Front poly-bronze install issue
 

I'm finally putting the '66 911 front end back together and ran into a problem. With the ER poly-bronze bushings installed, the A-arm seems to have grown about 1/8" longer and the bolts for the front mount don't line up anymore. The forward bushing collar is tight up against the arm collar, the rear bushing is flush with outer collar, and that collar is flush with the crossmember. There's simply no more slack to be taken up.

Is there some way to move the crossmember rearward? The tubular crossmember supports that mount to the bottom of the body are threaded and look like they might be used for fwd/aft adjustment. I can't believe it's that simple though. I wanted to ask the list before I needlessly start taking stuff apart.

Any ideas?

If you can post a picture, it might help. I found I had to file/hone the oblong holes in the front A-arm mount of mine to get the bolts to thread in.

You're saying that the ER bushings don't fit? I thought this was a bolt in deal. Obviously there seems to be some problem here. Anyone else have the same problem? I get so tired of aftermarket parts that don't fit.

Richard

Marv, what would you like to see a picture of?

Richard, the car is 41 years old and the front pan has been replaced. The reason I'm addng the ER products is to make the car handle as crisply as possible (within budget) and for that the tolerances are pretty tight. The problem I'm running into is the ER stuff is made to fit...exactly, and my car is not exact. I knew that going in and I fully expected to run into the binding/alignment problem, but this one came out of the blue.

Is it possible that this is specific to early cars, I just installed Elephant front polybronze bushes to my '84 this weekend and everything fitted perfectly. I have also never heard a complaint about the fit of any of Elephant Racings products - they are second to none in my opinion and also that of many other Pelicans. All I can think of is that you have maybe two front bushes (or two rears) fitted to the same a-arm, perhaps they are of different size. They are stamped with f and r. Either that or you haven't cleaned up the arm enough and the bonded collar hasn't butted up to the stops. All I can think of.

1. may need the accessory things he sells for (esp.) any car w/ pan work

2. may have wrong year parts for your '66

There is your answer.

The replaced pan, and therefore the front suspension mounting bosses, are not exactly in the stock position. They've been positioned slightly rearward (1/8 inch).

Your work-around is to ovalize the holes in the front mounts by 1/8 inch, thus allowing them to move forward to their stock position.

1. What things?

2. Do you mean the ER parts?

Chuck,

You caught me while I was replying to the last post. That's kind of what I figured. Thanks.