Open Road

Well after the last 4.5 years having SORN'd my 928 S4 for various reasons, including COVID, I finally managed to get her booked into a Pre-MOT today to find out what I need to add to my list of things to do to get her back on the road. To my surprise the only 2 things it failed on were the NS & OS upper suspension bushes [both of them] and an offside rear CV split boot. Amazing! A couple of advisories were NS & OS inner rack joints and a couple of oil weeps which is totally understandable standing for so long. LED headlights and windscreen tinting passed no problems.

I took her for a little spin on the return journey home and for sue the steering was very lose and there seemed to be some slap in it along with some jolts form the suspension over large bumps.

So my to-do list
Get the upper suspension bushes - suggestions as to where and what type
Replace any other bushes etc. whilst I have the suspension stripped
Get a refurb steering rack - any suggestions as to the best place to get this?
Likely update the shocks and springs whist I have the front in bits - suggestions on best way forward for a road car
new tyres all round obviously
The plan is to get all this done by the end of May 2023 ready for the Laon Historic Rallye in France.
Here's hoping and fingers crossed!


Kind Regards

Steve

bizman928 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 02, 2023 6:13 am … the NS & OS upper suspension bushes [both of them] and…

There are a number of bushings that can be “upper.” “NS and OS” are an abbreviations with which I’m not familiar.

I think that is Brit speak for "near side " and "off side". Passenger and driver sides, respectively.

jschiller wrote: ↑Sun Apr 02, 2023 4:47 pm I think that is Brit speak for "near side " and "off side". Passenger and driver sides, respectively.

Ok. The we need clarification on “upper.” Front? Rear? A-arms? Dog Bones? Shock towers?

Apologies. Sorry Brit short term.

Near side & Off side [Passenger & Drivers sides] upper suspension arm bushes [control arm]
SORN'd is a UK thing when your car is not road taxed and is Off the road.

bizman928 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 03, 2023 3:33 amq
Near side & Off side [Passenger & Drivers sides] upper suspension arm bushes [control arm]

If the rear upper control arms, then the solution is to remove the arms and renew the four bushings with Porsche parts.

If the front upper control arms, then there are two extremes of solutions:
- replace the bushings with after-market bushings that may or may not still be available
- replace the arm with a rebuilt arm from 928 International which comes with a rebuilt ball joint and new bushings

Well the latest update on my 928
- Car up in the air and after much banging and scowling, the steering rack is of the car and eventually released from the steering U-joint splines! What a B....! job that turned out to be.


Steering Rack being picked up tomorrow for a complete refurb & rebuild by Western Power Rack services

- I have the front upper wishbone rubber bushings delivered, so next job is to get the front upper wishbone/control arms off the car and fit the new upper wishbone rubber bushes.

- I have sourced the EOM style bushings which are still available and I have also managed to source a refurbished control arm which has a new Ball joint in it. Just need to get the Bushings installed now.

- Would really like to source a replacement Universal joint as one of the 2 CV joints inside it definitely has some play but this seems to be NLA, unless anyone knows where you can get these rebuilt?

bizman928 wrote: ↑Tue May 02, 2023 6:11 am - Would really like to source a replacement Universal joint as one of the 2 CV joints inside it definitely has some play but this seems to be NLA, unless anyone knows where you can get these rebuilt?

Steering shaft U-Joints? Yeah, nah, I don’t know of anyone rebuilding them.

If you are referring to the CV joint on the rear axle, 928 International should have a lot of them - even some that are good for reconditioning. If you are looking for the connection between the steering column shaft and the rack, we in the western colonies call that a 'Universal Joint'. 928 Int'l should have lots of those as well.

Good luck,

Gary

Gary Knox wrote: ↑Tue May 02, 2023 4:23 pm If you are referring to the CV joint on the rear axle, 928 International should have a lot of them - even some that are good for reconditioning. If you are looking for the connection between the steering column shaft and the rack, we in the western colonies call that a 'Universal Joint'. 928 Int'l should have lots of those as well.

Good luck,

Gary

Many Thanks Gary. Have had a quick look at 928 Intl site but couldn't see them. Will have a better look next weekend when I am back home.

Take Off!
So got my S4 back up in the air ready last week for the new steering rack and Wishbone bushings to be refitted!


Spent this weekend taking the Upper Wishbone/control arms to bits and fitting the new bushes.


Bought a new 20 ton press and the bush fitting kits and this was really easy to do. Fitting them into one of the new OEM wishbones that I purchased including the new ball joint. Lucky find!