Is IMS Retrofit the Solution for the Porsche 996?
Interestingly enough, Macster points out that Porsche is also offering its own IMS solution.
“Be aware that Porsche has jumped onto the IMSB replacement bearing bandwagon. My info is Porsche offers an IMSB upgrade/kit that sells for a couple of hundred dollars. Includes a new/improved bearing and some other stuff. Of course, the transmission has to come out of the car, the flywheel must be removed, and the proper steps followed to remove the old bearing and install the new bearing.”
But as LN Engineering’s Charles Navarro points out, Porsche was a little late to the IMS party.
“The factory IMS bearing replacement kit contains a sealed, silicon nitride ‘ceramic’ 6204 series single row ball bearing. This kit would be equivalent to the LN Classic Single Row IMS Retrofit. The main difference between the Porsche single row ceramic and LN single row ceramic kit is that the Porsche one has a larger center stud. Like what was used on the 06-08 bearings, but the LN kit comes with an open bearing rather than a sealed one. Otherwise, load capacities are the same. I dare say the Porsche IMS kit has a prettier flange, but otherwise, function is the same.
What I find interesting is that Porsche came to the same conclusion as we did, however about 10 years after we did, for whatever that is worth. We hardly sell any of the Single Row Classic IMS Retrofits anymore, as the Single Row Pro has double the load capacity for the same price or the IMS Solution provides a permanent solution to the IMS problem.”
