Help identifying front wishbones for MY66 912 (UK RHD)
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2023 8:34 pm
When starting to clean up the front suspension removed from my 912 restomod project ('My 912 Restomod' over in the Resto threads area) I discovered the wishbones are scrap having rotted through in a few areas. Going by the parts catalogue I believe the part # is 901 341 043 03. The wishbones for later years ('68, '69) are clearly very different (from the pics in the parts catalogue) and also sided (parts 901 341 005 00 and 006 00).
Having bought a pair of genuine (allegedly), 2nd hand ones off Ebay listed as the above part #, they are similar but not quite the same as the ones off my car. There are two main differences as you may be able to see in the pics:
1) there are addition bits/plates welded on, perhaps as strengthening bits (circled in the 2nd pic above). Now I'm not too bothered about those extra bits as I don't think they'd get in the way of anything but looking around the internet I don't see replacement parts anywhere that have those attached. I suppose someone could have added them themselves
2) But much worse is that when holding the new ones up against the old ones, it's immediately obvious to the naked eye that they're a different size
I measured the distance from the centre of the torsion bar tube/carrier to the holes on the end of the arm for fitting the ball joint and the replacement wishbones are about 20mm longer 
. Surely this will throw out the geometry (camber) considerably?
Before I go seeking to return the Ebay item on the basis is not as described (i.e., not part #901 341 043 03), I was wondering if anyone has come across this and has an explanation of how this can be? I assume I would need shorter ball joints (if such a thing exists) in order to preserve the geometry if using those replacement wishbones? However, I don't see any choice of ball joint parts in the catalogue (only #901 341 047 00 and 04 - because they are sided). NB: Being a fairly early car, mine does not have the adjustable plates at the top of the strut tower so could that be anything to do with it (although I would have expected different part #s in that case!)?
Any help appreciated!
Having bought a pair of genuine (allegedly), 2nd hand ones off Ebay listed as the above part #, they are similar but not quite the same as the ones off my car. There are two main differences as you may be able to see in the pics:
2) But much worse is that when holding the new ones up against the old ones, it's immediately obvious to the naked eye that they're a different size
I measured the distance from the centre of the torsion bar tube/carrier to the holes on the end of the arm for fitting the ball joint and the replacement wishbones are about 20mm longer . Surely this will throw out the geometry (camber) considerably? Before I go seeking to return the Ebay item on the basis is not as described (i.e., not part #901 341 043 03), I was wondering if anyone has come across this and has an explanation of how this can be? I assume I would need shorter ball joints (if such a thing exists) in order to preserve the geometry if using those replacement wishbones? However, I don't see any choice of ball joint parts in the catalogue (only #901 341 047 00 and 04 - because they are sided). NB: Being a fairly early car, mine does not have the adjustable plates at the top of the strut tower so could that be anything to do with it (although I would have expected different part #s in that case!)?
Any help appreciated!
