924Board.org

agfisher · Joined: 09 May 2007 Posts: 483 Location: West Hartford, CT

Heya guys,

I'm elbow deep in removing the tranny from my 77 and ran into a problem removing the coupler between the torque tube and the tranny. I am able to loosen one of the bolts but the other one is at a weird angle and I can't seem to get a tool to engage with it. What tools did you guys use to loosen this sucker up? Any help would be AWESOME. Thanks so much,

Adam
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1977 924 N/A Martini Edition

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

You have to rotate the engine by hand until the allen bolt is in a position where it can be accessed with a standard allen-socket. Make sure you remove both pinch bolts entirely from the coupler, and then, make sure you push the coupler back onto the input shaft of the gearbox, not forward onto the driveshaft. Also make sure you do this before you lower the gearbox a single mm, otherwise, the shafts will be misaligned and it will be a royal PITA to remove.
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

agfisher · Joined: 09 May 2007 Posts: 483 Location: West Hartford, CT

Thanks for the response Dan, I can rotate the drive shaft, I put some boards to hold down the clutch and then rotated the tires until I could see each bolt. The first one loosened up no problem. The problem came after I rotated the drive shaft and got the 2nd bolt lined up. It was at such a weird angle that my straight hex socket could get a good purchase on it. I ended up running to Sears and picking up a set of Ball-End Hex Bit Sockets. I'm hoping the ball-end should help me get into it and give it a good turn. Is that what you guys use to get that 2nd bolt. (The one near the rear of the car)

That all make sense?

Thanks,

Adam
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1977 924 N/A Martini Edition

joecitizennn · Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 2096 Location: no mans land

universal joint? I dont remember needing one though. but I am always working on 944s and 924Ss

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

I don't recall having an alignment issue like you're describing, but it's been a couple of years since I removed the trans from my 81 NA. If you use the universal/wobble joint, just be darn sure you tap the allen socket firmly into the bolt. You don't want to go rounding that sucker off, then you'll really be screwed.
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

Scorpio

Rich H · Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 9:23 pm Post subject:

Sorry might be being thick - is it a Dogleg box or an Audi box?

Audi box - I removed a round rubber bung form the side of the TT bellhousing adn put a long extension bar in there with a allen socket on it in.

Dogleg - I have no idea.
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1994 Lotus Esprit S4 - Work in progress...
1980 Porsche 924 S2 DITC Turbo - Original spec
1978 Homo-Sapiens - Tired spec
1953 Landrover S1 - Pensioner Spec

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

On the snailshell, there are two access holes in the torque tube.
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

joecitizennn · Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 2096 Location: no mans land

That transmission has been off before. Took me a minute but now I remember having encountered this. When you turn the coupler around the bolt is on the other side of the drive shaft when facing down. Make sure to flip it around when you get it off and you wont have that problem again.

agfisher · Joined: 09 May 2007 Posts: 483 Location: West Hartford, CT

Rich H · Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 7:41 pm Post subject:

I bet I know what has happend. If you try and put the bolt back in the couple and the shaft groove isn't perfectly aligned with the hole in the couple the bolt threads get stripped off as it winds in, exactly what happend on mine.

Either get to the back of the bolt and punch it out if you can or just pull the box backwards until it disenguages. It only needs to move about 20mm
_________________
1994 Lotus Esprit S4 - Work in progress...
1980 Porsche 924 S2 DITC Turbo - Original spec
1978 Homo-Sapiens - Tired spec
1953 Landrover S1 - Pensioner Spec

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

I would not recommend moving the gearbox until you get the bolt out entirely. If you are unable to move it all the way back and start trying to lower it, you will put tension on the coupler and get the trans stuck in a position where it will be nearly impossible to remove.

I agree with Rich's earlier comment. If the bolt is free turning but not backing out, its threads are probably stripped. I would try gently tapping or wiggling the coupler back and forth while simultaneously tapping the bolt out from the back side. If it's stripped to the point where it turns freely, you should be able to punch it out from the back side with a punch or drift. Alternatively, you might try getting a thin blade screw driver under the head of the bolt and applying some levering force while backing out, this may help persuade what's left of the threads to grip enough that you can remove it.

Be aware that both the input shaft and the drive shaft have indentations that cut into the splines to make room for the pinch bolt. This is by design to make sure you have everything aligned properly upon reassembly, as well as to prevent the coupler from drifting in the event that one or both pinch nuts are not properly tightened. You will not be able to complete the job until you get the coupler off one way or the other, so you might as well get it off now the correct way.
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

agfisher · Joined: 09 May 2007 Posts: 483 Location: West Hartford, CT

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

I don't remember the access hole being too small to get my hands up in there. I just removed a 944 trans that has the same bell housing, and I was able to get my hand in the access hole and grip the coupler with no problem. But some guys have larger hands than me! If that's not an option for you, try using a large flat head screw driver positioned on one of the square ends of the coupler and give it a good whack or two. A pickle fork also works really nice because you can distribute the impact on both sides of the square flange.

As for repairing the coupler, your best bet will be to find a used replacement. Contact porsche.racer (that's his nickname here as well as on eBay).
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

Rich H · Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 11:16 pm Post subject:

Have we established dogleg or audi trans yet??

Audi boxes & tts have a big rubber bung in the bellhousing and a smaller round bung on the side loads of space unless they changed it in later years?

Also the early 4 speed audi boxes could be moved backwards by 5" before they hit the spear wheel well, easily clearing the coupler if you are careful. As long as one of the coupler bolts is fully removed then the coupler will slide off attached to one side or the other.

If you do this you must ensure the box is pulled back straight or you run the risk of bending something major.

_________________
1994 Lotus Esprit S4 - Work in progress...
1980 Porsche 924 S2 DITC Turbo - Original spec
1978 Homo-Sapiens - Tired spec
1953 Landrover S1 - Pensioner Spec