4 important things for me in 4 weeks, Shocks/Springs - Balljoints and Bushings Options

[avidfanjpl]

OK, I can't do it all in the time or budget I have for the next 4 weeks, but PLEASE help me on these issues I can afford now:

1. Bilstein or Bilstein Sports? - No, Not Koni's (too pricey)- I am pretty sure sports and they say they are 1/2" lower on the sports. I can stand a 1/2" lower all around. Anything will be better than my 14-7-1972 marked Boge's on the car now! LOL!

2. Springs? - 110? 120? I do pleasure drive Orangina weekly on CA roads, mostly freeways, never RAIN, no bad roads. I just stay off them. I want less body roll on AX days - There are OLD Weltmeister 100's on them now. NO SAG even now with the original Boge's and the Weltmeister 100's - Tires are brand new Yoko 205/60-15 and they fit under the standard wells with almost 1 inch clearance precisely on all 4 corners

3. Balljoints - Lemforder or what? - Need replacing, but not loose or damaged at all - just old

4. Bushings - Elephant plastic or those Bronze ones? - How hard to install FRONTS? REARS? I hear rears are a TOTAL PITA - I have someone competent doing ALL the work.

This budget looks like $850 plus labor, or am I pissing up the wrong rope?

THANKS!

John

[tradisrad]

You need a bigger budget.
I don't know the difference between the two bilsteins, my rear have an adjustable spring perch and the fronts are the bilstein inserts.
140 spring.
Lemforder turbo tie rods.
Elephant Poly-bronze bushings.
Do you have a front sway bar?

The elephant bushings are expensive and there are alternatives for the front, but I love the way my car rides on the ploy bronze bushings. They are worth every penny; my 914 is so smooth on the road (it can have a harsh hit in a pot hole).

Spend the money on the parts, save $150 for a 4 wheel alignment and do all of the work your self.

The rear poly bushings are a breeze if you use a 2 or 3 jaw puller to push the shaft and stock bushings out. There is a thread somewhere about it from when I did mine a year or so ago. McMark gave that hint. I dont know why elephant suggests to drill the bushing out. http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...c=98630&hl=

[nsr-jamie]

Where can you get these Elephant bushings? Are they hard to install...I plan on redoing my entire suspension this winter and am about to order the shocks and have the springs here now....

[tradisrad]

They are located in San Jose, CA . I think you can find the how to install PDF on the web site. Not too hard to install.
http://www.elephantracing.com/suspension/d...siondiagram.htm

[avidfanjpl]

I got a price of 428 for the 4 Bilstein sports

200 for springs. 140 is a bit extreme for me 120 may be best

tie rods are new but not turbo's

240 for lemforder ball joints 5 parts complete

Ok, so maybe it is 900, but it ain't 1400 till the labor is in.

Agreed?

Turbo tie rods are how much?

J

[tradisrad]

I paid about $230 for turbo tie rods.

The elephant bushings are worth every penny. If you were local I'd take you for a ride and you would be impressed at how smooth the ride is... even with 140 springs.

You can do all of the labor your self. Most of the guys here will "walk" you through it. You will have an overwhelming sense of satisfaction and some awesome suspension. But if $$ is not an issue then forget installing it your self.

bushing alternative: http://www.tarett.com/items/914-products/f...rfbk-detail.htm

[rhodyguy]

do ALL (or as much) of the labor yourself. installing the front bushings will require removal of the front control arms. doing the rear swing arms requires removal also. don't forget to budget for the alignment that will be required for work beyond the struts/shocks/springs. this will need to be done by a shop that KNOWS their way around a 914. most, if not all of the proceedures have been documented in various threads.

[mepstein]

Call Eric at PMB Performance. He carries that stuff, will give you great advice and has very good prices.

[Tom_T]

Try GPR too - good guys!
http://www.gprparts.com/shop/

You have my thoughts on this in an earlier PM!