I re-used the bolts, and used new lock tabs for the bolts (928 332 285 00) as a full set was less than the cost of one bolt.

But I don't have to warranty my work or demonstrate to insurance investigators that the work didn't kill anyone, as working on one's own car isn't illegal (yet!)

 

Hardware has a "service life". These bolts reached the end of that service life, many years ago. The people that re-used the ring gear bolts on the 356 transmissions past their service life learned this lesson in a very costly way.

I'd guess that it has been about 10 years since I started replacing these bolts on a "standard replacement" basis.

The correct bolt that everyone should be using retails for $8.26. Compared to the price of a ring and pinion and the differential (which always get ruined when the bolts fail), new bolts are virtually free.

 

One of the things that makes this Forum unique and very valuable is that people have the benefit of getting information that is not normally available, from a large cross section of people. These people include both "one time" home repair guys and professionals with vast knowledge of the potential problems.

There's seldom an absolute right and wrong about any particular subject, especially when dealing with 25+ year old parts.

 

Completely agree - my comment about insurance wasn't intended as a snipe, just fact. I have a large collection of knowledge gained from posters on this forum on my hard drive, some by you, dealing with almost every tiny system on the car. Its part of what makes this site great, is the propensity to help.

I wasn't aware that high-carbon screws have what is effectively a use-by date.

The bolts I found by part number (928 332 276 03) were more like $20 each (plus shipping from the USA) - at $8ea I'd have considered replacement, but $250+ for the bolts seemed excessive.

I checked standard M12x1.25 12.9 torque values and found the WSM to be before the yield range, so measured the bolts to double-check, and then re-used them.

 

I think last time I payed over $30 each for those bolts. Seems they are much cheaper now. 13 euros in Europe.

 

Use 928 332 276 05, not 928 332 276 03. The new bolt, because it has "ribbed" locking mechanism, requires a different torque.

Way better, more modern bolt application. That change happened quietly in the 993 models. The first ones I saw were on the RS and RSR transmissions. Then the street cars a started coming through with that bolt.

I just naturally applied the same supersession to all the different model transmissions that used that same part number hardware.....mostly because I was so tired of messing around with those silly lock tabs, which I'm pretty sure was the same technology that caused German Panzer Tank production to be so slow during WWII.

 

That's interesting info. Later style bolt is under 5 euros and do not need lock plates. Wonder why Porsche hasn't stop using old style. It would save them some $$$ and shell space.

 

My guess would be that Porsche still has inventory of the old bolt (which works fine, but is more expensive) and instead of throwing them away, they will sell them until they run very low, whereupon they will "officially" supersede the part number.

 

I've got one of Carl's LSD adapters, allows a early 8 disc LSD to fit in a 85+ transmission, http://www.928motorsports.com/parts/...ip_adapter.php , this thread makes it sound like no adapter is needed, is that correct?

Description: Our LSD adapters make it possible to install the stronger 8-disk LSD into the 1985-and-up transaxle (manual or automatic)

 

IIRC, the 83/84 LSD use the later large housing dimensions, but have 8 discs inside.

 

Limited Slip Diff 78-82 928-332-052-04
Limited Slip Diff 83-89 928-332-052-20

So there is an overlap, with 83/84 the sweet spot, housing fits the newer transmissions, but still has 8 disc's?

I wonder what I have?