Need help on removing rear spring plates.

[rnln]

Hi,
I know topic has been covered multiple time, but maybe my case is a little different. My car was a 911, but modified to 930 wide body. It has the turbo tube, longer.
Now the problem is that I can not pull the tube off the car no matter if I pull the torsion bar all the way out with the tube, or I push the bar all the way in before I pull the tube out. The tube won't fit through the hole (on the body), nor has enough angle to turn it aside. Did anyone have this problem and had a solution?

[Ian Comerford]

It looks like whoever fitted the wide arches didn't realise that the 3.2s needed a different spring plate/torsion bar access plate in the wheel arch. If you look at normal bodied 3./ you will see that the access plate opens up to the bottom of the arch if you know what I mean? The3.2 plate is U-shaped and the SC one is circular like the one in your wing. You may have to cut the metal out down to the bottom of the panel

Hope this helps

Ian

[HFR_Racer]

One solution.. Drill a hole in the (torsion tube) end cap of the spring plate. Use a screwdriver through the newly drilled hole to pry the end cap out of the spring plate. Then use a brass drift to push the torsion bar fully inward ( you can drive the opposite side torsion bar away from the side of the car that your working kn). You then should be able to remove that spring plate.

[88911coupe]

Yep, there is normally a big U shaped cut out in the fender that allows you to maneuver that part off, whether attached to the torsion bar or not. Looks like whoever did the bodywork was not aware of this.

[Chuck.H]

HFR_Racer -- if the end cap is removed, can the torsion bar be completely removed without removing the spring plate? (assuming the spring plate is tilted down to remove tension). This sounds like a great way to confirm smooth suspension travel, which I'm concerned about after installing my brass rear bushings a year ago.

Sorry to hijack the thread...

Chuck.H
'89 TurboLookTarga, 332k miles

[rnln]

Thanks guys. Will try that tonight.

[88911coupe]

Just wondering if taking the plate apart may offer some more flexibility?

[rnln]

ok, look like I need more help. This is what I did, and still same problem.

First, I drill a hole in the middle of the cap, stick a long phillips screw driver in there and hammer it in with the hope it will knock the other t bar on all the way to the other side, but I was wrong. It's stuck tight at the normal possition. Now, I can't even pull it loose. Running to the other side, I check to see if the t bar move out more than where i set it (normal possition), nope, it doesn't. Which mean, the t bar on my car doesn't move in pass it normal possition. Does that mean the t bar chamber doesn't allow the bar to go through pass the middle section. Am I correct?

Second, I used punch, screw driver, hammer, plyers to knock/bend the through-hole on the body to let the t-bar tube come through. I succeed. Now the t-bar can come out all the way until the spring plate touch the car's body panel. Still, not enough room for the tube to get off the t-bar. I did double check hundred times to make sure that the plate/tube came all the way out through this hole, and the t-bar stick all the way in and bottom out inside the t-bar chamber. Turbo guys, please tell me how you get these off the car? This is rediculous.

Third, I use the same screw driver to pray the tube cap hoping it'll come off so I can see if I can pull the bar out through the tube. Nope, it won't be pried off that easy. Now, I am thinking of cutting off the tip of the tube. After I am done, I will have to find some plastic cap that fit and stay there to cover it form dust. Is this an acceptable option?

Any more thought? Just please do not tell me to cut off my below body panel.
Thanks in advance.

PS: why do I need turbo t-bar and turbo end tube? Why did the PO did this? He can simply stay with the carrera t-bar and tube right? Or my car is the real turbo look? I wish.

[D911SC]

Unless the tube has a tapered end I imagine you would be able to pull the tbar through it - as long as the splines are clean.

I would try and 'clean' the end of the tube with something like a die grinder being extra careful you are only working on the remanants of the cap (ie. not the splines). This should give you a clear line of sight to the tbar. Maybe apply some lube and then see if you can slide the tbar out.

After you are done you might try and find an end cap. I've seen these before on other spring plates. As long as you are keeping out moisture and dirt I can't see why it wouldn't be a good solution.

Good luck with it!

[cashman]

Keep in mind the spline count is different on the engine side of the torsion bar. If you remove the end cap you still might not be able to pull the bar through due to the spline difference.

[steely]

rnln - Did you see this? Can you dismantle the spring plate in place?

Good luck buddy.

Originally Posted by 88911coupe

Just wondering if taking the plate apart may offer some more flexibility?

[boyt911sc]

rnln,

I was in similar situation and did exactly what you've done with no luck. So I installed them back as they were and used a small gear puller to pull the TB cover and push the TB out. Remove the cover disc (circular cover). It is not welded but forced fitted. Once you have removed this cover, set up the gear puller and gradually tighten the puller with occasional squirt of penetrating oil. At first it would feel like it is welded together but patience and technique will help get these TB's out. Keep us posted.

Tony

[rnln]

steely, 88911coupe,
please describe a little more detail of your idea, because I can't see how that can be done. Did you mean separate the spring plate off the t-bar cover tube? Meaning you have to remove the bushing while everything is there? I feel that is very hard and even so, the length of the t-bar cover tube is still the same. Maybe I do not understand what you mean?

boyt911sc,
Let see if I understand this. You meant use the gear puller to remove the round cap cover at the end of the tube?
After the cap is off the tube, tube is still in place, use the gear puller (again) to pull the t-bar through the tube and out? But, as cashman mentioned above, the splines on the other end of the t-bar is in different size. It won't go through the spines on the tube. Is it the case or the t-bar will go through the tube?

If I can push the t-bar from one side to another through the t-bar chamber, I can take the tube off on one side, then push the other t-bar back and take the other tube out the same way. I remember more than one person said this, but how come mine can't be able to push through? Anyone can explain this?

[djdsc]

Is this :T-Bar Stuck in Spring Plate - Help!! the problem you are having?

The solution is there then.

BTW you can't push the t-bar through the tunnel and out the other side.

[D911SC]

Even if you can slide one end of the tbar out as far as the other with different spline you may then be able to maneuver the assembly out of the tube in the body and slide the bar back the other way (eg. under the car) and out of the spring plate.

Not sure if this will work but you should have a fair bit of movement with the smaller diameter of the tbar at the hole in the fender. Maybe they'll be enough to to this?

Of course you'll have to free up the tbar. If you are removing both sides then perhaps the other tbar is loose. Once that side is done you could tap the other bar front the other side to free it up again.

[Porboynz]

I am not familiar with those turbo spring plates but I am familiar with frustration. Usually you will solve it after a beer or two and a good sleep, can not hurt right? Logic suggests that the plates are fitted and the body is not slotted so if they can be fitted, they can be removed the same way. I would remove the 2 large height adjust bolts for starters and then figure out what gives me the most room. Either having the TB fully engaged into the inner spline and pushed in as far as it will go or otherwise loose at the inner spline so you can angle the entire assembly. You can use the spring plates to push the inner spline end in as far as it will go by grabbing them and wiggling the TB keeping sideways pressure on the partially engaged outer TB splines, hard to describe, but not punches etc needed and jamming the inner spline is just another hassle. I would then look at wedging the outer wing with a block of suitably cut wood so you flex it away from the body as far as it will go without taking a set or creasing.

Good luck, if that does not work, have another beer.

[Chuck Moreland]

I think you missed this:

Originally Posted by Ian Comerford

It looks like whoever fitted the wide arches didn't realise that the 3.2s needed a different spring plate/torsion bar access plate in the wheel arch. If you look at normal bodied 3./ you will see that the access plate opens up to the bottom of the arch if you know what I mean? The3.2 plate is U-shaped and the SC one is circular like the one in your wing. You may have to cut the metal out down to the bottom of the panel

Hope this helps

Ian

You don't have a 'turbo' torsion tube. You have a G50 type tube and spring plates.
This was already on your car before the turbo body conversion.

As above G50 equipped cars (87-89 911 and 89 930) had a different access cover on the body to allow removal of the larger spring plates.

Whoever did your turbo body conversion failed to use the G50 access cover in the body.

You could still make this change now. Just takes a little cutting and the right covers.

Perhaps someone has a picture of the G50 coverplates handy that they could post up?

[will hung]

Chuck is right. When the cover is removed, the hole looks like a left turned D. You could maybe get this section, have it welded on, and with your car being a non-metallic color, get it painted and blended.

[boyt911sc]

Originally Posted by rnln

...................................

boyt911sc,
Let see if I understand this. You meant use the gear puller to remove the round cap cover at the end of the tube?
After the cap is off the tube, tube is still in place, use the gear puller (again) to pull the t-bar through the tube and out? But, as cashman mentioned above, the splines on the other end of the t-bar is in different size. It won't go through the spines on the tube. Is it the case or the t-bar will go through the tube?

If I can push the t-bar from one side to another through the t-bar chamber, I can take the tube off on one side, then push the other t-bar back and take the other tube out the same way. I remember more than one person said this, but how come mine can't be able to push through? Anyone can explain this?

rnln,

Drill a hole on the cap and pry it out to expose the end of the torsion bar with the splines. Take a good look at Jung's (DJDSC) attachment and it has very good picture to illustrate what you have to do. There are people who like to do this job with the BFH. I like to do it better by using the appropriate tool.

Tony

[pete3799]

[QUOTE=rnln;6670278]Hi,

Now the problem is that I can not pull the tube off the car no matter if I pull the torsion bar all the way out with the tube, or I push the bar all the way in before I pull the tube out. The tube won't fit through the hole (on the body), nor has enough angle to turn it aside. Did anyone have this problem and had a solution?


If i'm reading this right he already has the TB separated from the spring plate.