DaveyP Posted October 15, 2022 Report Share Posted October 15, 2022 Right, I'm fairly excited about this. recently took delivery of a full set of arms, nuts and bolts, inner and outer track rods, anti-roll bar bushes and links... Intending to do the whole thing fairly soon-ish, but wouldn't be surprised if it's closer to Christmas! Will be the first time I've done this on a Boxster. Research so far suggests that I should expect a lot of seized bolts, etc, but are there any tricks/hints that some of you more Boxster-experienced members could share? I'll be doing it on my garage floor/axle stands. I'm also wondering if anyone has suggestions of anti-seize stuff to put on bolts? I've always used copper grease in the past... And finally, any experience of alignment places in South-West Scotland? I'm half temped to give my local Kwik-fit a go! They've got a Hunter alignment setup and are fairly switched-on guys. I've had decent experience with them in the past. Opinions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybot7 Posted October 15, 2022 Report Share Posted October 15, 2022 I used a local Porsche Indy with the Hunter system and the car is a dream after having Koni Actives and new droplinks fitted. Getting the geometry sorted is very important. It’ll be a completely different car once done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted October 15, 2022 Report Share Posted October 15, 2022 It will feel like a new car after, for sure. Tips, do not use copper as it is steel and alloy that is mating together and copper can cause even more problems on teh chemical corrosion front. Get an aluminium based assembly paste. I note you have not included top mounts; these also make a big difference in tightening everything up. Have you got new bellows for the steering? Either way you will need to use a Jubilee clip on the nearside, you can just get the crimp type clip that comes with the bellows on the off-side, or just do jubilee for both. The Porsche workshop many says you should remover teh rack from the car to do the inners! Heat is you friend on the drop link bolts if they are seized, and an impact wrench with over 400Nm torque will be very helpful to free off the bolts once the heat has done its bit, doing much turning back and forward by hand gets very wearing. It is also handy for getting all the other nuts off. A crow's foot spanner is also helpful for getting teh torque on the tuning fork to coffin arm bolts (C in diag below). Use a 6 point, not 12 point, socket (17mm) on the drop link bolt if seized so you are less likely to burr it off. For the rear the eccentric bolts, if they do not go, accept they are seized sooner rather than later and just get on and cut them it will save you coming to the same conclusion several minutes and a lot of sweat and frustration later. If you are lucky at least some of the possible 10 seized bolts will be free. On mine the two front inner coffin arms bolts and one droplink were OK.... Finally, when torquing up make sure you raise the suspension to its normal road rest position (Z=0), there is a marker on the chassis (E in the diag below) and the coffin arms that lines up to show you this position, this is something I have learned since doing the work on mine, alternatively use a trolley jack under the upright and just take the weight of the car off the axle stand. PM me if you want a table of torque settings. I have used KF for alignment. If you get a technician who can use the machine well and is patient, you'll be fine, but if you get a monkey, not so much. Getting the rear toe and camber both in spec is quite a challenge, or at least time consuming. Once you get back from tacking, re-check all the eccentric bolt torques as it is virtually impossible to get the correct torque applied whilst it is on the ramp due to restricted access with the wheels on. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyP Posted October 16, 2022 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2022 Thanks very much. All great tips. I'll look into the assembly paste. I do have new bellows and top mounts too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxsum Posted October 16, 2022 Report Share Posted October 16, 2022 I was recommended clear silicon grease when I done mine as it was also ok if a little transferred onto any rubber components, but not sure if this was correct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyP Posted November 13, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2022 Spent an hour or so under the car today wire brushing nuts and bolts and letting rip with the plusgas in preparation for starting this job. Whilst I was there, I spotted a ripped CV boot, so am thinking I'll do these at the same time. Any other "while I'm at it" jobs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted November 13, 2022 Report Share Posted November 13, 2022 Take off the wheel arch liners and clean behind them. Check the inside faces of the brake discs for corrosion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyP Posted November 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2022 Good shout on the arch liners! Wouldn't have thought of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobbie Posted November 14, 2022 Report Share Posted November 14, 2022 If you’re taking off the arch liners, have a really good inspection of all the brake lines for corrosion. Mine never even got an MOT advise on brake pipe corrosion, but it almost fell apart at the point where it bends around the inner arch at the front. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich in San Diego Posted November 20, 2022 Report Share Posted November 20, 2022 DaveyP, This info may help you on your suspension refresh. I recently replaced some rear suspension components (the "wishbone" and "coffin" control arms), and the first ball joint separator I purchased was the most common size available on Amazon and had a jaw opening of 7/8-inch (about 22mm) and was too narrow and I couldn't get it to work. Reviews on Amazon said this narrow ball joint separator worked on Porsche's for them...but no way I could fit the 22mm U-shaped jaw opening far enough into the ball joint area of the suspension components to put pressure on the ball joint and the 22mm separator would slip off the joint when I tried to tighten it. After that experience, I purchased a different ball joint separator with a wider 32mm jaw opening that worked very well after hitting the ball joints with some "Super Lube" spray (like silicone without the smell) and tapping the joint with a hammer to loosen it up and using a hammer to push the ball joint separator into position. The Amazon item title/description of the ball joint separator that worked for me is "32mm Ball Joint Separator Tie Rod End Removal Puller for Audi Benz Mazda." Cost in the U.S. is $35 and was worth every penny. There may be other similar separators that will work; the key is the getting the wider 32mm jaw opening. I'll try to paste the U.S. Amazon link below. Best of luck to you on your upcoming project. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09MZ5G4DK/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyP Posted November 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2022 (edited) Made a start on it this weekend, and the rear is done. All six arms, four CV boots and two ARB bushes. Unfortunately still on the old drop links as three out of four of the new ones had split boots! Have contacted the supplier and am awaiting a response from them. They're closed at weekends. Had to cut one of the coffin arm bolts -went for the four inch grinder method- but the other one came free no bother, having been replaced before. Left the trailing arms attached to the coffin arms. Pretty sure they were seized solid. A few skint knuckles, but I'm learning about 986s. Only major issue I had was splitting the ball joints on the offside hub. They were so tight that my scissor-type ball joint splitter snapped! Had to leather the living daylights out of them with a fork-type one! Battered them so hard that one of the inserts came out of the hub, still attached to the ball joint. Wouldn't come off with a puller either, so I ended up cutting it and beating it off with a socket. Took a bit of cleaning up and a good bit of heat on the hub to push it back in! Near side popped apart no bother. Have used alumslip on anything that I reckon needs it, and it's all back together. Also spoke to my local KwikFit dudes and I'll be taking it down there when the front's done. Probably around Christmas. My undertray has been butchered in the past, but looking around the forum, this seems quite common. One issue I do have though, is that the front of my diagonal cross braces are starting to crack and split. Is this common? Edited November 27, 2022 by DaveyP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Mac Posted November 28, 2022 Report Share Posted November 28, 2022 Re the Diagonal cross braces - they seem to get corroded and look a bit sad. Cheap enough from an OPC to replace. Mine seemed to be just surface rust so gave them a rub down / k rust and paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TROOPER88 Posted November 28, 2022 Report Share Posted November 28, 2022 The ball joints are very commonly difficult to split. Heat is your friend. Heat the outside of the hub a lot and they will split much easier. It is also common (50% of the time) for the inserts to come out at the same time and these are not available to buy separately. Using the fork type ball joint splitter that you broke, they are removed. Be extremely careful if using just the fork type splitter to remove the insert as they can fly off very easily. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted November 28, 2022 Report Share Posted November 28, 2022 21 hours ago, DaveyP said: ... My undertray has been butchered in the past, but looking around the forum, this seems quite common. One issue I do have though, is that the front of my diagonal cross braces are starting to crack and split. Is this common? The alloy ones at the rear or the pressed steel ones at the front? Steel ones 996 504 433 00 for the front are cheap, about £25 each, rear are extruded alloy with a pressed in nutsert for the rear under tray support, so I suspect are rather more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Mac Posted November 28, 2022 Report Share Posted November 28, 2022 (edited) On 11/28/2022 at 4:24 PM, ½cwt said: The alloy ones at the rear or the pressed steel ones at the front? Steel ones 996 504 433 00 for the front are cheap, about £25 each, rear are extruded alloy with a pressed in nutsert for the rear under tray support, so I suspect are rather more. Good point chris - I assumed front - but @DaveyP was talking about the rear 😂 Rear 996 ones were give or take £150+ each last time I looked. Edited November 30, 2022 by Andy Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyP Posted November 29, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2022 On 11/28/2022 at 4:24 PM, ½cwt said: The alloy ones at the rear or the pressed steel ones at the front? Steel ones 996 504 433 00 for the front are cheap, about £25 each, rear are extruded alloy with a pressed in nutsert for the rear under tray support, so I suspect are rather more. The rear ones. Didn't think to take any pics, but both have slight splits at their front edges.as if the front bolts have been way overtightened. I'm not hugely concerned, but I'll definitely keep an eye on them. Just wondered if it was a common fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey P Posted November 30, 2022 Report Share Posted November 30, 2022 Blimey, every time I see a post from @DaveyP I think "I don't remember posting that..." The big clue is in the content, which shows that you're clearly a competent mechanic, whereas I have got sausages for fingers and no technical knowledge at all... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the baron Posted November 30, 2022 Report Share Posted November 30, 2022 3 hours ago, Davey P said: Blimey, every time I see a post from @DaveyP I think "I don't remember posting that..." The big clue is in the content, which shows that you're clearly a competent mechanic, whereas I have got sausages for fingers and no technical knowledge at all... I actually didn’t twig, thought was you doing some spannering.😳 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyP Posted November 30, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2022 5 hours ago, Davey P said: Blimey, every time I see a post from @DaveyP I think "I don't remember posting that..." The big clue is in the content, which shows that you're clearly a competent mechanic, whereas I have got sausages for fingers and no technical knowledge at all... It seems the skiing/snowboarding thing is not the only division between us! We do, however, share the king of names! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey P Posted December 1, 2022 Report Share Posted December 1, 2022 13 hours ago, DaveyP said: It seems the skiing/snowboarding thing is not the only division between us! We do, however, share the king of names! I'm off skiing in Val Thorens next week, so I'm having difficulty concentrating on anything else at the moment... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted December 1, 2022 Report Share Posted December 1, 2022 Good for you, we are trying Formigal for the first time from the 17th. I’m setting my expectations very low so hopefully they will be exceeded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey P Posted December 1, 2022 Report Share Posted December 1, 2022 Just now, Menoporsche said: Good for you, we are trying Formigal for the first time from the 17th. I’m setting my expectations very low so hopefully they will be exceeded. Nice one, never heard of Formigal, but I'm sure it will be fine We went to Scotland for the first time last year in desperation after a few years of Buttercup travel restrictions, and we set our expectations low - Which proved to be a good idea, as the skiing was... er... pretty average, at best We already know Val Thorens will be awesome, we've done the 3 Valleys quite a few times and it's always amazing. To say I'm excited would be a slight understatement... Also going to Morzine in February for a week, which will almost certainly be brilliant as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyP Posted December 18, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2022 Made a start on the front this weekend. It's in bits, but reassembly is halted due to the steering rack bellows I have not fitting. The inner opening is too small. Not the supplier's fault this time, I didn't realize that there were different sizes. Thought the easiest way to do the top mounts would be to remove the whole strut/hub from the car. Snapped both the wee bolts holding the brake pipe bracket and the plug for the ABS sensor/pad wear thing. A mate of mine has drilled them out and re-tapped them, but I took strut out of the hub on the other side, leaving them untouched. The top of the drop links, where they go through the hub, took a major beating to come loose. I was surprised at this as the rear ones just popped out. It'll be next year before I get it all together again. Actually, it's not quite in bits yet. The top nuts are off the struts, but the mounts are seized solid. Any tips here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted December 18, 2022 Report Share Posted December 18, 2022 3 hours ago, DaveyP said: Made a start on the front this weekend. It's in bits, but reassembly is halted due to the steering rack bellows I have not fitting. The inner opening is too small. Not the supplier's fault this time, I didn't realize that there were different sizes. Thought the easiest way to do the top mounts would be to remove the whole strut/hub from the car. Snapped both the wee bolts holding the brake pipe bracket and the plug for the ABS sensor/pad wear thing. A mate of mine has drilled them out and re-tapped them, but I took strut out of the hub on the other side, leaving them untouched. The top of the drop links, where they go through the hub, took a major beating to come loose. I was surprised at this as the rear ones just popped out. It'll be next year before I get it all together again. Actually, it's not quite in bits yet. The top nuts are off the struts, but the mounts are seized solid. Any tips here? Lucky with the drop links! those small M6 bolts into the hub can be tricky. I ended up having to drill and tap one of mine out to M8. Not sure which bit is seized from you description. The damper piston into the top mount, or the 3 M8 nuts on to the shell turret? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
½cwt Posted December 18, 2022 Report Share Posted December 18, 2022 Just seen you post in the wrong thread. 🙄 Lots of Plus Gas or WD40 and a three leg puller should pull the top mount off the piston. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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