Stabilizer Links - Suspension

[mylamb]

Hey Gurus -

I apologize upfront if this is a lame question but I have been having ZERO luck finding them! I'm getting a clunking sound at the front (left & right) over bumps & a creaking sound at the rear (driver's side.) I took the car to my favorite specialist, but they couldn't really find the problem. Then, I went ahead & took it to the local dealer because I wanted a proper diagnosis.

Apparently, it was extremely difficult to figure out the problem. They put the electronic ears on the car and had it out for several man hours (luckily, they only billed me for 1) and diagnosed it as needing front & rear stabilizer links. Now as I understand it, these are different from swaybar links??? I have tried googling Boxster/Porsche stabilizer links & have come up with nothing. I figured it's a repair I could have done by a good specialist once I purchase the necessary part, but just FINDING the part is proving a real hassle. PCar dealers don't seem to want to order it for me (weird.) Does anybody have a jpeg of the part that they can send me or advice on how/where to get them? Also, is this a 2-3 hour job that a few mechanically inclined blokes can handle, or would you only have a pro do it?


Thanks!

[chaudanova]

its the same thing as your swaybar links...

[RandallNeighbour]

You can buy them from Sunset Porsche in Oregon and install them yourself in an hour or so with simple hand tools and a couple of jack stands.

4 - Drop links @ $26.57 each= $106.28 plus shipping.

Your friendly local stealership will probably charge you $800+ to replace them.

I hate to say it, but I don't think the creaking sound coming from the rear is a drop link. That sounds more like a lower control arm... they are notorious for going out and I've replaced two on the front right and I'm about to replace the other three to be done with it for a while.

Each year, I discover something new about my car. For 2008, the lesson is that 996/986's need a lot of suspension parts replaced on them as they age.

[mylamb]

Thanks!

Oh... try $1340!!! I knew there was a better way to get this done. Insane. I have had to do control arms & trailing arms up front a couple of times now - 2001 with 55K. Luckily, arms are covered by my warranty (aftermarket) but they don't cover the links because they "haven't failed & don't pose a safety risk, they're just making noise."

One of the big problems I've been having is 1 tech says it's "this" and you go somewhere else and the other tech says it's "that." Hard to get a consistent diagnosis. I was pretty sure that the links were the same. Well, Randall, I'll give it a shot since it's so affordable, and if that doesn't quiet it down, I'll try and push to have the arms replaced at the rear.

Thanks for your help!

[RandallNeighbour]

"clunking" sounds from the rear, when going over bumps or through potholes, can also be the bushings in your track control arms going out. Your warranty won't replace those either because it doesn't pose a safety problem and the arm itself does not break or wear out, just the bushing.

I'm about to tear the entire front and rear suspension out and replace every bit of it. $3000 in parts and a complete weekend of bloody knuckles and swearing, but doggonit, I won't have to worry about this crap for a long, long time afterward.

[derb]

I agree with Randall on the source of the rear noise. I replaced all 4 drop links about a couple of months ago and I still have a creak at the left rear. However, the ride quality greatly improved. Things don't sound like parts are loose when hitting potholes, etc. The old drop link ball joints would just flop around. The new ones are hard to move. Well worth the money spent. My Boxster is a '99 with 88k miles.

The links are also on eBay for $120 with no shipping charge (located in NY), search boxster +drop. Compare with Sunset plus shipping.

[RandallNeighbour]

derb, I got around to swapping out my drop links today when I replaced my spark plugs.

The old ones were floppy just like you said yours were and one of them had a tear in the bushing.

Easy job. Took 15 minutes per wheel.

I took it for a spin and it seemed about the same, but I didn't hit any potholes.

I do know when I get 3 of the 4 lower control arms, front and rear toe links, rear trailing arms, rear tracking arms, coilovers and wheel bearings replaced in all four corners in a couple of weeks, I will surely feel a difference

Porsche sure makes crappy control arm bushings. All the porsche forums have members griping about how they don't even last 20k when the car is tracked.