Front Suspension, Do or Delay Options

[DennisV]

How critical is it to replace the bushings and related from suspension components on a car that has sat indoors for 20 years? Is the worst case the handling a little sloppy? Or am I looking at high risk for being stranded or in an accident?

I have been working to get our 1970 914-6 back on the road. Safely and reliably of course.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

I have very limited windows to work on the car. It is in another state. So to avoid this becoming a never ending project, I have tried not to slide into a full restoration. I have focused on:

• Engine rebuild
• Transmission rebuild
• Brake system replacement
• Fuel system replacement

I have access to a lift where the car currently is, and the brakes are off. So I'm real tempted to do the front suspension now. That said, if everything went great that will add another few months before the car would hit the road due to the distance and how frequently I get access to the car.

[barefoot]

By all means replace at least the rear bushing in the front a-arms. That will have sagged to the point that the torsion bar is rubbing on the ID of the arm, loosing paint protection thus leading to corrosion and torsion bar fracture. The front bushing bears much less static load so they don't sag.
It happened to me, came out one morning & the car sat low in front on one side. Pulled the bar out and it had fractured starting at a corrosion pit. Back then new bars were pretty cheap, not so much now. Slight corrosion can be buffed out & re-coated, saving the bar.

Now get to work & have some fun (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

[DennisV]

By all means replace at least the rear bushing in the front a-arms. That will have sagged to the point that the torsion bar is rubbing on the ID of the arm, loosing paint protection thus leading to corrosion and torsion bar fracture.

Thanks for sharing. Had not read about this. Are you referring to #22 in the parts catalog?

While in this section, I see a note that front stabilizer is 73-. Is that correct? No front stabilizer on 914-6? Ours currently has one. I assume that since I removed the rear I should remove the front as well. If removed, what goes in its place? Is there a plug for the mount?

[Shivers]

By all means replace at least the rear bushing in the front a-arms. That will have sagged to the point that the torsion bar is rubbing on the ID of the arm, loosing paint protection thus leading to corrosion and torsion bar fracture.

Thanks for sharing. Had not read about this. Are you referring to #22 in the parts catalog?

While in this section, I see a note that front stabilizer is 73-. Is that correct? No front stabilizer on 914-6? Ours currently has one. I assume that since I removed the rear I should remove the front as well. [u][size=3]If removed, what goes in its place? Is there a plug for the mount?

Nooooooo. Leave the front on and what was the matter with the rear.

[DennisV]

Nooooooo. Leave the front on and what was the matter with the rear.

The rear was a hatchet job done by a previous owner. It was held in place with about 20 washers and bolts stuck in a cavity rather than through the trunk floor with brackets. I initially started to remove it to replace the plastic bushings. They were broken.