Torque Tube Removal, Rebuilding, and Installation

The torque tube is the large-diameter aluminum tube running along the underside of the car between the engine and the transaxle. It encloses the driveshaft and contains two precision ball bearings that support the shaft. These bearings can wear and cause vibration or noise, and can be replaced with the tube removed from the car.

Tools

For removal:

• Metric wrench and socket set
• 6 jack stands (minimum)
• Floor jack
• 8 mm cheesehead socket
• Transmission jack (recommended)

For rebuilding (bearing removal/installation):

• 6-foot length of 3/4-10 threaded rod
• Five 3/4-10 nuts
• Two thick flat fender washers
• A flat bar with a 1-inch hole (or go-cart sprocket/pulley as a spacer)
• 6-foot length of 1/2-inch steel plumbing pipe (for driveshaft removal)

Removal

The torque tube is removed as a unit after the transaxle is removed. See TRANS-03 for transaxle removal before proceeding.

With the transaxle removed, the rear suspension must be lowered to create clearance for the torque tube to be moved rearward and out of the car.

1. Support the car on at least 6 jack stands — the car must be raised high enough to allow the rear suspension to drop fully.

2. Disconnect the front suspension-to-chassis bolt on each side of the car.

3. Remove the middle wheel arch suspension bolts — four total, two per side, located halfway up each wheel arch.

4. Remove the upper wheel arch suspension bolt on each side (one per side, at the top of the arch).

5. Loosen the lower shock absorber mount on each side to allow the suspension to drop.

6. Before fully lowering the suspension, disconnect all brake lines and wiring that are routed along the suspension — these must be freed to prevent damage when the suspension drops.

   Caution: Brake lines contain brake fluid under residual pressure. Plug or cap all open lines immediately after disconnecting to prevent contamination and fluid loss. Brake fluid is corrosive to paint.

7. Lower the rear suspension assembly until it rests on blocks. This creates the clearance needed to move the torque tube toward the rear.

8. Support the torque tube with a floor jack or transmission jack. Have an assistant help guide it.

9. On late 944 torque tubes equipped with "dog ears" (protruding tabs near the front), the tube must be rotated 180° about its long axis before it can clear the torsion bar tube. Rotate it before attempting to pull it rearward.

10. Slide the torque tube rearward and lower it from the car.

Rebuilding — Bearing Replacement

About the Bearings

The torque tube contains two bearings:

• Bearing type: FAG 6006 2Z sealed ball bearings
• The bearings are pressed into stamped steel carriers
• The carriers have rubber splines on their outer diameter that grip the inside of the torque tube
• Each bearing assembly includes a rubber-covered inner sleeve that is staked in place at four points

On older 944 torque tubes, the bearing carriers are two-piece assemblies joined by rivets. These rivets must be drilled out to separate the carrier halves before the bearing can be removed.

Removing the Driveshaft

The driveshaft must be removed from the torque tube before the bearings can be accessed.

Use a 6-foot length of 1/2-inch steel plumbing pipe as a driving tool to push the driveshaft out from one end of the tube.

Building the Bearing Puller

A bearing puller can be fabricated from common hardware store materials:

• 6-foot length of 3/4-10 threaded rod — long enough to pass through the entire torque tube
• Five 3/4-10 nuts — used in double-nut arrangements at each end and as intermediate stops
• Two thick flat fender washers — to bear against the tube ends and the bearing carrier
• A flat bar or spacer with a 1-inch hole — positioned against the front face of the torque tube; a go-cart sprocket or similar item works well

The puller works by threading the rod through the tube, clamping the spacer against one end, and tightening nuts at the other end to draw the bearing assembly out.

Removing the Inner Sleeves

Each bearing has a rubber-covered inner sleeve staked in place at four points. Use a small punch or screwdriver to carefully unstake the four staking points, then press or pull the sleeve out.

If the sleeve is intact and undamaged, clean and reuse it. If the sleeve is shattered or deteriorated, a replacement must be fabricated.

Fabricating Replacement Inner Sleeves

Replacement sleeves can be machined from Delrin (acetal) plastic. The following drawings show the required dimensions.

Caution: The sleeve inner diameter tolerance is critical. A sleeve that is too tight on the driveshaft will transmit shock loads directly into the bearing during installation and early operation, causing premature bearing failure. A sleeve that is too loose will cause vibration and early bearing wear. Have the machining done to the dimensions shown.

Removed Bearing Assembly

Installing New Bearings

Press the new FAG 6006 2Z bearings into the stamped steel carriers. Reinstall the inner sleeves and stake them in the four original locations. Press or drive the assembled carrier into the torque tube using the same threaded-rod puller tool operated in reverse.

Note: Pre-assembled torque tube rebuild kits — including new bearings already pressed into new carriers — are available from Porsche specialists. These eliminate the need to fabricate the bearing puller tool and may include replacement inner sleeves. Some vendors also supply the individual FAG 6006 2Z bearings for customers who wish to rebuild their existing carriers.

Installation

Installation is the reverse of removal. With the torque tube back in the car:

1. On late 944 tubes with dog ears, rotate the tube 180° back to its original orientation before pushing it fully forward.
2. Reconnect the torque tube to the engine bellhousing.
3. Reinstall the transaxle as described in TRANS-03.
4. Raise the rear suspension back into position and reinstall all suspension bolts and shock mounts in the reverse order of removal.
5. Reconnect all brake lines and wiring. Bleed the brake system if any lines were opened.
6. Lower the car and road test. Listen for vibration or noise from the driveline that would indicate a bearing or alignment problem.