Are my spring plate bushings worn?

[Paul Ferradas]

I replaced my rear shopcks tonight and I wanted to take a peak at the conditions of my spring plate bushings.

Here's what it looks like. Do they need replacing? I figure now is the time to do it since I'm going to need a rear end alignment and i don't want to get the car aligned to then have to replace the bushings and have the car realigned.

Also, is an alignment required after reaplceing the rear shocks? Does it do anything to screw up the alignment?

[PorscheGuy79]

They look pretty darn worn to me, I mean I have seen worse but you can see that its worn down the all of that top edge (where the lip now is in comparrison to the lower lip). I think thats right, its been a while for me. Anyway, I would go ahead and replace them if you can.

But, I could be wrong. *shrug*

[slodave]

Look worn to me as well.

[Steve@Rennsport]

Its time for new ones.

[Dixie]

First, you do not need an alignment due to installing new rear shocks.

Second, what makes you think the rear bushings need replacing? Was the first pic taken with the suspension loaded? Is there some handling issue? Replacing parts before it's truly needed can get expensive.

[dfink]

It is however time.... Looks like a good 1/4" of bushing compression. Remember the list I gave you...... You are following that same path I did pretty closely.

[Paul Ferradas]

In the first pic the suspension was not loaded. Car was jacked up tires off. I don't think I feel any signs of bushing wear, I'm not really sure what I need to look out for.

It's good to know that i don't need an alignment after replacing shocks. Now I have some time before I tackle the spring plate bushings. I'm doing my first AX in March so maybe I'll have them in by then.

[cbeers]

Hey Paul,

They are for sure worn, the cover plate should be perfectly centered around the Tbar end cap, yours is sagging. Still, it's not metal on metal YET. You show the passenger side, but I bet the driver's side is even worse right? As mentioned before, this is very much a DIY job, but will take the better part of a weekend if you work casually.

I say you can easily get by for now though. Also, you can do this job and get your alignment pretty much back to how it is if you scribe the spring plate/trailing arm before starting

-Chris

[Paul Ferradas]

Thanks Chris. I'm going to tackle this one before the event at SF in March.

You won't believe how worn out my rear shocks were. I was able to compress them with almost no effort and they would spring back on the own. Geez!! I'm sure I'll notice a considerable difference now.

[jstobo]

Have fun. When you pull that spring plate and the torsion bar stays stuck in the plate end all your scribing will be for nought. The torsion bars never seem to stick in the torsion tube. I guess its Murphy's Law at work. Get an angle level and measure the angle of the sring plates before you start. Then if the torsion bars do come apart at the wrong end you can reindex to the same height knowing the angle. I got my level at Home Depot for less than 10 bucks. It has a magnet also which makes it perfect for reindexing the spring plates. Scale could be larger, though, for more exact angle reading. Good Luck.

[PorscheGuy79]

If you do tackle it yourself, here are some threads I made from my experience that I posted over on GruppeB.

http://gruppeb.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3047&highlight=spring+plate+bushings



http://gruppeb.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2301&highlight=spring+plate+bushings


Hope this helps!

[Paul Ferradas]

Thanks for that thread, I'll follow that procedure.

[safe]

Originally posted by Paul Ferradas
You won't believe how worn out my rear shocks were. I was able to compress them with almost no effort and they would spring back on the own. Geez!! I'm sure I'll notice a considerable difference now.

Can't have been that bad, they are supposed to spring back, gas pressurized.

You know they are real bad when they compresses by their own weight.

[Paul Ferradas]

Oops. I meant they would not spring back on there own.

[Dixie]

the cover plate should be perfectly centered around the Tbar end cap

This information is not correct. I should know. I just installed brand new OEM Porsche spring plates and cups on my '88. There is some off-center deformation. Oh sure, not to the extent Paul's picture shows. But come on, he bushings are rubber. I know I'm swimming up-stream here, but if I was Paul, I'd run those bushings a bit longer.

FWIW, here's a poor pic of the relationship between spring plates and cups on my car. This is with about 10 miles of wear.

[cbeers]

Rob are you saying that yours is not centered? it sure looks like it to me......

If you are saying that it is not absolutely perfectly centered, then fine, the rubber must compress to some degree so I can agree with that.

For reference here is mine after completion:


Now, as to the worry about stuck torsion bars, what would that matter? Once scribed, the whole assembly comes apart anyway, so I am not following that. Please educate me

-Chris

[Dixie]

I notice two things regarding you photo. 1) Your suspension is unloaded. Mine is loaded. 2) You do not say what parts are installed. Urethane and brass compress way less than rubber. (Not to imply that either is a better solution than what Porsche derived.)

There's like 1/16" of rubber covering the torsion bar tubes on Paul’s 911. And I suspect there's another 1/16" of free space between the tub and the cup. That's 1/8" total of clearance. That clearance will most likely last a couple years minimum

[cbeers]

Agreed Rob.
OEM will compress a little.
Paul's are very much useable as is for some time to come. If you figure it took 20ish years to get like this, there is plenty more time. They are worn though and new ones would most likely make a difference. They did on mine, but mine were kissing metal on metal.

-Chris

[randywebb]

by now, the rubber is likely rock hard -- the ride will improve when the work is done

it is not a huge job - I don't see the point in trying to eek out a few more years in a deficient condition.

[juanbenae]

that hurts paul. you doubted my assessment? now i suppose you will be calling and have me over to watch you work on yer car some more? the two times ive watched you work on you car ive ended up with greasey hands too... let that be you jerks, his wife and kids were there.

call the raiderette of your choosin over that day and i will help with the bushings......

T$