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I'm somewhat surprised the dealer will install parts you didn't purchase from them. Good to know...thanks.
I'll have to look at the front axle to see if this is a simple swap...done it for BMW (RWD), Passat (FWD), A6 (AWD), and Pilot (AWD)...easiest to just replace the whole assembly. Cost a little more, but worth it.
I got 2 estimates. One to replace the boots and another to replace the entire axle.
Going with replacing the axles, the labor $$ saved from not replacing boots went to buy the new axles.
With the mileage and with my luck. If I'd just replaced the boots the joint would fail shortly thereafter so just replacing the axles for me was a better choice.
Going with replacing the axles, the labor $$ saved from not replacing boots went to buy the new axles.
Agreed 100% . I was referring to my labor earlier, which is dirt cheap . Good to know the 911 CV boots will last past 100K. The VW/Audi ones typically fail like clockwork at about 70-80K.
Agreed 100% . I was referring to my labor earlier, which is dirt cheap . Good to know the 911 CV boots will last past 100K. The VW/Audi ones typically fail like clockwork at about 70-80K.
I've DIY'ed quite a bit throughout my ownership to off set maintenance jobs like this.
And you are right....... I really can't believe the suspension components on the 991.1 have not perished yet. On my past Audi's I'd be on my 2nd or 3rd set of control arms and possibly shocks.
Resurfacing this thread. Can anyone point me to any threads or manuals that describes this process for the front? I've looked it over myself from underneath the car and it doesn't look too bad but it does appear that both cv axles from the internal side have to be removed to lower the front transaxle. Once that is complete and your remove part of the lower subframe, the axle just pulls through from the wheel side inward. But it would be great to see gotchas, or torque requirements.
I watched a YouTube video for a 911 turbo and used that as a guide. I think it was Jim Wong's channel. I did not lower the transaxle. I had to remove the ball joint and tie rod to pull the axle out. Disconnecting the lower ball joint and tie rod end allowed the enough room to move the strut out of the way. I did not find the job difficult, just a little time consuming. I bought boots from FCP and rebuilt them. That was not difficult either, just messy. And getting the bearings back together took some trial and error on the first one and the second one was done in half the time.
I watched a YouTube video for a 911 turbo and used that as a guide. I think it was Jim Wong's channel. I did not lower the transaxle. I had to remove the ball joint and tie rod to pull the axle out. Disconnecting the lower ball joint and tie rod end allowed the enough room to move the strut out of the way. I did not find the job difficult, just a little time consuming. I bought boots from FCP and rebuilt them. That was not difficult either, just messy. And getting the bearings back together took some trial and error on the first one and the second one was done in half the time.
Don't see enough room here to slide inner CV joint past the coolant lines on both passenger and driver. Any suggestions before I move to dropping front final drive?
i have a pair of rebuilt front axles off my 991.1 turbo S for sale if anyone is interested (in chicagoland), driver and passenger side. They are fully rebuilt with brand new inner and outer boots, and grease. All replacement parts purchased from porsche dealer.
Replacing the boots on those axles is not for the faint of heart, and i dont recommend anyone doing that job. Hardly any vidoes or help online as well. Will ship anywhere in US. $450 each or $850 for the pair. Will fit all AWD 991 911's (carrera 4/4s, targa 4/4s, turbo/ turbo S)
Last edited by mikescayenne; Apr 30, 2025 at 06:45 PM.
Don't see enough room here to slide inner CV joint past the coolant lines on both passenger and driver. Any suggestions before I move to dropping front final drive?
Did you ever figure out how to do this? I've seen others claim that simply disconnecting the lower ball joint and tie rod end allowed them to move the strut enough that they could maneuver the axle out.
Did you ever figure out how to do this? I've seen others claim that simply disconnecting the lower ball joint and tie rod end allowed them to move the strut enough that they could maneuver the axle out.
I was able to sneak only one side out by that method.It can be done but you will be using a lot of force a second set of hands would be recommended because it will fight you. For the other side I ended up dropping the finial drive as per the service manual a few inches and it was a lot easier and would have saved me time if I did both sides this way. Always more than 1 way to skin a cat. Good luck!
I was able to sneak only one side out by that method.It can be done but you will be using a lot of force a second set of hands would be recommended because it will fight you. For the other side I ended up dropping the finial drive as per the service manual a few inches and it was a lot easier and would have saved me time if I did both sides this way. Always more than 1 way to skin a cat. Good luck!
Got it, thanks! My plan is actually to disconnect a couple suspensions components and swing the wheel carrier enough to where I can pull it out from the outside rather than from the middle of the car, but I haven't gotten in there yet.
Was there anything that made this route infeasible to you, or did you just not consider it due to the PSM suggesting to drop the final drive?
I was able to sneak only one side out by that method.It can be done but you will be using a lot of force a second set of hands would be recommended because it will fight you. For the other side I ended up dropping the finial drive as per the service manual a few inches and it was a lot easier and would have saved me time if I did both sides this way. Always more than 1 way to skin a cat. Good luck!
I’m taking this on this weekend, and I am going to go ahead and drop the front final drive like you say. The FSM doesn’t give a lot of instruction on how though. Did you just unbolt the front two mounts and pivot it down a few inches with a transmission jack, or did you go through the full process for R&R of the cardan shaft and front final drive?
Last edited by connerza991; May 14, 2026 at 08:54 PM.
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. I was referring to my labor earlier, which is dirt cheap 
. Good to know the 911 CV boots will last past 100K. The VW/Audi ones typically fail like clockwork at about 70-80K. 
