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My new to me 2003 996 Carrera has a popping noise in the right front noticeable at low speeds going over bumps and when turning (such as going in/out of driveway). I had a similar issue in another car I owned years ago and figured out it was the front subframe bolts so I started looking at that.
I put the car up today and using the torque specs in the factory service manual I checked torque on most of the front suspension bolts. I found the right front side member (as the FSM calls it) plate bolts were loose.
When I went to torque them (116 ft lbs per the FSM) the front one would only hold about 20 ft lbs....just spins and spins.
How should I handle this? I did not back the bolt out yet. If any of you have run across this let me know....it appears that there is not a nut on the other side, this is a weld nut integral to the body.
Apples to oranges, but for my 1988 suspension torque is 80ft/lbs... Are you sure that's not Newton meters or something?
Lug nuts are 90..,
116 ft lbs is a lot...
Well regardless it just spun from the moment I started turning. Did not even reach maybe 20 ft lbs. The other side was 116 from the get go, did not even turn.
I rebuilt my entire suspension on my 1982 911 (like your '88) and I do recall the torque values being lower, but gosh it's 10+ years ago that I did that.
even if you are lucky the bolt comes out you will still need to get access to the welded nut....if you can you can just hold the nut and tighten ...if not body shop time
even if you are lucky the bolt comes out you will still need to get access to the welded nut....if you can you can just hold the nut and tighten ...if not body shop time
I hear ya. I'd probably fix myself though...I have a garage full of tools including a welder...and enough knowledge to be dangerous.
I just pulled the bolt. The bolt is fine but the threads from the nut are wrapped up in the bolt. Going to try running a tap to chase the threads and cross my fingers. Stay tuned...
Best bet is probably going to be a heli-coil. If you are unsure about how to install, get a pro to do it for you. Done right it'll hold the torque no problem and last the life of the vehicle. Done wrong, you may need to cut the fitting out and weld a replacement in. So get it done right!
I wouldn't run a tap in there, you are going to pull material that you may need for the heli-coil, you want as much material left as you can get. You'll need a tap for the coil anyway, just use that one and be done with it.
Best bet is probably going to be a heli-coil. If you are unsure about how to install, get a pro to do it for you. Done right it'll hold the torque no problem and last the life of the vehicle. Done wrong, you may need to cut the fitting out and weld a replacement in. So get it done right!
I wouldn't run a tap in there, you are going to pull material that you may need for the heli-coil, you want as much material left as you can get. You'll need a tap for the coil anyway, just use that one and be done with it.
Yes I've done a Heli-coil before and I agree that's probably the best way to go. I could drill and tap it up to an M14 (it's an M12x1.5 bolt) but the OD may be larger than the bracket hole there. Fortunately the weld nut is only about 5/8" deep so not far to go in there.
That front knocking is more than likely the thrust control arms/caster arms. Also sometimes known as "tuning forks". Although very difficult to diagnose main point is a metallic clunk at low speed bumps.
Yeah I figured that out. The bolt behind it is 116 ft lbs. Regardless it was stripped before I got there. Ordered a Helicoil kit. I'll check out the tuning forks, Thanks!
Are you sure the right bolt is in there? I had mine apart on the turbo, and each one is slightly different length wise. Just an idea.
That's a good thought. The bolt seems correct but I will pull the other side and compare...also I'll check the length in the factory parts manual, they usually list the size/length of bolts. Thanks!
Yeah I figured that out. The bolt behind it is 116 ft lbs. Regardless it was stripped before I got there. Ordered a Helicoil kit. I'll check out the tuning forks, Thanks!
If you torqued those bolts to 116, and they are supposed to be 76, you may have fatigued those bolts and compromised them...
You may want to remove, and re-torque... though not sure if that's better than just leaving it alone....
If you torqued those bolts to 116, and they are supposed to be 76, you may have fatigued those bolts and compromised them...
You may want to remove, and re-torque... though not sure if that's better than just leaving it alone....
Thanks, I did not fortunately. This one just turned and turned, did not even reach 20. The other bolts on the side member are 116 except for these front ones. Interestingly this same bolt (that is supposed to be 74) clicked out at 116 on the other side...as in it did not turn, it just torqued out immediately.
So maybe someone else before me made the same mistake with regard to torque values and torqued them all to 116...only happened to strip the right front, the left front held it. It's confusing in the factory manual, and even more confusing b/c the bolts all have the same heads and look the same, and thread into the body.
I doubt the bolts are fatigued...it appears the weak point is the weld nuts in the body, they appear to strip long before the bolt does. Would be nice if it were designed the opposite way...it's much easier to replace a bolt than a nut welded into a blind void in the car body!
03-27-2017, 06:44 PM
Stripped front suspension to body bolt 2003 996
