sd944s

Hello all,

First, I want to say that this forum has been invaluable and helped me do tons of things on my car. I recently took a job in the midwest and need to move from San Diego in about one week (!) and I'm going to be packing my car (87 944S) with a bunch of things.

Here's my problem: my left rear tire hits the wheel well when I corner hard to the right and it gets much worse with any additional weight in the car. I recently got all the tools together (breaker bar, 36mm wrench, 24mm socket, torque wrench) to try and see if the problem is due to the suspension being set too low. So, I did a trial run and loaded up my car and she bottomed out immediately! Needless to say, I can not drive 2000 miles with it like this.

Anyway, got it up on jack stands and I _could not_ for the life of me turn those 24mm bolts, even with the breaker bar. I need to get the car up higher to get a better angle on it. I've tried to get an appointment at Dieter's and Black Forest here in SD but my timeframe may be too short to get in there. Soooooo, this brings me to see if any fellow Rennlisters can help me out. Anyone in SoCal available with access to a lift or know a shop I can get into? Maybe someone who has successfully changed the suspension height with the eccentric bolt?

Here's the thing: if you can help, I'd be willing to give you my Craftsman jack and jack stands in return. Maybe some cash if that would push you over the edge

I know it's short notice and this is asking a bit much but I'm really against the wall on this one...any advice?

Thanks!

pete944

Here's how I did it:
Jack the back of the car up and put it on jackstands. Put a 1/2" drive ratchet and 24mm socket on the bolt and put a hydraulic bottle jack under the end of the handle. Start slowly pumping the jack. The jack will put enough torque on the bolt to break it loose.
Mine wouldn't budge with a 4 foot breaker bar but using a jack popped them loose in seconds.

BTW, where in the midwest are you moving to?

Dave

If you're rubbing on the outside, you could just roll the fender. OR get it to an alignment place and get a little neg camber.

sd944s

944 pete - thanks for the idea with the jack. What sort of level of adjustment did you have (i.e. how much could you raise / lower the height?) Also, were you able to get them back up to 180ft/lbs spec?

I'm moving to Chicago, by the way - looks like it will be a bit closer to where you are.

Dave - thanks for the suggestions. I may chalk up the fender to see exactly where it's rubbing and then see if rolling the fender or adjusting the camber would be enough. I do know that it rubs _bad_ when I loaded it up so I'm not sure I can get away without acutally changing the ride height.

One other question: worn out shocks wouldn't allow the car to be drastically different on one side, correct? No matter how hard I push the car through a left-hand turn, the right rear tire never rubs even with a load in the trunk. Hmm....I only have six days to pull this off!

Thanks,
-William

pete944

Mine was up all the way and it lowered the car about an inch. I tightened them with an impact and the used the 4 foot breaker to tighten them up another notch.

Rock

I feel your pain. I have this same problem.

I also noticed that i cant handle the car as well as it used to. Do you think our shocks are worn out?

Dan in Pasadena

SD944S - Don't know if you still are looking for a shop, but if you are use Strictly German in Pasadena. Call Duran @ 626/440-1242. Yeah, I know it's a haul from where you are but he'll get you in and out. This is a good man and sympathetic to his customers - free loaners if he has one available, a LOT of other stuff for me too.

Tell him Dan with the Red 944 referred you and that you are in a hard bind for time. He'll help you. I am certain of it unless something really, really big is going on. PM me and I'll get back to you tomorrow and give you any details you need. I can even stop by and look in on your work if you need. Hope this helps, Dan

sd944s

Dan,

Tried to PM you but your mailbox is full

Thanks a ton for the recommendation - I may take you up on it but considering how pressed I am for time before I go, I'll need to see how flexible Duran can be - the only days I could make it up there are Saturday and Monday, then I hit the road on Tuesday. I'll probably give him a call tomorrow.

Thanks again!

-William

tifosiman

Did you install some 17" X 9" wheels on the rear? Or are these stock 15" or 16" wheels?

If they are 17x9 wheels, this is fairly common to get a little rub on the fender lip on the drivers side. Usually at about the 10 o'clock to 12 o'clock position if you are looking directly at the fender. A little whack with the grinder in that area, and some touch up paint, would take care of the problem, if that is what it is.

Peckster

I'd roll them instead of grinding. As for retorquing those bolts, 160 isn't much. But you should use a torque wrench. Buy a cheap needle one if you can't afford a good one.

Dan in Pasadena

William, Sorry my box was full. I just went in and deleted all of them.

Duran is open for only a few hours on Saturday but if you call him I'm sure he'll try to work with you. Again, use me as a reference and it may help. I'll drop over later to see if he worked something out with you. Let me know if I can be of further help.

sd944s

Ugh, looks like I'm going to have even less time than I thought on Saturday, so I don't think I can make it up to Pasadena to get this taken care of by Duran...

I did stop by a local "Porsche & Audi Only" independant shop today near work (I think it was called something like La Jolla Imports??) and the guy said he could squeeze me in Monday morning. He was supremely confident that it was just a matter of a worn-out left rear shock. Hmm, I've heard that a worn out shock shouldn't necessarily cause this bottoming out but he was really against trying to adjust the ride height. "Only replace the shock. That will take care of it," he said.

Sooo, he quoted ~$260 for the Berg (sp?) stock shock and ~$90.00 labor. I was just reading clarks-garage.com and the swap seems like a cinch to do myself. However, time is tight.

Thoughts on the prices?? Thoughts on his diagnosis?? Oh, tifisoman, and I can't believe I didn't include that I _am_ running 17x9s in the rear but the right doesn't bottom out, only the left so the size should be OK.

Thanks for everyone's help on this!!

sd944s

OK, don't mean to follow up on my own message, but after thinking about the price he quoted me, it seems rather high. I checked Paragon and Koni sports are ~$125 for the rear. Hmm...I need to find a good local (San Diego) shop with a shock in stock so I can pick it up and install it myself. Then, I HOPE it would take care of the bottoming out issue...

L8 APEKS

Shocks don't support the weight of the car, so that probably isn't your problem, regardless of whether or not they are worn.

Torsion bars/springs/leaves support the car's weight; shocks only damp the rebound of the springs.

I know on my truck, torsion bars have a tendency to sag over time. Is there a way to crank them up on the 944? I've never looked at the rear susp before so I'm not sure.

Devia

What they said! Sorry, can only offer moral support here.

Sad to see you go, btw. Chicago SUCKS in the winter! I used to live at 1453 W. Touhy, up in Roger's Park, off of Sheridan road, and across from that park.

I wouldn't drive a 944 with the salt and sand they spread out in the winter.