[928uk] front upper control arm ball joint nut

Mon Jan 20 17:09:58 UTC 2025

Hi

I can host some photos on One drive if easier. However, yes they are all height adjustable and always have been. So, 2014 I changed the driver's side only, maybe not the best idea. I have just bought new height adjustable ones but the springs are longer than the one I took out on the driver's side. Hence I swapped the old spring and reassembled the driver's side. Moved to the passenger side and saw it was the longer spring.

I've just bought another shorter spring so hopefully it will be ok. Apologies for any confusion. I haven't miscounted, I must have done it a dozen times as I had the same thought process that maybe I made a mistake 🙂.
Regards
________________________________
From: 928uk <928uk-bounces at lists.928.org.uk> on behalf of Paul R Smith via 928uk <928uk at lists.928.org.uk>
Sent: 20 January 2025 16:40
To: 928uk at lists.928.org.uk <928uk at lists.928.org.uk>
Subject: Re: [928uk] front upper control arm ball joint nut

I'm still confused.
Your car is an '84, which should have adjustable height front struts.
You bought struts for an '80, which would be non-adjustable. Are they?
The ones you bought as a pair, surely you would have noticed if they had
different looking springs?
Are you using them as they are or have you swapped the spring on the
side you have done?

Are you sure you are counting all of the spring? Recent discussion
concluded the adjustable height ones have 7 1/2 coils, could you be
counting 8 and 7 because you are counting/missing the half coil
depending which side of the spring you are looking at?

Smiffy

On 20/01/2025 13:19, David Adler via 928uk wrote:

Hi

To clarify, I bought 2 x new B6s already assembled with springs from a 1980 car which was damaged before they were used. I noticed the springs had an extra coil compared to the driver's side I already had - this was just because of space, I can only get to one side at a time in my garage and I happened to choose this one first. I didn't measure anything else. The diameter of the coils looks the same but I can check shortly. I had looked up the coils and thought S2s were meant to be one coil shorter than early cars and so assumed my near side would be the same.

I appreciate the replies but am now slightly confused...

Regards
David
________________________________
From: 928uk<928uk-bounces at lists.928.org.uk>  on behalf of Paul R Smith via 928uk<928uk at lists.928.org.uk>
Sent: 20 January 2025 12:26
To:928uk at lists.928.org.uk  <928uk at lists.928.org.uk>
Subject: Re: [928uk] front upper control arm ball joint nut

If the two springs are the same diameter, same diameter wire, then an
extra coil will make a difference in proportion to the number of coils,
e.g. 8 coils instead of 7 will be 7/8 as stiff. I would expect that to
be noticeable when you brake or corner. I don't know though, as I've not
tried it. I though the situation was that one spring was NOW different
from the other.

If you have matched springs and matched adjusters, you will be within
spec for corner balance. I know, I have had my '80 on corner scales. I
have also seen cars where the adjusters were vastly different, maybe an
inch between sides, you can work out how much difference that will make
to corner weights if you know the spring rates.

Smiffy

On 20/01/2025 12:13, Jonathan Rackowe via 928uk wrote:

Hi David, if you never noticed the difference in feel and handling before I
wouldn't worry too much. 1 turn of spring coil won't make a huge deal of
difference, so long as you can get the ride height correct both sides. A
car is rarely exactly balanced side to side unless it has been adjusted for
corner weights with the driver sat in it, like a race car.

Best regards
Jonathan

1991 928 GT Amethyst Metallic

On Mon, 20 Jan 2025, 9:31 am Howard Miller via 928uk, <
928uk at lists.928.org.uk> wrote:

> There are a load of different springs depending on year, options and which
> shocks are fitted. It's all very confusing. If you're lucky, you might
> still find the paint marks on the original springs.
>
> However, it then comes down to what you can actually get hold of. I don't
> know... I might think about getting a decent set of used, matched springs.
> But part of me thinks that if it's currently working I might leave it
> alone.
>
> Howard
>
> On Sun, 19 Jan 2025 at 18:15, David Adler<securiphlop at hotmail.com>   wrote:
>
>> First of all, the trick about levering for friction worked perfectly so I
>> am a happy bunny.
>>
>> I've now started on the near side but have a dilemma.  I thought early
>> cars 78-80 had a slightly longer spring than my car i.e. an extra ring.
>> When I did my off-side which I had previously changed 10 years ago (yes I
>> know it's best to do in pairs hence why I am doing it this time) sure
>> enough my old spring was what I expected - 1 less ring compared to an
> early
>> car. Having removed my near side spring, which I have never changed in my
>> ownership, it's got the longer spring! How much difference does this
> make?
>> Should I buy a shorter spring to match the off-side as I don't fancy
>> undoing it all again?
>>
>> Hope this makes sense.
>>
>> Thanks
>> David.
>>
>> ------------------------------
>> *From:* 928uk<928uk-bounces at lists.928.org.uk>   on behalf of David Adler
>> via 928uk<928uk at lists.928.org.uk>
>> *Sent:* 17 January 2025 12:58
>> *To:* Howard Miller<howardsmiller at gmail.com>
>> *Cc:*928uk at lists.928.org.uk<928uk at lists.928.org.uk>
>> *Subject:* Re: [928uk] front upper control arm ball joint nut
>>
>> Thanks everyone for the advice.
>>
>> Sent from Outlook for Android<
>>
> https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Faka.ms%2FAAb9ysg&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cfbf85d9dfb784000b8d908dd3971564e%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638729881110845257%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=GtQILhikuTQEjr0mtyQ8KNNU3m%2BfQJllzsFVLVpKCnE%3D&reserved=0<https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Faka.ms%2FAAb9ysg&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cfbf85d9dfb784000b8d908dd3971564e%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638729881110867476%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Wtg41TwcoDFqwMMgQOsK8cAF07PGCf52%2FfnOV6WN10I%3D&reserved=0><https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg>
>> <https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Faka.ms%2FAAb9ysg&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cfbf85d9dfb784000b8d908dd3971564e%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638729881110880183%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=CKfugZJimsQSO1OLBGiwW0Qs1pK%2FP5U4nahzfXbG3BI%3D&reserved=0<https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Faka.ms%2FAAb9ysg&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cfbf85d9dfb784000b8d908dd3971564e%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638729881110894743%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ERV%2FParDSEcszgfXgG8pnJb6s%2BVcBB1CcquvOR73BZI%3D&reserved=0<https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg>>>>
>> ________________________________
>> From: Howard Miller<howardsmiller at gmail.com>
>> Sent: Friday, January 17, 2025 12:57:18 PM
>> To: David Adler<securiphlop at hotmail.com>
>> Cc:928uk at lists.928.org.uk   <928uk at lists.928.org.uk>
>> Subject: Re: [928uk] front upper control arm ball joint nut
>>
>> You probably know but it bears repeating... I assume you know that those
>> arms / ball joints are unobtainium?  So tread carefully.
>>
>> I would replace the nut with shiny new nyloc.
>>
>> H
>>
>> On Thu, 16 Jan 2025 at 19:06, David Adler via 928uk <
>> 928uk at lists.928.org.uk<mailto:928uk at lists.928.org.uk>> wrote:
>> Hi
>>
>> I have just replaced my front shock etc and decided to undo the front
>> upper control arm ball joint nut to give me more space. It's now time to
>> put it back and despite jacking up the lower control arm to raise the
>> suspension, the whole upper ball joint spins when I turn the nut. Am I
>> doing something stupid?
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> David 1984 S2 manual.
>>