If this is the sound of rubber chin touching the ground, Why does it disappears when their is more payload ? He said that when his wife is on-board they can't experience it. Just sharing my thought :confused::confused:

That's just what the noise sounds like to me, I didn't mean to say it actually is that.

I too faced this issue and It just disappeared after proper greasing

I have exactly the same noise on my 1978 SC; it started after I had the rear spring plate bushes replaced a couple of years ago. I had the job done at a specialist as I tried but couldn't get the end plate off the torsion bar; should probably have tried some heat. I'm wondering if the bush should have been lubricated on reassembly as I think the noise is the spring plate bushing moving in the torsion tube. Or maybe it was lubricated and that is why it moves!

I hope it's not that. If so, I'm not sure what the cure would be. I used the Elephant Racing rubber bushing kit, everything went together perfectly. I needed to replace the spring plate covers since the old ones had the usual rust issues but the used ones I bought were in excellent shape. The inner mounting surface was also in excellent shape.

Kind of odd that if the bushings were rotating in their mounts that they wouldn't make the same noise w/ two passengers, but I guess it could happen.

Hi...Hopefully it wasn't lubed. From the factory, as previously notated, the rubber bushing is vulcanized to the spring plate as they are not meant to move...They are only meant to 'flex'...Instead of using the Crazy Glue that was supplied from ER, this is the product that I decided to use instead to secure the rubber bushing to the spring plate:

Two Part Component Adhesives
3M™ Scotch-Weld™ Flexible Epoxy Adhesive Grey EC 2216 B/A - $70.00+/-
(3M's site provides all of it's specs if interested)

For what it's worth...After letting them heat cure for 12 hrs @ 160⁰F, I found it near impossible to get them to move on the spring plate hub.

Parking brake mechanism? If this happens all the time in on particular part of the road apply the parking brake slightly as you approach that spot, does it go away?

You can also detach one side of the sway bar and test drive, does the noise go away?

I agree that the spring plate bush should be bonded to spring plate but since it is then pushed into the torsion tube I would expect it to move. In fact I have seen a video on re-installing this bush which says that the inner bush should be lubricated. Check out this link; you might have to copy and paste it into a browser; the bit you want is some 6mins 45 seconds in


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqBw1kMJ_d8

So is the idea that as the trailing arm moves that the parking brake cable might come under stress and might rub against another component, or even partially actuate the mechanism? This has me intrigued. I'll have to give this a shot - thanks for the suggestion!

I did watch and he does indeed indicate that he applied silicone grease to the inside bushing surface before pushing it into the socket, and again on the outside bushing before bolting on the cover. However, he does specify the bushings to be "plastic" and that he does expect the bushing to rotate more like a bearing. The ER bushings are rubber, and ER specifies that their bushings should deflect/distort as the springplate moves. Their instructions are very specific about using soap as an install lube so that as the soap dries the bushings will have friction against the mounting surfaces. I am concerned that the noise might be the bushings rotating (and rapidly wearing) against those surfaces despite my best efforts.

BTW, I am sure that we all wish when rebuilting them, including getting the proper ride height, was as easy as he makes it look...Even though my plates came off easy, and the axles ect. looked like new, with lots of grease on them, I didn't find it to be an easy job, particularly getting the ride hight. :( Grrrrrr

Hi...Did you use the glue that ER supplied?... I had phoned Chuck about the use of Crazy Glue and he was vey confident that it did the job. In my mind, because of bushing originally being vulcanization, I was a litle concerned that the CG might not so that's when I phoned 3M to see what they had for bonding rubber to steel... ER is such a reptuable company, and they do sell lots of them, so I assume that CG does the job.

You may want to make a new post? Ask for others input regarding their experience if they used CG...If you'rs are actually moving, I wouldn't think that they would make any kind of a metal sound - Right? - Would they make any noise at all? :confused:

I'm sure that there are some 'Pro' suspension guys on the forum that could provide you with better info than I am able to do ay... I again would suggest trying a new post, specifically on what kind noise, if any, that could be expected if they are turning on the plates shaft.

I did use the ER-supplied glue, my experience with CG has been that "less is more" and the bushings fit very snugly on the springplate, and given the good reputation of ER I'm inclined to trust their recommendations. Having said all that, and to your point, I don't know what a slipping bushing would sound like - I'd have expected more of a squeak/squeal than the grind/scrape noise I'm getting.

Before posting another thread or even updating this one further, I've got to get out in the garage and try a few of the recommendations that have been discussed here. The roads here on LI will be in miserable shape through this weekend, but I'm thinking of disconnecting the shocks to allow for a good bouncy-bouncy in the garage to see if I can duplicate the noise, and maybe home-in on it. (I better keep the garage door shut - the neighbors are gonna think I've lost it...)

That's a good idea...

Looks like we may have hit on the culprit early in this thread: Before heading out for another mid-winter scoot I SOAKED the rear swaybar bushings with silicone spray and the noise seems to have disappeared. I hit every long-wave bump and road-crown that I could find, and I was unable to make the noise happen again. So my conclusion is that there was stiction between the rubber bushings and the metal swaybar. If the noise comes back I'll disassemble and lube with a heavier-bodied silicone grease (unless someone has a better lube suggestion.)

A few more test-drives (it's a dirty job...) and I'll report back if the noise recurs, or even if it doesn't. Thanks for the support fellow Pelicans!
GK

Hi GK!..It's nice to hear that you found it!..Just a thought; did you also use ER's rubber bushings or URO's?...I only say this as I, as you know, recently replaced mine and have no type of any noises.

As for lube on rubber bushing; some types, such as soap, can be used to install them but if they are actually being lubed to keep them from sweaking, it will thensome what defeat their purpose. It is though very common to lube plastic bushing.

Did the saddles still have their very shiny hard black coating or was it worn off?.. If it was worn off, I would suggest that you prep, re-primer and repaint them so to have a smooth no binding surface, including to also replace with ER's bushings if they were URO's.


Quote from Chuck

No grease.

The rubber bushing deforms to allow the swaybar to rotate, stretching like a rubber band and snapping back. This is the best way because it tries to return to the same position always.

Grease it, allow it to slip, and the static position is constantly changing based on the direction of approach.
__________________
Chuck Moreland - Elephant Racing
Elephant Racing on Facebook

I used URO's (maybe part of the problem?) BTW, when installed, they looked more or less like the ones in this thread:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/888527-question-about-rear-stock-sway-bar-bushings-sc.html
Was Chuck specifically commenting on the rear swaybar bushings? My experience with swaybar bushings in many vehicles I've owned is that the bar rotates against the rubber very slightly - the rubber bushing doesn't seem to me as though it's squeezed against the metal firmly enough to cause the bushing to deflect in the same way that spring plate or A-arm bushings are supposed to. For sure, the PU bushings sometimes used would never deflect and need lube for that reason. Having said that, Chuck is the expert and I certainly wouldn't doubt his word. Maybe I just need to upgrade...
To your question, the saddles were in good shape and didn't need any cleanup at all. The bar itself was worn to shiny metal at the point where it made contact with the old rubber, I cleaned, prepped and re-painted the whole thing.

Hi...When I read Chucks post I can't now say whether he was referring to the front or rear.

Re paint condition...It was just a thought that it 'could' be the issue...The saddles on our car were also in the same condition as yours were - excellent shape...I also repainted the worn off area on the bar.

As for using a URO bushing; I personally have found their products to be just so-so...It 'possibly' could be that their sizing is not quite spot on, and or, they may use a different type of rubber?? - I really don't know - I believe that the swaybar bushings that ER sells are a stock Porsche part.

Being though that you have been able to get rid of the 'noise,' I would say that 'all is well' -> 'Happiness is eh! :)

"Being though that you have been able to get rid of the 'noise,' I would say that 'all is well' -> 'Happiness is eh!"

That's what I'm thinking. I figure the job of the swaybar bushings is to hold the swaybar on a fixed axis while the ends flex up and down while the middle part of the bar twists and rotates on that axis. If the bar slips against the rubber, it's not really a problem.

On to the next little project, thanks for the moral support!
GK

Thanks Guys,

I will check on the lift this weekend and let you know.

Smoove1010- no my sound is different to yours, mine is a high pitched squeak.

Cheers

Stewart