Rear suspension mount and output flange replacement

[Delusionary]

So I just bought a shiny yellow 986. A week afterward the drive axle bolts sheared off on the driver's side (left). When it came loose, it whacked the U-shaped rear suspension mount, and cracked it. The mechanic said whoever serviced it last didn't tighten the bolts properly, and wants $2800 (1150 labor plus 1400 parts plus tax) to replace it. So, that's out of the question for the moment, and seems kind of high in any case.

Now, I was hoping to work on my Boxster first under better conditions, but the rear suspension is awesomely put together, and I'm pretty sure I can handle the job. (No CV Shaft snap rings? Piece of cake!)

I've got Bentley's service manual, and a rip from an auto shop generic service manual. These sources have left a couple questions unanswered. I was hoping somebody here could help me out with a couple questions:

1. I can find instructions for removing all the rear suspension components *except* the mount. It looks to me like, once the other components are removed, there are only four bolts at the top holding it to the chassis. Is this correct? Also, does anybody have torque specs for these bolts?

2. When replacing the transmission output flange on the left side, is it necessary to replace the oil seal around it? Is there any tool that would make a good subsitute for Porsche special tool 3382 (need part #) for inserting it? If not, where's a good place to get it?

3. JPLV Porsche parts (http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/index.cfm?siteid=214626) seems to have prices significantly below MSRP on genuine parts. Does anybody have experience with them, or want to recommend anybody else?

4. Does anybody know of something I'm likely to be missing that would put me in over my head? I intent to have the alignment done when I'm finished, even if I get all the eccentrics the way they started.

[Delusionary]

All right, I got my new parts, including an uncracked suspension mount :P, and now all I've got to do is put them in. I got the drive shaft and flange out okay, was hoping somebody could tell me:

1. What's the best way to put the flange back in. The ol' hammer and drift doesn't seem like a good idea. Some kind of giant C-clamp? What to use to press it back in? I'll bet it ain't gonna go back in easy, especially with a new snap ring.

2. Does anybody have the torque specs for the four nuts at the top of the rear suspension mount, that go into studs in the frame?

Everything else, I think I can handle. I'm gonna get me that $200 manual set, as soon as I get me $200...

[Delusionary]

In case anybody runs into the same question:

Okay, the numbers I got did not come from an official source, but was from a mechanic shop online manual. So, YMMV (pun intended), but all the other torque figures in the manual matched up with the Bentley book. All I can say about the source is that it was watermarked "EB Copyright 2008".

It says to torque the studs that go into the frame to 15 ft lb (20 Nm), and the nuts that go onto the studs to 48 ft lb (65 Nm). These seem like reasonable figures, especially since 65 Nm seems to be a pretty common torque specification for rear suspension bits on the boxter (cross-member to side section, diagonal brace to side section, etc.)

I got it all put back together, no parts left over :), and no noticable problems, although I've only got about 150 miles on it so far. If it holds together to 500 I'll put together a DIY from the bazillion pictures I took.

To other novice Boxster spelunkers: get a LED headlamp from REI, and take pictures of everything you do, including a picture of each set of parts you took off and the tools you used to do it. It can help with parts identification and ordering on the back side.

That way you won't end up putting diagonal brace nuts on the sway bar end links. :P

All I can say is that if Sunset still has those factory sets for $200, I'm getting one the very *second* I get $200.

I guess I can also say that that sheet metal brace is a real %!#$^!# to get back on.

Edited May 1, 2008 by Delusionary