I just finished installing the IPD Poly strut rod bushings. After reviewing the the instructions again, (especially the cross-section view) it looks like IPD is indicating that the front and rear washers should be tight against the steel spacer. Does anyone know if this is the case??

Right now I just have them 'good n' tight', but is the proper installation for the spacer to be sandwiched tight between the rear and front washer??

BTW... the bushings did tighen up the front end, but didnt eliminate and vibration / pulsing of the wheel during moderate to heavy braking.

Thanks,

Matt

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'82 DL - 158k, '93 945 - 116k

I spent a lot of time and effort replacing struts (Bilstein Touring-great shocks and price), tie-rod ends, ball joints, control arm bushings ("hard" rubber) and sway bar bushings (poly) only to still have pulsating brakes!

When I got the rotors skimmed at Pep Boys the problem went away!

Be careful, a terrible clunking sound developed on the car after the front end work. I would swear it came from the back suspension. Sounded like a loose shock or arm. When someone bounced the car I traced it to a loose gland nut on the front passenger strut.I was able to jack the car up slightly, wheel still on the ground, to slacken strut spring pressure on the gland nut.
I tightened the nut with one of the c-spanners I bought at Harbor Freight.

While I am on the subject, the $10 spring compressor I got there for the front end work is rubbish!. I ended up getting a good one at Autozone (OEM brand) for $30. You will need a 7mm allen key in a 3/8 drive for the top of the Bilstein strut insert.

Car, 93 960, now feels great, almost as good as the 97 960 I have also!

Dan

Did you torque the bolt to spec? (I think it should be around 75 lb/ft -- but don't quote me.) If you did, then the washers should be in tight contact with the spacer.

I recently followed the same route you are on when diagnosing a vibration on braking. I changed the strut rod bushings, and it helped some. In my case one of the ball joints was bad. So I changed the ball joints on both sides. The car is now rock-solid.

Jeff Pierce
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'93 945 Turbo ( one kickass family car ! ), '92 Mercedes 190E (my daily driver), '53 Willys-Overland Pickup (my snow-plow truck/conversation piece -- sold to a loving home), '85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow

JEff,


waw reading some of your other posts... how do you like the bilstein touring... are they harsh???

DO you have ipd sway bars on your 9's??

--
'82 DL - 174k, '93 945 - 141k

The Bilstein Touring shocks/struts are great -- I highly recommend them. My wife is the primary driver of the 945T. She has no interest in a harsh ride, and she loves them.
No, I don't have the IPD bars -- I'm considering them though.

Jeff Pierce
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'93 945 Turbo ( one kickass family car ! ), '92 Mercedes 190E (my daily driver), '53 Willys-Overland Pickup (my snow-plow truck/conversation piece -- sold to a loving home), '85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow

Matt - I had wheel "vibration / pulsing" in our '88 240. I redid the brakes (rotors, pads, hardware and hoses) with the thought that the rotors might be warped. I found that the wheel bearings on one of the front wheels was worn with a characteristic periodic spalling pattern. The bearing was also slightly loose, so I suspect that was the source of my braking vibration, not a warped rotor. I replaced the bearing and now the front end and braking feel like new.

My advice is be to clean and repack the wheel bearings, then check the rotor runout. Good luck.
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'88 244GL, '89 244GL, '90 244DL, '91 244, '92 244