924Board.org

Muz924 · Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 6:42 pm Post subject: Front sway bar - Question

Arrrr....another 1980 to 1978 difference!!

I go to put my front sway bar from my 1980 (now long gone) onto my 1978 and notice the sway bar mount at the lower control arm is different.

I have posted some pics of what it looks like, are these compatible??

Cheers,
Santo

I have made an outline of the bracket to make is clearer to see.

_________________
1978 924 RoW 5-Speed (Current Project)
1980 924 RoW 5-Speed (Donor Car)
1985 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV 2.0 (Previous Project Car)

leadfoot · Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 7:07 pm Post subject:

short answer no...
your bar uses the style which has the hole in the center front of the a arm

here's daniels modified version, something you could do if not wanting to replace them
http://924board.org/viewtopic.php?t=41203&highlight=control+arm

there should be a few pics floating around somewhere of a standard a arm with the cupped mount you need but a flat plate as above would probably suffice
Stu
_________________
1981 ROW 924 Turbo -
carbon fiber GT mish mash
LS1 conversion in progress...

Rasta Monsta · Joined: 12 Jul 2006 Posts: 11733 Location: PacNW

Or you could replace those rusty ass arms with new ones...they're awful cheap.
_________________
Toofah King Bad

WeiBe (1987 924S 2.5t) - 931 S3

kuhdad17 · Joined: 19 Jun 2015 Posts: 83 Location: Montana, USA

http://www.ebay.com/itm/331419201428

Pretty sure these work, and that's dirt cheap.
_________________
'78 924 N/A

Fasteddie313 · Joined: 29 Sep 2013 Posts: 2595 Location: MI

Muz924 · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 11:08 am Post subject:

Thanks for the suggestions, looks like I have some options, New lower arms would be nice (the photos make the current ones look worse than they are).

That would then lead to a full suspension upgrade....the new inner & outer tie rods are making the rest of under car look a bit tired.

How do these cars handle without the front sway bar?? or is that a stupid question

Its been a long project, all going well i should have it on the road in a few months & enjoy all the hard work

Cheers,
Santo
_________________
1978 924 RoW 5-Speed (Current Project)
1980 924 RoW 5-Speed (Donor Car)
1985 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV 2.0 (Previous Project Car)

daniel · Joined: 18 Jun 2009 Posts: 686 Location: Sydney, Australia

hmmm. try a M10 ball joint on the end of the drop link straight into the plate. You may have to shorten the drop link though and run a die nut up it to get some more thread.

Also be very careful with binding as the plate on the control arm looks to be at about a 20-30degree angle which may impact the body of the ball joint.
_________________
Over the top of skyline, total brake failure.... hit the wall at over 200 kp/h at the dipper, so anyone who has to brake for the esses is a pussy.
1977.5 Race Car, CAMS Group S Spec
1989 944 Cabriolet

Muz924 · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 12:59 pm Post subject:

Does anyone have a pick of what its supposed to look like? I can find anything!
_________________
1978 924 RoW 5-Speed (Current Project)
1980 924 RoW 5-Speed (Donor Car)
1985 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV 2.0 (Previous Project Car)

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

I don't believe the sway bar mount you show in your photos is factory.

As far as I know, there are only three methods of sway bar attachment, as follows:

"Early" style: 1977-1981ish: steel a-arm with tab; long UP-link attaches the end of the sway bar to the tab on the a-arm, and the bar is mounted directly to the frame spar using a plastic saddle held in place with a metal bracket.
"Transitional" style: 1982ish 924 / 1983-85 944 / 1986-1988 924S: steel a-arm with aluminum bracket that bolts directly to the a-arm. The alu bracket secures the end of the sway bar directly to the a-arm, and main sway bar is attached to the frame spar using drop links secured with bolts that screw into captive nuts on the frame spar.
"Late" style: 1985.5-onward 944 / 968: alu a-arm with hole in a-arm for drop link; shorty drop links attach from the a-arm to the end of the sway bar, and the main sway bar is attached using the same method and parts described for the early 944.

Here is an illustration from PET of the early style bar and drop links:

Here is an illustration from PET of the "transitional" style bar and drop links:

Here is an illustration from PET of the late style bar and drop links:

Here is a photo showing how the "early" style attaches:

Here is a photo showing how the "late" style attaches:

I can't find a photo showing the "transitional" style.

Muz924 · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 4:12 pm Post subject:

leadfoot · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 8:12 pm Post subject:

your bar look like factory 23mm bar,
this will mount to the early a arm as the first photo dan posted and will also take a late sway bar provided you can obtain the late drop links and add studs to mount them...
I'd give dennis at aporshapart a call and see if he has any early style 924 n/a a arms from an '81 ish... and how much he wants for them... might be cheaper than welding up yours... unless you can weld that is...
Stu
_________________
1981 ROW 924 Turbo -
carbon fiber GT mish mash
LS1 conversion in progress...

Muz924 · Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 9:13 am Post subject:

leadfoot · Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 5:03 pm Post subject:

measured on the front edge the hole center is 120mm in from the end
and 20mm to the front from the same edge i.e sitting out from the leading edge of the a arm...
_________________
1981 ROW 924 Turbo -
carbon fiber GT mish mash
LS1 conversion in progress...

Muz924 · Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 9:22 am Post subject:

Thanks for that Stu,

That info will come in handy.
_________________
1978 924 RoW 5-Speed (Current Project)
1980 924 RoW 5-Speed (Donor Car)
1985 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV 2.0 (Previous Project Car)