Brake Rotor Instal Questions

Quicksilver77 · 09-29-2009, 04:47 PM

Hey all! Attempting the first brake job here and ran into a couple issues that I could not find on our forum.

Question 1: How do I get the pad retainer springs off of the calipers?

Question 2: How do I get the lug carrier off the hub? Don' know if I am calling the item by the proper name, so I attached the picture below. The item in question is circled.

A930Rocket · 09-29-2009, 05:05 PM

You can either use a pull hammer with a bolt welded on it or make one of these below.

The butterfly spring can be compressed with a pair of pliers or channel locks to squeeze and unhook them from the latch. It then swings out of the way. Use a screwdriver between the pad and rotor to push the pad in some and remove. You have to push the pistons in almost all the way to install new pads. Use the old pad to push one side in and install a new pad. Do the same for the others. Excess fluid may come out the overflow and end up in the left front corner. No problem. Just clean it up.

Your cracking is getting there, but the grooves in the rotor look bad. It would take awhile for the pads to bed in.

Quicksilver77 · 09-29-2009, 05:26 PM

Thanks for the quick reply!
Butterfly spring... Check!

The makeshift puller genius! But I am at a loss as to what all is coming off? Pull out the inner section (what I'm going to be threading into) and then the lug carrier comes off, allowing me to change the rotor?
I am just not understanding how the whole system works! I must have had dumb flakes for breakfast!!

can you enlighten me?

Again thanks for your time!

gsxrken · gsxrken's Garage

the thing you are pulling off is the dust cap. On most cars, they are just tapped in, and pried or tapped off. On the Porsche, you need to pull it out with the tool in the attached photo. Behind that is the castle nut and bearing like any other disc.

A930Rocket · 09-29-2009, 06:03 PM

Hold the nut with a wrench and tighten the bolt. The cap will "pop" out. As mentioned, simply loosen the allen bolt on the nut and spin it off. The rest is the same as any other rotor.

Quicksilver77 · 09-29-2009, 06:14 PM

Thanks a heap Gents!

gsxrken · gsxrken's Garage

Quicksilver77 · 09-29-2009, 09:44 PM

Again thanks for the help! Holy Cow!! I was unaware that I was tearing this thing down to the spindle!

CRAZY!

Any recommendations on a grease to repack this thing, or is it even needed if the existing lube is clean?

A930Rocket · 09-30-2009, 01:53 AM

Aways repack the bearings. I'd install new ones with seals as long as you are in there unless you know they are recent.

A good HD wheel bearing grease like Castrol works.

JFairman · 09-30-2009, 07:23 AM

you can also rig up a medium size slide hammer to bang the grease dust cap off. the factory manual actually pictures a volkswagon tool/slide hammer for removing it.

that said, the homemade puller tool in the pic above looks like it would be alot gentler and less likely to break off the little threaded boss thats spot welded onto the 930 dust cap.
if it breaks off like both of mine have you can have them tig welded back on so they are alot stronger than new or buy a new dust cap and hope the spotwelded boss doesn't break off.

that rotor is very worn..

Quicksilver77 · 09-30-2009, 07:49 AM

A930Rocket: puller was outstanding, quick to build and it worked like a champ! Also thanks again for your advise.

gsxrken: That assy was very helpfull in giving me the complete picture.

Jfairman: Yes the rotor and pads are DONE! But I feel like I got my money out of them eh?

930 porsche · 10-01-2009, 10:23 AM

As a rule of thumb, will the rotor need to be change when the pads are worn out or can I use another pad with the same rotor? If yes can you resurface the rotor for the second set of pads?

Thank you.

A930Rocket · 10-01-2009, 03:46 PM

I suppose the best answer is that you should measure your rotors and have them ground flat. However, finding someone who can grind them might be difficult, so you can turn them.

Having said that, I just install new pads and bed them in good without any rotor work. With the car tracked a lot, I go through a lot more pads than I do rotors. Unless the cracks having started to reach the outside of the rotor or the cracks have joined to make really big ones, I keep using the rotor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 930 porsche

As a rule of thumb, will the rotor need to be change when the pads are worn out or can I use another pad with the same rotor? If yes can you resurface the rotor for the second set of pads?

Thank you.

930 porsche · 10-02-2009, 09:08 AM

A930Rocket,

So you are saying to keep using the rotor until it is completely worn out and keep changing brake pads? After changing the pads for the second time and maybe a third time, will the car stop as well as its first pad?

Thank you.

A930Rocket · 10-02-2009, 10:18 AM

That's what I do. Monitor for cracks linking up and measure the rotor.

The rotors should wear evenly without gouges. Your rotors above look like the pads got down to metal at some point.