I just installed a control arm and...

944s2cab · 09-09-2002, 09:03 PM

I just installed a driver's side control arm to my '90 S2. The ball joint has a post which is meant to be clamped to the wheel assembly. There is no clear placement position of the post into the surrounding clamp. At the maximum clamp position, the post protrudes through about a 1/4 inch and the protective rubber seal is flattened. There is no minimum clamping position as the post would slip right off. I ended up making the top of the post flush with the clamp edge which seems sensible and secure but ball joint cover still is flat. Is this normal? Seems Porsche would not leave this positioning uncontrolled. What's the proper torque on the clamp? As far as the improvement, the car has 98K miles and shook loosely over bumps and popped during slow tight turns. The noise is gone and the looseness is 75% improved. The car still has some steering vibration. I had just installed some new 17 Kuhmo's and the tires ran perfectly smooth the first few hundred miles. Now I'm reading where tires are often the culprit. (when I spun them on the wheel, there was a slight hop - 8th of an inch) . Any input would be welcomed. Yes, I plan to install the passenger side control arm next month.

Britwrench · 09-10-2002, 04:42 PM

The pin has a circular groove around it; the groove lines up with the hole in the upright and the bolt goes through and secures to pin. Anything else and it's not safe........

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Wounder if it's the right diameter bolt?

944s2cab · 09-11-2002, 04:51 PM

Britwrench: If the bolt installed normally, that can only mean that it hit the mark then, correct? (the post appears to be where it should be and pretty much equivalent to the opposite control arm).

Britwrench · 09-11-2002, 05:07 PM

If the bolt goes through the hole in the steering knuckle and the groove in the new ball joint pin then it is correct. Before you intsall the bolt, look into the steering knuckle bolt hole and check that the ball joint pin groove is lined up with the hole and that's all you have to do...................

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by SoCal Driver
Wounder if it's the right diameter bolt?

I was refering to 944s2cab's statement of a considerable amount of vertical movement of the pin apparently with the bolt in place.

Britwrench · 09-11-2002, 08:01 PM

The bolt is M10, in fact it should be the same as the bolt that was in there in the first place. Check the other side to compare.
I really can't see what the problem is; this is real-basic-look-at-it and-you-see-how-it-is-assmbled-time. The bolt and clamp type of fixing is used extensively by all the European auto manufacturers.
If there is play or movement then something is wrong.

Leigh 13 · Leigh 13's Garage

Along these lines...

My 944 just started making a loud clunk from the front passenger side tire when turning at low speeds. With the parking brake engaged, the wheel would roll a few inches forward or back, so I jacked it up to check things out. To my surprise, the bushing on the rear part of the control arm was gone!! Not just worn out, but completely missing--the rod from the arm was just sitting loosely in the metal bracket. My car is a 1983 with the older steel control arms.

The piece I need is shown here in red:

I ordered the part from Pelican, and I'd like to try and install it myself. Can this be done without removing the entire control arm, or are the tolerances such that it should be done professionally?

I found some good threads here on replacing the control arms, and while it seems that some people have had a hard time with replacing the bushings, I get the impression that getting the old ones off is usually the tough part.

Can anyone offer some suggestions on how to install the new bushing?

Thanks,

Leigh

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Leigh,

Do get bushings for both sides. Clean around the retaining cup and mark it's location with paint as you will want these to go back into the position you removed them from.

I would guess that the main bushings are pretty much the worse for wear too. These have to be pressed out. I have used a propane torch to burn them out. Stinks and makes a lot of smoke. I put the urethane bushings in mine. Cheaper and easier.

Leigh 13 · Leigh 13's Garage

Hugh, thanks for the suggestions. I actually had the ball joints and bushings replaced about a year ago, so hopefully the main ones are still in good shape.

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Leigh 13
Hugh, thanks for the suggestions. I actually had the ball joints and bushings replaced about a year ago, so hopefully the main ones are still in good shape.

Interesting. What type of bushings did the shop use? The stock rubber over metal tubing or the urethane?

Is/was the retaining cup loose?

Leigh 13 · Leigh 13's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by SoCal Driver

Interesting. What type of bushings did the shop use? The stock rubber over metal tubing or the urethane?

Is/was the retaining cup loose?

The bushings are all the OEM rubber ones. It's certainly possible that the retaining cup is loose, but I haven't had time to check it out fully yet. I live in an apartment so I have to do all my repairs at a friend's house...hopefully I can get it up on the jack again tomorrow evening.

Thanks again-

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Leigh 13

The bushings are all the OEM rubber ones. It's certainly possible that the retaining cup is loose, but I haven't had time to check it out fully yet. I live in an apartment so I have to do all my repairs at a friend's house...hopefully I can get it up on the jack again tomorrow evening.

Thanks again-

Ah, you're not driving this car I suspect?

Leigh 13 · Leigh 13's Garage

> Ah, you're not driving this car I suspect?

Nope...it's sitting in the driveway under the car cover for the time being. As much as I love my 944, I am very thankful that I finally took the plunge and bought another car for my daily driver!