I am upgrading my 2009
Cayman
for the track and installing monoball LCAs (
GT3
castings with monoball inner bearing)
This video shows how much play there is when I insert the front LCA monoball into the subframe and insert the OEM bolt. I thought my subframe was worn out but maybe I need shims or a new bolt to achieve a "no movement" condition between the subframe, bolt and monoball inner race. What is the best installation practice here? Thanks
It's difficult to tell in the video, but was the nut on the bolt tightened down? I recall when installing mine (
2011 987.2
), it was loose enough to move around so I could get the bolt in the stabilizer arm. But once I snugged the bolts everything was pretty solid. One option to test this is to torque the bolt in place and then use a feeler gauge to see if there is any gap.
Assuming you are aware but, don't put any lube or anti-seize on any of the fasteners, especially the tapered ball joint, and mount the wheels and lower the car down on ramps or wooden blocks and torque the bolts with the suspension fully compressed.
After alignment, mark the two nuts that hold the inner and outer LCA w/shims in place with a paint marker and check before each track even to make sure they are not backing out. Mine did after about 10 track days and I had to tighten them back down.
Good luck!.
@wrongway
thanks for the good advice on the "NO-antiseize" and paint marking. No the Nut was not in place and the feeler gap is over 1mm (.040 in). If I torqued up the bolt with no spacers I'm afraid I would break the casting. My LCA has a RSR monoball and I think they just made the spacers too narrow. I found some shims that seem to work well and did a test install and all the play is taken up. I ordered some longer LCA bolts so that the threads don't bear on the subframe - I am surprised that Porsche did this but they did design it for an elastomeric LCA, not a solid monoball. The ultimate solution would be to install some custom shims to accept the vertical slots in the subframe (what is the purpose of these slots?) to provide a steel bearing surface for the bolt.
