Fluidplay

Additional pics

Well the ball joints are out, fortunately the arms look pretty good...the bushings are toast. The pic is laid out driver & pass sides (R>L) As you can see the pass side is completely destroyed. I took the passenger side apart first and didn't realize the O-ring was MIA until I did the driver side and both cups are out of round.



Moral of story...if you're driving these cars as they were meant to be, do it right, do it once.

When it rains, it pours...

So amongst everything else that's been sloooowly nawing at my sanity (like I had any to begin with) I'm driving my car to warm it up to do a second compression & leakdown test due to poor numbers (still trying to figure out what went wrong with the rebuild) I notice a loose feeling in the steering and a shaking never felt before. Thought it might be the manual rack just installed mmmm, no. It's the ball joint that was rebuilt 18 months ago. This had some insane sided to side, up and down play. I'm surprised I never noticed it before, maybe it was the new manual rack the allowed me to feel this?? Anyway, I'm hoping that the socket is rebuildable.



This is NOT, I repeat...a bashing on anyone, it is a word to the wise. If you plan on autocrossing with an occassional track day, do youself a favor and install the kit with the solid aluminum bronze bushings.
http://www.rennbay.com/trackperforma...-kit-p-35.html
I just purchased a new Track/perfromance kit from Rennbay and will be doing this again..

333pg333

How much was your car lowered?

Techno Duck

Had the same issues when i rebuilt the arms on my n/a, the delrin or whatever material upper bushing was toast after a few hundred miles and a auto-x. Even for street only cars i would only get the solid upper bushings.

Fluidplay

Patrick - Car was lowered 3/4" from stock

Jon - I was really surprised how distroyed the bushing is. Aside from 6 ax's and 3 track sessions, the car is driven really pretty tame...well kinda

lart951

I have a excellent a-arm from a turbo S $ 49.99 plus shipping

Chris White

Good deal on the turbo S arm - they have stiffer bushings! (I would get the matching arm too).

If I didn't have a crap load of spares I would snap it up....

Fluidplay

I just ordered the track/performance repair kit from Rennbay.

I replaced the control arm bushings with delrin and 968 castors last year when I rebuilt the ball joints with the delrin bushing.

Luis - If the arm is toast I will be calling...thanks

Techno Duck

Travis @ Rennbay informed me that if the balljoint pocket is even slightly worn it will probably cause this to happen. He said that the solid upper bushing is much more forgiving to a slightly worn pocket and will do fine. I dont even remember how many miles i had on the control arms after i rebuilt them the 2nd time with the other bushings, but i know i put well over 2 seasons (probably over 25 events) of auto-x on them and never had problems again. And that was in some very bumpy lots! This also includes plenty of trips cutting through Manhattan and the Cross Bronx which is basically a mine field.

Just my opinion, but i personally wonder why the plastic style bushing is even offered. This problem has occurred for others in older threads also, $50 is not worth the trouble i think!

Fluidplay

Agreed

Keithr726

I need to rebuild mine, great info, aluminum bronze bushings it is.

Fluidplay

Additional pics

Swagger93

Mine did the same thing after 1000 miles.

ZW 944

Wow I'm glad I opted for the bronze ones.

Do you think it was only the fault of the material? may there be other factors at play?

ehall

There can always be "other" factors. the consensus is that it's best to go bronze.

Fluidplay

I'm sure in my case it was tracking the car last year for the first time. I did 8 ax events and 2 track days which consisted of 4-20 minute sessions each day. There's alot of stress on the ball joints when you're bumping the curbs at speed and the delrin, or whatever that material is, just can't take the abuse.

Today the new and improved arms will be installed and ready to fly again.