Hi all,
Recently acquired a Boxster 981 in excellent low mileage & well looked after condition with FPSH etc. Was bought as an approved used vehicle so went through the 111 point check etc. Love the car and looking fwd to many years of adventures.
However, I am a stickler for having my vehicles as clean as possible underneath, so as part of getting to know the car I had it up on ramps for a little poking about.
I noticed there was some very light corrosion of the n/s rear diagonal brace but quite heavy surface rust on the offside brace.
I also noticed the rear cross member has suffered from some peeling paint and surface corrosion. I have found nothing structural!.
I’m not too bothered by this as I guess when Porsche did their 111 point check, unless anything structural was found, surface corrosion is a pass!….also shocked at the state of the exhaust flange fixings too, so that is my #1 priority in the next week or so.
Anyway, as for the rear braces and cross member I will be sorting it fully as a winter project, so in the meantime I have simply wire brushed, rust treated and slapped red oxide on then applied clear dinitrol as a temporary stopgap to stop further surface rust until later in the year.
But I do have some questions for anyone who has done this already so appreciate any thoughts on the below?….I did ask about diagonals on another post the other day, but only found the surface rust on the cross member since, then, hence a fresh post.
So…..
When I remove the rear braces and cross member, I understand the vehicle must be supported on its correct rear Jack points and the wheels off the ground.
Q. Should the rear wheels also be removed?
Q. Should the front of vehicle also be raised?
Removal of the diagonal braces and the large diamond shaped brace all seems pretty straightforward……the cross member also seems to be fairly straightforward once the braces are removed and by the look of things, only the two top bolts hold the brace in place at this point?
Q. Is this correct?, is there anything else I need to be aware of when removing the braces and cross member?
Diagonal braces. The n/s can be easily refurbished. However it may be likely that the o/s once stripped of rust etc may need to be replaced.
Q. Whatever I do, in order to protect the braces for the future what are peoples thoughts? I was thinking about either powder coat them OR simple paint and protect with clear dinitrol (or similar)?
I appreciate that powdercoat is good but it’s drawback is that it can crack, allowing moisture behind the coating thus corroding unseen?
POR-15 paint is another option as I used that on my old Land Rover axles…..still rust free after 7 yrs!
Or just replace both braces and clear dinitrol them before fitting!
Cross member. For this I am thinking I will get powder coated Satin black
Q. Any thoughts on powdercoat or just etch prime and paint the cross member?
Torque settings. I understand that ALL fixings (incl cross member top bolts) are 65nm, except the leading bolts on the diagonals, which are single use 30nm plus 90deg?
I have ordered all new nuts and bolts anyway.
Finally, once all done I’ll arrange for a full alignment to be done as per workshop manual
Anyones thoughts or comment would be appreciated
Thanks
Recently acquired a Boxster 981 in excellent low mileage & well looked after condition with FPSH etc. Was bought as an approved used vehicle so went through the 111 point check etc. Love the car and looking fwd to many years of adventures.
However, I am a stickler for having my vehicles as clean as possible underneath, so as part of getting to know the car I had it up on ramps for a little poking about.
I noticed there was some very light corrosion of the n/s rear diagonal brace but quite heavy surface rust on the offside brace.
I also noticed the rear cross member has suffered from some peeling paint and surface corrosion. I have found nothing structural!.
I’m not too bothered by this as I guess when Porsche did their 111 point check, unless anything structural was found, surface corrosion is a pass!….also shocked at the state of the exhaust flange fixings too, so that is my #1 priority in the next week or so.
Anyway, as for the rear braces and cross member I will be sorting it fully as a winter project, so in the meantime I have simply wire brushed, rust treated and slapped red oxide on then applied clear dinitrol as a temporary stopgap to stop further surface rust until later in the year.
But I do have some questions for anyone who has done this already so appreciate any thoughts on the below?….I did ask about diagonals on another post the other day, but only found the surface rust on the cross member since, then, hence a fresh post.
So…..
When I remove the rear braces and cross member, I understand the vehicle must be supported on its correct rear Jack points and the wheels off the ground.
Q. Should the rear wheels also be removed?
Q. Should the front of vehicle also be raised?
Removal of the diagonal braces and the large diamond shaped brace all seems pretty straightforward……the cross member also seems to be fairly straightforward once the braces are removed and by the look of things, only the two top bolts hold the brace in place at this point?
Q. Is this correct?, is there anything else I need to be aware of when removing the braces and cross member?
Diagonal braces. The n/s can be easily refurbished. However it may be likely that the o/s once stripped of rust etc may need to be replaced.
Q. Whatever I do, in order to protect the braces for the future what are peoples thoughts? I was thinking about either powder coat them OR simple paint and protect with clear dinitrol (or similar)?
I appreciate that powdercoat is good but it’s drawback is that it can crack, allowing moisture behind the coating thus corroding unseen?
POR-15 paint is another option as I used that on my old Land Rover axles…..still rust free after 7 yrs!
Or just replace both braces and clear dinitrol them before fitting!
Cross member. For this I am thinking I will get powder coated Satin black
Q. Any thoughts on powdercoat or just etch prime and paint the cross member?
Torque settings. I understand that ALL fixings (incl cross member top bolts) are 65nm, except the leading bolts on the diagonals, which are single use 30nm plus 90deg?
I have ordered all new nuts and bolts anyway.
Finally, once all done I’ll arrange for a full alignment to be done as per workshop manual
Anyones thoughts or comment would be appreciated
Thanks
