Help please...trying reinstall the %$*# belly pan
 

Hoping to get some advice from the experts here...

I am nearing the end of my AC upgrade project, having replaced the evaporator, condenser and hoses. I will shortly be trying to put the belly pan back on which is held by bolts through the sway bar mount at the rear and with nuts on the sway bar mount screws up front.

With all the jacking during this project with the belly pan, bolts and nuts removed, the sway bar mounts -- which sort of piviot on the sway bar -- have moved. The screw side no longer passes through the hole in the cross member in front. I played with it a little but couldn't get it to align and pass through. As it pivots it the screw is coming down to the hole at an angle.

What are the tricks to getting the belly pan and sway bar bolted back in place?

Thanks!

You have to pull the bar in place and loosely start the allen heads. Then start the nuts. It helps if you have someone helping you when you do this.

Thanks, Stephen.

I take it you mean pull towards the front of the car (the sway bar mounts seem to be back slightly too far). How do you typically do this? Tie a rope and have someone pull from the front? Rope in the middle? Rope at each end at the same time? Rope near each sway bar mount individually?

I think if I could just get the screws on the front of the sway bar mounts to pivit into their respective holes on that cross member, I'd be in good shape.

I haven't got a clue what you guys are talking about, none of my 911's have A/C but in the past I have found those ratchet tie downs very useful for pulling things into line. I have an assortment of sizes.

The very small ones that don't ratchet are very useful around my 3 legged puller, stops it stretching and letting go of the part.

http://www.brandsonsale.com/ratchet-tie-downs.html

Once you get the stud through the crossmember start your nuts. Then use a a tapered punch as an alignment tool to line up the bellypan and swaybar with the holes in the rear. I know this is opposite of what Stephen said but has worked well for me. Just another idea...

Forgot, I have these heel bars too, they are cheap Kamasa ones. Work great.
You can use the tapered shaft for lining things up.

http://www.toolspot.co.uk/products/W...0Bar%20Set.jpg

Strong solid steel hardened and tempered construction. Long taper for aligning holes. Curved heal for easier leverage. Includes heel bar sizes: 150mm (6"), 300mm (12"), 400mm (16"), 500mm (20").

Got it! Thanks for your help.

My AC upgrade project is almost done. I haven't been able to drive the car for weeks. With the belly pan back on and all the components now installed, I'm looking forward to taking it out for a drive tomorrow.

Hopefully, will charge the system next weekend and it will work great. Sure hope so.

Oh, that thing, yeah. I found that difficult to fit back on my 3.2 carrera when we had it off as well.

I just purchased a Bump Steer kit to install on my car, is this the same pan to be removed that is referred too in installation of the kit?

Jim

It has to be. You are going to have to remove it to access the end of the steering rack.

You remove the belly pan (or whatever it's really called) by removing two allen head bolts from the back corners and two nuts from the middle. The bolts attach to the sway bar mounts.

Remove the bolts first, then the nuts. After you remove the belly pan, screw the nuts back on finger tight. They'll hold the sway bar brackets in place and you will have no problem later when you want to put the belly pan back on (of course, you will remove the nuts again before replacing the belly pan).

Good luck!