Putting things back together, what's the trick with this panel? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

WhipE350 · 01-04-2012, 05:48 PM

I just finished my IMS/RMS/Clutch/Oil file tube/AOS and am putting things back together. A year ago when I did my transmission fluid I noticed the support panel (see pic) was not easy to get back on. The car has been on jack stands for 10 days and I'm sure stuff has moved a bit, the panel is even harder if not impossible to get back on this time. Instead of forcing it I figured I'd ask for suggestions. Do I need to lift the rear suspension a little or something else....any ideas would be great!

harryrcb · 01-04-2012, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhipE350

I just finished my IMS/RMS/Clutch/Oil file tube/AOS and am putting things back together. A year ago when I did my transmission fluid I noticed the support panel (see pic) was not easy to get back on. The car has been on jack stands for 10 days and I'm sure stuff has moved a bit, the panel is even harder if not impossible to get back on this time. Instead of forcing it I figured I'd ask for suggestions. Do I need to lift the rear suspension a little or something else....any ideas would be great!

WOW nice shine, what I do is take one of those "smaller" ratchet straps, tie it on to the suspension and tighten it up (pulling the suspension back together) until the panel goes back on. works well. just need to find a location so you don't pinch it.

WhipE350 · 01-04-2012, 07:42 PM

Thanks Harry - you are referring to the shocks and springs right? As if the hubs were back under load?

Brad Roberts · 01-04-2012, 07:44 PM

take the strap and wrap it around the area near the rear anti-roll bar mounts..

I'll post a pic.. give me minute..

B

Brad Roberts · 01-04-2012, 07:50 PM

Did you set the car down on the ground with the pan off?

Wrap a strap around here on this side and go all the way over to the other side... ratchet the two together until the studs line up on both sides.. release the ratchet strap when you have things lined up and nuts started.

B

Brad Roberts · 01-04-2012, 07:52 PM

You do know.. you should have the car re-aligned? correct? or at least checked? you are changing toe and camber as those suspension carriers move out/in without the panel in place. It is nearly impossible to get it back to exactly the right location.

WhipE350 · 01-04-2012, 08:02 PM

Thanks Brad - ok that was the thought I had, I'll give it a try. The place that has always given me the most trouble is the two bolts at the engine side. I have an idea for that too then.

Ya I was thinking of having the guys that aligned it after I put in new shocks check it out for me.

Brad Roberts · 01-04-2012, 08:05 PM

I leave the 4 bolts loose on the black cross member before I install ANY of the lower pan bolts/nuts

This allows everything to *float* making aligning the nuts/bolts a cakewalk!!

B

WhipE350 · 01-04-2012, 08:14 PM

OK great I wasn't sure if I should loosen that or not. During my clutch install I loosened almost everything else on the car, that was one I didn't have to. I think that will do the trick. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow night.

Brad Roberts · 01-04-2012, 08:17 PM

You did a clutch job without removing the black cross member that ties everything together in the rear? (I'm looking for the clappy smilie) LOL I find that method to be a little more difficult than pulling the cross member out!!

WhipE350 · 01-05-2012, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Roberts

You did a clutch job without removing the black cross member that ties everything together in the rear? (I'm looking for the clappy smilie) LOL I find that method to be a little more difficult than pulling the cross member out!!

I think you can use this :dance: or this

Now you tell me! LOL. Ya that thing black cross member was in all the DYI I looked at so I didn't remove it...it is a pain in the ars though

Meir · 01-05-2012, 02:08 PM

so if i understand you correctly, an alignment of the rear suspension should be done every time this plate is removed?
Also what is exactly the black cross member you are referring to, do you mean the sway bar?

onaFLYer · 01-05-2012, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meir

so if i understand you correctly, an alignment of the rear suspension should be done every time this plate is removed?
Also what is exactly the black cross member you are referring to, do you mean the sway bar?

It's the black bar that connects the suspension uprights together, and the front of that pan bolts to it, IIRC. I hope to be putting that back together on mine this weekend after 4 months apart.

MaxD · 01-05-2012, 02:51 PM

Quote:

so if i understand you correctly, an alignment of the rear suspension should be done every time this plate is removed?

No no, you can take it on or off as long as you don't loosen or move the cross member. If you can't get it back on with a similar effort as when taken off something has moved.

If you drop the car or drive around with it off all bet are off on you alignment spec.

Paul · 01-05-2012, 03:51 PM

Here's what I do:

Meir · 01-05-2012, 04:10 PM

Now I can see (at the last picture Poal posted) the "black bar" you are talking about.
I just preformed a transmitipn service, an it was a little bit difficult to remove that plate and put it back.
I will definitely use the strap technic next time.
Now, if removing or loosening the cross member, where do I go to preform the alignment?
Is that alignment is similar to the from suspension and can be done at any tire shop?

Thanks.

WhipE350 · 01-05-2012, 09:51 PM

I would find a good Indy that has the proper equipment and knows Porsches...just my view though. I had mine done by one, it was somewhat expensive (I think around $180) but they worked on it a long time and it really made a big difference. I had moved things pretty bad putting in my new shocks.

Oh and everything is now back together on mine. I improvised with some straps and everything went on fine

Ghostrider 310 · 01-06-2012, 02:14 AM

I thought I was a pretty devoted automobile cleaner till I saw that your connecting pan looks like an English Silver Tea set.

Meir · 01-06-2012, 07:37 AM

Sounds like you had a lot of fun working on your project.
I was following your whole progress here and on the pelican website I’m sure it will be very helpful to me (and other people) when I will perform this project myself.

Just one question if I may, I remember you had an issue with getting the transmission back in place. I am not sure if I understood what your problem was.
Was it the clutch slave piston giving you the problems?

WhipE350 · 01-06-2012, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghostrider 310

I thought I was a pretty devoted automobile cleaner till I saw that your connecting pan looks like an English Silver Tea set.

I actually didn't finish shining it up. Several nights I got frustrated getting the oil fill tube out and so went in the man cave and polished every piece of metal I could find!