Elephant bushing install - Spring Plates

[cbeers]

Hey everyone,

Well, I thought I would add to the database of polybronze installations to help those who do this in the future

Overall, it went well. I had a couple of snags along the way, but that's how it is when you DIY while learning. I had the generous help from K911SC (Toby) and Vash (Cliff) who gave up their Saturday to help out

on to the pics:
as you may notice, I started taking pics on the driver's side, but then didn't get back to it until I was working on the passenger's side. It's all the same though.

First step was to remove the rocker panels.


I always seem to find "interesting" things working on this car. This time was this small, magnetic tracking device? stuck to the inner side of my driver's rocker panel.


Then scribe the trailing arm where it meets the spring plate


Then you are ready to start taking it apart

[cbeers]

more pics:

I found it easiest to loosen the rear bolts connecting the spring plate to the trailing arm, then remove the adjusting bolts in the center of the spring plate, then remove the trailing arm bolts.



My Pelican buddies calling for the EPA
For the record, the second side of the car I cut a lot more of the rubber bushing off which limited the amount of burning I had to do


Install races onto torsion bar cover


I did have to grind down a bit on the body for the inner installation



more to follow....

[cbeers]

more

inside of torsion cap install


Inner bushing


Installed!



Guess what my next fix is???

[cbeers]

And finally,

MANY thanks to Cliff and Toby, it made all the difference!

SAFETY - note that I used two jackstands under the body and an additional one under the tranny, just in case.

It's the rock climber in me!

Bottom line, I went from this:


To THIS:


Now, Cliff, this is what I call clean



All while learning a lot more about my car and how it works. Plus, there should be a nicer rear suspension now. Not to mention that I saved a bundle


Hope this helps!


-Chris

[87coupe]

Good job on documenting your install I think I've seen you driving around town, I'm in the 87 guards red coupe w/ chrome 7 & 8 fuchs? Been looking for some other guys in the south bay that are into working on their p-cars (I'm pretty new to them). Let me know if you guys need an extra hand on your next project.

[KNS]

cbeers,
Thanks for the info and pics!! I am getting ready to do this next weekend along with sway bar bushings and turbo tie rods. Was it difficult to get the inner bushing set into the body? Chuck's instructions say not to use a hammer and I've read that some have used a longer bolt for the torsion bar cover to "pull" it in.
Thanks...

[juanbenae]

cliff, i bet he took the left side back apart after we left and cleaned it up too.

i had not heard about the tracking device deal, thats funny. your wife maybe?

[cantdrv55]

Great job guys. Wish I could've been there. So how does it ride Chris?

[fastpat]

Excellent article, Chris, wish I'd have known about your project, Saturday was a Porsche day at my house.

Better for me to see it in person.

We need a semi-organized wrenchfest anouncement.

[cbeers]

Brandon - I may have seen you around, it's hard to say with so many Pcars running around this valley. You can always spot mine since it has the red targa bar. Next time honk

Kurt - It was a little tricky getting the bolts lined up and started, after that it was a snap. I got around the longer bolt issue by using a pair of identical wrenches slipped between the torsion bar cap and the body. This also required backing them out after they had gone as far as they could, and then inserting two identical strips of wood in place of the wrenches. The wood was a thicker "buffer" and allowed for the inner bearing to seat nicely. The hardest part was getting all of the bolts on the torsion bar cover to align properly to get the threads started.

Toby - I was looking for that on the work bench to show you, that's also why I was digging through the trash can. Funny stuff on this car!

Chris - I am waiting for new lock nuts from Porsche to button it all up proper, then I will be able to give some ride feedback.

Pat - Sorry about that. I was thinking of putting up a post and then thought twice about it for whatever reason. Next time, I will post something, it would be good to have you over too!


Overall, I am very happy with the fit and finish of this product. It is a labor intensive job, in hours, not muscles and would cost a bundle to have done. Once again, this board is worth a million when it comes to technical info and advice


-Chris

[onsse]

Excellent tutorial Chris!

It looks like its the same route when replacing torsion bars?

~onsse

[cbeers]

Onsse,

Same method, only a whole lot less work since you are not messing with the bushings etc.

Hey, glad your seats worked out, I had heard it was a PITA, guess not

-Chris

[anthony]

Just in time! I just bought a set of these from Chuck at the Parts Heaven swap.

Great write up Chris!

[Sameer]

Sorry guys pardon my ignorance but how are the after market spring plates better than stock? Do they squeek?

[cbeers]

Sameer,

This is about new spring plate bushings/bearings, using the stock spring plates. I think the selling point of aftermarket spring plates is more adjustability over the factory ones.

As for the bushings swap, it's as night and day as the turbo tie rod conversion. Out with old, saggy rubber and in with a more solid style for increased response, less movement and no squeaks


Anthony - let me know if you want a hand and if I am around, I will gladly help you. How's the 914-6 going?


-Chris

[Sameer]

Chris,
Whats the Elephant racing website address and why did'nt you go with Weltmeister?

[cbeers]

Sameer,

I think it's just elephantracing.com but I am not sure. I got them because I think the product is superior, there is no "working" the bushings to make them fit, and they should never squeak. I am not familiar with the Weltmeister bushings, what are they?

EDIT: Sorry, just looked them up. Because of the reasons stated above. Poly graphite bushings need to be modified to fit correctly and tend to squeak. I plan on keeping this car for a long time and it is my daily driver as well, so to me, it was worth the added $$$.


Chris

[vash]

thanks for letting me help. i learned alot, enough that i think i can do it solo. i learned that a 12mm allen socket is good to have. and perhaps the only real hard thing is removing the old rubber bushings. i think i may have started lung cancer. (just kidding God). and i will have a wire brush attachment for my angle grinder, plus, plenty of sharp blades. really curious if our chicken scratch markings were sufficient to put the system back into place. lemme know, if i need to adjust the procedure.

[juanbenae]

make sure my flat bars and smart tool don't get put back away into your toolbox ......

[vash]

dibs on the smart tool!