Wedge Bolt Headache

[w21055]

Literally. Ok more 914 related but the parts are 911. I have a 74 914 and one day driving home I saw a 84 carrera convertable on the side of the road. Asked how much for the entire front end they say 350, I tell them its a deal and I will be back sat. Well they call me and the "real owner" said he had to get 700 for it. I wound up getting just the struts and brake assembly.
Now to the real question.
I had a terrible time getting the wedge bolt out of the original struts from the 914. I thought re installing would be a breeze, well it has not even been close. 3 hours yesterday beating on the bolt it is probably 75% in, still sticking out about 1/4 of an inch from being flush. I have heated it a couple of times but there must be a trick to driving them in in a shorter amount of time.
Any hints or do I keep wailing away with the 4lb hammer and drift?


Thanks
Phillip

[Flat6pac]

I know you have to hit them solid with a hammer but theyre tapered so once relieved from tight they should just slide out.
Bruce

[tonythetarga]

Please clarify if they are new wedge pins. (they should be)
If I understand - you have upgraded your 4 bolt 914 wheels with 5 bolt Carrera struts and hubs. If you have threads sticking through, enough to put the nut on, the other end doesn't necessarily have to be flush (IIRC)...just in as far as it can go.

[w21055]

Thanks Bruce, yeah they came out fine. Going in is the issue.
Tony, they are new and have plenty of thread showing but it still feels like a little play at the ball joint so I think it has to go in further.

[w21055]

Well, not all is as it seems.
Lesson learned. The car has all the signs of a 84, Vin is correct for a convertable built in 84., newer gauges, not rusted out.BUT .... the struts and calipers are pre 72, with the 3 inch brake spacing. I thought the calipers looked small but was not going to take the wheels off one of the 911's to check. I think I may have learned to just let 911's sitting next to the road alone.
Thanks to Grady for helping identify the strut type.
You can imagine the explaining I had to do to get the owner to take them back as he keep saying this is a 84 911.

Phillip

[bkreigsr]

I just had mine out and back in last weekend.
passenger side went ok, the drivers side was like yours - still maybe 3/64ths sticking out. rather than beating with the bfh, I started over by aligning the ball joint 'vee' with the strut 'vee' by sighting through the hole into my trouble light. when they are perfectly aligned, you can see it, and the bolt goes right in.
(you can twist the top of the ball joint around in it's socket to adjust)
Bill K

[Grady Clay]

Phillip had a somewhat unusual situation – he purchased a pair of struts off an ’84 that were actually ’69-’71 911T (3.0”) parts.

First, these do not use a ‘wedge pin’, they use a pinch bolt. Naturally he could not get the wedge pin to attach the ball joint pin to the strut (also the ball joint is different).

These pinch bolt strut – ball joint combination should have been recalled by Porsche AG in 1972. Everyone knew that the connection could separate. All the 911s starting with the ’72 model had the update. Interestingly, early 914s changed first .Everyone here should update to the later struts and ball joints if you have the ‘pinch-bolt’ type.

Go look.

I look under cars I’m asked to drive on track to see if these struts are there. I won’t drive (or ride) in one.

The failure mode is the strut becomes unattached from the ball joint. You suddenly loose control of the car with no warning.

Bad idea.

Best,
Grady

BTW, ‘wedge-pin’ attachments were used successfully on Model T Ford front suspension. Current hot-rods still use the same part.
G.