KrazyK

BOT

318touring

This would be the Pelican Parts IMS kit? I've been meaning to ask people's opinions (oh no!!) and perceptions of this budget kit.

You're not getting the flange as well? For another $145?

Dare I say that the swap is done for your upcoming 300 miles trip?

KrazyK

BOT

alpine003

FWIW, there is a difference of opinion between BR at Casper and LN regarding the support stud.

So I wouldn't necessarily call it "improved" which can seem misleading. Thicker, beefier, more robust seems more appropriate to describe it at this point.

Imo000

Might want to remove the full ceramic bearing from that list. They will chip very easily if you try to install them the way an IMS bearing has to be.

318touring

Good to know, saving me $145!!

BReif61

Your paranoia and budget don't really jive, but ok.

Curious to see how this turns out.

fasteddie99

It's a risky tactic--nickeling and dimeing these cars--but I wish you well.

5CHN3LL

The irony of Krazy "you best be rich if you're gonna own a 996" K championing the budget IMSB retrofit isn't lost on me, but I'm interested to see the outcome just the same.

Imo000

Nothing wrong with that as long as you know what you are doing. There is nothing wrong saving a grand for future projects.

rpm's S2

"There is nothing wrong saving a grand for future projects."

Well, he is not really saving a grand. The cost of the LN Engineering IMS bearing is $650, everything else is labor. So the savings here is less than $500, and that does not factor in the time required to source the parts and plan the procedure (time is money for most of us).

Going the cheap route on any Porsche repair is rarely a wise decision. KK seems to have the skill set to perhaps make this solution work... but in the end he is only saving a few hundred dollars over the cost of one of the professional, tested, warrantied solutions. When balanced against the potential repair costs of the, admittedly somewhat rare IMS failure, this might not be the best solution for most owners.

But good luck!

Imo000

The labour savings were included in my quote but to be fair, the LN bearing is alot more than $600 if you include the LN bearing puller that most people have to buy. Yes time is money but that only matters if you are doing this during work. If it's on your free time then instead of sitting on the couch and watching Fancing With the Stars, you can work on this project, one hournat a time. Then in 2 weeks, the project is done. One bolt at a time and sooner or later every project will end.

Cosmo Kramer

LN doesn't warranty the bearing if you install it yourself, and only 30 days if it is professionally installed. That's not a warranty IMHO.

Good luck KK!

KrazyK

BOT

alpine003

I think as far as being a "wear" item might be more for liability reasons. I don't doubt that it wears(just like wheel bearings for example), but when it will actually wear enough to break down will vary. Look at all the original IMS guys that have over 100k+ ? And given the nature of the retrofit bearings having an open design for oil to lubricate, coupled with the ceramic hybrid designs, as long as you keep up with regular oil changes, I can't see the retrofits breaking down or needing replacement unless you plan on hitting really really high miles with your car. In your case, the Pelican retrofit should last you 2-3 lifetimes easily.