Tom M'Guinn

I changed my front sway bar bushings today. Pretty straight-forward job. I wrote it up for me site for anyone interested....

http://members.rennlist.com/tom86951/

Daddio

Tom,

Some people have considered reinforcing or renewing old rubber bushings by use of Window Weld, a urethane goo that reportedly solidifies to a hardness similar to that of skateboard wheels. Repordedly, this acts as a composite sandwich with the old rubber bushing, giving it new firmness and vibration dampening capacity. Window Weld is apparently used to fill the gaps left by the old rubber as it shrinks.

Would you please comment on this idea?

Eyal 951

why would you go through that trouble when a new bushing is the proper repair, and very cheap.
~Eyal

Tom M'Guinn

I have not tried this. The concept is not appealing to me, I must say. Using a filler in the bushings sounds like it could add an element of danger at speed, if they suddenly let go. I don't have the numbers handy, but you can replace the bushings in half an afternoon for the price of a tank of gas or two. Besides, it always feels better to do the job right, no?

IceShark

Tom, oh, oh.

Where did you come up with the 17 ft lbs torque for the drop link to control arm nuts? I just did the bushings on my 951S last December and I really cranked those nuts down. Not to 80 or 90 pounds, but way more than 17.

I also had bent drop links. Not real bad, but definately not perfectly straight.

I'm about to go under the car again to put the upgraded castor blocks in so can work on the sway with not much additional trouble. You think I should replace the drop links besides re-torquing? I was going to order parts today but will await your comments.

Daddio

Do a Google search for Windo-Weld and you'll find various references to rebuilding motor mounts, etc. with this stuff. Reportedly, some people have had great success with it, and it is said to be pretty durable.

Hasy anyone tried this trick on our cars? Results?

IceShark

I haven't done it myself. For motor mounts, how is this supposed to fix the fact that all the grease/fluid is gone and the mount has collapsed? With the identical updated replacement motor mount, with the Porsche trademark ground off, available from Zims for 50 bucks a pop why screw around with goop? And new sway bushings are really cheap.

The only area I have heard that had good outcomes is in the transaxle mount that attaches to the cross member. That little thing is VERY expensive to replace. It doesn't take much load so I may try the window goop out there if it fails.

APKhaos

Ice,
I potted my trans mount with durometer 80 polyurethane from McMaster Carr. THere are a few posts in the archives on this technique. My stock mount was OK, but I wanted more stiffness without wanting to suffer the vibration problems that the hard mounts cause. Worked really well for me and others, so go this route if you are doing your trans mount. Window Weld might work, but you will be pioneering.

IceShark

Thanks for the polyurethane info Tony.

I assume you scrub the area out with acetone and then pot? I'll have to print this off for next time I'm back there.

It is funny, but both me and Tony Wirz were sort of shocked at how delicate the transaxle mount was when we saw it during the clutch job. I don't know how that thing hangs together much less last 17 years. LOL!

flamingeye

Having mine done as we speak. Was going to do it myself (honest) thats why I bought the bits. But threw it together with some other work I'm having done at the moment. One of mine actually cracked. It was the tube part which you put the arb bush into.

Drop link £29.00
Concave washers x2 40p
Rubber bush £10.20
Drop link rubber bushes x2 £2.86

Total including VAT and delivery £49.48

You would think they would throw a nylock nut in for free!

These were from an OPC, apparently (after ringing a couple of companies) can only be purchased from an OPC. Being a GB Porsche Club member you get 10% discount.

Good site to keep in favourites Tom. Keep adding!

Tom M'Guinn

The torque spec is listed in the factory 944 manual and on page 57 of the Technical Specifications booklet for the 944 turbo (also repeated in Haynes). It calls for 17 ft. lbs. on the M8 bolts holding the bracket to the chassis, and for the bolts/nuts that hold the clip to the bracket. I looked at my drop links pretty closely and concluded they were straight and solid. I always err of the side of safety with these things, and would have replaced them if bent. Note that the stud is welded to the collar part of the link -- I'd take a good look at that weld too as it would seem vulnerable to cracking. Hope that helps.

IceShark

Well, that doesn't help me other than back the nuts off to 17 ft lbs. Thanks very much for what you know, though.

I don't remember exactly but I think 17 would be what it took to turn the damn nuts back on.

The stud weld is fine. I had a client x-ray it. He was going to CNC new ones out of a block of monel he had laying around but I told him to shut up as that was going into bribe territory.Wish I could get him to make teh replacements. sigh

Tom M'Guinn

17 ft. lbs. is for the M8 bolts -- other than the risk of stripping or breaking, I can't see how over-tightening will affect anything. The M10 nut on top of the control arm is supposed to be 18 ft. lbs. -- if that one is overtight, it will squish the bushing more than intended. Did I misunderstand your question? What were you hoping I knew?

IceShark

Naw, that should take care of it and I'll back the nuts off.

Wish I knew how I loaded things up enough to bend the drop link bolt with all that rubber around it. I did hit a monster pothole in Chicago 7 years ago. Hard enough to deflate the rear tire and bend the rim.

flamingeye

This is my slightly broken one!!!!