996 Brake Caliper Removal Help - anyone done it >?
Discussion
Arse. This is exactly the reason I am always so apprehensive to do any work myself on my cars. The dreaded unbudgeable bolt.
I would give my local (not sure where in the world you are) indy a call. They are normally very good at even giving advice on the phone. Only problem would be you need to wait til the open tomorrow.
I would give my local (not sure where in the world you are) indy a call. They are normally very good at even giving advice on the phone. Only problem would be you need to wait til the open tomorrow.
First of all it is a fairly common problem to strip the threads which you will have to solve with a Helicoil or Recoil insert. Simple cure and makes a much stronger joint. You need to put a smidgeon of a smear of optimoly paste on the threads to stop the same thing happening again.
These bolts are not stretch bolts. They are large steel bolts in aluminium so the softer aluminium will fail long before you can torque them up enough to stretch them, but Porsche do reccomend you replace them (Lots dont bother).
You have fekked the situation though by knackering the bolt. You should be heating the strut where the bolt enters and I cannot see how you can't have expanded the aluminium enough to loosen the thing or at least strip the thread.
Unfortunately this leaves you with one choice and that is to disassemble the whole leg out of the car and either saw the bolt head off and chuck the hub assembly in a skip and get a new one or find a good indy to get it all apart, by drilling the bolt out using a jig.
These bolts are not stretch bolts. They are large steel bolts in aluminium so the softer aluminium will fail long before you can torque them up enough to stretch them, but Porsche do reccomend you replace them (Lots dont bother).
You have fekked the situation though by knackering the bolt. You should be heating the strut where the bolt enters and I cannot see how you can't have expanded the aluminium enough to loosen the thing or at least strip the thread.
Unfortunately this leaves you with one choice and that is to disassemble the whole leg out of the car and either saw the bolt head off and chuck the hub assembly in a skip and get a new one or find a good indy to get it all apart, by drilling the bolt out using a jig.
Hi there.
Sounds like youve had a crap day...
The reason behind this bolt problem you are experiencing it that the holes in the hub are open to everything rather than being a blind hole (the hole being drilled and stopped before it broke throught he other side of the casting)so what happens is that the end of the bolt can get all messed up and as water settles in the top of the casting (it has a lovely little pond area for that) the water can be drawn up the threads of the bolts and seize together the bolt and hub assembley....you cannot cut the heads of the bolts off ass they are countersunk into the caliper.The bolts MUST be renewed as per porsche instructions...these cost less than a £1 per bolt!
You are in the sh!t!! you must of used a crap 10mm allen key to round the hex out of the allen bolt.
You need to drill the head off the bolt but would have to do this free hand but it should self align as you can use the hex(well whats left of it
) to centre up on drill the head of the bolt off and remove the brake caliper.As for the bolt it has picked up on the end of the bolt and pulled the threads out of the hub assembly this WILL need repairing i did post about this months ago and some clown said not to use a heli-coil as they were not for high stress environment well im assuring you use a heli-coil(before we get into that argument again) to repair the damaged threads.If you are anywhere in the cheshire area and need a hand get the vehicle to my workshop and i will help you out.The heli coil part WILL need doing with a jig to align it properley unless you are a very good engineer who has drilled holes all his life and can drill straighter than me !
You will struggle to get the bolt out thats stuck in there now...i have equipment to allow me to drill that out..i would cut it off and centre up on the bolt then drill it out heli-coil the hub and job done.
Hope you get sorted.
Mike
sportsandclassic
Sounds like youve had a crap day...
The reason behind this bolt problem you are experiencing it that the holes in the hub are open to everything rather than being a blind hole (the hole being drilled and stopped before it broke throught he other side of the casting)so what happens is that the end of the bolt can get all messed up and as water settles in the top of the casting (it has a lovely little pond area for that) the water can be drawn up the threads of the bolts and seize together the bolt and hub assembley....you cannot cut the heads of the bolts off ass they are countersunk into the caliper.The bolts MUST be renewed as per porsche instructions...these cost less than a £1 per bolt!
You are in the sh!t!! you must of used a crap 10mm allen key to round the hex out of the allen bolt.
You need to drill the head off the bolt but would have to do this free hand but it should self align as you can use the hex(well whats left of it
) to centre up on drill the head of the bolt off and remove the brake caliper.As for the bolt it has picked up on the end of the bolt and pulled the threads out of the hub assembly this WILL need repairing i did post about this months ago and some clown said not to use a heli-coil as they were not for high stress environment well im assuring you use a heli-coil(before we get into that argument again) to repair the damaged threads.If you are anywhere in the cheshire area and need a hand get the vehicle to my workshop and i will help you out.The heli coil part WILL need doing with a jig to align it properley unless you are a very good engineer who has drilled holes all his life and can drill straighter than me ! You will struggle to get the bolt out thats stuck in there now...i have equipment to allow me to drill that out..i would cut it off and centre up on the bolt then drill it out heli-coil the hub and job done.
Hope you get sorted.
Mike
sportsandclassic
No good to you now but the trick is to use a good quality hex socket with a 3/4" drive and a ratchet or a breaker bar. Also, WD40 doesnt't help, something like 3in1 penetrating oil or plusgas is far more effective. Finally, I didn't think you need to remove the callipers for a pad change, only if you are changing discs as well. I could be mistaken.
I'd personally stick to an OPC for pads rather than GSF. The GSF pads are fine for my Golf but I stay with OE for the Porsche.
pp
I'd personally stick to an OPC for pads rather than GSF. The GSF pads are fine for my Golf but I stay with OE for the Porsche.
pp
If the bolt is truly rounded off drill it out and get the caliper off.
Then get stiltsons on the shaft I would also get a welding torch on the upright where the bolt goes in.
Frustratingly you will probably find it will now come undone ever so easily now the stretch has been taken out with the caliper being taken off.
Helicoil if necessary, you may be lucky.
This will mean taking the leg off the car but seriously half an hours work will save you hours of messing with it, and possibly damaging other components including your paintwork!
Hopefully all you will need to buy is 4 stretch bolts which you would have needed anyway.
Then get stiltsons on the shaft I would also get a welding torch on the upright where the bolt goes in.
Frustratingly you will probably find it will now come undone ever so easily now the stretch has been taken out with the caliper being taken off.
Helicoil if necessary, you may be lucky.
This will mean taking the leg off the car but seriously half an hours work will save you hours of messing with it, and possibly damaging other components including your paintwork!
Hopefully all you will need to buy is 4 stretch bolts which you would have needed anyway.
What do you mean let this be a lesson to 996 Owners?
I do the majority of work on my car, and infact changed the brakes without any problem!
Granted, they can be very stiff and incidents like this happen and it's all a learning experience, but you made a simple little issue into an absolute nightmare!!!
Working on P cars is a doddle if you do your homework first, I do everything unless it was an engine out job! I would encourage more people to explore and do the same, someone mentioned the other day that they do their plug changes etc and save on a 1k service from the rip-off merchants, and at least they know that the job is done! Unlike what Porsche said to me.
My advice for the mechanically minded.
1: Do your homework first, look at www.renntech.org it has a wealth of information and has step by step details of how to tackle jobs, infact I would say it's the best website I have ever visited.
2: Make sure you get the appropriate tools and good quality ones at that! There is no point attempting a job with the incorrect tools, this leads to frustration and simple jobs end up being a nightmare.
3: Take your time! No point in rushing and doing a half arsed job, slow down "ONE JOB AT A TIME - ONE PAIR OF HANDS"
I do the majority of work on my car, and infact changed the brakes without any problem!
Granted, they can be very stiff and incidents like this happen and it's all a learning experience, but you made a simple little issue into an absolute nightmare!!!
Working on P cars is a doddle if you do your homework first, I do everything unless it was an engine out job! I would encourage more people to explore and do the same, someone mentioned the other day that they do their plug changes etc and save on a 1k service from the rip-off merchants, and at least they know that the job is done! Unlike what Porsche said to me.
My advice for the mechanically minded.
1: Do your homework first, look at www.renntech.org it has a wealth of information and has step by step details of how to tackle jobs, infact I would say it's the best website I have ever visited.
2: Make sure you get the appropriate tools and good quality ones at that! There is no point attempting a job with the incorrect tools, this leads to frustration and simple jobs end up being a nightmare.
3: Take your time! No point in rushing and doing a half arsed job, slow down "ONE JOB AT A TIME - ONE PAIR OF HANDS"
996tt_stevo said:
What do you mean let this be a lesson to 996 Owners?
I do the majority of work on my car, and infact changed the brakes without any problem!
Granted, they can be very stiff and incidents like this happen and it's all a learning experience, but you made a simple little issue into an absolute nightmare!!!
Working on P cars is a doddle if you do your homework first, I do everything unless it was an engine out job! I would encourage more people to explore and do the same, someone mentioned the other day that they do their plug changes etc and save on a 1k service from the rip-off merchants, and at least they know that the job is done! Unlike what Porsche said to me.
My advice for the mechanically minded.
1: Do your homework first, look at www.renntech.org it has a wealth of information and has step by step details of how to tackle jobs, infact I would say it's the best website I have ever visited.
2: Make sure you get the appropriate tools and good quality ones at that! There is no point attempting a job with the incorrect tools, this leads to frustration and simple jobs end up being a nightmare.
3: Take your time! No point in rushing and doing a half arsed job, slow down "ONE JOB AT A TIME - ONE PAIR OF HANDS"
I do the majority of work on my car, and infact changed the brakes without any problem!
Granted, they can be very stiff and incidents like this happen and it's all a learning experience, but you made a simple little issue into an absolute nightmare!!!
Working on P cars is a doddle if you do your homework first, I do everything unless it was an engine out job! I would encourage more people to explore and do the same, someone mentioned the other day that they do their plug changes etc and save on a 1k service from the rip-off merchants, and at least they know that the job is done! Unlike what Porsche said to me.
My advice for the mechanically minded.
1: Do your homework first, look at www.renntech.org it has a wealth of information and has step by step details of how to tackle jobs, infact I would say it's the best website I have ever visited.
2: Make sure you get the appropriate tools and good quality ones at that! There is no point attempting a job with the incorrect tools, this leads to frustration and simple jobs end up being a nightmare.
3: Take your time! No point in rushing and doing a half arsed job, slow down "ONE JOB AT A TIME - ONE PAIR OF HANDS"
Well said, research, research and more research!
Totally agree with you regarding renntech! It's all well and good have the Porsche instructions but the wealth of information here is amazing!
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