The 996 & 986 suffer greatly with sqeaks and creaks, tram-lining and wandering.
The common cause is the front lower arm, known to the trade as the 'Coffin arm' due to it's shape.
The time required to remove and refit is under 1.5hours
Tools required
Min 1T trolley jack (hopefully better than my Halfords effort)
Axle stand (ensure you do use one as this job will incur a couple of hard clouts, too risky to rely on just a jack)
2lb Lump hammer
Flat ended screwdriver
Also require
New Coffin arm (note the shape)
WD40
Grease
16, 17, 18, 19 & 21mm spanners
10, 18, 19mm sockets (in 1/2" drive with ratchet)
Usual wheel removal tools
Jack up car and support with axle stand, remove the wheel
Spray all the obvious areas with WD40 to aid the undoing of bolts
Remove the plastic guard using the flat ended screw driver from the arm to gain more access
A useful photo so you can see how the clip works
Use the 18mm socket and 21mm spanner to remove the nut & bolt from the bush in the middle of the coffin arm, once removed pull the support arm & swing towards front of wheel arch
Use the 17 or 19mm spanner (depends on nut size) and udno the nut on the out ball-joint which joins the coffin arm to the hub. Undo until the nut is flush with the top of the thread.
To release the ball joint it will require a few hard clouts against the arm as per photo below... don't be shy here, they take a fair wack but don't hit your wing or the brake disc.
If you think it has freed then LIGHTLY tap the nut that you left flust with the top of the thread, it should now be free. If you can not release the ball joint, put it back together and pass it to a pro, I feel siezed ball joints are beyond basic DiY
Use the 10mm socket to remove the Black plastic nut holding up the splash guard
Then use a big spanner to prop the guard out of the way
Now remove the bolt on the inner coffin arm bush (16 & 18mm spanners)
That's it.. it is now removed. The refit is a simple reverse of the above, inner bush then ball joint then middle bush. Grease up all the nuts & bolts, I use anti-sieze compound.
The common cause is the front lower arm, known to the trade as the 'Coffin arm' due to it's shape.
The time required to remove and refit is under 1.5hours
Tools required
Min 1T trolley jack (hopefully better than my Halfords effort)
Axle stand (ensure you do use one as this job will incur a couple of hard clouts, too risky to rely on just a jack)
2lb Lump hammer
Flat ended screwdriver
Also require
New Coffin arm (note the shape)
WD40
Grease
16, 17, 18, 19 & 21mm spanners
10, 18, 19mm sockets (in 1/2" drive with ratchet)
Usual wheel removal tools
Jack up car and support with axle stand, remove the wheel
Spray all the obvious areas with WD40 to aid the undoing of bolts
Remove the plastic guard using the flat ended screw driver from the arm to gain more access
A useful photo so you can see how the clip works
Use the 18mm socket and 21mm spanner to remove the nut & bolt from the bush in the middle of the coffin arm, once removed pull the support arm & swing towards front of wheel arch
Use the 17 or 19mm spanner (depends on nut size) and udno the nut on the out ball-joint which joins the coffin arm to the hub. Undo until the nut is flush with the top of the thread.
To release the ball joint it will require a few hard clouts against the arm as per photo below... don't be shy here, they take a fair wack but don't hit your wing or the brake disc.
If you think it has freed then LIGHTLY tap the nut that you left flust with the top of the thread, it should now be free. If you can not release the ball joint, put it back together and pass it to a pro, I feel siezed ball joints are beyond basic DiY
Use the 10mm socket to remove the Black plastic nut holding up the splash guard
Then use a big spanner to prop the guard out of the way
Now remove the bolt on the inner coffin arm bush (16 & 18mm spanners)
That's it.. it is now removed. The refit is a simple reverse of the above, inner bush then ball joint then middle bush. Grease up all the nuts & bolts, I use anti-sieze compound.