Foxman

I'm installing Tore's fog light brake conversion kit again, this time on my Arctic Silver C2S. I think this is a valuable safety feature, both on and off the track. Tore's kit is also both neat and simple.

But for the second time now I've run into a small hurdle removing the center reflector/tail light assembly. After removing the plastic housing (revelation, use a US nickel to turn the plastic screws without gouging them!), I found the center Allen bolt is stripped and won't come out. It just turns and turns. The strange thing is, I ran into the exact same problem when installing these on my old C4 (sadly sold). https://rennlist.com/forums/993-foru...installed.html

Has anyone else experienced this problem in their rear center reflector, or is it just my bad luck? I'm wondering if perhaps the fixing bolts are torquing these Allen bolts?

Not that I'm planning on buying anymore 993's, but I will be doing this soon on the zenith so I just ordered three new Allen bolts ( Suncoast part #90011911407), and two replacements for the center plastic bushing (Suncoast part# 99363112700). Looks like I need to rip out the old bushing and pry/twist or drill the Allen bolt out. If anyone has a better fix for removing the stripped bolt please let me know.








Hit a wall with stripped Allen bolt (again) in center reflector




Cheapest Porsche tool I own. This works incredibly well at removing plastic screws without marring them.

P-daddy

Yup, I had the exact same issue on a 95 I had a few years ago

budge96

I am just installing these very screws myself and had a difficult time sourcing the correct
allens so to sunset we go ..haha..
If I couldn't get it to back out by pulling up simultaneously on the plastic bush ,likely cut the
bushing away with snips and Dremel or cutoff wheel the head .The reflector will lift away
then drill out the metal rivet and either bend and replace threaded nut or entire center
hold down.
Bert

geolab

Hello, if you are talking about the number 10 bolt, it is not stripped.
It should hold to a square nut, but often the person who mounts it misses
the nut underneath, and the bolt holds on the plastic base.
Two alternatives:
the best luck I had was to supeglue the bolt to the hex tool and undo the bolt
pulling gently up.
second, is delicately pry the number 11 plastic from the tongue part whilst unbolting
number 10. replace with new.
regards

Foxman

Good input Geolab, thanks, but I already tried using a taped screwdriver under the bushing to lever it up while unscrewing the Allen bolt. Nothing doing. The bolt or nut seems to be stripped. I can feel it catching on each rotation, and it won't come up. When I went through this last time it was the same ordeal. I had to cut the bushing out and use needle nosed pliers to slowly pull and twist out the Allen bolt. Doh, here we go again...

Foxman

OK so I tore out the bushing and pried out the Allen bolt. Here's what I discovered. The nut that sits in the bracket underneath had torqued the bracket it sits in and the nut was rotating 360•. Unlike the left and right brackets that are welded, the center bracket has no real support to prevent this. There's not much you can do after the fact, but as a preventative measure I would highly recommend tightening this bracket anytime you decide to remove the center reflector. I took a few photos to help explain, including a before and after of the bracket when tightened. I'm limited to two photos at a time, so please excuse the multiple posts.




Surgically removed Allen bolt and bushing




Here's a photo from above of the center bracket with turning nut






You can see from this side angle how the bracket holding the center nut is torqued and bent outwards




The left and right brackets are welded and don't have this issue





Here's a shot of the center bracket after tightening up the bracket with needle nose pliers and a screw driver.




Safe and happy!

KeninBlaine

I didn't run into this problem on mine a few months ago. It appears you have more corrosion on your hardware than I do - must be your proximity to salty ocean air or else salted winter roads. Thanks for sharing the info for others. But I still hate you for having 2 C2S.

CaptainGSR

I ran into the same exact issue when I installed my rear fog lights. That same square nut was also rotating 360 degrees. I'm guessing someone had over-torqued that allen bolt in the car's previous life.
What a PITA to prevent it from spinning! I feel your frustration...

dommorton

I had this issue with my car too and ended up replacing the bracket complete for a new one. I was sure to apply some OptimolTA to the bolt on reassembly to prevent it seizing in future.

95_993

Jim,

Do have the part # for the little black plastic screws that you're removing with the nickel? Searched for them before but come up short.

P.S. - I am stuck with the same spinning screw issue on the center screw and will need to perform surgery this weekend on it.

Foxman

Rob,

I'm pretty sure it's Suncoast Part # 999-590-036-40-01C. I have a a few spare ones lying around in the basement, but it will cost you a cup of coffee.

Jim

95_993

Thanks Jim!. I threw a few in my cart while ordering a new screw and bushing and other misc parts with sunset. I'll still buy you a cup of coffee...I need to get my turbo ducts installed.

SkiDan

I had no difficulty with the center Allen head screw because there was no nut in the bracket to screw into! I think I will leave it that way...

ayrton

Had the same issue on my 95 993 this month, solved destroing and replacing the plastic holder.
I think the central plastic is too thin compared to the lateral ones and this brings the screw to the end of the thread, locking the rotation...

Foxman

Ayrton,

Misery loves company. On my car I found that the problem was the nut turning freely in a poorly designed metal bracket. If your nut is turning (no pun intended), the problem will repeat itself unless you tighten the bracket to prevent the nut from moving, and then make sure not to over-torque when tightening.

Cheers!