With only 45k do I need to......

[theclaw]

Tune up the suspension? As a winter project I was planning to replace the rubber bits and bushings under the car, install some stainless lines and upgrade to turbo tie rods. Torsion bars and sway bars were in the mix but not committed to.

The Turbo tie rods are in. While doing the brakes, I need to replace the rotors, no biggie. However, as I look around the sway bar bushings look pretty good. Other stuff under there is also in pretty good shape.

Now I'm trying to decide if I should go thru the headache of the full suspension re-do. Instead maybe I should just beef up the sway bars or do some cool coil over upgrade to the front.

So here goes, with only 45k and a few track days on the car, do I really need to replace bushings and such? Would my time and $$ be better spent on some beefy sway bars, torsion bars or coil overs? If I did front coil overs, do I need to do the rear?

The car is basically stock with 8's and 9's Fuchs. I do a few track days but I'm still trying to get the hang of going fast.

I know, somebody wants to say "Spend the money on track time." I agree. But what I am going to do in the garage all winter? Zymol?

Before I start putting things back together I need to get a plan.

I've searched alot and thought I'd get some fresh opinions.

[the]

If you have the original 23 year old rubber suspension bushings on your car, you can be certain they are not in great shape. Regardless of the miles on the car.

[HarryD]

Jeff,

Personally (I am a cheep SOB), I would keep my money in my pocket except for some safety upgrades like a harness, race seat, etc. If you want, consider a second set of wheels and some good track tires.

I would inspect the bushings and see if they need replacing. It is likely the rear spring plates need new bushings. For the rest, maybe they are, as you said, ok, so why replace? Once you are done, a trip to a good Porsche Speed shop for chassis tuning (lower/align/corner balance) with some eye towards DE performance would be in order.

As far as beefier torsions, sways or any of that stuff, I'd wait.

[the]

I wouldn't waste the money on a full blown lower/align/corner balance, while keeping original 23 year old suspension bushings. That's not money well spent, IMO.

[dfink]

You will get alot of bang for the buck by replacing the rear swing arm bushings (not the inner ones on the trailing arm) and the sway bar bushings both front and rear. $100.00 bucks in parts and a real difference on an old car.

[Slow911]

...well since you're in there.....(the slope gets real slippery here but you know that don't you....)

and you did the turbo ties which will cause you to need an alignment you might as well do the torsion bars and all of the bushings and anything else that would need an alignment after its done....then get an alignment-corner balence and enjoy.
The sways could come later since it's my belief that you could do them with messing up the alignment, but if I'm wrong the pros here will correct me.

Brian