fast_freddy

I took the plunge last night and started to replace my stock uprights, suspension bushings and tie rods with RS spec ones. Well, the things I thought were going to be simple were brutal to work on and the things I though were going to be problematic were pretty quick and dirty.

Getting all the parts out was fairly straightforward. The bushings were a breeze to press out and press new ones in. I replaced the stock bushings with ERP one's both front and rear and utilized the RS spec uprights too. All that was surprisingly easy. Taking the ABS sensors out of the old uprights was brutal and ultimately they had to be scuttled. I soaked them in Kroil overnight and tried everything to get them out but there was full on galvanization going on and the top came off of the sensor. $130 down the drain... The other one proved to be just as difficult so I didnt even bother any longer and "flushed" another $130 down the terlet. I guess 14 years of brake dust and galvanic corrosion got the best of me.

I decided to go with ERP Evo tie rods (spherical bushings) as compared to "regular" RS spec ones which arrive on Tuesday, the same day as the ABS sensors. I hope to button up everything Tuesday night and get it aligned too with a set of strings/levels/straightedges and my new kinematic toe tool.

Good thing I replaced the front bushings, they most certainly have seen better days, the rears were OK but I wanted to ensure a proper "balance" between the front and rear. I was pleased with how straightforward this all is. At the end of the day it's a pretty uncomplicated car.

I'm going to replace the plugs and dist rotors on Monday and had a query about removing the plugs. Do the plug wire simply pull straight off the plugs? Do you need a special plug wire pulling tool?

Gasser

Pictures? Would love to see the two hubs side by side. Ive seen pics before but can't find the side by side pics. In fact, I really need a good pic of the outside of each upright with out the rotor in the way so I can see how my break cooling ducts will mount to the new uprights.

Thanks for any pics you post.

Im doing this on my race car in the next week or two... Keep us up to date on your driving impressions.

Jeff

cgfen

yes, the insulators pull straight off the plugs. i think i used a pair of waterpump pliers on the heads of a couple of the insulators on the intake bank just to improve the grip.

look for "jackals" web site, ( he posts here sometimes), he has a couple of excellent DIYs including RS upright install and plug wire change.

I'm curious F Freddy, what is your car's ride height?
it's my understanding that the primary reason to go to "evo" uprights is for very low cars that exhibit bump steer.
True?
Or am i missing something?
did you have trouble sourcing the uprights? rumor has it that they are hard to buy, but Sunset recently quoted a friend 5 day delivery at about $375 each.


sorry to hear that you lost the ABS sensors


cheers

Craig

fast_freddy

I'll take some measurements on the ride height when I'm done. I'm keeping it the same as before though which was at RS height. I wouldn't recommend lowering it anymore than what I'm at now as you will bottom out the splitter constantly. I'm quite careful and I rub every now and them. If I was any lower I'd lose my splitter in no time flat. Yes, the motivation for the uprights is to cure the bump-steer inherent in lowered 993's. When you see the angle of the tie rod on a lowered 993 with stock rods/uprights it shouldn't shock you about the bump-steer, it doesn't even look "balanced". I had no problem sourcing the uprights and found them on the net (private seller) for a little less than Sunset. Gert Carnewal has them too for just a little more at current exchange rates to the Euro (you get them in two days though). Sourcing the RS tie rods is a bit more problematic. I got my Evo tie rods through Stable Energies in NJ. The ABS sensors were sourced through Autoparts Warehouse of all places. Oddly enough, a local auto parts store had one too, but I needed two.

Gasser... I've got the front rotors back on but I'll do my best to remember to take my camera to take some pics when I get back to it on Monday night. I thought of taking some iPhone pics today but the resolution sucks and there's no flash so there was no point.

RDS928S

What are the ERP bushings? For the A-arm/control arm?
Where did you get them & how much were they?

Thanks Rich

fast_freddy

ERP are Elephant Racing Products. Bought them directly from them for $750~ (or somewhere about that much) all in. It covers all the bushings for the front and rear. They do not have them on their website but if you call them Chuck can hook you up.

Bill Verburg

Bill Verburg

while you are in there I'd do the solid sides too

fast_freddy

What are "solid sides".

<<<< Not hip to the jive.

alexl911

I'm really interested in this thread as I am in the process of doing exactly the same job... I currently have KW V3 at (near) RS ride height.

1. What made you decide to go for ERP bushings over other PU (i.e. Powerflex or Chris Walrod, etc..)?

2. I just ordered the 'bump steer kit' from Carnewal, which consists of new uprights/wheel carriers and GT2 EVO tie rods. Again, what made you decide to go for the ERP EVO tie rods?

3. What ARB/Sway bar are you using (or will use)? I'm guessing that I should also change this will I'm at it?

Bill Verburg

solid side mounts

I wouldn't do the tilt kit but the solid side sub-frame mounts make a very nice improvement and will complement the harder bushes

Bill Verburg

JMO, but for a street car harder rubber bushes as used on the RS models is the way to go, ERP has some nice ones. Just be sure to index them to your ride height. You used to have to buy all new and very expensive RS control arms to get them, but the ERP ones get you the benes for 1/3 the price

For a track car mono-***** are the way to go.

pu bushes work on a different principle entirely, no they don't deflect but they are subject to noise and wear and will need to be kept lubricated

when I did mine I went w/ RS sways, I removed the TRG s that were on there. The RS parts are the only ones to use.

alexl911

To clarify my car is a track/road (20/80%) road car for now but NOT a daily driver. Also, I live in Germany so daily driving is very different than North America. It will never be a dedicated track car but as I learn I hope to track it more.

Sounds like ERP is the way to go? I'm afraid to go with mono-***** based on forum feedback... it's reall hard to judge!

Why did you remove the TRG sways? Issues or just the sake of authenticity? I have KW V3's and have heard they have fittment problems with TRG sways and RS /Tarret rear drop links. Did you have these issues?

fast_freddy

You enabler you!

Of course all I have to do is make a 15 minute drive to pick these up.

How much of a pain is it to do this?

fast_freddy

I went with the ERP bushings for pretty much the same reason Bill described above. My car is still largely a street car but I could care less about any increased harshness in ride (up to a point). The ERP "sport" bushings basically bring it to "RS spec" from what I have come to learn.

I went with the Evo tie rods simply because of the directness of the connection.

I use a turbo sway bar (past two years) and was going to go full on with a RS adjustable sway and with either PSS10's or KW V3's but at this point it would be overkill as I'm sure at my ability level and frequency of track use it wouldnt make a damn bit of difference until the nut behind the wheel was properly adjusted. The Turbo sway provides a nice neutral balance to the car too. the only time I have ached for adjustable sways is in a slowish Auto-X with tight turns that were a bit beyond 1st gear speeds where I cant rotate the car as much as I like with the throttle. Other than that the Bilstein HD's and H&R spring setup seems to be just fine for me (I'm sure that opinion will change later).