Jord Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 Hi Guys, My car is in the garage having a full suspension change. To say it has been a pain is beyond an understatement. It has taken the guys 2 full days just to swap the fronts and they are saying they will not touch the rear until i supply new top mounts. Frustrating as it is the fronts are all changed out so ill drive it home the 1 mile and take it back once i have new mounts. With this in mind, can anyone please recommend some rear top mounts? i know the front came with a bearing but given i cant see the rears and all the pics on line just show the tops i dont want to buy a top mount for them to say its missing parts - i just want them to be able to assemble the new struts complete in one go rather than messing around salvaging washers etc from the old struts. I have seen the following but wonder if they are complete? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fits-Porsche-Boxster-986-S-3-2-Genuine-Febi-Rear-Suspension-Strut-Top-Mount/294009926544?fits=Car+Make%3APorsche|Model%3ABoxster|Plat_Gen%3A986&hash=item44745b7390:g:ZC0AAOSwCgleFN8- thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Caped Crusader Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 Why would it take two full days? For a garage, even with corroded bolts etc, it should be a day's work maximum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jord Posted March 10, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 7 minutes ago, The Caped Crusader said: Why would it take two full days? For a garage, even with corroded bolts etc, it should be a day's work maximum. Indeed, but everything has been a complete pain, drop links where a pain, even with the ball being cut off and impact gun but it still took an hour each side. They needed to reuse the washers as i couldn't get them and assumed they would be ok, they are fine but getting them off the old struts has been a complete pain. ended up cutting the struts to get them off. i trust the guys haven't been taking the mick on the time as they have worked on other cars and are used to building race cars etc so are suspension specialists but it looks like my car is on the original equipment and the maintenance on the suspension has been very poor. i would say everything is the original 21 years old. for example. the alu block that sits on top of the front topmount was effectively corroded and welded on to the shaft. nothing could get it off to release the lower washer that the bumpstop sits on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jord Posted March 10, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 so wanting to make this as painless as possible, i will get new top mounts and washers so it can all be assembled off the car and once the old is out the new can go back in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 @Jord last year I did a complete suspension rebuild on mine on my drive with just a trolley jack and axle stands to work off. With some heat on the droplink bolts each only took me 15 to 20 mins on the rear after I'd sorted what I learned the fronts, basically heat and turning, not hitting, are your friends. 2 days in a workshop with trained mechanics is probably a touch over.... Front took me 2 days and ear less than 1½. All 8 washers 2 on each damper, were fully reusable after cleaning, even the front top bearing was good after a full clean and regrease. Rear top mounts I used are Febi Bilstien, about £60 a pair on eBay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Caped Crusader Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 36 minutes ago, Jord said: Indeed, but everything has been a complete pain, drop links where a pain, even with the ball being cut off and impact gun but it still took an hour each side. They needed to reuse the washers as i couldn't get them and assumed they would be ok, they are fine but getting them off the old struts has been a complete pain. ended up cutting the struts to get them off. i trust the guys haven't been taking the mick on the time as they have worked on other cars and are used to building race cars etc so are suspension specialists but it looks like my car is on the original equipment and the maintenance on the suspension has been very poor. i would say everything is the original 21 years old. for example. the alu block that sits on top of the front topmount was effectively corroded and welded on to the shaft. nothing could get it off to release the lower washer that the bumpstop sits on. That's fair enough. I'm sure they're not trying to rip you off. The thing is, sometimes it pays to use a manufacturer specific specialist and can work out cheaper in the long run. For instance, stuck drop links for a dIYer would prove very difficult. Specialists would generally use an air impact hammer (not an impact wrench) which would knock the top mount seized bolt out in minutes. As for the top aluminum bit being stuck, if it is what I think it is, the nut would simply be cut off and the stuck bit hammered off with the aforementioned air hammer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jord Posted March 10, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 1 hour ago, The Caped Crusader said: That's fair enough. I'm sure they're not trying to rip you off. The thing is, sometimes it pays to use a manufacturer specific specialist and can work out cheaper in the long run. For instance, stuck drop links for a dIYer would prove very difficult. Specialists would generally use an air impact hammer (not an impact wrench) which would knock the top mount seized bolt out in minutes. As for the top aluminum bit being stuck, if it is what I think it is, the nut would simply be cut off and the stuck bit hammered off with the aforementioned air hammer. Yeah indeed and the drop links even with them cut off, with heat and and impact hammer still took ages. it seems my little car has been not looked after in the suspension front. You are completely right re a specalist - the guys where saying they weren't too sure how much force to use so that took a lot more time - also they didn't want to cut the strut to get the washers off. i said i don't care going forward - just cut them as ill be binning them anyway, they leak and are hugely corroded. I've collected the car whilst i await some top mounts and i have to say its so much tighter already. its gonna be great once the rears are done. ill order a pair of the fabi Bilstien ones and be done with it. cant wait to have it back to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennym1984 Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 2 days sounds like a long time...I've replaced a fair few suspension parts (arms, dampers, springs etc etc) and even with stuck bolts it has never taken me that long. The front dampers on my Cayman took me about 2 hours and the rears (including all new arms - coffin arms, toe links, tuning forks) took me about a day and a half. I had to cut off a few of the arms including a rear tuning forks and even that didn't take more than an hour (although it was truly soul destroying). I'd be tempted to see if a Porsche specialist (who will know all the tricks) could do the rear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonogt6 Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 4 hours ago, Jord said: Hi Guys, My car is in the garage having a full suspension change. To say it has been a pain is beyond an understatement. It has taken the guys 2 full days just to swap the fronts and they are saying they will not touch the rear until i supply new top mounts. Frustrating as it is the fronts are all changed out so ill drive it home the 1 mile and take it back once i have new mounts. With this in mind, can anyone please recommend some rear top mounts? i know the front came with a bearing but given i cant see the rears and all the pics on line just show the tops i dont want to buy a top mount for them to say its missing parts - i just want them to be able to assemble the new struts complete in one go rather than messing around salvaging washers etc from the old struts. I have seen the following but wonder if they are complete? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fits-Porsche-Boxster-986-S-3-2-Genuine-Febi-Rear-Suspension-Strut-Top-Mount/294009926544?fits=Car+Make%3APorsche|Model%3ABoxster|Plat_Gen%3A986&hash=item44745b7390:g:ZC0AAOSwCgleFN8- thanks in advance! 2 days for the fronts...theyre the easy bits! Their gonna be in for a shock when they start on the back then 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southy Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 14 minutes ago, jonogt6 said: 2 days for the fronts...theyre the easy bits! Their gonna be in for a shock when they start on the back then 😬 well on the plus side once done, the car should feel great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonogt6 Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 19 minutes ago, Southy said: well on the plus side once done, the car should feel great Yep it definitely will and is worth the effort. I replaced all my bits a while back and now handles like a Boxster ought to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 @Jord You may want to look to a Porsche indy for the rear. Given the hassle on the front, my car, same age as yours needed all 4 eccentric bolts (both coffin arms and both toe links) to be cur to get them out as they had corroded into the alloy bushes. It save a lot of time if you don't feel them move at first attempt, just get in three with a reciprocating saw and a decent baled and you're through both on one side in under 5 mins and save you a lot in labour if they are charging you by the hour, just tell them to do it. These bolts (2 sizes) are around £10 each from Porsche. I can confirm having done everything on all 4 corners except rear tuning forks and rear springs it does make it feel like a much newer car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jord Posted March 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2021 yeah i have all new bolts and told them exactly that. just cut through the bolts if you have too. thats why i got all new, plus the washers and nuts. so no need to salvage the old. The drive back yesterday with just the fronts all done was really promising - its soooo much tighter and the new steering bits have made a difference too! i was chatting to them last night and they said now they know how much force to use and im ok to just cut as i have all new they recon the rears will be just a day to do both. They were thinking i would be selling on the old components hence trying to keep it all intact. I said no, if things like the coffin arms are in good shape maybe, same with springs but don't be afraid to ruin them if that how they are coming out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the baron Posted March 13, 2021 Report Share Posted March 13, 2021 On 3/10/2021 at 1:48 PM, Jord said: Indeed, but everything has been a complete pain, drop links where a pain, even with the ball being cut off and impact gun but it still took an hour each side. They needed to reuse the washers as i couldn't get them and assumed they would be ok, they are fine but getting them off the old struts has been a complete pain. ended up cutting the struts to get them off. i trust the guys haven't been taking the mick on the time as they have worked on other cars and are used to building race cars etc so are suspension specialists but it looks like my car is on the original equipment and the maintenance on the suspension has been very poor. i would say everything is the original 21 years old. for example. the alu block that sits on top of the front topmount was effectively corroded and welded on to the shaft. nothing could get it off to release the lower washer that the bumpstop sits on. Is it a Porsche specialist, seems a bit long to be honest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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