hopps

Hey guys, I've got a street car 86 944 N/A. Due to my power steering pressure line leaking (which I'm currently fixing) PS fluid would drip down onto whatever it could, and eventually worked it's way into my control arm bushings. End result is torn bushings both front and back. I have the backs taken care of, with the updated style bushing, but the fronts are a bit harder to find. I made the mistake of ordering the Weltmeister Poly- Graphite bushings, but I cant seem to find any other sort of bushing that is for street applications.

My questions are:
1.) Do they still make/sell rubber bushings for late 944's?
2.) What setup is everyone else running on their street cars? I.E. weltmeister bushings all around, mixing it up, etc.

I'm not sure if I should just install the Welmeister bushings with the new style (closed bushing thing) and run it like that. Any input would be awesome, thanks!

schwank

Yeah the welts are not very good. In my mind, you either run the factory rubbers or some nice monoballs.

arthropraxis

Go on ebay DP makes replacement rubber bushings. Paragon also sells them.

944CS

Powerflex Polyurethane - great bushing, great price, lifetime warranty

Lemming

I put delrin bushings in my 968 daily driver and really like it.

Did you put the welts in? If so, why don't you like them?

Justin S2

Elephant Racing has some "sport" rubber FRONT control arm bushings. I have them and like them quite a bit.

http://www.elephantracing.com/suspen...erbushings.htm

FWIW my A arms have new OEM caster blocks (bought from a different place), freshly rebuilt ball joints (rennbay kit), and elephant racing control arm bushings ("sport" hardness.) This along with Weltmeister 200lb springs and new Konis makes the car feel like it is on rails.

hopps

Thanks for the replies guys! @Lemming, I haven't put them in yet, I was just afraid of putting anything "stiff" on the car since I'm driving it to and from school/work everyday. Looking at it now, for the price of the welts compared to the OEM rubber sold by paragon, I think I can live with a little bit of noise and roughness.

Also, for those out there running delrin and elephant racing bushings, how much of a difference was there on normal roads and highways? I had been taught that putting delrin or anything remotely stiff on a street car was stupid because it would make the ride really rough and lots of noise compared to stock rubber.

Justin S2

ER bushings are very similar to OEM rubber. The "sport" hardness just makes it a little less pliable. It still gives an OEM feel. I agree Delrin is not the way to go on a street car.

944CS

The car doesn't feel much harsher at all, in fact, the steering is much more direct and the braking more stable. Overall getting rid of the rubber (or lessening the amount) in the suspension is one of the best things you can do to these cars. The polyurethane I mentioned above is slightly softer than delrin.

MAGK944

The biggest transmitter of noise at the front is the top strut mount, fitting solid top mounts or camber plates and you will notice more noise. The other bushes at the front don't make a considerable difference, front and rear control arm, sway bushes, etc.

At the rear the biggest noise transmitters are the trans mount and the upper and lower torsion bar carrier bushes. Other bushes at the rear such as, spring plate, inner banana arms, sways and damper bushes have little change in noise.

The sport rubber bushes from elephant racing seem like a good street solution, doubt you'll hear any noise difference with those.

dirtyTurbo

Am I missing something or is it going to cost hundreds of dollars to replace a few bits of rubber?

Lemming

hopps,

I think you will be fine with the welts, I don't think you will notice much difference between them and stock. I don't mind the delrin on the front of the control, it drives nicely, and yes, this is a car that I take to work.

Just remember, that you need to remove the outer stock races before the bushings will fit. The easiest way is to take a dremel and cut a relief on the outer edge of the race, then take a punch and push it in on itself slightly. Heat the alum outside and then use a punch to knock it out.

hopps

Okay, so the welts went in no problem. However, how hard is it to put the updated rear front control arm bushings on? Because it's a PITA right now. Does if have to be pressed on or something?

arthropraxis

I pressed mine in with a bench vise. Mine were the factory rubber ones. I screwed up a perfectly good set by letting a friend press them in with an industrial press. We thought they should be flush with the sides but they aren't.

hopps

Is there something I should know about the eccentric bolt? I ruined one of the bushings because it's physically stuck on the eccentric bolt. It's the updated 968 bushing :\