removing studs from struts
10-12-2012, 07:54 PM
#1
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
removing studs from struts
The rennline strut brace I bought didn't fit. I called rennline and they said the studs mounting the top of the strut to the car are shorter in the 993 than in the 964 and that's why they aren't long enough in my car.
They sent me longer studs and said to press the old ones out and press the new ones in. I was thinking that is a lot of work. I was thinking of using a pneumatic chisel to pish them out while the struts are in the car. Thoughts?
They sent me longer studs and said to press the old ones out and press the new ones in. I was thinking that is a lot of work. I was thinking of using a pneumatic chisel to pish them out while the struts are in the car. Thoughts?
10-12-2012, 08:20 PM
#2
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Lifetime Rennlist
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Lifetime Rennlist
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The usual way is to press them out on a press which means taking the strut out, and losing your alignment.
How about swapping the strut brace with one designed for the 993 to begin with?
I would not be using any air chisels to drive those studs out. its too easy to screw up threads or cause body/strut damage.
Cheers,
mike
How about swapping the strut brace with one designed for the 993 to begin with?
I would not be using any air chisels to drive those studs out. its too easy to screw up threads or cause body/strut damage.
Cheers,
mike
10-12-2012, 08:32 PM
#3
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
The usual way is to press them out on a press which means taking the strut out, and losing your alignment.
Yes, this is why I was hoping to press them out while it is in the car. I even have a press to use, I just wanted to avoid the re-align.
How about swapping the strut brace with one designed for the 993 to begin with?
This one is designed for the 993 (sort of?) They advertise it as such anyway. It is usually installed with adjustable camber plates which solves the problem as well. $500 for the adjustable camber plates was more than I wanted to spend (maybe next year). Rennline said that Porsche changed the stud length from 964 to 993 and this is the first time they have heard of a problem. So either most people buy the adjustable plates or people run around with the strutbrace held in by half the nut since the bolt is too short.
I would not be using any air chisels to drive those studs out. its too easy to screw up threads or cause body/strut damage.
I dont care about the threads since I was replacing the studs anyway. The body damage I was thinking of using a large socket around the chisel tip to guide it and prevent body damage. On the strut side I was going to have someone hold a large socket around teh head of the stud to support the strut mounting plate. I just wasnt sure if the air chisel would be strong enough to push them out.
I guess Ill just wait until spring when I am planning another alignment anyway.
This means I can put the adjustable plates on my Christmas list! 
Thanks for your input Mike.
Yes, this is why I was hoping to press them out while it is in the car. I even have a press to use, I just wanted to avoid the re-align.
How about swapping the strut brace with one designed for the 993 to begin with?
This one is designed for the 993 (sort of?) They advertise it as such anyway. It is usually installed with adjustable camber plates which solves the problem as well. $500 for the adjustable camber plates was more than I wanted to spend (maybe next year). Rennline said that Porsche changed the stud length from 964 to 993 and this is the first time they have heard of a problem. So either most people buy the adjustable plates or people run around with the strutbrace held in by half the nut since the bolt is too short.
I would not be using any air chisels to drive those studs out. its too easy to screw up threads or cause body/strut damage.
I dont care about the threads since I was replacing the studs anyway. The body damage I was thinking of using a large socket around the chisel tip to guide it and prevent body damage. On the strut side I was going to have someone hold a large socket around teh head of the stud to support the strut mounting plate. I just wasnt sure if the air chisel would be strong enough to push them out.
I guess Ill just wait until spring when I am planning another alignment anyway.
This means I can put the adjustable plates on my Christmas list! Thanks for your input Mike.
10-13-2012, 12:17 PM
#4
strange it doesn't fit, the mounting plate doesn't look too thick.
but this brace fits with stock or camber plates
http://www.perfectpowerinc.com/sales.html
but this brace fits with stock or camber plates
http://www.perfectpowerinc.com/sales.html
10-14-2012, 07:01 AM
#5
Rennlist Member
As the tips of the OE studs are pointed, I would double nut the top ( to give a flat working surface), and put the flat faced hammer bit in the air chisel/hammer. Line it up and drive the stud out .....
The base of the stud is grooved axially to provide a "bite" into the strut plate: once it is driven in ~5mm, it will fall out.
If this fails on your test stud, either spin the nut down & leave well enough alone ----- or in the worst case, drill it out and slip in a fresh bolt from below. No big deal, and no lost alignment.
My $$$$ are saying that this approach works
The base of the stud is grooved axially to provide a "bite" into the strut plate: once it is driven in ~5mm, it will fall out.
If this fails on your test stud, either spin the nut down & leave well enough alone ----- or in the worst case, drill it out and slip in a fresh bolt from below. No big deal, and no lost alignment.
My $$$$ are saying that this approach works
10-14-2012, 05:16 PM
#6
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
I decided to go ahead and do this today. Short version, it works. Long version, 964 studs are not quite the same diameter and while they are long enough, the ridged collar is not enough to bite into the mounting plate. Since I had already removed the short studs and I had no intention to put them back in, I went to Lowes. Lowes does not sell 10.9 grade bolts, only 8.8 . So I looked up the strength of grade 8 bolts. They are very close to the same. So I used 5/16" grade 8 bolts for now. When I eventually redo the suspension (hopefully next year) I will correct that.
To drive the studs out I ground the pointed attachment for my pneumatic chisel down flat. Then I ground a cross pattern (think phillips screw) into the top to help it bite and not wander. I wrapped the shaft with duct tape so it fit neatly inside a tube section I picked up at Lowes earlier ( I think it was a 3/4" tube) I cut the tube section to be slightly shorter than the chisel attachment. This tube fit nicely over the 13mm nut and the chisel shaft fit nicely inside the tube, so I now had a nice guide to drive the studs out. Next issue was the mouting plate, it likes to bend/virbrate when you put the chisel to it. I cut a length of 1x1 wood stock I had kicking around and used it to brace between the mounting plate and the floor. I jacked the car up anyway so I could see what I was doing (just the corner I was working on) Then I stuck the wood between the floor and mounting plate and lowered the car to put pressure on the mounting plate. Hit the stud from above with the chisel and they pop right out. There is enough room to use the chisel to drive them back in if you hppen to have the correct size.
I would write this up better, but I dont think many people are going to do this. Most people would buy a different brace or the adjustable plates.
To drive the studs out I ground the pointed attachment for my pneumatic chisel down flat. Then I ground a cross pattern (think phillips screw) into the top to help it bite and not wander. I wrapped the shaft with duct tape so it fit neatly inside a tube section I picked up at Lowes earlier ( I think it was a 3/4" tube) I cut the tube section to be slightly shorter than the chisel attachment. This tube fit nicely over the 13mm nut and the chisel shaft fit nicely inside the tube, so I now had a nice guide to drive the studs out. Next issue was the mouting plate, it likes to bend/virbrate when you put the chisel to it. I cut a length of 1x1 wood stock I had kicking around and used it to brace between the mounting plate and the floor. I jacked the car up anyway so I could see what I was doing (just the corner I was working on) Then I stuck the wood between the floor and mounting plate and lowered the car to put pressure on the mounting plate. Hit the stud from above with the chisel and they pop right out. There is enough room to use the chisel to drive them back in if you hppen to have the correct size.
I would write this up better, but I dont think many people are going to do this. Most people would buy a different brace or the adjustable plates.
