1968 912 front control arm

[hughicol]

Hi, I have an early 1968 912 which I have restored but while adjusting the height of the vehicle using the torsion bar adjuster I noticed that there is play in the end of the control arm where the adjuster is. Looking at the exploded diagram on Pelican's site there appears to be a bush but I'm having difficulty in deciding just what needs replacing as there are a number of bushes advertised on the different site. Can anyone advise me as to what parts I need and a brief idea as to the difficulty of fitting the parts?

Regards

Dave

Dave

You are writing "...I have restored ... ". Did you take the complete front suspension apart and did not replace the rubber bushing (8 +m 10)? If not, I think the play was there before you reassembled the suspension.

With some additional info and pictures we possibly are able to help you more adequate.

Otto

[Jaems]

Otto,

This June I will have 48 years on the original rubber in the Front suspension, except for brake pads and wheel bearing. It has never been a part. It is still as tight as the day it left the factory, no play what so ever. The rear end still has the original orange factory shocks. It doesn't have that many Kilometers either.

Jaems,

That's the point - kilometers/miles! When I restored my '66 I almost could move the body without turning the wheels ... The rubber was completely gone and feel apart when removing it. There are so many factor in this. Of course miles, but also how and where the car was driven, what temperatures (extreme winter/summer), chemical influences and so on.

The ones in my '68 sunroof also looked great with 55 kmiles, but I replaced them and was surprized about the better handling. Wheel bearings and ball joints where replaced a year before, so the improvement must have been caused by the A-arm bushings.

As I said in my previous post, we need more info/pics to come to an adequate advice for David.

Otto

[hughicol]

Hi, many thanks for your prompt replies. No I didn't do anything to the suspension as I concentrated on the body. I'm sure that you are right in saying 8 and 10 want replacing, however, the cost of the rear one (8) seems very high and I was wondering if there are less expensive ones on the market and if so where. I do fancy poly bushes if they are available.

Regards

Dave

Dave,

Just take a look in the options our host has available from simple poly to to machined parts. I used the Elephant bushings from them for my '66. I'm very happy with the quality and performance.

However, here in Europe are a lot of sellers who could help you with the standard parts, like the poly, but remember that many are not happy with thia type of bushing.

Otto

[Bob Harriman]

Otto, is the issue with poly the road noise transmitted to the car interior?

Bob,

Yes, that is part of it. Just read the following from Elephant:

Elephant Racing | Tech Topic | Polyurethane Bushings and Friction

I think it is a quite interesting article, perhaps a bit "colored" to meet Elephant's own opinion, but basically correct.

Otto

[hughicol]

Hi Otto

Thanks again for your prompt reply. Would it be possible for you to advise me of the relevant part numbers of the poly bushes available on this site as I found the listings rather confusing?

Dave

Hi Dave,

Model year '68 is a "bit of everything" and a bit of a "one year only" model year. The factory used parts from the earlier models '66/'67, unique parts (like door panels) and some of the later models. In my early '68 I found some typical '67 parts and I know all is original on that specific car.

To tell you what type poly-bronze bushings you need, you must be sure about the type of A-arm.
If your 912 has the A-arm identical to the one in your first post - including brackets, caps, etcetera - it is a '67 type A-arn. If the brackets and the ends of the torsion bar tubes, where the bushing are situated, is different, then you have the pre-68 version. If it differs in any other way, please ring the alarm bell ...

I realise that the poly-bronze is an investment, but apart from some regular grease, they don't need any maintenace or even replacement and will survive the car.

Here in Europe the Elephant bushings are hard to find and/or extremely expensive. Our host has the Elephant bushings in their shop and their service is fast and reliable. If you need the earlier type, the part/order number is ERMP-2051400 and for the later type the part number is ERMP-2051500.

I hope this is the info you needed,

Otto

[Jaems]

Unless the Elephants folks have made a bushing for the early cars. They were originally made for the 69 on cars.

We tried some for the rear suspension and it was going to take too many shims to try and get them to work. The friend that helps me with mine now and then (He build engines for Porsche team cars back in the 60's and 70's) didn't like they way they fitted. So we went back to the original factory bushings. I didn't change the front bushings. Like I said the front are original to the car and it is as tight as the day it left the factory.

The last alinement for the front was in 1989. I have the alinement checked every time I get new tires. The only reason I had to have the rear suspension done was because of the new bushing. The tire wear has always been perfect. I have a complete new suspension with Koni struts and turbo tie rods to drop in when the front goes bad. Until the tire wear and or steering starts to change. I am not going to mess with the front suspension.

As the old saying over here goes: "If it ain't broke don't, don't fix it."

[hughicol]

Hi Otto

As I mentioned in my original post the sites, including Pelican, are ambiguous in as much as they say for 68-89. What is amazing Pelican themselves emailed me today following my last post where I was asking you for the part numbers and they stated that the bushes 99-3014-340-M230 are the ones for me. I queried it stating that they were for model year 69 and asked for conformation that they would fit my December 1967 car (68 Model), I got an immediate email apologising saying I was right. Hence my statement the listings are unclear to say the least. Most German car makers bring out their new model range around September so a car built in late 1967 will be a 1968 model, as mine is, any car purchased in 1968 which has the later A-Frame with the different ball joint on the bottom of the damper will be a LWB 1969 model.
You're right about 68 models being unique in many ways, I discovered this to my cost and since then I have studied the literature and found many odd things in this last of the SWB cars. However, forgetting all this I still need a new bush for my A-Frame and find it amazing that they are priced at around £200 each. So if anyone has sourced alternatives at a reasonable price I would love to hear.

Hi Dave,

The Elephant bushings are sold as a set of 4 and indeed priced around £200. Not to forget shipping/postage and taxes (import, VAT).

Sorry I misinterpreted the "poly" as poly-bronze and not as poly-urethane or poly-graphite. However, I still would reccommend the poly-bronze or at least a better quality than the poly-graphite. The 912's are very sensitive in the front. Even the slightest misalignment will result in a dramatic decrease in steering performance.

Whatever choice you make regarding the bushings, remember to grease the torsion bars liberally with a lithium grease (same for the rear torsion bars. And don't forget that there is a left L and right R torsion bar.

Could you upload some photos from your '68? Is it a RHD or LHD?

Otto

[hughicol]

Hi Otto

If you return a message to my email we can chat in private about our cars and I have quite a number of photos taken during the restoration. I have a very good friend in the Nederlands just south of Rotterdam. hughicol@btinternet.com

Dave