CVR_Rally

I need to replace the inner and outer bushing for the front sway bar but I cannot determine which size is correct. I measured the bar at 24.13mm. I don't have the M030 option according to my option sticker but it does sound like it's larger than the original.

Any insights?

Thanks,

Chris

V2Rocket

Order bushings based on size, not option codes.

There were so many sway bar size options and they are all interchangeable so you need to know what you actually have, not what the sticker says.

CVR_Rally

I know I need to order on size. I guess I wasn't clear as the problem I run into is no bushings matched the 24.13 that I measured. I'll have to give Pelican a call and see what they say.

KevinGross

My recollection is that there were two options for the 87 944S. You either got a smaller front bar only, or a larger front bar plus a rear bar. According to the parts diagram, the smaller bar was 21.5 mm, the larger was 25.5 mm. I just measured what I think was an original 944S bar, and it measured at 25.8 mm across the center section.

V2Rocket

if you measured 24.13 then you should get the 24mm bushings.

25.8 = 25.5 bushings.

mel_t_vin

A stock '87 944 would've been fitted with a 21.5mm front bar. The M456-optioned cars were fitted with 23mm front/14mm rear bars. As far as I know, M030-optioned cars would've gotten 26.8mm front/16mm rear bars, just like the turbos.

Does your car have a rear sway installed?

From the looks of things, at 24.13mm, it appears a previous owner installed the one-year specific '86 951 front bar, at some point. As Spencer recommended, you should purchase the 2x inner bushings [477 411 053K] and the 2x outer bushings [951 343 793 00] for a 24mm bar.

admiralkhole

The standard 944S does have a 21.5 front, but it also has an 18 rear.

M030 bumps the front to 25.5 and the rear to 20mm... The biggest rear bar available from the factory. I have a 20mm rear sway from an m030 S, really tightens up the rear.

mel_t_vin

Could be wrong, but I don't believe the factory ever paired a 21.5mm front with an 18mm rear sway. As far as I know, the 25.5mm front bar was only fitted to '87 and '88 [non-M758] turbos. Any M030-optioned '87-'89 944/S/T was fitted with the 26.8mm bar.

But you believe an M030-optioned S was fitted with a 25.5mm vs 26.8mm front sway? And regarding the rear sway, you're stipulating the 20mm bar was specific to only the M030-optioned S?

admiralkhole

Yes, as per Clarks garage. The S had some crazy sway combos and my various Internet searches lead me to believe so, I could be wrong though...

http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/susp-15.htm

I've never seen the 20mm rear sway on any other car. I bought mine from a guy with an M030 S car. I'm sure someone can chime in and confirm this. There's a reason people ask ~$175 for them... They're pretty rare. I love mine!

Arominus

My 88Shad 25/18 sways on it when I bought it along with 3 dot springs. It all looked original and did not have m030.

mel_t_vin

Thanks for your input...that makes sense.

I suspect an M030-optioned S would've been fitted with a 26.8mm bar in front and paired with a 20mm bar out back.

CVR_Rally

Thanks for all the help guys. I double checked my measurements and indeed it is a 24mm bar. The PO must have put the wrong size in because the inner bushing is exploded out for lack of a better term.

I do have a rear bar that measures only 14.49mm. According to Clark's Garage it should have had a an 18mm one. Makes me think the PO installed it after the fact because maybe it didn't have one originally.

Chris

Chris

admiralkhole

Here's where it gets weird... Now we have people reporting different sizes

There's a current ad on the Pelican marketplace for S stock bars...21.5/18...

Maybe it was changed between the two years of production. Interesting either way.

V2Rocket

or just one of several POs changed the bars around.
my early NA has 25.5/18mm bars, which of course weren't even offered in 1985 or on any NA but they work fine.

admiralkhole

I got those exact bars and gave them to Sausagehacker, his early car drives great with them.

It's also difficult to decipher, when several people believe their bars to be stock.