944 aluminum rear trailing arm info

[boygenius]

Just a simple way to get your trailing arms pretty straight when bolting them up. I used a 3/8" drive extension and a 16mm craftsman socket to hold the trailing arm in place while the bolts were tightened down. At least that way your rear end would be straight enough to get to the alignment shop.

[Humble]

that's a pretty high tech alignment tool

i just picked up a second set of trailing arms to do a straight up swap. they guy says they're off an 87 944 turbo. 4 pot calipers all around, but the rear arms are funky.

they have the early cast in bumpstop, but the late wider track. just when i though everything was making sense :P

[boygenius]

Hmmmm. Can you post some pics. I know that the 1986 turbo had the early aluminum trailing arms with less track increase.
Well since they have the bump stop area in the arm that should make for one less challenge in installing them. :agree:

[Humble]

no prob, i'll have to get a camera from work so it won't be till mon or tues. basically it looks like the early alu. arm with a late turbo hub. i'll measure the caliper bolt spacing and see if there's a difference in the 2 sets of arms also

[boygenius]

Maybe someone switched rear hubs to get more track for their car.

[Supa Ninja]

I got the complete rear suspension from a '86 NA and I measures the track from the spring plate and it was the later style as well as it uses the longer half shafts. I wonder if they went to the wider setup mid 86?

[jonnyspatter]

Thought you might like this pic.
On the right is a standard 1303 seni-trailing arm, in the centre is a steel 944 arm (which I think is identical bar the wheel hub assembly), while on the left is an ally 944 arm.
I was going to use the ally job on my '03 until I saw the extra width it'll add to the rear wheels!

Another point to note is that the bolt pattern for the ally arm will not fit the 1303 spring plate, where the steel will.

Hope this helps.