Rear suspension--what MUST I do while the engine is out?
 

Been searching on this for a while, but haven't found an answer. I know about all the "while its out" lists, but what I'm looking for is a must-do while it's out regarding rear suspension.

I'm planning to refresh the rear suspension at some point down the road, but don't really want to "do it all" while the engine is out this winter. So say the plan is to redo the rear suspension next winter, is there anything I should do now, with engine out, that will make that job a lot easier? Not much experience with this aspect yet, but my instinct is telling me the trailing arm bushings are the ones to tackle now.

Then again, I dropped my 911 engine for the first time last month and it only took maybe 3 hours. Get up early on a Saturday and its out before breakfast. I guess dropping it again in a year to refresh the suspension wouldn't be that big of a deal...

Rear shocks? Everything is pretty accessible with the engine either way. But, that top nut is a pain sometimes!

Clean & Re-pack CV joints, Cover with new gloves while waiting for re-install.

Oil up the flapper hinges and or adjust to insure proper operation.

The only thing suspension wise that would require an engine drop is replacement of the passenger side trailing arm bushing.

Ditto, but what a PITA :(

Hi Jameel,

I did my complete rear suspension with the engine in, the trailing arm bushings are a bit difficult to access and I thought I read that depending on which way the bolts/nuts were put in, it can be very hard.

If it was me I would be tempted to remove the rear trailing arms, clean them up and install new bushings were they mount to the body and also put new rear bearings on the hub end since pressing them in and out is much easier out of the car.

Best,
Rutager

Thanks guys. So why only pass side trailing arm bushings?

I've got shocks on order, and those will definitely be going in now. CV's too.

So sounds like trailing arm bushing and rear wheel bearings...

Trailing arm bushings if they need it, and check fuel lines - easier to do now than later.
Engine sound pad replacement

Two things I wished I had done when rebuilding my engine and had everything out:

- Check/replace the tunnel fuel lines (near impossible with the engine in)

- Replace trailing arm bushings and swap in some adjustable spring plates

Access to these things with the engine installed is possible, but much easier when the engine is out.

My engine is out also, and although i have done everything that everyone has suggested when i redid my whole suspension and brakes - what i am going to do is weld in strut reinforcements (from Rebel racing) and i will also install new semi-solid engine and transmission mounts.

Might as well put new sway bar bushings in as well- pretty cheap.

Really read up on the rear bearing install. Been a couple years since I did mine and I almost forgot to put a part on before the bearings got pressed, think it was the brake dust shield?

On my bearings, I just used my leather tool- wallet! I paid a shop to pull and put new ones in- less than $200, seemed like a smart idea.

The bolt on the passenger side cannot be removed without it hitting the transmission. The one on the drivers side is removable without the transmission removal.

Engine seal?

I'm considering installing trailing arm (TA) monoballs while the motor is being redone n out. it really comes to where do you start? when do you stop? when do you want to drive it again? if money were no object forget the last 3 questions.

if yir gunna untie the spring plates (SP) to remove the trailing arm to bench install the monoballs should we just not do SP bushings then too? bigger torsion bars (which I have currently after a trade)? rebuild the calipers while their off the trailing arm? how are the brake lines?

my project is a 75 I'm trying to figure out when & what is most important. it all comes down most time to,,, when do I want to drive it??? I know what I need to do, but determining the best sequence is nerve wracking...

t

I'm sort of in the same boat, but I'm trying to be sensible. I was quite happy with the car before the head studs broke. I would have eventually refreshed a bunch of stuff, but not all at once. For me the really critical stuff is what should be done in relation to the engine getting rebuilt. New fuel lines? Absolutely. New rear end bushings? Not critical right now. What I'm really after here is stuff that will be a nightmare/impossible without an engine drop. Sounds like trailing arm bushings are really the only impossible things to do engine-in. But again, how hard is it to drop the engine? Not hard, or all that time consuming. So my original question is sort of becoming moot!

you don't mention the car year or particulars. age? miles? environment? if you were plenty happy with a Carrera/SC or the like before the motor work with no previous suspension work then consider what others have suggested with new front inserts and rear shocks. if billies you can have them rebuilt, an alignment and drive it come spring. it'll be improved noticeably.

if an SC or Carrera with the new shocks & inserts some new swaybar bushings are cheap & easy to install. or visit the elephant racing website, max your card(s) and drive faster in the fall...

It's an 83 SC, in very good overall condition. 117k on the clock. I put 7000 miles on it this summer. No previous suspension work that I know of. I was planning to drive it for a couple years before tackling major systems, and even had it aligned a couple months ago (made a big difference.) Right now I'm thinking just stick to the engine and related stuff (fuel lines) in hopes that I can have it back on the road by spring. Then tackle the suspension next winter.

glad we got this all sorted out... happy new year!

Let's talk really stupid now. I have no real good explanation for why I did this other than "I Could"

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1482761889.jpg

I did this because I could. No other reason makes sense.

I could do this before I added the reinforcement. Actually Derek Bell could do that. I'm in the passenger seat.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1482761971.jpg

Richard Newton
Living With a 911 for 26 Years

Smart move. I've seen too many threads where people buy a car, take it apart, and then 7 years goes by. I doubt this is why you bought your car. Get it on the road! Then take stock after you know the car.

Hmmm.... I do not recall having any issue when I did a full suspension upgrade on my 86 951, including coil overs on the rear and replacing all off the bushings.

dang, I have too many different Porsches. this is the 911 forum....

with my 78 SC/930 conversion project, stripped to the tub, so no worries as I totally rebuild/upgrade THAT suspension....

If my engine were out, I'd reinforce the shock towers. I don't plan on going coilover, but...might be nice.

Jameel, I agree with everyone on there ideas. I recently completed a complete suspension rebuild ( with engine installed). I installed Elephant Racing "street/ track 2" components. Everything was fairly straight forward, the only problem was the trailing arm bushings. The left side was removed without much "extra effort", however the right side was a PITA ( see pic),http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1482891543.jpg
PO was enrolled in an accident& right Trailing arm was replaced. The installation was done correctly, the trailing arm NUT edges were "rounded" off making removal impossible. As you can see, I had to drill, grind & saw to remove nut & bolt!
I bought & cut a socket (1/4") to make installation easier, worked great!
So I would suggest that since your engine is out, replace both trailing arm bushings.
Good luck,
Terry

Wow. Thanks Terry. That's a pretty convincing picture right thar!

Jameel,

How about plan "C", maybe just get some nice new bolts and nuts installed on the trailing arms so that when you go to replace the suspension parts in a couple years, those should come out pretty easily?

Rutager

Good idea Rutager. I'll take a closer look.

Refresh your control arms

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Now that's some beautiful S**T

Dang. Something to aspire to. Wow.

Hi...As mentioned, the fuel line behind the engine, new seals for the oil cooler, and replace both the rear engine oil seal, including the tranny's main seal. Another easy thing to replace when the engine is out is the oil pressure sensor. Replace it with the one with two terminals, then you can run a red safety light if you want to in the future. Last but not least. If you want to reburnish your tin paint work, now is the time to do it - Like very 'easy-peasy' :) with the engine out.

PS - I replaced my rear bushings,(and front) with the exception of the banana arms, (as they were OK) last year without dropping the engine...I found that there were no issues doing so due to not having the engine out. -> My .02 cents worth

When I had my engine out, I replaced the rear trailing arm bushings. Everything else (rear suspension wise) can be replaced anytime but the rear training arms are hard to do with the trans in the way. You have to remove the banana arms to do this. I don't see how you could do it with them in the car.

I went with Elephant Racing Hard Rubber Bushings, which is similar to factory stock but with a more sport setting. The effect, My car stopped steering from the rear which I never noticed until the new bushings made the car track perfectly. You have to get the car aligned after this.

Below are a couple of photos. My old bushings literally fell out with just my fingers pulling on them. They basically crumbled to pieces. After cleaning up the banana arms, I pressed in the new bushings using a large bolt with very large washers on each end and then tightened until the new bushings squeezed into place. I believe the entire project took about 3 hours and I had no experience.

Recommendation: Take lots of before photos so you can remember how it all goes back together. It's actually very simple.

Old Bushings vs New ER Sport Rubber Bushings:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1483075183.jpg

Pressing in New Bushings with Large Bolt, Washers, Nut:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1483075261.jpg