[968Syncro]

Please see the pic. I removed the under engine tray (the middle one, or next to the bat wing). An voila, this bolt was laying in it. I have no idea where it goes, and can't recall ever doing any work where I removed or installed one like this. [yes, I'm under the car again, power steering noise, found some prior threads on the subject, will write there as needed]

Anybody have ideas where it may have come from? (may be hard to tell, looks like a pretty common size)

Thank you!
Roland

13 mm socket head
about 2.5 inches long.

   

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[flash]

looks like the lower alternator mounting bolt, though it could be a castor block bolt

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[flash]

my bad - i meant the upper AC bolt, but that one is fine thread

i'm going with castor block bolt

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[968Syncro]

Ok, so......

Let's say that you had a noise in the power steering, so you jack it up, take the belt off, to make sure no additional damage may occur. Do a general layman's inspection on the obvious front suspension components. And then you decide to take it for a test drive, stop by Whimpy's for a cheeseburger (a metaphor), and then decide to check the 968 forums on your phone to see if anybody wrote back about that newly revealed bolt.

Thank you Flash, he wrote back. It is certainly like he said, steering rack or castor block. Decided to call him, thank you for taking my call [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img] , the advice was DON"T DRIVE THE CAR. As I drove the car on the way back from this test drive, imagine you are sailing along, the wheel feels a little loose, and no big deal -- so you have to turn the steering wheel a full 180 degrees to get the car to turn a bit. No problem, we'll drive slow. Hmmm.... interesting, never had this experience before. After all, Jimi Hendrix asked "Are you experienced"? So what if the steering wheel is 50 degrees one side or the other, and the car is still going straight. And any road camber or cracks take control of the car -- cool!

Yeah, something is real messed up. Started on the way there with the steering wheel loose, about 70 degrees or so before the car would respond. On the way way home (yes I kept it to about 10 mph the whole way), literally had to turn 180 deg. to get the car to respond in any way. I've never driven a car where turning the steering wheel had no effect. Real busy with work, may take a couple of day before I can get back under. I promise I'll write back with some results.

Do know the state of your steering tonight?

Roland

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[banditsc]

I was going to respond with don't drive the car if it's the bolt from the castor block. But I thought you still had the car up in the air trying to figure it out.

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[josephsc]

"about 2.5 inches long" -- doesn't help as much telling us the length in millimeters, measured from the end of the bolt to the base (ie: not including the head".

I'm betting on one of the 4 bolts (M8 x 60mm) that mounts the steering rack. And I'd bet it's the passenger side. It can't be the caster block -- those are M10's.

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[flash]

lol - i told him to check, those as well

i was going off memory on the head size - after now checking, indeed the castor block bolts are larger heads

so, i am in agreement - steering rack bolt

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[banditsc]

Would explain the extra turning of the wheel to get it to turn if the rack is loose enough to shift back and forth.

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[968Syncro]

lol sorry Joseph, I looked for 2 minutes and couldn't find a metric measuring device (wife/kids stuff seems to disappear problem!). So measuring with a yardstick, it was 2 and 9/16 inches from the top of the bolt head to the end of the shaft, which converts to about 65 mm, or assuming about a 5 mm bolt head, would be a bolt shaft of 60 mm. I should have been more specific, and thank you, yes I am betting steering rack also.

Roland

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[968Syncro]

Ok, finally had time to get under the car:

- The left side steering rack mounting bolts are "gone". The bottom one is snapped off, and the remaining upper part of the bolt is still hanging loose, with the tip part in the cross member. I'm sure it needs to be drilled out.
- As above, the upper bolt on the left side is completely out (as in the picture above).
- There is a rubber bushing or pad between the rack and the cross member that is torn up, needs to be replaced.
- And there is a leak, there is some little fitting that comes out of the front of the rack. Not sure exactly its function.

So, this stinks. I may be beyond the other work I can do on occasion, laying on my back, constantly glancing at jack stands to see if they are buckling. Might be time for the shop to step in an take care of this one.

I can't see a reasonable way to get the broken bolt out of the cross member unless the steering rack is removed for access.

Any words to the not-so-wise (me)? Looks like I'd have to remove the sway bar, tie rod ends, AC compressor, and maybe other stuff, steering rack, disconnect from the steering shaft, etc..

Thanks!
Roland

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[flash]

bummer - that's what we figured though, as soon as we found out what size it was

i don't see a way to remove that bolt without removing the rack - sounds like the rack needed rework anyway though

definitely do NOT drive it like that

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[968Syncro]

Thanks for the support flash, no, I am not going to drive it. The next worry is how to get it on the tow truck. The last time I had it towed, about 3.5 years ago, it was a flatbed, but the way the guy hooked up the pull cable, caused some compression on the bottom of the front bumper cover. I have the metal grieman grill now, which doesn't flex, it stays bent, so I am getting worried about this step.

I called Black Forest, I think they are the right shop to work on it. He said simple fix might run less than $500. I don't think this is a simple fix. But on the other hand, I am sure my front shocks/struts are gone, so will probably have them do this as well. Ball park quote for Konis was $200 ea., I've read about the Paragon / RS Barn upgrade a year or 2 ago, I may go that route if not too much extra $. Then I can get a professional job done on components that are very critical to safety, get bushings inspected, etc. Luckily it was not the castor block. He quoted over $200 for a wheel alignment, that is really high, my last 4 wheel alignment was around $128. I think the Porsche shops mark it up after they send it out to the alignment shop.

For all I know, this is a left over from the infamous offroad trip my son took with the car. Was 2 years ago this month, maybe that broken steering rack mounting bolt was broken then, and nobody could spot it, and it finally surfaced into a problem now. The car did hit hard on the left side when it landed in the ditch.

Roland

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[josephsc]

That fitting you're talking about sounds like the power-steering line -- have you been losing PS fluid? I would bet your reservoir is empty. I'd also bet that's the source of your trouble -- that fluid likes to eat rubber. As a bonus, I'll also bet that one of your sway bar bushings will fall apart in your hands when you remove it.

If you do decide to repair it yourself, it's basically remove/replace job -- step by step can be found here: Clark's garage on PS rack.

But the big question is: why did the fitting fail? Did it simply undo itself over the years, or is there a bigger problem....

The fluid also serves as lubrication for your steering rack -- so as flash says, I wouldn't recommend driving it. You could be grinding away at your steering rack.

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[flash]

do you still have the OEM upper grille? if so, do you have the tow eye that screws in there? if he sets the angle of the bed right, you should not have a problem going up when using that

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[DaveN]

I know it's not a 968 but I had my S2 towed about 6 months ago when the starter went and it was loaded on backwards. My friend has a flatbed for towing more exotic cars and he was worried about the front spoiler in the parking lot so he pulled it up by the rear with nylon straps. As he was loading he slipped a couple of pre-made planks (for this specific purpose) under the wheels just before the front touched and elevated the front enough to land on the beginning of the steel ramp.

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[968Syncro]

Joseph,

Thanks for the tip on Clarks' garage. I used to have a 944 and referenced that site all the time, have totally forgotten about it. Hmm.... maybe I should undertake this after all. And yes, it is definitely leaking PS fluid. My last trip out I could see the leak, checked the reservior and there was some fluid, just looked now, empty.

Flash, yes, thanks for the suggestion, I still have the tow eye. I'll give that a shot.

Roland

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[968Syncro]

Ok, so one bolt turned into approx. $2600, maybe a bit more, don't have the final number. Sorry, I just love 968s!

I was very encouraged by many owners here replacing their own racks, but I am so busy with work and other stuff. And I added on new shocks and 4 wheel alignment.

Steering rack, we are going with the Zims rebuilt for $289. Then drilling out the broken bolt from the cross member, a new high pressure hose, and misc parts plus labor total about $1250. Although Autozone has the rack for $189, I had to go with something my mechanic would support and he was happy with items from Zims.

Four new koni shocks, includes the mods to the struts and alignment is the rest. The old shocks were shot, I bouncing down the freeway sometimes. Paragon has the rear Konis on sale for $119 each.

We negotiated part markups for the shop on these web parts, which is fair, I know the shops have to make a buck on that part of the work. Although tough to spend this kind of money, when I could do some things myself. But I am not so experienced with these suspension items, and I figure this whole package is kind of a turn-key solution done by pros. I am really excited to get all these things taken care of, and get a decent handling car back, so I figure it is all a good thing.

Roland

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[Johannvb]

Sounds like you will be having lots of fun once she's back!

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[rxter]

Roland you'll have very little excuse for Paso this year. Your car will be rocking.

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[Johannvb]

Roland, do you think this issue was caused by your car's off road adventure a year or so ago? I remember your front end had some damage?

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