Garth S

If you are planning on the Powerflex solid bushings, you could be the perfect test mule for this intermediate step to stiffen the front bushings with injectable urethane .
I'm snow bound for another month ....and have no track comparison - which would be far more reliable than street experience.

AndyT

jam a pry bar between the control arm and the body, see how flex you get and how easily. mine were so bad the control arm moved enought to tell they were done. replcaed with ERP inserts no more rubber.

Greg Fishman

Andy,
How much were the ERP bushings and who did you get them from?
Also is the ride significantly harsher with them vs. the stock ones?

Thanks

bdf

Geoff - Did you use the cut the metal sleeve and punch out method?

Garth - I saw that thread. Sounds interesting but I don't have enough time between now and my next track event to test it.


Andy - Did the crowbar test. The right front was so bad I could have got movement with a toothpick stuck in there! I was originally going to put in monoballs but I have read that even limited street use would quickly destroy them.

Greg Fishman

Any reviews of these bushings?
http://www.paragon-products.com/product_p/mc-8100.htm

bdf

I saw those also but looks like they only make them for the rear of the arm.. If they had something for the fronts I would have went with them. I believe they are from the same guys who make the replacement control arms for 944s.

The fronts were actually a lot worse than the rears on my car.

chris walrod

I am in the process of writing a comprehensive DIY on changing these lower front A-arm bushings. For the time being, anyone is welcome to contact me and I will walk you through the process. Or send me the a-arms, and I will do it for you.

I think many will be amazed at the difference this makes to the car, mostly while on the brakes!!

bdf

Cool!

Thanks

TheOtherEric

Very cool Chris. Have you considered drilling holes and adding a grease fitting? I have no idea if it's necessary or useful; just an idea. But it sounds easy enough.

Red rooster

When I sorted out the removing method for the standard bushes it came down to getting the rubber center out first. On some bushes the rubber center just falls out and others need to have the rubber drilled through the void holes and then the rubber rips out.
To get the steel sleeve thats left out seems to be best if two cuts are done about 120 degrees apart. Be careful not to go through the steel into the wishbone. I used a variety of punch/drifts to get the 120 degree sleeve section out and the rest falls out.
The best approach is not to hurry . After a few wishbones I reckoned an hour for front and rear per wishbone.
Phil Raby and I did an article in 911 and Porsche World which gives the pictures.
Maybe the write up by Chris will get into a lot more detail .

Geoff

black ice

This idea might be a little far out - I replaced the factory rubber and steel sleeved bushings on 924 Turbo A-arms years ago. If the 993s are similar, my method might work - although it's unorthodox.

I cut each side of the steel sleeve, then took a butane torch and lit the rubber on fire. After about thirty seconds, I was able to sling off the whole melted gooey bushing.

No, I'm not kidding. Went very quickly.

chris walrod

This is how I used to do it on Chevelle, Camaro and Nova restorations years ago. Messy, stinky and brutal, but it does indeed work

bdf

I used the torch method on a 73 911. The arms are steel so I wasn't too concerned about heating them. The rubber gave up long before the arms got hot enough to do any damage. I don't kow what, if anything, the torch would do to aluminum.

Anybody?

chris walrod

If hot enough, it will soften the material losing its heat treat locally. Not good. This is why I removed them mechanically.

Sitting at an airport at 5 in the morning - -maybe I'll start writing that DIY

Red rooster

Gas torches and burning rubber in an aluminium arm that your life depends on !!!!!!!!!! Not recommended under any circumstances , ever, at all .

Geoff