Suspension refresh

[dlknight]

I'm dropping off the trailing arms tomorrow for vapour blasting. Those damn sensors were dogs to get out - I wish I had read the Rennlist article sooner - essentially just drill and hammer them out. I then had a similar issue with the metal sleeves for the rear bush of the trailing arm - man they didn't want to shift. Rennlist to the rescue again.

https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-944-951-968-forum/830146-can-t-remove-control-arm-bushing-liners.html

I used the hacksaw method with lots of WD40 and heat.

Those trailing arm bushes were a real pain to get out - there isn't much rubber on them at all, a very rigid piece of rubber sandwiched between the inner and outer metal sleeves. I wish I'd not bothered now as they were such a pain to get out and then the replacement ones were about £45 each inc VAT. I don't think they wear much at all so they were probably still good. I went with original Porsche bushes which are actually available, you just have to be sneaky. If you look in PET they do not list a replacement bush for the aluminium trailing arms but the earlier steel trailing arm uses exactly the same bushing! So if you look in PET at the earlier steel trailing arm you will find the replacement bushes - part number PCG501541. They come in nice little Porsche branded boxes as well

 

[CBschnell]

That's great info re using the earlier model bushes. I had already bought the Powerflex bushes, which are actually poly outers with a metal inner - versus the steel outer/inner and rubber middle OEM. Regardless of quality, if someone is allowed to drive these cars in 30 years, they will have an easier job replacing those bushes!

Regarding PET I use it to search part numbers but how can you access current pricing without calling/emailing the OPC?

 

[dlknight]

That's great info re using the earlier model bushes. I had already bought the Powerflex bushes, which are actually poly outers with a metal inner - versus the steel outer/inner and rubber middle OEM. Regardless of quality, if someone is allowed to drive these cars in 30 years, they will have an easier job replacing those bushes!

Regarding PET I use it to search part numbers but how can you access current pricing without calling/emailing the OPC?

To access pricing you need the Price Update tool for PET - will send you a PM if I find anymore information to help you out.

 

[scam75]

That's great info re using the earlier model bushes. I had already bought the Powerflex bushes, which are actually poly outers with a metal inner - versus the steel outer/inner and rubber middle OEM. Regardless of quality, if someone is allowed to drive these cars in 30 years, they will have an easier job replacing those bushes!

Regarding PET I use it to search part numbers but how can you access current pricing without calling/emailing the OPC?

To access pricing you need the Price Update tool for PET - will send you a PM if I find anymore information to help you out.

Ooh, I'd like that tool if you can help me! I have a price free PET as well!

Cheers

Stuart

 

[Eldavo]

If you go on Design 911‘a website and use the ”Fast Part Finder” it lists the price from Porsche.

It’s usually a bit out of date and not quite accurate but is a ”near enough” to let you know whether something is worth buying or looking elsewhere for.

Amusingly, you can also use it cross reference the parts on their own website to see just how much markup they’re adding!

 

[CBschnell]

I got the parts back from blasting. Everything is looking good and I have started to re-assemble with the bushes. I still have a few parts to buy and it's all adding up - it didn't help that I had a broken spring on my 997 so that was an unexpected cost replacing all 4 springs. I also got a surprise invoice today from Fedex for £65 duty for parts I bought from Mecatechnic back in January... I will have to rethink buying parts from Europe.

[attachment=IMG_6184.JPG]

I have started to clean up the rear wheel hubs in preparation for the new wheel bearings and the CV joints for the freshly painted driveshafts.

[attachment=IMG_6185.JPG]

And I have removed the transmission cross member for blasting and painting, and I will rebuild the bush with polyurethane. Can I use any poly kit as long as it has a hardness of 60 - 70?

[attachment=IMG_6187.JPG]

It's all about making progress, however small, each week. I know a lot of you understand that. For whatever reason I decided to start at the bottom and get to the engine afterwards. I plan to have it back on the road for the summer, and get more miles driving it before looking at the engine.

 

[dlknight]

It's all about making progress, however small, each week. I know a lot of you understand that. For whatever reason I decided to start at the bottom and get to the engine afterwards. I plan to have it back on the road for the summer, and get more miles driving it before looking at the engine.

Looking good - I used a poly kit from "Easy Composites" when I did my gearbox mount, I used their Xencast PX60 - Medium Flexible Polyurethane Rubber. I left the existing rubber in the mount and sealed it with gaffer tape, then filled all the cavities with the mixed solution. The result was really good and it is very firm.

I had my hubs vapour blasted (not sure if that was a good option), they now look very silver / aluminium coloured. I saw on youtube a guy refurbishing an old 911 and he used Owatrol oil to seal the metal on the hubs, so I've purchased a tin and will be painting them with it before refitting.

We both started in the same place - I'm hopefully putting my rear end back together soon, when I've finished painting the chassis. My engine rebuild is overdue though I think so I will be turning the car around in the garage once the rear is back together and start disassembling the engine. I'm leaving the fuel tank out as I will be sending the body shell off to a bodyshop to get my rear valance repaired with the section I bought last year and a new exhaust hanger fitted.

Looking forward to more updates [s5]

 

[MarkK]

All those clean parts really press my buttons!!! Looking forward to some pics of them fitted!!!

IG racing really does go above and beyond ,he rebuilds and dynos every shock absorber,hes a real perfectionist!!

I wish i had the knowledge to strip a car apart and do something similar with mine,im thinking of getting mine Cryo blasted and Lanoguarded at some point,not as thorough i realise but within the realms of what i am capable of organising.

Keep those pics coming!

 

[CBschnell]

Quick update. I did the DIY Poly bush for the transmission but it's not setting as expected, it's still tacky after a couple of days - not sure if it was the kit or me! Will have to re-do. Oh well, there goes the start of the rebuild until I do that. So I switched to dismantling the front hubs. I will be getting new rotors all around and I have already cleaned up the rear hubs.

[attachment=IMG_6200.JPG]

As all of you will have experienced there is always one nut or bolt that is sent to frustrate you. In my case it is the last bolt holding on the front rotor - the other 3 came out no problem. I have tried heat multiple times, penetrating oils and even the big guns with the air compressor - it's not budging. I also had the hex screw to the sensor rounded out. So I cut a notch in the hex screw head and used a chisel and hammer to get it to shift - worked perfecting. Tried that on the rotor bolt and nothing, so I'm trying an easy-out but that isn't working yet - patience seriously being tested!

So I switched to the spring plates. I was considering buying new ones but with the cost of everything, I will refurb them instead. So I started on removing the rubber bushes... the first one was not going well so I looked online and saw the video of the Elephant tool to quickly remove the bushes. I took parts of their approach - essentially everything except using their tool which I didn't have - and it worked a treat. So for those of you who will do this and want a quick way to remove the bushes, here is what I did.

Use a sharp knife/cutter to go around the outside of bush abutting the spring plate (the metal between the two bushes) to release the connection of rubber to metal. Then make a slit through the rubber across the width of the bushing, followed by a generous dose of heat inside the metal tube making sure you cover the whole area. I used Mapp gas and you could see the smoke from the rubber releasing from the metal tube. You can then insert a screwdriver under each edge of the slits and the bushing will come come away as one unit.

[attachment=IMG_6201.JPG]

Next step is to clean these units and get new bushes and bolt set.

 

[944Turbo]

CB - looking great! car will drive like new once you have finished, great updates too.

I wish i had the knowledge to strip a car apart and do something similar with mine

Mark, build some tamiya models (excellent with or without kids), then a cheap classic (or a race car in the winter ) to strip / clean / reassemble and in no time you will have a big toolbox and a dose of confidence! What will be much harder to find is the time unfortunately ......

Tony

 

[Dan944t]

hi mate ,… to get the rotor screw out ,…i’ve never ever been let down bu this method ever since i learnt it when i was a young machanic…get a large chunky phillips or best you have ,..hold it firm in the screw,..and with a large hammer or metal mallet , give it a good couple wacks!! it works everytime ….. failing that which i can’t see if you havnt rounded the star off ,…is iether get a 10mm nut and weld the inside to it,…or at worst drill out from centre in steps just to remove the head so you can slide rotor off ,…and get grips on the remaining or tack weld another 10mm nut if need be and socket remove

let me know how you go

atb

Daniel

 

[944Turbo]

Impact driver for the small screw / bolt in the disc once you have given it a few strikes as Dan suggests. Also heat and penetrating oil.

When you put it back in lube with copper grease or Castrol optimol high temp assy lube. I never do them up tight either - the wheel nuts hold the disc on.

Tony

 

[dlknight]

Glad you decided to clean up your own spring plates, they will come out real nice. Like you I heated up the rubber bushing with a mapp torch until it smoked and used a screwdriver to separate it. Used a stanley knife to remove any leftover bits then went over the plates with a paint stripping disc on the angle grinder, it got all the old rust, paint and rubber off and left them ready for cleaning and plating.

 

[CBschnell]

Thanks for feedback. I did hit the hex head a few times with a hammer, but will try with a phillips driver to see if it helps. I ordered some expensive Kano Kroil, which is supposed to be the very best penetrating oil. So I will let the oil do some work and then use the hammer/screwdriver method. I haven't rounded out the hex but I have already started to drill it out. Welding a nut was going to be my last card up my sleeve.

@David, Spring plates look good, so that has given me the impetus to get those done - thanks.