Removing spacesaver wheel?

[RSGulp]

I've replaced my battery this weekend with a Bosch Silver one. []

To get the old battery out I had to undo the battery clamp, which meant the spare wheel had to come out (it prevents access to the bolt on the clamp).

Sounds easy?! But however I positioned, twisted and pulled the spare wheel - I couldn't get it out. It's blocked in by the ABS unit on the left side of the front compartment, by the VIN number plate. Eventually I had to unbolt the ABS unit so I could get the wheel out - all just to replace a battery.[&:]

Where is your ABS unit positioned, and does it stop you getting the spare wheel out? Does your VIN number tab stick-out above your spare wheel? Surely we don't all have to unbolt the ABS unit at the side of the road, in the rain, at night just to get at the spare wheel? Or do you just call the AA team to flatbed you home? []

 

[Hacki]

Seems to be the ABS unit, mine´s located at the bottom of that compartment, right front corner, next to the spare wheel, in a 45 degree angle. No prob to to get the wheel out.

Rgds

Hacki

 

[rskiwi]

I have my CD changer mounted on that bracket I have to undo it to get spare out!

 

[RSGulp]

ORIGINAL: Hacki

Seems to be the ABS unit, mine´s located at the bottom of that compartment, right front corner, next to the spare wheel, in a 45 degree angle. No prob to to get the wheel out.

Rgds

Hacki

I noticed there are two captive threaded bolts where you described - is the ABS unit supposed to be mounted on these? Where did Porsche put it originally?

 

[Hacki]

I have a Cup car, so might be different to yours. I know that the position I mentioned is original for the Cup cars. (and I think also for RS)
And, yes, the ABS unit is supposed to be mounted on these bolts. If you measure the unit and the bolts distance, you´ll prob find out it will work!
Maybe it was replaced to make sure it´s not damaged when hitting the ground hard. (Common problem for Cup cars))

Rgds

Hacki

 

[Ian964]

My cup car and C2 both have the ABS controller where Hacki has his.

 

[SimonExtreme]

RSGulp
This is a bit of a mystery! I have checked a lot of sources on this and it is very unclear! Every photo except one (more later) shows the bracket you have the abs unit mounted on empty! On those RS's, the unit is mounted as described by others.

However, the parts manual lists that bracket as being the mounting bracket for the abs unit on RS cars. In addition, the workshop manual for converting a C2 bodyshell to RS states that you remove the old mount (where everybody has the unit) and weld on the bracket which we all have but you have the unit on!

It seems to me that the bracket is designed for the abs unit but Porsche didn't fit it there. Maybe they worked out you cannot remove the spare wheel, so the old position was used.

So, what about the one photo I have found of the abs unit mounted on the bracket? It is in Adrian Streather's excellent book. The really interesting thing is that it is of a white RS, with the same strut brace as your car and a fire extinguisher mounted in a similar manner as yours! However, it is in nowhere near as good condition as your car and the caption says it is a cup car! It has the pins to go through the bonnet to hold it down with race clips. Quite a coincidence though - same colour, strut brace and fire extinguisher mounting point!

It would be easy to assume that the bracket was used by cup cars but Hacki tells us otherwise. I would guess that your unit has been moved, rather than been placed there during the original build. Has your car had work to the front end? The photo shows the best conditioned front well I have seen. Even the brake fluid container look brand new, when they normally yellow! Has the car been restored?

 

[Hacki]

SimonExtreme,

my Cup car is from 90 and the ABS unit is definitely in the original position, so maybe they changed that position for the later Cup cars. But I have no clue.
Could have been an option to prevent that unit from damage.....

We have to wait for the holy judgement of the Obergruppenführer.

Rgds

Hacki

 

[RSGulp]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Simon - The fire-extinguisher was installed by me when I bought the car from Des - must just be a spooky coincidence that the only other car you know of with the abs unit where mine is, is also GP white, with the same strut brace and the extinguisher in the same place. No recent restoration, the car had some work carried out at the factory early on in it's life - must have just been well cared for over the years.

Can someone post a pic showing the ABS unit in the lower position - need to know the orientation of the cable and connector. Is it just a case of moving it in it's current orientation. Or do I need to turn the whole unit around (the casting looks like it can be bolted on from either side) so the connector exits on the left?

I'll be at Ragley Hall in a few weeks time - maybe I'll check out where other owners have the abs unit fitted then.

Cheers,
Rich

 

[Stewart H]

Mine's exactly the same as the others. I've got the alarm sounder on the bracket
http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb225/Guardsredrs/IMGP0734.jpg

 

[Ian964]

Mine's like this, though it looks like the harness has been re-taped:

 

[Jamie Summers]

What a funny coincidence, I was fiddling with my car over the weekend and was wondering what the bracket on the left of the wheel well could be for. Seemed unusual that a bracket like that would be left in place if it could have been moved to save a precious few grams as with all the other C2 brackets hacked off in RS spec. I really can't think of any good reason why the factory would want to leave two possible mounting positions for the ABS unit, I can only imagine that as suggested by Simon, it was meant to be fixed to the bracket, but they only realised subsequently that you couldn't remove the spare wheel. Perhaps this is related to build number ie early build no.s have the ABS unit on the bracket, then when the first RS owner to have a puncture informed the factory that he couldn't get his spare out they changed the position for the later built ones ?

Jamie

 

[pncarrerars]

I think the idea was use the std c2 bracket for road use but for competition use the higher bracket as the abs controller is liable to get damaged under race conditions in the std position. On all the 964rs that I have looked at the wiring near the abs controller looks like it has been retaped.

Pete '92 964RS

 

[Hacki]

...sure you´ll save a lot of money in case you hit curb or gravel hard and the ABS unit is mounted in the higher position! Know what I´m talking about.... and had perfect advice (as follows) by a race team.

The Porsche dealers love to sell a full new unit although normally only the casing breaks and can be replaced easily (and cheap). The race teams know, so in case anybody should break his ABS unit in action, don´t buy a new one! If anybody already has, open a good bottle and try to forget!

Rgds

Hacki

 

[SimonExtreme]

Does this mean that for my next race, after I remove the spare (I drive to the circuit) I should move the abs unit. Then, after the race, move it back so as to replace the spare........................

 

[RSGulp]

I love it when a simple question on this forum turns into another lesson in the idiosyncrasies of the RS. []

 

[Hacki]

That´s the faggots´ way, Simon...

(Will this one pass the moderator?)

 

[Mark_Bennett]

ORIGINAL: Hacki

That´s the faggots´ way, Simon...

(Will this one pass the moderator?)

 

[SimonExtreme]

ORIGINAL: Hacki

That´s the faggots´ way, Simon...

(Will this one pass the moderator?)

Yes, you are right. I will do as I have always done - leave the abs unit where it is and rely on a mix of god given driving talent and the awesome capabilities of my RS to ensure no harm is done[]

 

[Laurence Gibbs]

Given that the space saver is the same as that in a standard C2? and the abs bracket fits up higher in the standard car? why does'nt the space saver come out? or is the abs unit lower in all cars?