Welding SC Sway Bar Mounts
 

I have to replace a cracked rear sway bar mount.

I want to get a pro to do the welding, since it is a unibody and galvanized metal, but I am unsure how to get everything aligned once the old mount is ground off.

I would like to do the prep work and perhaps even tack weld it before getting it permanently mounted, but I am afraid to lose all of my reference points by grinding off the old mount.

Any advice or experiences from those who have done (or had done) this repair would be appreciated.

Also, are the aftermarket mounts out there improved over the factory upgraded ones? How do the Weltmeister ones compare?

Thanks,

Olivier

It's a very simple project. Leave the sway bar attached at the ends and use it to locate the new mounts. Yes, the new factory mount is improved. Don't know about the Weltmeisters.

Be sure to remove the undercoating AND the Zinc coating in the area you are welding. The undercoat is obvious. The zinc will contaminate and weaken the weld, not to mention liberating toxic gases during the welding process. Heavy metal posioning is cumulative.

I don't think there's enough Zinc there to poision anyone. Zinc vapor will interfere with the arc, making for a nasty looking weld. It's easily sanded off with a high speed disc sander.

I like the Smart-Racing reinforced mounts. Don't know how they differ from the factory mounts, though.

This is a well timed thread because i just ordered a set of revalved shocks, and Smart Racing rear ARB mounts with the stiffening kit that they make. I will post pics of the products here tomorrow.
Paul

I'm getting ready to do this and other threads recommended Zinc Weld Thru primer, which is easily found at NAPA, et al. Am I missing something?

The comments on welding on zinc are common knowledge, you should avoid breathing the fumes. Also will make for difficult decent welding. Just remove it all ! Not sure what the "primer" is supposed to do but I bet you still want to avoid trying to melt zinc into your steel and breathing it.

weld thru primer
 

I was curious, looks to be a primer paint that has no zinc or copper in it so if you have it painted on metal (with no zinc on it) you can weld right on it without poisoning yourself. Still have to remove the undercoat and zinc. You still do all the removal and paint this stuff on and then take your time positioning the mounts without the bare metal oxidizing in the between time till welding I guess.

Back to Olivier's original question-
The basic design flaw is that as the original sway bar mount, called a console by Porsche, would flex as the sway bar went through it's range of motion. Like the exercise of bending a paper clip back and forth repeatedly, the console will eventually fracture.

I've owned 3 911's that have fractured their right rear console over time. In each case I've replaced the console with the factory updated part. But to prevent it from happening again on each car I've fit an additional piece of metal to triangulate the console. So when I picked up my current '86 I closely inspected the consoles and sure enough the right rear had about a 1/8" crack starting. So I welded the crack and added the triangulation and haven't had a problem since, including something like 30 track weekends with big Tarett sway bars.

However, the triangulation isn't legal for Club Race stock class or Spec racing.

By the way, you generally don't 'want' to breath in ANY metallic fumes zinc or otherwise...just sayin'.

WEVO is the way to go...$180 and you'll never worry about the mounts again.

I got the WEVOs, I had the same thing cracked right factory rear, upgraded and the difference in the support beef is healthy to say the least.

I'm not an expert but here are some photos of my Weltmeister setup. I drive my car pretty hard and I've not had any problems.

Rear Nounts Attache to Torsion Tube:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1357370527.jpg

Drop Links Attached to Swing Arm:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1357370568.jpg

I use weld thru primer every time i need to weld something as it is less likely to bubble up and burn off like regular primer.In fact i used it when i welded on my RSR strut mounts as well as my WEVO rear sway bar brackets ...

Cheers !
Phil