Front End Bushings

DSPTurtle · 06-06-2008, 02:51 PM

Hello Pelican World,

I have a 1983 944. Apparently the bushings in the front end have never been changed. I shoudl have known this since we have had it since 1986. Anyway, I will post some pics later, but does anyone know...
How the heck do you get the front bushing pressed into the A-Arm without destroying anything and everything within reach???
This is really getting frustrating. Rotors are at NAPA for turning and I am going to repack the wheel bearings too... but this darn bushings are wearing me out. I just hope that the new bushing and ball joints make a tiny noticable difference so all my work is not for naught!!!

DSPTurtle · 06-06-2008, 08:36 PM

Well, it is 12:30 am here on the east coast. Just finished the R&R on both front A-Arms. All new bushings. Hopefully noticable change. Pick up my turned rotors at 0800 tomorrow morning and new bearing seals.
As for the front bushing... first one took me the better part of an hour. Second one took less than five minutes. A little wd40 and a larger socket to press on with the hydraulic press made things go really easy. New rubber is so much more pliable then I woudl ever trust. Oh well... at least the melted rubber from where I had to dremel off both rear bushings on the A-arm is peeling off of my arms nicely

924RACR · 06-07-2008, 03:49 AM

Practice makes perfect! I always find the rear ones harder than the fronts, which can be done in a vice.

I put new stock rubber bushings in my '82 931 (DD) and it feels great. I trust you have done or are going to do upper strut mounts before long also?

DSPTurtle · 06-07-2008, 10:38 AM

Vaughn,
That is an excellent point. Unfortunately our host shows those as NLA... do you have a source? They seem pretty darn expensive though.
Just got back from a test drive and the braking and handling are awesome!!! Found an unbuilt subdivision with roads... felt like I was at Sebring again. Car still gets hot after thrashing on it so I will attack that next!!!

DSPTurtle · 12:03 PM

Here are the pics that I promised...
First is the split ball joint rubber that started this whole mess.

Here is the sad looking A-Arm much in need of some R&R.

Here are the three rivets that must be drilled out to make room for the new ball joint. Hmm... it is 2008 and this 10/82 build date car still had the original ball joints!!! Drilling the rivets is not too bad. Once you clean the arm the rivets all have pre-formed divots in them that make centering the drill a little easier. I drilled from both sides, top and bottom, so I could meet in the middle without destroying anything too badly in the process.

Last but not least... don't forget to remount your sway bar attachments. Easy to get excited and get everything all back together only to remember that you forgot to do this (ask me how I know).

All told I think I spent around $90 on ball joint and bushings. Forgot that I needed a rear wheel bearing seal to get the rotors resurfaced so spent about $6 more buying those to pieces. And another $30 bucks getting the rotors turned. About $20 in miscellaneous supplies (brake grease, wheel bearing grease, loctite blue, etc). Tools that help a lot... hydraulic press

, dremel and a nice pry bar.
Other then that, it took about 8 hours to do all of it and get it back on the road. More fun then a barrel of monkeys!!!

DSPTurtle · 06-07-2008, 12:10 PM

Here is the pic of the sway bar mount bolts...

Slam · 06-08-2008, 01:35 PM

Good pics - thanks. Remember, kids, the flats on the ball joint bolts should face the joint.

Does that spindle look discolored - inner seal failed & spindle rusted?

924RACR · 06-09-2008, 05:23 AM

Hmmm, I checked the Pelican listing, and yes, they're shown as NLA - but the prices are all wrong anyway, and the part highlighted seems wrong.

Yeah, part # should be 944.343.071.00 (early cars only) - $35ea at "other suppliers"...

OK, found it here under Suspension Bushings page 5:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/ksearch/PEL_search.cgi?command=show_part_page&please_wait=N&make=POR&model=944M&section=SUSshk&page=5&bookmark=19&part_number=944-343-071-00-M100

...and lo and behold our host shows it for $32!

DSPTurtle · 06-10-2008, 04:37 PM

Vaughan,
Thanks!!! Just ordered a pair. Along with some stuff for my turbo rebuild to get free shipping. Amazing how we will spend an extra $100 more then we planned just to save $8 in shipping

Spindle was fine. Just had to clean it up a bit. I think that was just some crap that I had not cleaned off at that point.
Rear bearings just showed up so that is this weekend's project... jeez, are we ever done messing with these cars!!! Gotta love it!!!