TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue May 06, 2008 11:28 am

I'm putting together the front suspension on my '65 SC (no body wanted to trade cars, so here I GO!), everything came off for cleaning, blasting, paint and rebuilding, not it's goin' back on and I was wondering how the seals fit on. One side is notched and is fitted with a red hard plastic ring, the other side is tapered somewhat and has a protruding lip.

Just wondering if red plastic washer faces in towards the beam or out towards the trailing arm?

Any help would REALLY be a help right now. I wanna take advantage of the warm weather this week and get something done for a change.

Oh, as a side note, the upper trailing arms on a '65 356 SC are VW parts, with a VW symbol and part number. They have a metal collar/sleeve slid on to fit against the outer bearing/flat shim in the beam, but are VW Beetle none the less. I slid on a urethane insert (to use with the Beetle arms when replacing the bearings) and it was the same size/diameter as the metal Porsche one.

The short ones in this set:
http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=C12%2D6524%2D21
Although the long ones could be cut down to two inches or so.

Probably use VW front suspension components easily, and benefit by also using a VW urethane insert bearing replacement kit as well.

Edit update:

Oooppsss . . . just check the lowers against my Beetle set-up. They're from a VW Beetle as well, but they have a welded bracket to mount the sway bar. You all probably knew this stuff already, huh? Oh, well . . .

Wed May 07, 2008 9:00 am

Come on ! ! ! Nobody has ever installed training arm seals and will share their knowledge?

" . . . could you help out an old Alter Boy?"

Maybe just a link?

Please . . .

Fri May 09, 2008 7:38 am

I sent my question to the Pelican Parts Tech Department . . . they don't even have a 356 tech guy on call.

> I was wondering how the trailing arm to front beam grease seals went on?
>
> Do they go on with the urethane washer facing inwards against the beam and the molded in lip facing outwards towards the arm flange, or the other way around with the molded in lip contacting the beam and the urethane washer side facing outwards against the beam flange?
>
> Thank you ! ! !
>
> TC
>

Unfortunately I don't think we have a 356 expert on staff any longer.

james

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At PELICAN ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ?

A a a a r r r r g g g g h h h h ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

I'm going to post that I'm planning on substituting VW seals in place of the Genuine Porsche seals, maybe THAT will get a rise out of someone. If anyone screams, I'll photograph the cast-in VW logo and part number on all of the Porsche trailing arms and ask, "Why not? They ARE just VW parts with a cheesy sway bar attachment bracket sloppily welded onto the lower arms."

Someone's GOTTA know the answer, they're just not tellin' me. I just KNOW it . . . .

Thu May 29, 2008 7:28 am

Thanks for all of the help! FYI for all of you who posted and emailed me, the stock 356 trailing arm to beam seals fit on with the flat surface facing the beam and the taper against the trailing arm.

Again, you guys were GREAT ! ! ! All the suggestions and tech advice was amazing. Thanks SO much for all of the posts . . . . the car is coming together finally, but if it weren't for you guys I don't know what I'd do ! ! ! ! ! ! !