IMS Center Bolt Source

[Burner's Cars]

I have a 2000 Boxster S with a dual row IMS bearing. I broke the center bolt and can't find a replacement! It doesn't seem to have a part number from Porsche and the aftermarket kits LN, Pedro, etc. will only sell the bolt as part of a complete kit. Ideas on part numbers? Sources? Thanks! 

[Ahsai]

There's no replacement from Porsche as far as I know. What new bearing do you plan to put on it? A new stud will come from the new bearing kit anyway.

[JFP in PA]

I have a 2000 Boxster S with a dual row IMS bearing. I broke the center bolt and can't find a replacement! It doesn't seem to have a part number from Porsche and the aftermarket kits LN, Pedro, etc. will only sell the bolt as part of a complete kit. Ideas on part numbers? Sources? Thanks! 

 

There are no replacement center bolts sold separately, you have to buy the entire kit.  Porsche now only sell the IMS as an assembled shaft, costing $1K and requiring engine disassembly to install.

[Burner's Cars]

Yeah, very much in line with what I'm finding. The problem is that I'm not using a kit. I sourced my own bearing replacement and was planning to reuse the center bolt. Now I have no center bolt. And the only ones who will sell a center bolt will only sell it as part of an entire kit! 

[JFP in PA]

Yeah, very much in line with what I'm finding. The problem is that I'm not using a kit. I sourced my own bearing replacement and was planning to reuse the center bolt. Now I have no center bolt. And the only ones who will sell a center bolt will only sell it as part of an entire kit! 

 

Take a word of advice from someone that does these retrofits for a living:  Don't try to reinvent the wheel, buy the LN kit and install it.  You will be happy that you did.

[Ahsai]

Yeah, very much in line with what I'm finding. The problem is that I'm not using a kit. I sourced my own bearing replacement and was planning to reuse the center bolt. Now I have no center bolt. And the only ones who will sell a center bolt will only sell it as part of an entire kit!

Take a word of advice from someone that does this retrofits for a living: Don't try to reinvent the wheel, buy the LN kit and install it. You will be happy that you did.

+986 unless you don't care about longevity.

[Burner's Cars]

 

Yeah, very much in line with what I'm finding. The problem is that I'm not using a kit. I sourced my own bearing replacement and was planning to reuse the center bolt. Now I have no center bolt. And the only ones who will sell a center bolt will only sell it as part of an entire kit! 

 

Take a word of advice from someone that does these retrofits for a living:  Don't try to reinvent the wheel, buy the LN kit and install it.  You will be happy that you did.

 

I do appreciate the advice. You certainly have more experience than I. However, I spent a great deal of time researching the topic on this and other forums and don't want to have yet another thread full of opinions about the IMS. Suffice it to say, I have my reasons for going to route I chose. Now, I just need to find the **** part!

[JFP in PA]

 

 

Yeah, very much in line with what I'm finding. The problem is that I'm not using a kit. I sourced my own bearing replacement and was planning to reuse the center bolt. Now I have no center bolt. And the only ones who will sell a center bolt will only sell it as part of an entire kit! 

 

Take a word of advice from someone that does these retrofits for a living:  Don't try to reinvent the wheel, buy the LN kit and install it.  You will be happy that you did.

 

I do appreciate the advice. You certainly have more experience than I. However, I spent a great deal of time researching the topic on this and other forums and don't want to have yet another thread full of opinions about the IMS. Suffice it to say, I have my reasons for going to route I chose. Now, I just need to find the **** part!

 

 

Then you face a bit of a conundrum: As you have discovered, both the bearing and the center bolt are typically irreparably damaged during the process of extraction and should never be reused for that reason.  And the only way you can get a new center bolt is to buy a complete new bearing kit.  Good luck.

[Porschetech3]

To get the center bolt the best option would be to buy the Pelican Parts kit for $165. It comes with an improved center bolt and also the needed spacers to install a single-row bearing in place of the dual-row. Since the dual-row 23.8mm wide bearing is not available to the consumer (only Porsche can get that one), I'm assuming you are either using a 20mm wide dual-row , or you are using the 14mm wide single-row. If your preferred bearing is a 14mm single-row , the spacers from the Pelican kit will be what's necessary. If your preferred bearing is the 20mm wide dual-row, you will still have to source a 3.8mm spacer.You didn't say what bearing you were using, but IMHO I would not be using any type ball bearing , a roller bearing only would be used, or the Ultimate IMS Solution.

Edited July 12, 2016 by Porschetech3

[Burner's Cars]

To get the center bolt the best option would be to buy the Pelican Parts kit for $165. It comes with an improved center bolt and also the needed spacers to install a single-row bearing in place of the dual-row. Since the dual-row 23.8mm wide bearing is not available to the consumer (only Porsche can get that one), I'm assuming you are either using a 20mm wide dual-row , or you are using the 14mm wide single-row. If your preferred bearing is a 14mm single-row , the spacers from the Pelican kit will be what's necessary. If your preferred bearing is the 20mm wide dual-row, you will still have to source a 3.8mm spacer.You didn't say what bearing you were using, but IMHO I would not be using any type ball bearing , a roller bearing only would be used, or the Ultimate IMS Solution.

Thanks, that's exactly what I would do... If the Pelican Parts kit were in stock. It has just said expected in 3+ weeks with no update on availability. 

[Keister]

Hi - Is there any update on this? 

 

BTW: is this the original dual-row IMS bearing used by Porsche for the 1999-2004 Boxster 986? 

 

 

 

Deep groove ball bearing - double rows BD20-17-A-DDUA17NX01-NSK - 20x47x24 mm | 123Roulement - 123Bearing - Online Bearing Expert

WWW.123BEARING.EU

---

Deep Groove Ball Bearing - Double Rows BD20-17-A-DDUA17NX01-NSK, Inner diam. 20 mm, Outer diam. 47 mm, Width 23.812 mm

 

Manufacturer and dimensions seem to be the same as the one used by Porsche.. 

 

[JFP in PA]

Welcome to RennTech 

 

Just as a by-the-by, there is vastly more to the IMS bearing than just its physical dimensions, as some have discovered the very hard way.  The materials of construction of the balls, the races, and in particular, the ball cages are all critical issues in this application, as is the materials used in the end seals as even Porsche has discovered the hard way.  It is also important to know that it is not uncommon for certain bearings to be produced exclusively for a single firm, as many people have discovered trying to find the exact bearing(s) that firms such as LN Engineering sell for retrofits.

 

A lot of people have tried to cobble together a cheaper, off the shelf, replacement; to my knowledge to date none have actually done it.

[Keister]

Thanks. So even if type and serial number and the manufacturer (NSK) are identical to the original, there could still be differences?   

[JFP in PA]

Yup.  And only two firms make the center bolt, Porsche who's design is flawed due to an undercut area that is a failure point, and they will not sell separately (plus you have to buy their entire shaft to get one); and LN's better design, which they also will not sell separately.