Neatrix bushings with weltmeister spring plates?

[vanwyk4257]

I have a brand new set of weltmeister rear adjustable spring plates I am installing soon on my '87 targa. They have all new bushings, but I am wondering if the neatrix spring plate bushings can be used on these or not? I have noticed that the elephant polybronze bushings differ for oem versus weltmeister spring plates. Based on what I have read so far I would prefer to do the neatrix bushings in the rear if it is possible.

Can anyone tell me if this will work?

[175K911]

Don't know if that'll work, but I did just yank the polygraphite bushings that came with the Welt spring plates and installed Chuck's Polybronze bushings made for the Welt plates. World of difference in the precision of movement.

[vanwyk4257]

Ed,
Believe me if it was in the budget right now I would definitely be installing all of Chuck's bushings, but I can't afford it right now so I'm looking for inexpensive alternatives if there are any. If not I'll just make sure to properly fit the poly bushings and be done with it.

[175K911]

I hear you. That's what I did a year and a half ago when I first installed the Welt plates. But last month converted to the ER Polybronze along with the inner monoballs as well. Engine and trans are out so it made sense to do it all, even though the budget was stretched to do it. And if you need an extra set of the original plastic bushings that came with the Welt plates, you're welcome to have the ones I just took out of the car.

[vanwyk4257]

Ed,
Thanks for the offer, the bushings I have are brand new so I will just have to do a little bit of fitting. My other alternative is to use my stock spring plates with new neatrix bushings, but I like the fine adjustability with the Weltmeister spring plates, so I'm still a little torn which way to go. Hopefully I'll see your car some time this summer at the track if you get over this way or if I make it to Blackhawk or Autobahn C.C.

[porschenut]

Neatrix bushings are a Weltmeister product, and the spring plates no doubt are OEM dimensions, so yes they will work just fine.

FWIW, I put Neatrix bushings on my Elephant QC spring plates for a perfect fit.

[175K911]

Originally Posted by vanwyk4257

Ed,
Thanks for the offer, the bushings I have are brand new so I will just have to do a little bit of fitting. My other alternative is to use my stock spring plates with new neatrix bushings, but I like the fine adjustability with the Weltmeister spring plates, so I'm still a little torn which way to go. Hopefully I'll see your car some time this summer at the track if you get over this way or if I make it to Blackhawk or Autobahn C.C.

I'll be at Autobahn in a week and a half- April 4-6, then Grattan April 24-26, MidOhio May 8-10.

If it was me, I'd install the Weltmeister spring plates for the adjustability.

[vanwyk4257]

Dave, thanks for the data point! I think what I'll do is find a clean set of oem spring plates and compare the outer diameter of the bushing surface to the weltmeister plates to see if they're the same or within a close enough tolerance that they will work.

Ed, If my car is together by April I may buzz up to Grattan to spectate, I'll make sure to look you up if I make it there. Thanks for the input on the Weltmeister spring plates.

[911pcars]

Originally Posted by porschenut

Neatrix bushings are a Weltmeister product, and the spring plates no doubt are OEM dimensions, so yes they will work just fine.

No doubt? Unless they've redesigned the Neatrix bushings, I doubt the Sway-A-Way spring plates accept the current Neatrix bushings.

Sherwood

[vanwyk4257]

Originally Posted by 911pcars

No doubt? Unless they've redesigned the Neatrix bushings, I doubt the Sway-A-Way spring plates accept the current Neatrix bushings.

Sherwood

Sherwood, can you elaborate? Do you know of any dimensional differences between OEM and weltmeister spring plates? Thanks!

[porschenut]

Originally Posted by 911pcars

No doubt? Unless they've redesigned the Neatrix bushings, I doubt the Sway-A-Way spring plates accept the current Neatrix bushings.

Sherwood

It makes no sense to me why they would be different. The tube part of the plates has to be OEM diameter or else no other bushings would fit except the poly ones that come with it. Since others have put the ER bushings on the Weltmeister plates, and I have put Neatrix bushings on ER plates, then they HAVE to be the same.

[vanwyk4257]

Dave, there are a couple items that make me wonder if they are the same, hence my original post:
1. The weltmeister/sway-a-way adjustable spring plates come with their own specific polygraphite bushings.
2. With regard to Elephant Racing poly-bronze spring plate bushings, they show to distinct rear bushing sets, one for OEM spring plates and one for the aforementioned adjustable spring plates.

This leads me to suspect that either the outer diameter of the "tube" aka inner diameter of the bushing is different, or the thickness of the plate is different necessitating a "narrower" bushing.

This is what I am trying to get to the bottom of. It might well be that Elephant was smart enough to design their QC spring plates to accept OEM-spec bushings and Weltmeister et al were not?

[304065]

Michael,

Much disinformation above.

The Weltmeister plates aka Sway-A-Way have a SMALLER diameter than the OEM. The only bushings that fit are the Weltmeister plastic bushings or Chuck's. I know this because I originally bought a set of Chuck's bushings for factory spring plates, and like you, I switched to the Weltmeister due to easier adjustability. The bushings didn't fit and were returned to Chuck who exchanged them for a set to fit the Weltmeisters.

If it were me doing it over again I would do everything with Chuck's adjustable spring plates and bushings. If that is not in the budget, use the factory plates with Neatrix bushings. If this is not a race car that will be corner balanced frequently then the factory adjustables are fine.

[304065]

Originally Posted by porschenut

It makes no sense to me why they would be different. The tube part of the plates has to be OEM diameter or else no other bushings would fit except the poly ones that come with it. Since others have put the ER bushings on the Weltmeister plates, and I have put Neatrix bushings on ER plates, then they HAVE to be the same.

No other bushings except the poly ones DO fit (except Chuck's, which are made for the smaller OD of the spring plate tube.)

[vanwyk4257]

John, many thanks for clearing this up for me. It looks like I will probably just R&R the stock spring plates and install neatrix bushings for now. This is primarily a street car with the odd autocross and DE thrown in for fun. I really appreciate the clarification!

[304065]

Michael, I had an 88 carrera (same car as yours) with factory adjustables and neatrix with Bilstein Sports in the rear and HD up front, stock TB. That combo was more than enough for TTD in class back when I used to AX.

[vanwyk4257]

Good to know. I am planning on running 22mm/29mm solid torsion bars and already have Koni sport adjustable shocks. There is an M3 that just edged me out last year, he's going down this year!

[Chuck Moreland]

John basically nailed.

Sway-a-way/weltmeister spring plates use a non-factory bushing size, the inner bushing is larger than factory, the outer bushing is smaller than factory.

Elephant Racing QuickChange spring plates use factory size bushings.

Polybronze is made in two different flavors; factory/QuickChange, and Sway-a-way/weltmeister.

Elephant Racing rubber spring plate bushings are available in factory/QuickChange size only.

Neatrix is available in factory/QuickChange size only.

[vanwyk4257]

Chuck, Thanks for confirming all of that, I appreciate it. I will be sticking with neatrix bits for now, but as soon as the budget allows and I get a bit more track time I'll be in for a full set of polybronze stuff.

[Flieger]

Does Pelican carry the Elephant racing rubber bushings? I need to do a full, 4 corner suspension bushing refresh.