996 C4S drop link orientation - Page 2 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

After doing my own front suspension overhall (including new drop links identical to the old ones) - Porsche have done a 4 wheel alignment and are telling me the drop links are installed incorrectly and are fouling a brake line, in fact they told me the right and left were switched. Being a C4S I don't believe left and right are different. I assumed that this must mean they are upside down, checking this, it makes no difference which way up they are, the bolts at each end are at right angles to each other. So turning them up the other way up makes no difference. Looking at various photos it looks like the nut on the bottom of the drop link should be on the inside of the anti-roll bar, but there is a slot in the carrier for the other end of the drop link that looks made for the captive nut on the bolt of drop link. This is not possible with the drop links I have, as the orientation of the drop link bolts is 180 degrees out of alignment. Can anyone shed light on this mystery it is driving me nuts! I do wonder if the wear to the brake line is nothing to do with the drop link and is more to do with it being incorrectly fitted by Porsche a couple of years ago, but need to be sure before I go back to them. It certainly looks to me like the wear on the lines has been there for a while and is only when the car is on full lock. Thanks for any help and photos, please put me out of my misery!

NSF suspension with the drop link shown. Any ideas?

I don't have OEM drop-links any more (or a C4S), but maybe left and right ARE different? Have you tried swapping them around, because that just doesn't look right to me. Surely the OPC/an Indy can tell you which way to install them?

On the Turbo, probably the same, there is only one part number, no L/R.

Looking into this further for you, there are L/R on the regular 996, but under M339 (4wd) again there is just one part number, no L/R. Download the "996 Katalog" pdf and you have all the info there. Unless the info published is wrong, your OPC is confusing the RWD with the AWD models.

But you seem to have assyd incorrectly. Again according to KATALOG. At the ARB, the actual BJ body is on the outside, and the nut on the inside.

And, if you were to imagine swapping sides, i.e. L goes to R and vice versa, it should all work fine, but you don't need to do that because you can invert them, can't you? Actually, no, you need to swap sides. So there is L/R. Edited by 996TT02 on Saturday 21st May 20:39

Hopefully you see my issue now. If anyone has a photo it would be great! You may even be able to see it on full lock without taking off a wheel.

Hi you have appeared to have answered your own question. The nut should be on the inside of the antiroll bar. Chris

Thanks Chris but I haven't answered my question. The key facts are: 1. The L and R drop links are the same (1 part number) 2. The drop link is the same either way up. 3. There is a cut out in the carrier which seems to fit the nut on the inside of the drop link bolt which forces the drop link to be fitted with the roll bar end nut on the outside closest to the wheel which results in minimal/ no clearance on the brake line. If anyone can share a photo of a C4S or turbo drop link installed with both ends visible then I would really appreciate it. Alternatively I will call Porsche tomorrow and will report back. Cheers

They might be the same either way up, but they can't be the same left to right because the end fittings are at 90 degrees to each other. Visualise the drop link pictured fitted to the other side. The nut would be on the inside of the arb.

Hi PhilD,you could have been supplied the wrong ones Chris

Chris, I wish it was that simple. They match the ones taken off the car and these from Design911 C4S droplinks

Hi PhilD, I had look in workshop manual, and the nut is shown on the inside of the ARB, as i thought it would. Chris

PhilD said: Thanks Chris but I haven't answered my question. The key facts are: 1. The L and R drop links are the same (1 part number) No, they are not. If you transposed either to the other side, all would be 100% PhilD said: 2. The drop link is the same either way up. Only on the same side. PhilD said: 3. There is a cut out in the carrier which seems to fit the nut on the inside of the drop link bolt which forces the drop link to be fitted with the roll bar end nut on the outside closest to the wheel which results in minimal/ no clearance on the brake line. There should not be, you need to turn the nut to tighten the BJ so in can never be captive. On the other hand the BJ may have a flat on it you can't ordinarily see, that locks into the cutout making the BJ captive, to prevent it turning when you tighten the nut (a very common issue with a used part rather than a tight new part) so it is perfectly logical for this to be further reinforcement that you have it wrong (as per Porsche's diagrams). Swap them over. One of the simplest jobs on a Porsche, I'm replacing an o2 sensor right now and the only way that's coming off is with the entire exhaust system removed.

996TT02 said: There should not be, you need to turn the nut to tighten the BJ so in can never be captive. On the other hand the BJ may have a flat on it you can't ordinarily see, that locks into the cutout making the BJ captive, to prevent it turning when you tighten the nut (a very common issue with a used part rather than a tight new part) so it is perfectly logical for this to be further reinforcement that you have it wrong (as per Porsche's diagrams). Swap them over. One of the simplest jobs on a Porsche, I'm replacing an o2 sensor right now and the only way that's coming off is with the entire exhaust system removed. I know it is only a really simple job - which is why it is driving me nuts! I also have Porsche's workshop manuals and the diagrams you refer to (which show a C2 incidentally) where the lower drop link nut is on the inside! The drop links I have will only fit with the nut on the outside as you can see from the photo's below. The original drop links off my car, as you can see are identical, switching left to right or upside down has no effect. The new drop link taken out so you can see the flats on the lower spring platform that hold the inside captive nut on the drop link and stop it spinning as you tighten the outside nut. and finally the old drop link and new drop link together so you can see they are the same part. I am awaiting a call back from Porsche - if I get no help on the phone then I will head over to the dealer later for face to face advice from a tech. Apologies that the last two photos have spun though 90 degrees. The left of the photo is top. Edited by PhilD on Monday 23 May 12:35

I suspect that if you placed the 2 new ones side by side, you would see the difference. Assuming of course that both sides are assembled in the same manner on the car i.e. nut on the inside. If one side (the one not in the pics) is "correctly" assyd then yes they would be identical. I also would not exclude that (has this car been bought new?) one side had the wrong drop link either from new, or if ever previously replaced. I'll take a look at mine albeit a Turbo but only later today.

Surely lower part of link to outside of ARB and the threaded portion at the upper end facing the rear of the car?

I did wonder if the thread could face towards the back of the car, but as can be seen clearly below the ridges on each side of the hole on the lower spring platform stop a bolt being tightened cleanly and look far better designed to hold the captive nut on the drop link, so having the threaded portion facing forwards and the drop link on the 'wrong side' inside of the arb. Porsche have kindly agreed to put the car up on ramps and talk me through it on Wednesday morning, fingers crossed that can be the end of it.

On some models the ARB drop links are the same side-to-side: On some they are handed: If Design 911 are listing the same part no. for each side, but the parts are different for each side, they appear to have confused something (or missed a prefix/suffix from the part no.). I'm afraid I haven't exhaustively identified what is fitted to which models. I agree the Design 911 website appears to offer the same part for either side of your 996 C4S, but then it clearly shows a handed part in the catalogue drawing: If the parts that came off your car are identical left-to-right then I think someone has fitted the wrong part in the past. Edited by griffter on Tuesday 24th May 07:30

Well what do you know. Mine is assembled in the same orientation as yours. Well, at least the LHS because that's all I checked. So the brake lines issue must have a different solution.

Thanks 996TT02, I really appreciate you taking the tiem to grab a photo. It looks like the workshop manuals are misleading. Interestingly what I thought might look like a clip for the brake line on my car and is not connected to anything, is exactly the same on your car. I will see what Porsche say about the rubbing brake line but it seems as though the drop link is not linked to it (if you will excuse the pun!)

996TT02 said: Well what do you know. Mine is assembled in the same orientation as yours I had a quick look at mine on the 996 c2 and it's the opposite of yours (and OP's) - the drop link is effectively on the outside of the arb, not the inside like yours. I assume it's correct as my local indie is very particular.

IknowJoseph said: 996TT02 said: Well what do you know. Mine is assembled in the same orientation as yours I had a quick look at mine on the 996 c2 and it's the opposite of yours (and OP's) - the drop link is effectively on the outside of the arb, not the inside like yours. I assume it's correct as my local indie is very particular. I was not expecting that TBH as in Porsche diagrams the BJ is on the outside, as you describe. However the OP, now that I have read his post carefully, indicates that on the inside of the ARB there are flats/recesses that retain the hex on the BJ "shaft" to prevent it from rotating as you tighten the nut i.e. making the shaft captive. Yet, having said that, it is also possible, albeit really unusual that one may seat the nut in these flats (making it captive) and instead rotate the BJ shaft by using a spanner on its base hex. Weird but possibly possible. Tomorrow I will take a look at the other side. I have no idea if my drop links have ever been replaced, so potentially been assyd incorrectly, or otherwise. Maybe AWD means that's the way they should be.

Checking Porsche's repair manual for the Turbo, on page 555 there is a line drawing showing the BJ assembled just the way it is assyd on mine, as in the pic, BJ in, shaft out. Sort of more confirmation that the rubbing issue is not about the drop link. I suspect that on "katalog" and similar, images are used across several models unchanged so are not to be taken as any surefire guide to assembly. I know for sure that a bearing in my gearbox does not appear ANYWHERE on any "katalog", because I had to buy this imaginary bearing... Edited by 996TT02 on Tuesday 24th May 22:13

Well the car has been up on ramps at Porsche this morning and they have apologised for the missinformation on the original notification of the issue and confirmed the drop link is installed correctly. The rubbing on the brake line seems to be a factor of it being a little further away from the inside of the wheel well than it should be. Porsche have now adjusted (bent) the line very slightly to give it more clearance on the drop link on full lock so it is now safe. I will for sure be checking it periodically to make sure of no more wear. Thanks for everyones help, especially 996TT02 for taking a photo of his turbo and setting my mind at rest over the drop link orientation.

Well, you live and learn! Glad it's resolved. I'm going to take a look at the orientation on my c4 at the weekend...

hi guys, I had a similar question when changing my shocks ( and meanwhile my front drop links) on my C4S. Stupidly I didn't take any pictures BEFORE removing the front left drop link, so I looked at the right one to mimic that (but mirrored) : found out the new drop links are EXACTLY the same, there's only 1 Part number for 4S (and Turbo as well I guess). They are identical. So : I based the installation of the front left droplink on the picture in this thread : the ball joint on the INSIDE of the ARB, and the threads on the other end of the droplink facing forward, so the ball joint at the back of the shock strut. I should take a picture of the right side, but I think there the ball joint on the ARB is on the INSIDE as well (just like the left one, so threads facing outwards), but on the strut it's mounted in reverse compared to the left one, so ball joint at the FRONT of the strut, the nut on the back, opposite as on the left one. So : is this ok ? I'll double check and make a picture Looks just a bit weird, I'd expect they'd be mirrored ( like on C2's)