Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

I've had a clunking noise from the steering at low speed since I bought the car 4 years ago, so now I've bought myself an uprated steering shaft from JMG - the part with the UJ on each end that fits onto the splines. Is removal just a case of unbolting top and bottom, wiggling it loose and fitting is the reverse? It's all a bit tight in there, especially at the top, so I was wondering if I need to remove other stuff first for access.

I've got skinny hands so if it's possible to do it without moving other stuff, then I'll manage it, but I don't want to waste time doing it that way if it's impossible.

Cheers,
Bryan

Need to do this myself, got the shaft but not the inclination, will follow replies with interest. From what I have read it's a pia and need to drop rack, access to upper uj is difficult and they are a begger to release. Then you need to align correctly. I also bought a lower u/j heat shield as fitted to turbos mainly to keep the muck out.
ref:-http://www.clarks-garage.com/

You have to undo the 4 bolts securing the rack to allow you to move it about a bit, but it's no biggie.

A quote from Rennlist forum where they played about with replacing the u/j's .
:-"It was pretty straight forward to install the shaft, and everything was pretty accessible from below. Loosening the rack a little bit was a key to getting the new shaft installed. I used a long piece of conduit to help drive the upper joint onto the upper shaft. Overall, it probably took me less than an hour to swap them. One thing to note is that the orientation of the shaft ends is pretty random since the shaft is splined but the ends go on the rack and upper shaft in only one position. I found my steering wheel was pretty much 180 degrees off with the new shaft. I simply removed the steering wheel and clocked it back to what it should be. The alignment wasn't affected."

Hmmm, not going well so far.

At the bottom, I can shift it about 5mm along the spline, which is nowhere near enough to get it off. More worryingly, I've now got fluid weeping from the cover that's at the base of the spline.

At the top, no movement at all. Where are these 4 bolts guys? Are you talking about the 2 separate pairs of bolts inside the driver's footwell? If so, the 2 nearest the front are on the far side of the bracket, so any movement would be forwards, when I really want it rearwards i.e. taking the spline away from the shaft I'm trying to remove.

Cheers,
Bryan

The four bolts that hold the rack to the crossmember, loosen those right off almost out that will give you enough wiggle room

I have rebuilt a few of these shafts now it's an easy job and costs about £60, with new UJ's

Takes longer to paint them than repair them

Now that makes more sense! Will try that approach tomorrow.

I did a write up on my 968 when I did mine last year.... Hope this helps

http://www.porsche968uk.co.uk/phpbb/vie ... t=steering

To make life easier cut through the middle of the old shaft for removal. I found the top nut on the shaft difficult to get on (turbo) so I welded it to the shaft to make it much easier.

Also don't do the bolts up until the car is back on the ground and the steering cycled lock to lock, this will allow the shaft to find its natural location.

Need to be a member of that site to view and it's £10 to join, which is a bit of a shame.

Cut it in half and I can't rebuild it

Brian,

I've done the job a couple of times - access is tight but definitely possible. Like has been said earlier the 4 bolts holding the rack to the cross-member have to be loosened right off and the lock bolts on the shaft removed. On re-assembly get the shaft in, tighten up the rack bolts and nip up the lock bolts through the shaft. Before you finally tighten them up give the part of the UJ that the bolt goes through a tap with a hammer to take out any slack - that tip was courtesy of the OPC.

If you get stuck let me know.

Mick

Well it put up a decent fight, but I think I've won. Everything all back together, just need to torque up the bolts and refit the undertray. Food and a glass of something are more important just now.

I had to remove the bolts from the rack completely to get enough clearance to remove the bottom UJ. I remember reading somewhere that you should be able to slot the 4 bolts in and finger tighten them when refitting, so that confirms they're lined up.

There was a gotcha that I hadn't realised. The cross section on the splines are D shaped, rather than an O shape. This means that you can't get the bolts back in unless the shaft is aligned with flat section of the spline. That also explains why you need to remove the bolts before the shaft can be removed from the spline.

Mick - good tip about tapping them in with the hammer. Was useful on the top UJ. Cushioned by a length of wood, of course!

Thanks for all you help guys - as always.

Bryan

Sorry Bryan - it is worth it though for the transaxle info!

Glad you got it sorted

Just been out for a test drive. Blimey, what a difference! I'd just got used to the clunky, notchy steering and that's all gone now. One of those "old car" characteristics that I won't miss.

MOT day tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Cheers,
Bryan