Front Sway Bar Removal and Installation

Overview

This procedure guides you through removing and installing the front sway bar (stabilizer bar) on your Porsche 944  with the 16v engine. The sway bar helps stabilize the vehicle during turns, reducing body roll, and this process is essential for maintenance, replacement, or suspension upgrades.

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Tools Required

• Metric wrench set (sizes: 13mm, 17mm recommended)
• Metric socket set (sizes: 13mm, 17mm recommended)
• Jack stands
• Floor jack

Step-by-Step Procedure

Step 1: Lift the Vehicle

1. Park your Porsche 944 on a flat surface and engage the parking brake.
2. Use a floor jack to carefully raise the front of the vehicle approximately 1 foot (0.3 meters) off the ground.
3. Place jack stands securely under the front jacking points to support the vehicle.
4. Lower the floor jack until the car rests fully on the jack stands, ensuring it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the Belly Pan

5. Locate the belly pan (undertray) beneath the front of the vehicle, which protects the engine bay.
6. Use a 13mm wrench to remove the bolts securing the belly pan to the chassis. (Note: The exact number of bolts may vary, but typically there are 6-8.)
7. Carefully lower the belly pan and set it aside.

Step 3: Detach the Stabilizer Mounting Bars

8. Find the two stabilizer mounting bars that connect the sway bar to the body of the Porsche 944. These are located near the front suspension on either side.
9. Use a 17mm wrench or socket to remove the two bolts securing each mounting bar to the chassis (four bolts total).
10. Once the bolts are removed, the mounting bars will be free—set them aside with the bolts for reinstallation.

Step 4: Remove the Bushing Retainers

11. Locate the bushing retainers attaching the sway bar to the front control arms on both the left and right sides.
12. Use a 13mm wrench to loosen and remove the bolts holding the bushing retainers in place (one bolt per retainer, two total).
13. Remove the retainers and bushings, noting their orientation for reinstallation.

Step 5: Lower the Sway Bar

14. With the mounting bars and bushing retainers removed, gently lower the sway bar from the vehicle.
15. Maneuver it out from under the car, taking care not to damage nearby components like the control arms or exhaust.

Step 6: Install the Sway Bar

16. Position the sway bar back under the vehicle, aligning it with the control arms and mounting points.
17. Reattach the bushing retainers to the control arms, securing them with the original bolts. Tighten to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs) using a 13mm wrench.
18. Reinstall the stabilizer mounting bars to the chassis, securing each with two bolts. Tighten to 85 Nm (63 ft-lbs) using a 17mm wrench or socket.
19. Reattach the belly pan to the chassis using the original bolts, tightening them with a 13mm wrench to 10 Nm (7 ft-lbs).
20. Raise the vehicle slightly with the floor jack to remove the jack stands, then lower it back to the ground.

Post Procedure Checklist

• Double-check that all bolts (mounting bars, bushing retainers, and belly pan) are tightened to the specified torque values.
• Inspect the sway bar and bushings for proper alignment and seating.
• Test drive the vehicle for 5 miles (8 km) at low speed, listening for any unusual noises from the front suspension.
• After the test drive, recheck the bolts to ensure they remain secure.

Sources

• Clark’s Garage
• Pelican Parts
• Porsche 944 Workshop Manual, Volume 1
• Youtube