RngTrtl

Dear All 928er's (1985 928, 5.0L V-8, 32v, Auto tranny)

Long story made short, here is the deal. I have developed a horrible bearing noise from under the car in the past 40 miles. It is my opinion that it is the TT bearings. I am competent enough to do all the work (I hope ). My big question is which route should I go? there are 3 options as best as i can tell from the searches I have done.

1) Complete tranny removal and suspension removal
http://members.rennlist.com/v1uhoh/torque.htm

2) partial tranny and suspension removal
3) using the prybar type of approach to move the motor away from the tranny to get the TT out.

I read about all of these approaches in the search that I did for TT replacement. I would really love to not have to remove the tranny completely!!! The second option seems to be the status quo for getting the TT out. How much sucess have anyone had with the third option?

After I get the TT out, I also plan to do the TC bearings while I am in there.
Does anyone have a list of the special tools that will need (like big allen key wrenches, weird ratchets or odd (large) sockets for this project as I don't have a huge tool selection at my house, but to at work or I can buy?

I am gonna tackle this when finals are over on May 10 and hopefully get it done in a few loooooooong days. Any suggestions, tips, general advice, and prayers to the gods of Bwahhhhhh would be so greatly appreciated and thank you in advance for any help.

Also, I am going to take a tonne of pics and do a write-up on this for future rennlisters to use when I am done.

Thanks again.

edco

Hey RngTrtl,

We're tackling the TT on my 91 S4 on Saturday; I'll keep you posted on how it works out. Man I wish mine was just the bearings as it was a tad bit scary when the TT snapped


https://rennlist.com/forums/928-forum/264113-toque-tube-replacement-date-is-4-8-for-edco-s-91-s4-update-tt-removed-photos-added.html

Bill Ball

Watch the thread edco linked about his car.

The only verified approach is #1. I can tell you #3 is not neccessary. If you free up the bellhousing, the front of the TT can drop far below the motor. The issue is access to the upper rear bolts that attach the TT to the TC and whether the TC bearing can be replaced in-situ. If not, we will try a partial rear end drop, leaving the axles and brakes attached, trying to just get a couple of inches of extra access. Being that I have not done a TT replacement before by any process, this should be fun.

RngTrtl

I agree with you. I am getting a baptism by fire on this car. I have already done a ton of work already, but this should be the last hurdle until i can drive her. Thanks for the help I'll be keeping an eye on that thread.

borland

I found that on my 90', that the transmission has to be lowered quite far to clear the gas tank heat shield before uncoupling the rear shaft coupling inside the TT.

I prefer 1 over 2. But Tony's method can be done even easier by leaving the coilovers attached to the body and separating them from the suspension at the pivot pin.

I prefer to disconnect the CV joints at the differential and hanging the axles from the crossmember with tie wraps. The crossmember is quite well balanced that way when lowering it with a jack from the rear, while the rear of the differential is supported by a 4"x4"x4' piece of wood under two jack stands.

With the crossmember out of the way, you can support the transaxle with a transmission jack and remove the 4"x4"x4' support, then lower the transmission low enough to remove it.

borland
90' S4, Slate Metallic

Bill Ball

Borland:

So, you are saying the rear clamp to the TT shaft is not accessible from below? Argh! There goes my plan.

borland

No, there is an access hole for the pinch bolt, after removing a rubber plug.

I'm saying that because the transmission's female spline (drive flange) protrudes into the TT far enough that you need to pull the transmission back far enough to clear, and the obstruction in the rear is the heat shield for the gas tank.

Glenncal1

Bill-I think that MC jack you are going to borrow is going to come in handy this weekend.

RngTrtl

Damn, this looks like it is gonna be more interesting than I thought (interesting = hard as hell ). So basically what I am gathering is that getting the front off is easy enough, but the rear of the TT is the PITA, and the only way to get the TT to slide off of the tranny is to lower the tranny enough so that the front of the TT has clearance to slide towards the front of the car?

borland

If you remove (or butcher with a hacksaw) the clutch housing, then the transmission pull back is not an issue for removing the TT. I'd just rather remove the rear crossmember.

It really not that hard a job; your just working with some very heavy pieces. So, safety is a big concern.

Bill Ball

Even if you tilt the front end of the TT down a foot or so?

Bill Ball

If you mean the bellhousing, that is not an issue. I can get the front of TT out of the bellhousing completely without hacking anything. If getting the front of the TT free and clear of the bellhousing and flywheel has stoopped others, that is not an issue and should not stop us.

So, my thought is we can tilt the TT down so there are no clearance issues. Whether the problem borland mentions was due to not being able to get the front of the TT down, is not clear. We all agree you cannot free the TT from the TC if the TT is level.

borland

Jim Bailey has said before...

that some car(s) have come in 928Intl for burial, where at some point in the car's useful life, the clutch housing was cut to allow replacing the TT without removing the transmission.

But that doesn't address the torque converter bearings.

Bill Ball

Let's say we do need to drop the rear to get the TT off. Why can't you drop the tranny and crossmember as a unit? Then you would not have to undo the halfshafts. If we are only dropping 3 or 4 inches, let's say, then almost nothing should have to be removed other than the bolts holding the crossmember and shock tops. What's the problem with doing that?

Bill Ball

I understand other have hacked the bellhousing because they cannot quite get the bellhousing to come down. I was able to overcome that in George Suennen's 90 S4 without hacking. If you pop the bowden cable off it ends, the bellhousing will come completely out.

Yes, this does not address the TC bearings. Others have said they are right there in front of your face and that should not be an issue. I don't know yet.