Hello together,

I bought what was supposed top be a complete front sway bar for my 914. As the tank is out, that would be a great time to mount it!
But what I have is pretty strange, with welded screws instead of welded nuts:





Is it then supposed to be welded like that, or from the inside, or it just doesn't work on the 914?


Thanks!

Antoine

The black parts go inside the wheelwell. The plate with studs lives in the fuel tank well. You have to locate and drill out the holes. Typically, retro fitting a bar correctly required the inner plates, the ones with the nuts, be welded to the chassis. Perhaps the swandwiching and clamping of the chassis/wheelwell eliminates the need for welding. Consult your Haynes P.102 for a visual.

Thanks!
That was also my thoughts but I only know the inside part to be with nuts instead of studs..

Antoine

@TRS63

Here is the OEM setup.

Weld nuts protrude into the inner side of wheelhouse. The outer reinforcment plate (carrying the weld nuts) is on the outside of the wheel house.

I think what you have (with studs) is designed for those without access to a welder. I have no idea how you're supposed to mount that plate with the studs on the inside without cutting the "frame" or raising the ARB to a location higher than OEM placment. So many wonky aftermarket solutions to the addion of ARB's to 914's.

I'd probably take the plate with the studs, cut them off, add weld nuts to the plate. Then drill 3 holes in the wheelhouse to clear the weld nuts as they enter the wheelhouse. Finally, weld the reinfocment plate to the outer wheelhouse.

Let me know if you need picture of outer wheelhouse.


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Ok perfect! Then I will just mount it like original with cutting/welding back the frame extention. No to find the drawing with the positions of the holes

Antoine

If you're in a hurry since it's already afternoon in Germany, you can basically eye ball it based on the wheelhouse stamping formation. Maybe drill a 1/8" test hole, make sure it high enough to have the ARB clear the "frame" without rubbing?

I'll grab a few measurements later tonight to help you properly locate the ARB main hole if you want a more certain location.

Thanks a lot in advance !

Antoine

You drill 4 holes. The large center one and 3 smaller ones. The studs protrude into the wheelwell from the fuel tank well. Nuts for retaining package instead bolts.

Was this a vendor or private party sale?

No, No hurry, I do not get shop times today so no stress! Thanks!



It was a private party

In a perfect world, the perimeter of the inner plate would be welded. In all fairness, the stud on plate is far surperior to the old AM setup that relied on U bolts to secure the outer portion. Under hard use they could tear thru the wheelwell.

Tack weld the inner plate in place once everything is set and installed correctly.

The fender well is thin sheet metal and if you don't hit all the hole centers in true position then the plate will oval out and the fender well will eventually tear.


Lots of threads on this install.


I'd do like was suggested.....tack weld nuts in place and forget the studs and welding the backing place in place.

I'm going to apologize in advance for crappy pictures. Hard to hold tape measure straight while leaned over fender holding tape measure with one hand and trying to snap a photo with the other.

Should get you awfully close and you can also see detail of how OEM plate mounts.

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That is perfect, thanks a lot!!
Basically, if I cut the holes for the studs' heads, and weld this plate on the outer wheelhouse, it will be similar to original and no frame cutting..I like this idea. Anything that would be against that?

Antoine

Hmm.

Though I think it is the same structurally, but, I don't think I'd do that.

Exposed threads of the studs are more likely to corrode in the wheelhouse. In the OEM application, the hex bolt head is the only thing exposed to the elements. The weld nuts and the bolt threads protrude into the truck which is far drier than a wheelhouse and not exposed to salt, road debris, etc.

In the instance where a stud were to corrode, be stripped or break off the plate, I suspect it would be easier to simply drill and tap or heli-coil the OEM weld nut rather than deal with replacement of an external stud.

Personally, I think the finished product with only hex head bolt heads showing is more visually "finished" than 3 studs sticking out with nuts. I'm just sort of wierd like that though.

I'm stretching a bit with the what if scenarios. To me the OEM solution is a little bit more elegant but I don't see a functional difference as long as your weld plate with the studs is welded to the wheelhouse well. Simply comes down to time spent to convert your plate to weld nuts.