Black_Hat

Cold temps, Big Power and spirited driving have dome a number to my spring plate bushings. One is crushed the other is sagging.
This is causing a hitch when lifting off the gas.

I cannot find a busing stock or after market (stiffer)

Do I have to spring for these?

http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/...2520separately

found some N.O.S complete spring plates for crazy $$$$

Stefan

Metal Guru

Stefan, Elephant Racing makes replacement bushings for spring plates, but they aren't cheap at $560: http://www.elephantracing.com/suspen...ing_plate_mono

For $200 more you could buy the Tarrett plates.

Black_Hat

Boy I missed that one !

looks like the next project.

Thanks !!!

Stefan

mapolus

Paul (or anyone else),

Do you have experience with the bushings from Elephant Racing? I'm pretty sure I need to replace the front bushings (I get the steering wheel vibration at 40mph+ speeds)? I figure I should replace all 4 corners if I gotta get an alignment anyways. And if I'm doing that...I might as well replace the struts/springs (already did the tie rod ends and stabilizer links). Thoughts?

Thanks!
Matt

Metal Guru

I did Elephant bushings on my 911 SC.
For street-applicable replacement bushings, they are the only game in town.
Matt, are you sure that your wheels are balance properly?
Symptoms of worn suspension bushings are clunking sounds over road irregularities and steering vagueness/lack of steering response. Speed related vibration is usually a wheel balance issue.
Replacing all bushings with the Elephant stuff will set you back $1700 before you buy coilovers.
As for alignment, you should consider doing it yourself. You'll need string, a scale, level, floor jack and jack stands. You dial in the specs that you want and save around $200 every time you do it.

urquattro20Vt

So what are the symptoms of bad/worn spring plate bushings?

Thanks-

Black_Hat

My symptoms ?

when i get on or lift off gas hard it kind of steps to the side a little

also in turns the rear is loose

and If you get upunder the car you can see the sad bushings

I realize now we share the same part as the 964 NA so if you seach over there you will find a ton of info : symptoms and the pro´s and con´s of each of the solutions

urquattro20Vt

Good to know. Thanks.

ralt

The 935 spring plates as shown at Pelican are the way to go. much easier and less expensive to fix than the original rubber bushings. The worn rubber bushes lead to infinite rear toe changes under heavy braking. THis is not a comfortable feeling at 145. usually followed by "what the hell".......

rstarga

Matt,
Elephant has great products and I used their rubber unhinges on my old 911. On my Turbo my mechanic recommended front bushings from Paragon. They are pink or purple material, quite a bit cheaper than elephant and I decided to try them. I like them a lot.

mapolus

Paul, yeah, I had the wheels balanced during the alignment. I definitely have a vague steering response, which is why I replaced the tie rod ends and stabilizer links (alignment required when one tie rod end wouldn't budge, so I had a machine shop press it out of the control arm). I still get a vibration above 40mph, which Excellence reports as control arm bushings. I haven't heard anyone refute that diagnosis, so I'll swap out the ball joints and control arm bushings ($250 + $380). I'll skip the monoball units in favor of the sport bushings. Fronts to start, then the rears when I do the struts. The struts seem okay, so I'll save the couple thousand until I return from Norway.

My other projects when I get home are the oil thermostat and air conditioning. Oil thermostat is stuck closed. Anyone know where to find the insert these days (NLA at Pelican)? Based on all the threads, I'm going to risk the r-134 conversion from Griffith.

Sorry to hijack the thread...I'll post a write up on the elephant racing bushings as an amends. Thanks!
Matt

Metal Guru

Sounds like a plan on the front end.
I overhauled my thermostat when I replaces all the oil lines. There was a lot of corrosion in it, which I cleaned out and replaced the o-ring (999-701-393-40, $5) in it. The capsule is filled with wax, so if it hasn't leaked, maybe the problem is corrosion. I had to drill a hole in the cover (964-207-351-01, $30) and use a slide hammer to remove it, once the circlip was removed. I welded up the hole before re-installation.
Plan on buying a cover and o-ring to start. There's a way to test the capsule in hot water. The thermostat assembly (capsule & spring) 964-207-349-02, is available from the factory at $130.
To convert you car isn't a big deal; o-rings, fittings and a new receiver dryer. If your evaporator is leaking buy the Griffiths double row one.