KuHL 951

I was installing new Bilsteins on the rear of the 944S today and found one of the lower bolts was stripped really bad from someone trying to install the lower bolt last. I was able to chase the threads on the control arm but the bolt is shot. I had to steal one from my project car. The bolt is an odd length so does anyone have a spare laying around from a parts car they are willing to part with?

Thanks

carreracoupe997

Call Taylor Dodson 404-488-1456 he will have it. Guaranteed

ScoobySteve

Wow...that almost happen to me today. I would also check the threads in the trailing arm...

While doing the top last reduces the stripping risk, on my car it was a lot snugger at the top and getting it lined up was a pain. My solution was to do the top first, then put a jack in the rear trailing arm to make sure it was lined up so there would be no side loading on the bolt until it was all the way in.

KuHL 951

I've always used the floor jack trick also but prefer doing the top last by jacking the arm until it's is aligned at the top and popping the bolt in. I remove the top bolt first also. Once the top is bolted I've always found it hard to get the lower bolt started easily as the lower shock mount often isn't on the same plane as the upper mount even when jacked. The guides on the upper mount help force the sides of the shock into alignment and there is no worry of stripping the bolt. The second shock with the good bolt took us less than 5 minutes. The first one was a pain having to chase the threads on the control arm with a tap to clean them up.

schwank

I second this method after doing the job a bunch of times on various cars. With the aluminum trailing arms, it is much less risk of stripping out the lower mount.

whalebird

What if the arm does strip? The PO of my car had mucked up the threads on the pass. side arm. I was able to clean it out and have not had a problem. BUT...I have wondered what would happen when I take it apart again. I am expecting the worst. So has anyone had experiance repairing this? Thread insert?

MM951

FWIW, the aluminum trailing arms have a steel (or at least magnetic) thread insert and irrc you can use a time sert/helicoil etc. Van could probably give more info has he has dealt with this on my trailing arm...

Potomac-Greg

I go with this method. The main reason is accessibility. You can wiggle/twist/maneuver the lower shock easily because it's out in the open. Much harder to do the same with the upper mount. I actually stripped two upper shock bolts (just an annoyance since they're not hard to replace), and then just reversed the process.

KuHL 951

I can see we all have different approaches but back to the original question: Does anyone have a spare bolt they can sell me?

lart951

u just need a regular rear shock bolt? lower or upper?

KuHL 951

Lower bolt only Luis

Thanx

lart951

I give you 2 lower bolts shipped via priority mail for $ 9.99, If I 'll ship tomorrow you'll have them by Tuesday.

KuHL 951

I only need one but you're on. I'll PM you with my address and I'll need your PayPal info. No urgency though unless you like going to the Post Office.

Thanks

lart951

I'll ship right away, I go to the post office daily to pick my mail from my po box.