Pelican Parts
Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   Pelican Parts Forums > Porsche Forums > Porsche 911 Technical Forum


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Rate Thread
Author
Thread Post New Thread    Reply
Registered
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 675
Banana Arms - Least Path of Resistance

Reading a lot of threads to plan my suspension refresh, and have read that banana arm removal is significantly easier while the engine is out.

Trying to decide if I will embrace the struggle, or just plan to drop the engine and make things easier. (I don't have a large "while it's out" list at this point)

Car is an 84 M491 with the longer trailing arms if that makes a difference.

Thoughts and opinions appreciated.

__________________
1984 M491 Coupe
2014 Cayman S
Old 05-24-2021, 02:42 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #1 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 279
Garage
If you were to drop the engine only to do this, embrace the struggle then swallow hard & get the overpriced elephant racing tool for this job. Watch their youtube vid. Or, wait until you need to drop the engine to replace your clutch or something. I did this on my '88 two years ago(w/ help & a lift) & the bushings were still ok.

Last edited by mo-mon; 05-24-2021 at 04:03 AM..
Old 05-24-2021, 03:57 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #2 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Nm 87510
Posts: 1,518
Garage
Banana bushings are very robust. It seems you enjoy the very clean and done right path .
When you are motivated tackle the engine out routine . you will be surprised at how many other little things you will choose to address .The engine drop may take 4.5 hours if it is your first time ,
so what , it makes the project so much easier . ...Clean the entire banana Check the cv and axle ,
Just my thoughts
Ian
__________________
Kermit, 73 RS clone,
Just Part of the Team
Chris Leydon ,Louis Baldwin ,Peter Brock ,Riche Clark
Jerry Sherman ,Rob McGlade ,Donnie Deal
Hank Clarkson ,Craig Waldner ,Don Kean ,Leroy Axel Gains
Old 05-24-2021, 04:51 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #3 (permalink)
Registered
 
GG Allin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: ORD
Posts: 3,986
Garage
I did mine with the engine and trans out. I did not torque the bolts due to how high the car sat, not sure if that matters but I just left them snug. Now that the car is together, I cannot get tools on the nut and bolt to torque them properly. IIRCC it's a 12mm bolt and will need quite a bit of torque. I'm taking the car somewhere soon for a lowering and alignment, gonna let a pro handle it.
__________________
-Mark B. Hardware Store Engineer
1988 911 - 3.6
1999 SL500 - Gone
1995 M3 - LS2 - Gone
1993 RS America - Gone
Old 05-24-2021, 05:35 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #4 (permalink)
Home of the Whopper
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Rocky Top, TN
Posts: 6,886
Garage
Im not sure you can get the trailing arm bolt out with the tranny in the way.
__________________
1968 912 coupe
1971 911E Targa rustbucket
1972 914 1.7
1987 924S
Old 05-24-2021, 07:32 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #5 (permalink)
Registered
 
GG Allin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: ORD
Posts: 3,986
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by BK911 View Post
Im not sure you can get the trailing arm bolt out with the tranny in the way.

With the bolt head facing out (which I believe is the proper orientation) it's doable but a pain in the ass.

Also, it's an M14 bolt, not 12 as I said above. Torque spec is 72 ft lbs, for future reference.....
__________________
-Mark B. Hardware Store Engineer
1988 911 - 3.6
1999 SL500 - Gone
1995 M3 - LS2 - Gone
1993 RS America - Gone
Old 05-24-2021, 08:18 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #6 (permalink)
 
Registered
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,551
Garage
yes. you can do it on either 911 or 930 arms... i have done so many times and in fasxct, just did it last week to replace wheel bearings in my TA ( completely rsavsaged by 4 race events on the bumps ast sebring...)

tell me did the M491 ( fake 930 ) chassis come stock with true 930 TAs? this is a detail i did not know.

trying to find a set now.
Old 05-24-2021, 08:36 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #7 (permalink)
Registered
 
H-viken's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Sweden
Posts: 1,197
Why not saw off the bolt and replace it with Wevos solution?
__________________
SEARCHING FOR ENGINE 6208326 (last seen in car with VIN 9111101452)

911E Coupe -70

Carrera 3,2 -84 Sold
Old 05-24-2021, 09:45 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #8 (permalink)
gtc gtc is offline
abides.
 
gtc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 8,415
Garage
I'm of the opposite opinion. I don't think it's really that much harder to remove the trailing arms with the engine and transmission in the car.
Yes, the bolts at the torsion tube mounts are fussy, but I've removed 30 year old trailing arm bolts a few times and never had a need to cut them off. (An exception to this might be if you are in a salty/humid environment and yours are especially crusty.)

If you have another reason to drop the engine, then by all means go ahead. But i wouldn't do it just to make the suspension refresh easier.
__________________
Graham
1984 Carrera Targa

Last edited by gtc; 05-24-2021 at 10:33 AM..
Old 05-24-2021, 10:30 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #9 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 675
Appreciate all the feedback, lots to think about.

I probably should have done them when I had the engine out this winter, but knew the added time would keep me from getting things done by spring driving season.
Old 05-24-2021, 03:32 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #10 (permalink)
Registered
 
rokemester's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Hudson, Ohio
Posts: 1,436
I was struggling to remove the upper trailing arm bolts when I was renewing the front and rear suspension on my 87 Targa last winter/spring. I might have been successful if the left side didn’t have so much interference from brake, fuel lines and an electric cable bundle. It was an easier decision for me to drop the drivetrain because I wanted to go through the fuel injectors, chain cover gasket renewal, valve adjust and powder coat the engine tinware among other things.

That said it lengthened the project by 1-2 months.
__________________
Northeast Ohio
1987 Porsche 911 Targa
1966 VW Beetle, 6V
Old 05-24-2021, 06:28 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #11 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 918
When I did the Elephant bushing change out 15 years ago I got the upper banana arm bolts out without removing or dropping the motor/gearbox. Wasn't pleasant, but doable. Was a dirt falls in your face kinda deal. The axles, brakes, and torsion bars were all out for attention.

Old 05-24-2021, 08:41 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #12 (permalink)
 
Reply


 


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 12:48 PM.


 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2025 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page
 

DTO Garage Plus vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.