1988 911 Cab Front Suspension Refresh

[COLB]

I'm finally taking on a front suspension refresh after much procrastinating due a move to Texas and awesome winter weather that has deterred me from disassembling anything.

A rainy weekend has me committed, so I have started work.

First, this is a bone stock 1988 911 Cabriolet, Silver over burgundy. It is about to tick over 90,000 miles, and to my knowledge almost everything underneath is original, with the exception of Turbo Tie Rod ends.

Here is the plan:

- Elephant Racing Rubber Bushings (the most needed thing)
- New front struts -- came with Boge; I'm going with Sachs inserts
- New rear shocks -- matching Sachs to replace the Boges
- New Ball Joints
- New anti-sway bar Bushings

I plan on stick with the stock torsion bars and struts/stocks -- this is a pure street cruiser, and not a track car. I haven't noticed anything particularly sloppy about the suspension, but it squeaks from the front end, and I know it is time. So:

Here are the parts:


First, I measured right height:

and



25 15/16" on the Driver's side; 25 13/16" on Passenger side.

Car is up on Jack Stands. (One of these days I'm going to get a lift):



Then I started unbolting stuff:
1) The anti-sway bar cover and bar mounting bolts
2) Removed the nuts & washers on the ball joint retaining pins
3) Removed A-Arm mount bolts -- three on the front, and the long through bolt at the rear
4) Removed the Torsion bar retaining screws -- I counted 15 turns on the passenger side, and 18 on the driver's side -- FWIW

Here, I should have pulled the torsion bars out, but instead just dropped everything at once.

To get the Ball Joint retaining pin out, I sprayed some PB Blaster on it, put the floor jack under the A-Arm and raised it a half inch to take the pressure off the pin, then hit it firm with a hammer and it popped out.

Then I was able to drop everything:

The bushings were totally shot:



The passenger side torsion bar looks fine. The driver's side is boogered:





So what is the verdict on the torsion bar? There is no corrosion on it. Can I paint the bare metal and go with it? It is not a track car, after all.

If I have to replace it, can I do just to one side, or should I do both?

With everything out, I now have to go get some tools. I need a 22mm socket for the top mounting nut for the strut insert, a torch, and something to press these bushings in with.

Any advice here would be appreciated!

[bugstrider]

I will be following your thread closely. I too have everything out and will be reinstalling everything when I get some free time. I was planning on all rubber ER but changed to Polly bronze ER. The ER web page has really good videos on different stages regarding the bushings. Another option is that CraigD did a great write-up on a complete suspension refresh if you haven't seen it yet. Good info to read too.

Cheers Trevor


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Chuck.H]

Your squeak is likely that torsion bar rubbing on the housing.

Both mine looked like that 20 years ago, at which time I made shims to put between the crossmember and the torsion bar adjuster. I just greased up my bars to stop any corrosion and re-installed them.

HTH,
Chuck.H
'89 TurboLookTarga, 428k miles

[hcoles]

Excellent - I'm planning this project as well. Keep the pictures, comments and learnings coming.

[COLB]

Originally Posted by Chuck.H

Your squeak is likely that torsion bar rubbing on the housing.

Both mine looked like that 20 years ago, at which time I made shims to put between the crossmember and the torsion bar adjuster. I just greased up my bars to stop any corrosion and re-installed them.

HTH,
Chuck.H
'89 TurboLookTarga, 428k miles

That's what I assumed -- it was intermittent for a while -- only in cold weather. Since moving, it was continuous, and that forced my hand.

The torsion bars are otherwise immaculate, with no rust or corrosion anywhere. I will likely paint the scuffed area, regrease, and put them back.

[Tremelune]

Good detail. I too am imminently preparing a suspension refresh.

I would sand, prime, paint the bare bit, then put a thin layer of grease around the entire tube to prevent further corrosion. It is unlikely anyway, but hey.

[catspaw]

I'll be watching this. I'm just finishing front suspension pan and fuel tank support replacements, next fuel and brake lines then front suspension rebuild.

[darrin]

COLB, shimming the the adjuster up so that the bushing is recentered is key here -- otherwise, the torsion bar will quickly become off-center with the torsion bar tube and start rubbing again. My mechanic added a bit of bead weld to recenter my rubbing torsion bar around 20 years ago and it's been silent ever since.

[david482]

I'm in the same position with an 89 Cab, following closely as I need to do the same refresh

[COLB]

Finally got a day off, and did some work.

Started by screwing together a work bench with a vise -- something I've been lacking since moving, and leaving my old built-in behind.

About $90 worth of 2x4 studs (which are really 1.5x3.5!), a couple of 1" x 16" x 8' boards, 2.5" and 2" screws, and a couple of carriage bolts - and a vise from Harbor Freight. Took about 3.5 hours to screw it together. Would have gone a LOT quicker with a chop saw -- but all I have is a circular:



With the bench done, I was able to start on the control arms bushings. The Elephant Bushing kit came with instructions & photos, so I wan't recreate everything. Yes, that is a cooking torch softening the bushing:



After getting the mount off by twisting it with a large screwdriver, I used the same tool to work the old bushings off:



Same on the other ends:



Used a green scratchpad to clean up the a arms and mounts:



Hot today in Texas. Sweating my butt off, and it is tough to open a beer in gloves. That big screwdriver got a workout:



As in the Elephant Racing instructions, I used a pipe vise to press the bushings back in. $10 bucks at Harbor Freight, plus another $9 for the threaded steel 3/4" pipe at Home Depot. Twist it a bit, slide the end down, realign, and repeat until it is pressed in. Handsoap made this easy, thing it still takes some elbow grease. It would be tough without the included aluminum installation tool:

[rokemester]

Great thread! Subscribed.

[COLB]

Closeup of one end of the pipe vise and the Elephant tool. I'd never used one of these before -- it is pretty intuitive:



The kit tells you the correct "angles" for the two mounting brackets, but I don't have a tool to measure it. I thought about making a cardboard angle template, but instead I did one arm at a time, and then used the other as a comparison to make sure the angles on the mounting brackets were correct. Until the hand soap dries, the bushings can be rotated with the screwdriver to get the angle right.



I also used some etching primer and black enamel to to paint that scraped torsion bar.

According to Elephant it takes 24 hours for the soap to dry and the bushings to fully "set". In the interim, I am hoping my ball joint socket gets here tomorrow. It was supposed to deliver on Tuesday, but UPS is have an issue with delivery -- irritating.

I borrowed a 200-lb torque wrench from an auto-parts store (had to put down fully refundable $100 deposit) -- but can't do anything without the socket.

If all goes well, I will install the new ball joints, sway bar bushings, and strut inserts tomorrow. Then next weekend, the whole front end can go back together, and I can do the rear shocks, and get back on the road!

Many bead blast and powdercoat the A-arms. I elected to leave mine as is. They have no rust, and the original finish -- including the cosmoline -- is almost 100% intact -- and I think the original finish fits the patina of the rest of the car. Powdercoating one piece seems like the first step down a slippery slope!

[aoncurly]

Are you also replacing the front camber plate bushings? This is probably a good time to do that as well.

[rokemester]

How is your refresh coming?

[reachme]

The kit tells you the correct "angles" for the two mounting brackets, but I don't have a tool to measure it. I thought about making a cardboard angle template, but instead I did one arm at a time, and then used the other as a comparison to make sure the angles on the mounting brackets were correct. Until the hand soap dries, the bushings can be rotated with the screwdriver to get the angle right.

I just did this. The way you lined these up is accurate (IF) the old bushings are centered. I tried to line mine up like yours but wasnt sure to center on the bar or the collar so instead I put a groove in so I could line them up easily and exactly to current position. It will be on top (hidden) when installed back in and I touch up that silver spot.

[Gordo2]

Texas... I hope that A/C conversion is still holding up

Glad to see you still have the Cab - hadn't seen anything from you on the board for a while and thought you might have caved to the crazy resale market and regretfully cashed in.

I wouldn't sweat the torsion bar - paint, grease and go.

Recommend finding a good shop for an alignment when you are done - 4 corner balance isn't an absolute necessity, but it is noticeable if you ever lock up (purposely, or inadvertently) the brakes (balanced weight on wheels = better stopping).

Tighten those gland nuts as tight as you can get them...

Gordo

[Joe Bob]

Consider a rear end adjustment to match front end lowering/adjustment. Finish off with an alignment. Drive it like a red headed rental....

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by COLB

The kit tells you the correct "angles" for the two mounting brackets, but I don't have a tool to measure it. I thought about making a cardboard angle template, but instead I did one arm at a time, and then used the other as a comparison to make sure the angles on the mounting brackets were correct. Until the hand soap dries, the bushings can be rotated with the screwdriver to get the angle right.

How did you know you got the angle right?
Did you fit it onto the car ?

[Lund]

Originally Posted by bugstrider

I will be following your thread closely. I too have everything out and will be reinstalling everything when I get some free time. I was planning on all rubber ER but changed to Polly bronze ER. The ER web page has really good videos on different stages regarding the bushings. Another option is that CraigD did a great write-up on a complete suspension refresh if you haven't seen it yet. Good info to read too.

Cheers Trevor


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hi Trevor, trying to find CraigD's write-up with no luck (didnt show on my searches), would you mind posting a link if possible?

thanks
Chris

[Lund]

Nevermind, found it it was Craig D.

'78 SC Elephant Racing Suspension Rebuild