Chunkerz

I am replacing all of my suspension rubber with the Powerflex bushings on Ideola's Garage and I don't know which one to choose. Although the 968 caster block has less rubber to rot/fail, there is still rubber in there that will degrade over time. The Powerflex caster block bushings come with a lifetime warranty against rotting. The Powerflex bushings are ~$100 for a pair and the 968 caster blocks are ~$100 each, so Powerflex wins price wise. Which one should I go with? My car has the old style "D" shaped caster blocks.

SpeedyC2

FWIW, I had the 968 castor blocks on my S2 and replaced the bushing with Powerflex when I did my bushing upgrade.

Chunkerz

So you replaced the original caster block with the 968 version, then replaced the rubber with a Powerflex bushing, correct? I'll be paying over $1000 just for bushings if I do that That's almost as much as I was planning to spend on springs, struts, shocks, and torsion bars...

Does anyone have any experience with the Powerflex D shaped caster block bushings? I'd really like to go that route if possible.

bebbetufs

I advice against using polyurethane in a twisting bushing. The friction can actually damage the car if you don't lube them a lot. I removed mine...

http://www.elephantracing.com/techto...nefriction.htm

doabarrelroll

Just get the upgraded 968 castor blocks. They are great and +1 on the poly bushings being a PITA. Either go rubber or full solid.

Chunkerz

I don't want to get rubber bushings because they'll wear out in a few years and I'll be right back where I started. I don't want solid bushings because my car will be used on crappy Maryland streets 99% of the time so I don't want to live with a super harsh ride. I looked at Elephant Racing and they don't make every bushing that I need. I would like to keep all of the bushings the same brand and material.

The Powerflex purple bushings got great reviews and they make everything I need so that's why I was thinking about getting them.

Edit- Alright, well I've changed my mind AGAIN. After some more reading I've decided not to use Powerflex bushings in places that require full suspension disassembly in case the begin to squeak or I hate them. I have now decided to go with Elephant racing "sport hardness" front control arm bushings, caster blocks, trailing arm bushings, and spring plate bushings. For the front/rear swaybar bushings I will use Powerflex because lubricating or replacing those is easy.

The only problem is Elephant Racing doesn't make bushings for the torsion tube to chassis mount. I don't want to use Powerflex bushings there because lubricating them will require me to drop the rear suspension. The Racers Edge solid mounts are expensive and I really don't want to use solid mounts in a road car. I don't want to use OEM bushings because they will just rot away again. Are there any other alternatives, or am I forced to choose between solid or rubber mounts? I'd like to use something stiffer than the OEM rubber bushings to match the stiffer Elephant Racing/Powerflex bushings.

Edit 2- Does anyone have any experience with the Racers Edge solid upper banana arm mounts? I managed to break one of mine during disassembly and the rubber looks pretty shot. Are they available new anywhere? I didn't see them at Paragon Products and I can't find them on Pelican Parts.

Edit 3- I don't even see OEM rubber torsion tube chassis mount bushings on Paragon, Pelican, or 944 Online. Are they NLA? I can't reuse my originals because they got kind of messed up when I removed them from the torsion tube end cap thing that goes over the spring plate.

I am talking about items 5 and 14 in this picture:


Edit 4- Edit- I found number 14 here and here, but it's $236.25 for one side and $241 for the other! I might as well fork over the $249 for a pair of the solid ones from Racers Edge or find a good used one.

Edit 5- Accordiing to the 1988 944 PET, the part number for the torsion tube to chassis mount bushing is 447 501 069 A. I searched Pelican and they don't have it. I couldn't find anything on Google either. Looks like I'll either have to reuse mine or find good used ones

Sorry for the super long post.

bebbetufs

I have decided to take my chances on poly bushings at no 14 as there is hardly any twist there only vibrations. I should be all right, but if I have any trouble I will consider drilling and installing a grease nipple there.

For the banana arm mount 5 I will use original good mounts until they break. They have cavities that can be filled with 3M winbond polyurethane to firm them up which is what I'm doing to mine. You should be able to get a set from Lart. They don't affect handling as much as they are at the end of a long flexible plate. What they do is is dampen the high frequency vibrations the shocks can't filter out.

Number 4 is tricky. I'm using good old stuff there from M030 cars. I believe Porsche played around with hardnesses because if my memory serves me right some 951s have a different number from the s2 and 968. You might want to check the parts catalogue.

Arominus

My S and S2 have 968 castor blocks, they worked quite nicely and I'm happy with them, they have a lot less rubber in them and I expect that they should last for quite a while.

theedge

If you are worried about lubrication for that #14 one, you can drill a hole into it and install a zerk fitting.

Jason @ Paragon Products

http://www.paragon-products.com/Sear...x=0&Search.y=0

http://www.paragon-products.com/Sear...x=0&Search.y=0

Chunkerz

I saw those and the thing that scared me away from them was the warning in the description that says they may cause vibration/noise in a road car. I think I'll inspect my rubber bushings a bit closer and if they're in decent condition I'll just reuse them.

Would it be safe to reuse my passenger side upper banana arm mount? I chipped off the outer corner where the bolt goes through. Pics:



New ones are expensive as **** and it seems like it will be very difficult to find a good used one. I'm already planning to spend over $3000 on my suspension, steering, and dive line maintenance/upgrades and I don't want to "cheap out", but I also don't want to spend money on things that I don't need....

bebbetufs

I would not use it as it is. Can you get someoen to weld it for you? If they know what they are doing and have acces to some large copper heat sinks they should be able to weld it without cooking the rubber.

By the way. A lot of cars are being broken over at Pelican. Post a WTB in the classifieds here and over there and ask for the mounts. I'm sure you can find a decent pair.

Chunkerz

I don't know anyone that can weld. I got an offer for a good used set so I'll pick those up and continue on with my plans.