UGH - Sway Bar Outer Bushing Replacement
 

I swear, if it's not one thing, it's another. I just noticed that one of my outer sway bar bushings is completely gone! As in no longer there. Since this is my daily driver, i need to get this fixed ASAP. Of course Autozone doesn't have em. But is there a bushing I can get for another vehicle like a VW or Audi, something that a local parts store would have?

What year is your car and what model?

84 944. Its listed under my screen name ;)

171 411 314 - $2.50 brand new from Porsche.

Is that the dealership price? I was hoping to find some locally. Im also going to need to get the bolt and washer as those are missing too. Damn, this thing is just falling apart. I guess ill lookall that stuff up tomorrow. Might as well upgrade the bushings while I'm at it.

What is the diameter of the sway bar anyway? I'm sure its stock.

I'm guessing its a bad idea to drive with that outer bushing gone. :rolleyes:

Upgrade? Use the OEM rubber bushings, they're cheap. IIRC the bolts use lock nuts so order new hardware as well. I replaced most my hardware when I changed sways. Also get new bushings that connect sway to control arm. Also cheap.

Also, it's not an emergency part. Idk what damage will occur driving as is but it would take 15 minutes to jack the car up and just remove the bar. The car drives fine without it for daily purposes.

Thanks Gaw. I'm not concerned about the price so much. It was on my list of things to do anyway. I can't find that nut and washer in the Pelican catalog though. Also do you happen to know the diameter of the swaybar? Again, I believe its just stock. I don't have a caliper to measure it.

Since my commute is 100 miles each day round trip, I'm not going to risk any damage.

Almost certainly 23.5 mm. You will be able to find the parts numbers for the hardware in the Porsche parts catalog. I'd get them for you but I'm working. However it might be easier to get basic nuts and bolts at a local parts store. Depends on what you get.

To Nutless_neo,

You may want to measure the bar with a caliper as there were, I believe, several sizes available. My 84 has the 25 mm bar. They are a bugger to put on and make sure you take a picture prior to replacing the bushings or you may end up putting them on backwards (ask me how I know...). Since I utilize this site almost daily, I try to purchase as many parts from Pelican Parts as possible; they do offer overnight shipping. Good luck!

Hopefully the link below will take you to the 1982 - 1985 Porsche Parts Katalog to look up the part numbers you need.

http://www.porsche.com/all/media/pdf/originalparts/en/E_944_85_KATALOG.pdf

Cheers,
Larry

How did you find that catalog on the Porsche site? I need one for the 84 944

Thanks for the tip. It looks like I just may have to get a caliper because I think I'm just going to upgrade the entire assembly with stronger brackets and of course the poly bushings.

Use rubber bushings :)

Why's that? I've always had great results with Polyurethane bushings.

Same reason Porsche used them, they're forgiving and absorb the pain!

I was in a similar situation a few years back. Had a power steering line leak and it soaked the bushings over time and completely destroyed them. While waiting for the parts in the mail, it drove fine without the sway bar (but of course I wasn't going to do any really spirited driving until then) :)

This was how I found out my car had the M030 suspension package as the bushings had numbers beginning with 951...nice!

Which is another reason to get polyurethane bushings. They won't degrade being soaked in oil, grease or whatever.

I hate not driving my car :( but since I'll be taking the other nut off to get a match at the hardware store, I'm just not going to risk driving it. I have a 5 mile twisty road from my house to the highway as well as another 45 miles to work after that. I got a caliper to measure the swaybar so I can at least order the bushings when I get home tonight. Sucks that it's so cold outside. I hate the cold!:mad:

All my bushings said 951. As well :o

Poly bushings are nice for the reason that they last, firm things up if you want that, but will transfer road noise, youneed to constantly relube them or they will squeak.