jturbo

When installing the M030 sway bars on an '87 944 turbo, is it necessary to lower the car from the jack stands, onto the tires, before tightening the mounting hardware? Or is it necessary to tighten the sway bar mounting hardware, while the car is still on jack stands?

I have heard some sources say that it is necessary to lower the car onto its own weight before tightening any of the mounting hardware. While other sources have said that the mounting hardware should be tightened while the car is on jack stands

Does anyone know which method is correct and recommended by Porsche?

tazman

I can't see how it would make a difference either way. The mount points are nonadjustable so the bar just moves in the bushings to where it needs to be.

jturbo

Tazman,

My Haynes repair manual states that the rear sway bar should be tightened while "under load". It does not give any recommendations for tightening the front sway bar mounting points though.

tazman

I know I have done the front with the car on ramps and with it on jack stands with no problems either way. When I did the rear I did use ramps so I can not say for sure what problems you might encounter.

giddyup

I don't know which method is recommended. When I put them on my 86 it was up on ramps the whole time.

NZ951

I am shocked the Haynes manual has it in there. Its the worst piece of literature since "How to Learn French" was translated into French.

Techno Duck

I am pretty sure if you have the rear wheels in the air you will cause preload on the bar. So you must have the wheels on the ground. I believe having them on ramps is fine (tis what i did also).

jturbo

Do the front swaybar mounting points need to be tightened while on the car is on ramps or does the preload issue not apply to the front sway bar?

Crazy Eddie

I did mine on a lift with the wheels unweighted ... No issues at all
that was 15 yrs ago ...;-)
regards
Ed
ps I have the cup bars

blodstrupmoen

No problems at all, mounting M030 sways with car on jack stands..

Mike O

Tighten the mounts while the car is in the air - its much easier. Adjust the drop links while its on the ground. There should be no torsional preload when you are done. If the drop links feel free you are there. If they feel tight, the bar is being torqued. I did this with the front wheels on ramps to avoid the PITA of working around the wheel and strut with the car on the pavement.

Oddjob

I agree with Tom (Tazman), since the stock drop links for both the front and rear are not adjustable, there is really no way to dial out preload, if it exists, whether the car is on the ground or up in the air. There is also a lot of movement in the rubber bushings, and the bars are disigned to pivot inside the bracket bushings, so I dont see much significance in tightening the bolts up while the suspension is loaded.

TheRealLefty

FWIW, I recently installed a 30 mm M030 front bar with only one side of the car elevated as I could reach everything fine. Not the best way to approach the job, downright lazy actually, but I got the new bar located finger tight on all the bolts with a little wrestling and lowered the car back on the suspension. Only drama was a big squeak when the bar moved inside the rubber bushings as it reached level. Pushed the car up and down on the suspension a couple times and reached back under to tighten 'er down. All good, from what I can tell. Seems that whatever small preload could be contained between the bar, OE drop links and the OE rubber bushings must be minimal at best and should easily work out immediately once car is driven. May be a different story on the rear and/or with trick drop links, but front factory M030 doesn't really have many moving parts