I just had my car towed to the mechanic shop (Scan in north vancouver), they are a porshe specialist shop.

anyways I'm getting my clutch and tq tube replaced. I have already removed my transmission and part of the exhaust.

the new torque tube I got was from a 944 turbo and when I spun it by hand I did notice it was a bit noisy, like ball bearing noise, not crazy loud when I spun it by hand though.

and there is a little bit of play in the shaft on the engine side.


now the shop told me the torque tube is going to make substantial noise when installed on my car but he told me that they can't rebuild it because the bearings are hard to source etc.

now i'm not sure what to do. I don't really know what he means by substantial noise. Are people going to hear my torque tube across the street ?

and he said it is possible that in the future the bearings can seize up.


honestly i don't really care about noise as long as it's not so loud that it is undriveable and people stare at me. But I'm worried the bearings might blow up like in a month and then I"ll have to pay to remove the torque tube again....

in my other thread it was mentioned that a noisy torque tube should be fine but I'm getting worried now condidering the amount i will have to pay the shop to replace it.

the guy said you won't be able to know how loud it is until you install it but he said it will be like a really bad wheel bearing with whirring sound.

the torque tube spins easily and freely though....

 

The bearings are not that hard to source.

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ng#post5709315

 

Given the expense (or if you do it yourself, the aggrevation) of putting in a torque tube, why on earth would you use a tube that was anything LESS than 100%???

Doesn't make sense at all!

Jim 1987 944S

 

because torque tubes aren't exactly easy to source. I had to do a lot of searching to get this one.

The only other torque tube I sourced is from a junk yard for 250 bucks and pretty far from where I live. I'd also have to pay someone to transport it for me.

the shop told me they won't rebuild the torque tube and my car is in the shop right now so I don't have much of an option right now.

 

has anyone here had a noisy torque tube blow up on them? I'm not really worried about the noise. I an always just put in a louder exhaust... I just don't want to replace the torque tube again in a couple of months.

I've heard of bearing blowing up and the shaft bending or breaking.

The tq tube spins freely and easily but the side that goes into the trans makes a bit noise and the end that goes into the engine seems to have a tiny bit of play (can wiggle the shaft a bit side to side).

 

Why don't people just replace the torque tube bearings? It's not hard - it just takes a little though and planning.

Step 1: measure the distance from the bell housing flange to the tip of the drive shaft

Step 2: measure how far in both end bearing carriers are

Step 3: with a long metal pipe (that just slides over the drive shaft) and proper bracing against the wall of your garage, use a sledge hammer to drive the bearing carriers out of the torque tube (the drive shaft will end up inside the pipe)

Step 4: replace the bearings in the carriers - replace the plastic bushings, too (I've seen several sets for sale here on rennlist)

Step 5: Make a little block fixture that will allow you to support both the torque tube and the drive shaft at the distance measured in step 1

Step 6: measure how far the first bearing needs to be inside the torque tube (measurement from step 2) onto your pipe - use the pipe to drive the bearing to the right location

Step 7: drive in the remaining 3 bearings - you know where the final bearing should be (measured in step 2) and the other 2 should be equally spaced

 

I don't have time and I don't want to tackle that job right now. I asked the porsche mechanic shop and they said they won't do it because it's too difficult to do and also difficult to source the bearings.

Also my car is in the shop rignt now so it's not like I can leave it there for a week or 2. They are suppose to fix it by this friday.

I'm just wondering if anyone has heard of torque tubes seaizing and bearings blowing up and causing damage and making the car not driveable.

if it's noise I can deal with that unless it's crazy loud noise. I have no idea how loud torque tube noise is and if it can lead to the torque tube failing.

I was worried about the play on teh shaft on the engine side. I can wiggle the shaft a tiny bit side to side.

the trans side makes a noise likea pebble rolling around but it's not that loud when spinning by hand.

 

Did you read that link I gave you? It had the part# and the cost, something like $40 if I recall.

Do you really want to go thru all of this trouble and have a TT in the car with possibly bad bearings that could fail later? Then be down for the count while the car is back in the shop?

 

I'd look for a better shop, personally.

 

I'm sure he has. It's just not the answer that he wants. Now someone has to tell him that it is JUST FINE to install a noisy torque tube and that there is NO REASON TO WORRY about it failing and requiring investment in another TT with labor. Please refrain from giving any other answers or advice.

 

They can't be too hard to source.... I had one for sale for $20 for 12 months until it sold this summer.

 

Oh, OK. Now I get it.....................................



I think you are OK. Go right ahead and have them install that marginal TT. I wouldn't worry about it at all.

 

Either replace the bearings or stop bitching about it.

If you don't have the time or money to rebuild it, then does it really matter if it's a possible issue?

 

Fulfill every 944 owners fantasy. after you get the car back, make sure you have all the right insurance, then take a nice drive by a cliff.....

make sure you get out before the car goes over, or the insurance part is moot.

 

Here's a thought: How are the bearings in your old torque tube?
Step 1 of the bearing replacement is removing the shaft. The last step is reinstalling the shaft. So remove the chewed up shaft from your old torque tube and install the shaft from the tube you just bought.

Disclaimer: I wouldn't do this myself, I'd replace the bearings, but since you seem unwilling to do this it's better than putting a tube with at least one bad bearing in your car.