Spring plate cover alignment

[toddu]

After installing poly-bronze bushings, I seem to have a slight spring plate cover alignment issue. On the passenger side everything lined up fine. On the drivers side I had to run a file one 1 side (same side) of 2 of the holes to get the bolts to lign up where I could tighten everything up. This was during the "testing" before the torsion bar was in. There was no binding once I tightened everything up.

Just wondering if this is normal? Obviously the rubber bushings allow for a fair bit of give one way or another, where the polybronze won't, so maybe not completely surprising.


Todd

[Tom '74 911]

This is on par w/my install of the ER polybronze bushings. I had to get creative by stacking washers as spacers to even the cover plates out. I wouldn't worry. Be sure to leave some free play (in/out) when the spring plates are fully installed and tightened down, otherwise you'll get excessive wear on the insides of the bushings (as me how I know). The instructions clearly state this and as long as you follow them, you should be good to go.

Tom

[toddu]

Yes, I have lateral play fine, what I was referring to was having to elongate 2 of the 4 holes. Not by much, 1.5 mm at the most.

Todd

[DRACO A5OG]

Post a pic?

[Eric_Shea]

I honestly can't see how that would happen unless the bearing on the body isn't flush. See the notes about grinding the factory welds in the instructions.

I made a grinder that sits flush over the bearing opening and laid it on there until everything was flush. I used an old cut-off wheel on a backing plate.

[Eric_Shea]

Here's some pics of my recent install with the cut-off/grinder mentioned above. This may help:

Crappy pics but, torsion tube ground flat for Elephants:


The backing plate on the cut-off wheel was just the right size:


Used the surface of the cut-off wheel to level the tube surface:


Using the cover plate and some wood blocks to push the bearing in:


All the way in and flush:


Done: