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  #1  
Old April 23rd 2003, 16:24
Superman
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Okay here's the scoop on 944 aluminum rear trailing arms. First off, throw the part number, year, and model out the window. Every source says something different. It's very confusing and I've never figured out the "code" yet. The best thing to do is just look at the arm, there are two versions. In the pic attached the top version is "early" and the other is "late". These are terms I have used and may not apply. Anyhoot, just look for the arch as pointed to in the bottom arm and you'll know this is the wider of the two versions.

Early (top) will widen track by 43mm
Late (bottom) will widen track by 74mm

Credit: pics and info from the book Kafer Tuning by Helmut Horn
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File Type: jpg 944_armcompare.jpg (33.8 KB, 944 views)
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  #2  
Old April 23rd 2003, 16:42
Superman
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Note: my reference to the terms "early" and "late" are for the 86-91 944 & 92-95 968 as applies to these rear arms. Don't confuse the 'early' reference to be meant as the 83-85 944 with steel rear arms.
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  #3  
Old April 23rd 2003, 20:27
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Awesome James!

This will finally clear some things up.

Alex
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  #4  
Old April 24th 2003, 14:01
kiwivw kiwivw is offline
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Yes, thanks James.

As they say, a picture is worth a 1000 words.
This clears it up once and for all.
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  #5  
Old June 28th 2003, 12:04
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944 alloy trailing arm part #'s

All,

This is my first post to the forum.

I bought some 944 trailing arms from a Porsche dismantler.
I requested the 'early' narrow track version, but when they arrived I found the wide track in the box. He tells me that definitely the arms are off of an '86, and the only way to be sure on the narrow arms is to get him the part number.

The numbers on the w i d e arms I have-
right- 951.330.514.04
left- 951.331.513.04

The brake rotors are approx. 12- 12 1/4" in dia. and 20mm thick.
The calipers are the single-piston floating type. The arms appear to be incompatible with my stock 1969 double layer spring plates and have no provision for a bump stop.

I could use some help in the form of part numbers from those of you with the narrower aluminum trailing arms, although I have to confess that part of me wants to just go 'turbo' and use the wider arms along with flared fenders and big tires.

Also find attached a modification of the arm compare photo.

- Mark. (Bugnutz) (1969 beetle, owned since 1976)
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  #6  
Old June 28th 2003, 20:47
Superman
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Guess I failed to mention in my original post about the bump stop. Perhaps Alex can post about the older cars with the double spring plate. Mine is a 73 and I went with the steel arms. Oh and welcome
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  #7  
Old June 28th 2003, 21:00
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I just love the way we spell Aluminium :)

I got both the sexy '87 951 cast arms and the '86 944 steelies. I will get past the output flange issue so I got the early arms with hope of obtaining T181 O/F's or finding a Quaife in my cornflakes and The longer, more springy 951 axleshafts.

I learned they require use of the spring plate off the same car or some normalising (welding) of a spring (Plate). The springplate bolt holes on all (Porsche and VW) steel arms go like ,' , on the cast arms they go , ' , the corresponding springplate must be wider I believe the end of the '03 torsion housing needs modification to take the 951 springplate?

I cut a sourced spring plate for a mock-up, rather than machine the 951 (THIS IS NOT A VIABLE MODIFICATION AND IS AGAINST THE PHILOSOPHIES OF BOTH MYSELF AND TRUE GL!)

The rear track was increased and wider rear wings would have been necessary to clear my lovely 7.5*17/et52mm 225/45.

Please bear in mind my Beetle gets decomissioned Friday evenings and put back to stock by Monday morning for work. This goes on until developments are figured out for satisfactory execution. Only the fasteners and faces get detailed at the mo.

From memory (March '02) the bushes are a straight swap for the Bug ones and it bolts straight up. nice and light. The '03 single plate springplate is in the right location but only top 2 holes line up (LOOK 4" /\ ).

The shock absorber bolts on the 951 arms are M14 fine thread, a serious bolt requiring a simple lathe job to make a shouldered stud for the 12mm bottom damper eye.

When the shocker is bolted up at the bottom, I noticed that the top eye was off axis to the bolt hole in the '03 shocker mount by a degree or so? I checked my work and concluded the shocker on the 951 shocker travels about a different centre.

The top bolt will go in but I didn't like the feel of the loading in the top bush. It doesn't fit. Easy sorted with a new M14 thread in the shock tower and a 14mm ID bush in the top eye of a Bug shocker.

Does this line up when the 951 springplate is used?

Matt
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  #8  
Old June 28th 2003, 21:05
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Thumbs up

And the opposing static bump stops! Thanks Superman
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  #9  
Old June 28th 2003, 21:42
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Re: I just love the way we spell Aluminium :)

Quote:
Originally posted by MattKab
'87 951 cast arms and the '86 944 steelies
In the USA, it would be '86 cast and '85 steel. According to my parts source there were 4 arms...

==========
83-85 944
==========
86-89 944 S
==========
86-89 944 Turbo
89-91 944 S2
==========
89 944 Turbo S
90-91 944 Turbo
==========

Note: The 968 most likely has the 944 S2 arms and the 968 Turbo S has the 944 Turbo S arms.
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  #10  
Old June 28th 2003, 21:47
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Opps, let me add... if you want the cast arms then get the 86-89 944 S ones but again check the shape of the arm. Personally I went with Bug steel arms as the 944 arms don't offer that much more adjustability for the work involved to install them. Some may disagree but for what my car will be (summer weekend cruiser) it seemed too much.
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  #11  
Old January 31st 2004, 18:06
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so for those running the wide arms, what are you doing for a bumpstop since the arm does not accomodate for one?
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  #12  
Old January 31st 2004, 20:41
SilverBullet SilverBullet is offline
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Drilled and tapped and used a bolt (size) just nice to fit the bumpstop.
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  #13  
Old January 31st 2004, 20:47
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i assume that is on the shock tower. where does it hit the arm? i don't see a place set for it.
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  #14  
Old January 31st 2004, 22:44
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Please post a pic.
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  #15  
Old April 10th 2008, 13:05
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a question about spring plates. Are there simple solutions stateside for this? I have spent 3 months looking for a set of spring plates, and it seems each Porsche dealer I speak to has a different Idea of what I am talking about?! So what I am trying to understand is, what spring plates do I need to get in order to continue the install? In a photo above there is a bright silver spring plate cover... what is this from? also is there a way to ditch my rear torsion bars, as I would like to use coil-overs but still require a springplate / uniball something or other... Anyone have insights for this?

Thank you.
(86 alloy arms on 69 IRS pan -body clearance a non-issue, just want the arms to function as installed.)
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