suspension rebuild diy or send to elephant

[ThomO]

I did a quick and dirty spreadsheet comparision of buying all of the components to rebuild the suspension on my 69T. I was planning on using Elephant racing components just the rubber stuff nothing fancy.

The comparision was between buying the parts and doing all the rebuild myself or sending the parts to Chuck and using his restore service.

The rough analsys comes back at 1k more for Chuck to do it. What I am looking for is feed back as to whether it is worth it to just pay to have it done.

I do not have a press but was planning on buying a sand blast booth. But I would stIll have to get the spring plates replated

I know I have the skill to do the work. I have read some threads and heard some horror stories. I have enough work bringing this car back from the crusher so I was thinking I might just shop this work out

Here is the spreadsheet for review




Front struts 396 Spring plate service 500
sway bushings 53 Control arm service 800
camber plates 180 Trailing arm service 860
ball joints 190 Front struts 396
Ball joint hw 87 sway bushings 53
ctrl arm bushings 225 camber plates 180
turbo tie rods 210 turbo tie rods 210
rear shocks 278 sway arm bushings 160
spring plate hw 93 rear shocks 278
spring plate bushings 100 shipping 300
sway arm bushings 160 total 3737
trailing arm bushings 190
rear wheel bearings 260
shop fees 200
sand and paint 100
eastwood kit to replate spring plates 45
total 2767

So looking for feedback as to which way to go I am sitting on the fence

Thanks Thom O

[ThomO]

the elephant part of the spreadsheet did not come thru so here it is

Spring plate service 500
Control arm service 800
Trailing arm service 860
Front struts 396
sway bushings 53
camber plates 180
turbo tie rods 210
sway arm bushings 160
rear shocks 278
shipping 300
total 3737

[SoCalSK8r]

I'm in the middle of doing this now. I have it all stripped down and I'm waiting to get parts back from Cad plating.

It's a lot if work and frustrating at times but I enjoy working on my car so it was an easy decision for me to do it myself.




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[SoCalSK8r]

By the way, plating is cheap. $150 for a batch. I wouldn't bother with the east wood kit and sand blasting booth, just send em out.


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[gtc]

I think your prices are a little off... for instance, the $500 spring plate service includes the $100 rubber bushings, yet you list the bushings again below.
The three services are really just $400 each, plus the cost of add-on parts like bushings and ball joints, which I am assuming Elephant is installing for free.

So you're really saving about $1200, plus shipping costs, minus your supplies and tools cost.

It's a lot of work, but not complicated. It really helps to have someone working with you to help remove and install the suspension pieces.

If you do it yourself, I would suggest taking the trailing arms in to a local mechanic to have the wheel bearings and trailing arm bushings installed.

Of course, now that longhoods are worth so much, there is probably some value in having all the parts come back looking perfect from Chuck.

[ThomO]

Yeah that is the rub if Chuck does them they will be perfect in apperance. I am not building a concourse car more of an R gruppe car but still it sure would be nice to have it all purdy under there.

[Craig_D]

I would vote for doing it yourself. It's much more rewarding, and you gain a lot of wisdom that stays with you.

You could use my THREAD as a how-to guide.

Cheers,

- Craig

[ThomO]

I was hopeing you would chime in Craig

[gtc]

If it's a driver, just do it yourself. Buy some beer and pizza and have a couple of work parties.
You can make everything look pretty good if you spend a little extra time on the paint prep.
Might be a good time to buy some adjustable spring plates if you don't have them already.
With the money you're saving, you could buy some new torsion bars.

[Lyle O]

+1 on DIY. Frankly, getting the main parts off and on is 95% of the job, which you will have to do anyway (unless you can drop off your car). Clean-up, as mentioned, is straight forward and you can blast yourself or find a cheap service for that. Plating the parts is also easy and cheap (I had mine done for under $100). Take your time (if you have it) and have fun...Good luck

[HarryD]

You will also need to factor in the cost of an alignment and corner balance.

[911pcars]

If you're pausing to do this yourself, understandable. I'm sure Chuck would do a very professional job. However, I'm sure there are other very capable shops/individuals in your area that can also do this. As they say, it's not brain surgery. Take your list to referred shops nearby or otherwise and ask for an estimate.

Maybe there are tasks you can perform yourself (sand and paint, install shocks, etc.). Up to you.

Sherwood

[Chuck Moreland]

Our component services are intended to provide an easy way to get a professional result in your suspension project. Some will prefer to do the grunt work themselves, we are offering a shortcut for those that want it.

I'm the type that isn't going to put ugly looking parts back on the car. And in my experience, cleaning and making pretty the parts is half the work - and it isn't the fun half. We do this work plus expert installation of the renewal parts.

Some like to do the work themselves. Others like to pull clean finished assemblies from a box and bolt them on the car.

Elephant Racing | Installation and Modification Services | Porsche 911/912/930

Plus we have services most DIYers can't do. Custom valving shocks, shortening shocks, raising spindles.

[SoCalSK8r]

+1 that cleaning parts sucks!

[saxen]

I had a lot of fun setting my car up- but- he'll for 1k I would pay someone to do it- (mine was replacing every suspension part though) It's not hard- just takes time- a good amount your first time.

[mtb001]

did it myself and there will be other parts involved,
emergency brake pads
wheel bearings
brakes
cv joint refresh/replace
and as mentioned, alignment and corner balance

I would do it again myself, really learned my suspension

bad part is time, space, slippery slope of while you're in there,

[Charles Freeborn]

It is a lot of parts cleaning, wire brushing and painting. That part isn't fun. Putting it all back together when it's clean and new is fun, and the understanding of how your suspension works is invaluable.
If at all possible try to locate a lift to do the work on. At my age (57) jackstands and a creeper just make it all too painful to even think about.
Also, if they haven't been done recently, do all the brakes too. New soft lines, MC, caliper re-build - the whole shebang.
Cut and paste the link in my signature to see how I went about it all.
-C