Rear Axle "bump Stops" or Buffers, Removal?

[Eric Lenius]

How does one remove the rear axle buffers on a C car? Looks like maybe the bracket has to be removed from the axle to get access to the nut on the bottom. What is the fastener type on the top?

Regards,

Eric L.

[Mike Wilson]

I'd remove the bracket from the axle. Much easier to work on. The attachment for the bump stop is a nut on a large slotted-head bolt. Soak it well with a penetrating oil. If the bump stop is being replaced, I've found it easier to cut it off for better access to the bolt. If the bolt is toast or is destroyed during removal, replacements are available. With the brackets off, you can paint or powder-coat them.

Mike

[Eric Lenius]

Can you get it off the axle without having to remove the backing plate?

[Mike Wilson]

Rethinking this topic, I consulted the shop manual which I couldn't find any info on. Then I Googled the topic: "Removing 356 Porsche rear bumper stop". I found a orevious thread on removing the rubber without removing the bracket. It sounds a bit difficult but, if I read the thread correctly, you would have to access the rear backing plate to remove one of the bracket bolts. Check out the thread.

Mike

[Dick Weiss]

All the bump stops I've removed required a lotta work due to the bolts being rusted after 35-55 years and were difficult to
get tools to fit; As mentioned, it's easier to cut the rubber for removal to get to the bolt head--w.a small pipe wrench and a socket or box end wrench underneath--even w/a 24 hr. rust-breaker!
When reassembling, I use an anti-seize to allow removal after the next 35-55 years.

[Doug McDonnell]

I found it a pain to do with everything off the car. On the car cannot be any fun. Make sure you install the E Brake cable grommet while you have them off if it is missing.

[David Baugh]

My original rubbers were so deteriorated that all I had to do was "peel" them off. I then cleaned all the old rubber off the retainer, cut a slit in the attachment hole at the bottom of the new ones, and "screwed" them onto the retainer. 8 yrs later, they're still in place.

Dave

[Jeff Fadley]

I searched the forum and found a number of articles on this topic... but they did leave some problems - for me anyway. I thought I would post my experiences not for the person that does it all the time but the guy like me that starts off saying, "I should be able to do this, shouldn't I?" Those words have led all of us to ruin...

I tore off the rubber as recommended leaving the hollow "T" bolt exposed. This was actually the hardest and most frustrating as I had to take a blade to one. The other one basically melted away.
Sprayed rust remover and went away.
Got a 19mm crow's foot wrench - no offset - and put it on an old 90 degree swivel breaker.
Put the wrench at about a 30 degree angle and put the flats of the wrench on the nut (hitting the nut at an angle - not all the way to the 90)
Put a large 16" slip-joint (water pump) pliers on the top of the "T" bolt.
Loosened the "T" bolt - about a half-inch throw at a time

In my case, the "T" bolt and nut were not rusty, but they still had all the accumulated debris - one came off easily, the other less so.

Putting it back I thought would be another adventure - it wasn't.
Cleaned up everything and even got after some over-spray
Dropped the "T" bolt into the stop and lined it up with an awl
Put the nut on it and tighten it - on the bench - using a big screwdriver pointed upwards in my vise - and a 19mm box wrench on top
After a few turns, the "T" bolt bit the bottom of the bump stop and allowed me to set the bolt through the stop almost as a stud.
Removed the 19mm nut and put some copper anti-seize on the threads
Put some painters tape on the nut and the lock washer to keep them together.
Put the stop's stud through the hole and hand tighten
The stud bit so that you are basically screwing the bump stop in - the same as screwing in a light bulb.
I did not try to over-tighten - it is rubber and it will continue to give.

The key was getting the crow's foot - everything else I tried still allowed the nut to slip. The wrench still walked off the nut a few times, but when I got it on the flats with the wrench at about a 30 degree angle it was relatively simple...

Summary - (once the bump stops were off)
Three hours trying to find the tool that would get in there...

Bought the 19mm crows foot...
35 minutes to get the first bump stop off
10 minutes to get the first new bump stop back on - not including cleanup, chasing threads, paint, etc

5 minutes to get the second one off
5 minutes to get the second new one back on - excluding same as above

Not saying it was easy - I have a 4-post that helps but also is always in the way - but once the car reveals her secrets...

Jeff

[Mike Wilson]

Thanks for the follow up, Jeff. This will help others when they have to tackle this task.

Mike