control arm installation help needed

GMR911 · 05-09-2006, 05:54 PM

I am re-installing the control arms(a-arm) back into the aluminum cross member but I can't seem to get the control arm in deep enough into the cross member so i can bolt the front of the c.a. into the front mounts. This is a awful tight fit. I used a large c- clamp to press the control arm mount into the cross member, tried banging on the of the end of the c.a.with a dead blow hammer. It is off just slightly but won't budge and further. Don't really want to bang on the end of the a-arm with a sludge hammer! Any ideas, Thanks, Jerry

redcoupe86 · 05-09-2006, 07:10 PM

man oh man, have i been where your at!!!! My orginal a-arms were bent so I had to buy new a-arms and the fit into the aluminum crossmember was too tight. I had to take a dremel and shave the inside of the crossmember. This sound drastic, but it really wasnt that much material.

If you pull the a-arm down and take the crossmember off again (i know, I know a real PIA) look to see where the a-arm rubs on the inside of the crossmember. Where the aluminum is shiny is where its been rubbing is what youre looking for. Take the dremel and just go over these areas just slightly, checking for fit as you go. You don't want it too loose of a fit, but snug.

I was where you are at right now and I thought the a-arms where manufactured wrong or somthing b/c my front control arm bolt holes were like 1/8" off, but after cleaned up the control arm a bit everything went together no prob.

Now im not saying this is the approved Porsche way, but it did work for me. Good luck.

Jeff Alton · 05-09-2006, 08:25 PM

Don't cut anything just yet.

Are these the same arms you took off the car?
Is the bolt that holds the a-arm to the crossmember able to thread in?
If so, stop hitting it. Have you changed bushings in these arms?? If so, that is where your problem is. Check to make sure they are fully seated on the arms first.

Also, post a pic or two showing the arm in the subframe and of the bushings.

Cheers

GMR911 · 05-11-2006, 07:09 PM

These are new a-arms. It is exactly as redcoupe explained. These a-arms are so tight, I don't think I can squeeze out another 1/16-1/8 " to make the front bolts fit. The bolts won't fit in the front mount holes, off by just that amount. I cleaned up the inside of the crossmember really good but i can why redcoupe did what he did. That is my next option to take off a litte material on the crossmember. Any other ideas before i get out the grinding wheel! Thanks Jerry

Jeff Alton · 05-11-2006, 07:11 PM

Once again, can you fit the rear bolt in that secures the arm and the crossmember both to the car?

Cheers

GMR911 · 05-11-2006, 07:21 PM

Catca, Yes the rear bolt is through the housing now and securing the crossmember to the chasis. The other side of the rear mount does not seem to being seated all the way into the housing by just a bit, looks like there is some possible room to move the a-arm in there but it won't budge! Jerry

Jeff Alton · 05-11-2006, 07:50 PM

If the rear bolt is in, the problem lies elsewhere. Has the car been in an accident at anytime? Are these new arms or just new to you arms?

Cheers

john70t · 08:31 PM

Just to be sure, check the square of the front chassis mounts to see if the body has been shifted. The new poly bushings are probably a little off, so sand a little at a time and double-check.

Other than that, I'd suggest not hitting anything (those things are supposed to move buttery-smooth), and only take material off of easily replaceable items(like new bushings). The weight of the car rests on one side.

Chuck Moreland · 05-12-2006, 07:47 AM

If the rear bolt is in, then your arm is all the way into the crossmember.

If you need 1/6 - 1/8 inch to get the front bolts in, use a round file to extend the bolt holes in the front mounts. Notice they are ovalized from the factory, this to accomodate manufacturing variation. You merely need to extend the ovalization a bit.

By chance has your car had the front pan replaced?

If so, it may have been welded in a little far back. No big deal.

Inspect the old control arm front mounts, perhaps those holes are filed too.

GMR911 · 05-12-2006, 07:09 PM

Thanks to all for replying. The a-arms are brand new. The old a-arms came out relatively easy with a crow bar inserted between the mount and cross member. These new a-arms are a very tight fit. Only went in about one inch into the cross member before it virtually stopped. I then use a large c-clamp to sqeeze it in to its present position. Took mucho force! Are these a-arms supposed to go in this tight or just slip in? I will check my old a-arms to see if the the front mount holes have been elongated. Don't know if it has every been in a frontal accident. I have owned it for 26 years out of its 29 years. Chuck, is it ok to elongate the holes, I have thought of that as an option. Would it throw off the allignment. Also I want to try putting in the other side and see how that one fits before I start grinding the inside of cross member or elongating the holes.Thanks Jerry

GMR911 · 05-12-2006, 07:30 PM

Just went out to the garage. The old a-arms holes have not been elongated

Jandrews · 05-12-2006, 07:40 PM

Jerry,

I have been in this situation too, and it is extremely frustrating. I assume you are working with the new A-arms with the vulcanized-on rubber bushings? It took me me nearly two hours of wrestling with a C-clamp under extreme pressure, but I finally got it in. I did use a silicone grease coating the bushing. This was the only way to get it in there, as there would be no way dry. I am a believer that you should not dremel the inside of the cross-member, regardless of how tempting it may be. I also considered elongating the front holes as Chuck described, but I just couldn't get comfortable with that approach. I just toughed it out and kept working with the C-clamp until it finally went in. For me, it seemed there was some sort of invisible "bulge" right at that 1" mark that prevented it from going any further. Once I got the C-clamp method to force through that invisible "bulge", everything seemed to fit nice and snug, and not even overly tight.

Anyway, my very adamant advice would be to tough it out with the C-clamp until it goes.

JA

redcoupe86 · 05-13-2006, 05:49 AM

Just as a clarification, when i said dremel - i meant just run it over the rubbing areas. You will notice when you pulled out the new a-arms that the rubbing areas left shiny "lines" in the crossmemeber. These where the hight points i figured and that ment the a-arm was not evenly contacting the housing. I just took a dremel and lightly ran it up and down these line just take off the shiny line. All in all no more than just a small bit of aluminum dust was all that I took off. I have no doubt that I didn't take off enough material to do any real harm, and the the a-arm fit nice and snug when I was done. What you wouldn't want to do IMO is take enough material off so that the a-arm would move around in the memeber causing it not to be a snug fit.

Just my 2 cents.

Chuck Moreland · 05-13-2006, 08:21 AM

The rear mount is held in place by the bolt only. It is not intended to be a tight fit in the crossmember. Normally there is about 1mm of claearance around the mount, between mount and crossmember.

Has the cup in the crossmember been bent? Perhaps it hit something and is squeezed slightly out-of-round?

Have you used a caliper to measure your old rear mounts and compare the diameter to the new mounts?

GMR911 · 05-13-2006, 04:12 PM

Again thanks for all the imput. It is exactly as both redcoupe and jandrews have described. These are new a-arms. I am going to work on it Monday. Bought a bigger c-clamp and a very large pair of channel locks. I believe the problem may be the inner side of the mount. The outer side of the mount(The bolt side ) I think is fully seated since the bolt is though, so I intend to concentrate on the inner side with c-clamp or channel locks> If this don't work then I will take it back out and lightly grind the high spots of the cross member. I mean its gotta fit in there, and those front bolts are all so close in fitting. I also thought of apply some grease or silglyde to the mount if I have to remove it again or on the other side when I do that side. Chuck, I don't see any damage to the front of the cars underside or the cross member or the old a-arms. Measuring the diameters of the mounts is a good idea- if I have to take it out I wll definately do that. Thanks Jerry