to fit polys. And nice new exhaust

The rear spring plates and alloy hubs are suffering from corrosion and were a pig tp part. It's very original at 70k but it has never been apart for alignment. If you've never had those bits apart it's a good idea to strip, clean and protect them. Just before you get the alignment done

The plates into the torsion bar are bad and in fact are suffering from a situation akin to plate lift on the calipers. Past the height adjuster then past the lock bolt they are actually beginning to part

As I said earlier in the year (this car is taking longer than I thought surprise surprise) it may be due to spending all it's life in and around Bristol.

Anyway, was in OPC Towcester today ordering bits so asked Ted how much for replacement spring plates which includes the vulcanised rubber bush that fits over the torsion tube/bar etc.

£330.00 + the VAT

EACH

Anybody got any bright ideas on how to avoid this extortionate expense?

I will get a picture site set up with some before & after stuff soon.

Cheers
Dave
_________________
Now -- Black Sport. M030 arbs, rear seat delete, CS rear shelf, Goodridge hoses, Uprated discs/pads, Poly Suspension.....it's started!
Ex -- Maritime Blue CS, wave if you see it on a track near you!

 

[PJS917]

Dave, They sound particularly bad. I picked up a whole 968 rear beam inc spring plates and trailing arms for £100.00 I then had the spring plates dipped and replated and they are like new. I fitted Elephant bushes (which I am sure you had on your last one) and the whole lot cost less than 1 new spring plate!. It may be worth going down this route rather than buying new/poor 2nd hand.

 

[David Hooper]

As this is a road car I really don't want to go down the solid tube route. Too hard everyday for me. I've yet to split the plates and remove the ends from the tube so I'll see better then. I wondered if anyone was doing upgraded rubber plate ends without going to the solid option. I would imagine the PCGB racers aren't allowed the elephant racing stuff so perhaps someone has a better way than OPC. Cheers Dave

 

[Paz]

I had the rear beam stripped and chassis setup by Chris Franklin at CenterGravity, they have a powdercoating business nearby so the beam was blasted, zinc coated and then powdercoated to perfection, might be worth calling them. Fortunately I didn't need the bushes replacing.

 

[David Hooper]

Mmmm. Well, looking like an option for the elephant stuff. Will be running standard shocks and poly'd tube and swinging arm bushes so perhaps it could work. Although I wonder if the elephant swinging arm bushes might be OK[] Plus the fact the missus is off to USA next weekend for a weeks contract so I can get them shipped to her and bought home in the old suitcase Appreciate all the comments people. Cheers Dave

 

[Big Dave]

Dave. Ive got the E racing spring plate jobbies + polybushed the rest of the rear end. Its a lot better than standard,, BUT it does make it a little harsher... Not sure which bits make which harshness though...[8|][8|] You say your "better half" is off to the USA.. M.M.M.M.... now what do it need from there...????? Me thinks....[][][]

 

[frogisland]

Dave - had the same problem, often overlooked and the build up of corrosion between the trailing arm and spring plate can be quite excessive to the extent that it pushes out your geometry. More options than you think: [link=http://www.paragon-products.com/Porsche_924_944_968_Suspension_Suspension_Bushings_s/310.htm]http://www.paragon-products.com/Porsche_924_944_968_Suspension_Suspension_Bushings_s/310.htm[/link] As with Peter, i removed the rubber form the plates, separated the two halves and had then dipped/replated. Used rubber spray in a can to recoat the tubed end where the torsion fits to give that original look. Alternatively, you may be able to wedge the two plates apart sufficiently for them to be dipped/replated. Some processes will have little or no effect on the rubber. Good to see you are getting your hands dirty! JP

 

[frogisland]

...then had them powdercoated for extra protection.. [link=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/frogisland/968%20Rebuild/rearsuspensiontorsion09.jpg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/frogisland/968%20Rebuild/rearsuspensiontorsion09.jpg[/link] [link=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/frogisland/968%20Rebuild/Runninggear-007.jpg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/frogisland/968%20Rebuild/Runninggear-007.jpg[/link] [link=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/frogisland/968%20Rebuild/Runninggear-005.jpg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/frogisland/968%20Rebuild/Runninggear-005.jpg[/link] [link=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/frogisland/968%20Rebuild/Runninggear-004.jpg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/frogisland/968%20Rebuild/Runninggear-004.jpg[/link] (anyone know how i link directly to the images i have in photobucket - tried witht he 'img' thing but have never been able to get it to work on the pcgb forum...see below!)

JP

 

[David Hooper]

Thanks Jason, the pics have reminded me to mark, mark and mark again[] I think a lot of people have commented that the delrins tend to squeak so bronze it is. Have started to strip off the outer housing ready to remove the plates and their rubbers.The bolt and adjust bolt are well stuck. Am going for the elephant stuff and also those nice Paragon Products drop links for the rear arb and a pair of solid front shock mounts for when I get to the front suspension. And a KLA strut brace. I'll have to get her a bigger suitcase[] Will probably ring when I get it all for a bit of advice re fitting. Cheers Dave

 

[Super_Marv]

Beautiful work as always Jason! I take it that it's impossible to tell what condition the spring plate bushes are in, without taking apart the spring plate itself?

 

[David Hooper]

Well I can see on mine that the plates are trying to part past the bolts causing a gap and also the end mounting tube is not sitting central in the alloy housing. Don't know if thats a problem but it doesn't look correct. Took out the swinging arm bushes which were in pretty good nick really, just a bit squashy. Now getting carried away on the net looking at USA web prices[] Cheers Dave

 

[frogisland]

ORIGINAL: David Hooper I'll have to get her a bigger suitcase[]

..are you taking orders? Assembly is easy, re indexing for height BigDave is best placed for this, i've only done it twice!.....Dave has done it a few times more and has a good technique now!! Thought you had been here before though? JP

 

[frogisland]

Marv, you are correct. You would need to lower the torsion tube and remove the end alloy casting. I think you have to remember that as with any car the bushing will deteriorate over time, mileage, environment etc. You need to get a balance with what you would want to replace against the benefit. The torsion bushes didn't appear to be too bad on my 90k miles car - obviously not new, but i was after something totally different for my car (solid bushing, bearings etc). Its a bit of a 'Fourth Bridge', some components make alot of sense - front castor mounts for example, top mounts eventually, ARB bushing, but where do you stop, its alot of effort that a few of us go through? Re where the spring plates join to the trailing arm. I've taken apart 3 assemblies now and all 3 had significant corrosion, 1 was affecting the geometry. Again, where do you stop? Depends what you are looking for out of a car, how long you are going to keep it, how close to the original feel you want - for most doesn't it just come down to what maintenance you want to spend you hard earned on? Same issue with the caliper plate lift, some dont recognise that it is there, others do, sometimes advice to remedy when being serviced. Separating the spring plate/trailing arm is a pain too, but easier than removing the torsion tube. Getting the bolts undone is the big task - some force (a long spanner) is needed - suspect some would reach this point and think why have i bothered/how the hell do i undo those! JP

 

[Super_Marv]

Cheers Jason! I took my rear wheels off yesterday and cleaned away the nice thick layer of dirt covering the adjusting plates. They are quite rusty, but the plates don't seem to be parting. I looked where the bushes are on the torsion tube - you can only see a tiny bit of the bush as it's obviously covered by the alloy axle carrier. The tube sits nicely in the middle of the axle carrier, with the visible part of the bush sitting around the torsion tube. I've sprayed them with a decent amount of Wurth Rost op for the moment. I reckon the bushes are probably fine - my car has covered nearly 90k too. Saying that, my car is in for its service at the moment and I'm having a load of the bushes replaced, so I've asked my specialist to have a look at what condition the bush is in when he takes the alloy axle carrier off (one of the bushes I'm replacing is the bush which holds the axle carrier on) If the torsion tube bushes are on their way out, then I'll be looking to get some Elephant Polybronze Bearings too [] (and also sort out the corrosion)

 

[David Hooper]

Jason, just been reading Elephant Racing fitting instuctions. What equivalent over here did you use for the JB Weld for fixing the race to the plate? I didn't fit these to the old CS, only did the re-indexing. Have fitted all the new brake lines, fuel lines, new line clips - now replaced by plastic - fuel filter & flexi pipe, polybushes in trailing arms, scrubbed of all underneath surface corrosion & treated and painted/waxoyled, picking up calipers tomorrow, bought bargain full Janspeed de-cat exhaust, modified airbox and K&N filter off ebay, thanks Rob, and about to start dismantling and scrubbing up/painting torsion tube, replating plates etc etc ready for new parts from USA[] Got hit by tummy bug yesterday which is going around my local at the moment so only half day on it and nothing today due to sleeping[&o] Bit of a slog at the moment but fitting new bits helps as you turn the corner so to speak. Of course the real fun of re-assembly has yet to manifest itself in the form of those b*****d handbrake shoes/springs cables[] Really looking forward to 28th Aug trackday at Dono and hoping to get a mate along with his 996 GT2 as he says it could do with a bit of a clearout[&:] Cheers Dave

 

[Big Dave]

You got "swine flu" dave.?????[8|][8|] It was you that bought the bits off e-bay was it... I was going to buy the K+N filter, but you beat me too it....[][][][]

 

[David Hooper]

That makes a change me beating you to a bargain[] The items went on at 20.30 and I bought my bits at 20.45 I think[] Although when I rang to arrange pickup I found out he'd sold a pair of rear Koni adjustables just before I got on there[] Fetched calipers today and fitted the fronts with new discs from eurocarparts - sebro sport, look ok - ebc red pads and the steel hoses. The front suspension needs doing but it'll have to wait for a bit. Am thinking of scripting something for PPost along the lines of "Cat d or not Cat d, that is the the few grand question"[&:] Cheers Dave

 

[David Hooper]

OK so no driving adventures to talk about, sorry Big Dave, so I'll bore you all with an update on the most expensive budget rebuild[&:] Have been on it last 2 weeks really as business is slow, snail like really, so have now got it to the start reassembly position. Trailing arms and associated fittings cleaned up, painted and polybushed, the dreaded handbrake cleaned and back together. Easier to do on the bench but can't place the retaining springs yet as need the play to attach the cable when on the car. Torsion tube stripped down, marked all over the place & the bars removed. That still makes me sweat & I've done it three times now[] After seeing Jasons pics I scrubbed it up, zinc primered it then the old Hammerite in smooth black. Stripped all the old rubber of the spring plates and had them replated at Derby Plating. £45 + the vat. They were very rusty but have come back great. The lovely parts lady returned from the good ol' US of A with even lovelier Elephant Racing polybronze bushes, KLA Industries solid top mounts & rear arb adjustable rose bearing drop links. I found some two pack metal epoxy to glue the inner race to the plates in Halfords, Araldite steel, and have fitted the polybronze bushings to the tube & end plates. Drilling and tapping for the grease nipples was fun. Especially when I broke one of the nipples in a hole[]. Drilled it and retapped - all OK[&:] Got them spot on with the grease channel, which was nice. Nothing on it today but will be gluing the races to the plates first thing then letting them go off while I try to polish in a profit on a diesel X type estate[] Will try and set up some pics, especially the rusty lines, quite a sight. Hopefully back on the road next weekend. Cheers Dave

 

[Super_Marv]

I'm sure your missus will appreciate you saying that some polybronze bearing are lovelier than her!

Thanks for the update, keep them coming and get some pictures up! (I'm reading with interest as I'm thinking of getting new topmounts for the front suspension, and maybe getting some polybronze bearings too..) I know you're planning on keeping your 968 as a road car, are you not concerned that the solid top mounts will make things a bit harsh? I've been looking at topmounts, and with the OEM ones being so expensive, and aftermarket ones being solid (IE, no rubber), it doesn't look like there's any middle ground. It's a shame that the Dynatech topmounts - like what Big Dave has - aren't available anymore, as they seemed to be the middle ground I'm looking for, as they had PU inserts. Does anyone know of any topmounts similar to the Dynatech mounts? If not, Big Dave, if you ever think of selling your Dynatech's, let me know!

 

[Neil Haughey]

I found exactly the same thing when I enquired about top mounts and spring plates for my S2 race car project. I asked Hartech if they would come up with something as they of course make their own rubber bushed castor mounts. They didn't say they would do it but perhaps if enough ppl badger them they may come up with something.