911 Spindle on 914 Strut Housing

[914gem]

Anyone taken spindles from a 911 and put them on 914 strut housing. I have a few sets but I don't want them to end up like my rear trailing arms. I wasted two sets of trailing arms moving the bearing housing in 3/4 in before I got it right. From what I've been told, the spot weld has to be machined out and slip the splndle off and slide it back on the 914 and weld. Sounds simple enough, but the trailing arms were suppose to be simple also.

[no substitute]

Why not use 911 struts? Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you're asking.

[914gem]

The 911 spindles fit higher up on the 914 strut lowering the front of the car an inch or two. No more bump steer and better control in hard Arkansas Ozark curves.

[BigD9146gt]

Gem, where did you get this info about the 911 spindle sitting higher on the 914 strut housing?

Grinding out the rear spot weld is how one gets the spindle off. You need to do measure the housing diameters first, this might be your limiting factor. Also, several strut manufactures very in size. Boge housings will be smaller at the bottom and flare out where the spindle attaches. Bilstein and Koni are more consistant up the housing.

[914gem]

Take a 914 Boge strut 73 and up and a 911 Boge strut 70-86, drill out the spot welds and put the 911 spindle on the 914 strut. I'm not quite sure how far it lowers the front end but I think its around 1 1/2 to 2 in. I've driven one and was a rider in another and there is hardly any jerking in the steering wheel at all on bumps and jumping curves. These cars are really low to the ground with the a arms and tierods flat across giving full use of travel to the suspension. No need for spacers under the rack. First one I saw was at a MUSR in Texas, also where I saw the trailing arm bearing housing moved in so 7X16 can be ran in the rear in stock metal. I moved mine in 3/4 in to run 71 911 hubs and axles since the axles are shorter than the 914. I can build these, I was looking for tips so I can do It right the first time since I messed up two nice sets of trailing arms the last project.

[914timo]

the trailing arm bearing housing moved in so 7X16 can be ran in the rear in stock metal. I moved mine in 3/4 in to run 71 911 hubs and axles since the axles are shorter than the 914. I can build these, I was looking for tips so I can do It right the first time since I messed up two nice sets of trailing arms the last project.

Sorry to hear that you have messed up two nice set of trailing arms. What went wrong ?? I have BTDT too.

I'm not quite sure how far it lowers the front end but I think its around 1 1/2 to 2 in.

If you lower the 911 spindle more than 20mm (about 3/4 in.) you have to use 16" or bigger wheels. Otherwise the A-arm will hit the wheels.

I have heard that you can lower the spindles about 1 in. if you use 17" wheels. I wonder how big wheels you should use if you lower the spindles 2 in.

No need for spacers under the rack.

Maybe I have not understood something, but lowering the spindle in the strut dont help with the bump steering problem at all. If you really want to do something to the bump steereng in heavyly lowered car, you have to bend the steering arms in the spindle. Go and figure out what causes the bump steering and what really happens when you lower the spindles. Then you will soon see what I mean.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Originally posted by 914timo
I have heard that you can lower the spindles about 1 in. if you use 17" wheels. I wonder how big wheels you should use if you lower the spindles 2 in.

Well, actually, you are raising the spindle in relation to the strut and the rest of the car, because that effectively lowers the car...

Anyway, if you can raise the spindle by one inch using 17" wheels, it stands to reason that you would need 19" wheels to fit a spindle that has been raised by two inches. Then again, there's a decent chance you'll run into other problems in a 914--like hitting the fenders!

--DD

[914timo]

Well, actually, you are raising the spindle in relation to the strut and the rest of the car, because that effectively lowers the car...

Oh, sorry. My mistake. Thanks D for correction.

[914gem]

Thanks Sooo much for the info. Not much gain for a lot of work. As for Timo's question on the trailing arms. I cut the tube welds with a small grinder and files and moved the complete tube in 3/4 in and rotated the caliper mount to mount the caliper on top of the arm. The cable mount was relocated but still had a bad angle for the e-brake arm which would still work. Passanger side went ok but I ground through the tube twice on the driver side on two arms. Next time around I cut 3/4 in out of the tube and lowered bearing housing. When I cut the hole for the caliper I cut to much. Next time I cut just what I needed, ground the weld on the adjustment tube and knocked the cut out down where I needed it and welded the adjustment tube. Then I boxed in the hole, moved the cable mount and put a stiffing kit on the arm. I had to build a jig for machine and angle work. There were two places where the inside of tire came close to touching so I took a 2x6 and hammer and knocked it back some. Kind of tight between the front part of the arm and tire but I think I'll be ok. The axles bolt right up like they were made for it. Also will be running vented rotors in rear with the spaced 914 calipers just for kicks.

[BigD9146gt]

Also, keep in mind its not how big the rim is, its how the inner rim half is formed. On Fikses, the inner rim half goes down before it goes flat to the inner lip, where as BBS rim halfs go out straight alittle bit, then slope down to a flat, and then to the inner lip. Granted a larger rim will give you more clearance in more situations, as Dave said, it will more likely rub elsewhere.