Rear Brake Pad Retaining Pin Clips...... are any of you using safety wire?

[chrisp]

One of my four clips (two per side) in the rear calipers is broken and I was thinking of using safety wire to secure the pin.

Have any of you done this? I suspect these little clips are hard to find. PP has them but they are part of a pin/spring/clip kit and that is a cost prohibitive way to get new $.05 clips.

[Superman]

Good question, and I don't have advice, except to suggest that the old clips (new ones come in caliper rebuild kits sometimes) be thrown into a box of greasy old Porsche parts, just in case.

[scottb]

I'm willing to bet that John Walker has a bunch of old ones. It's worth a try.

[Tim Walsh]

I've got a few extra.. Are you going to hershey?

[chrisp]

No I am not but perhaps I could drop you a check and you could put them is US Mail. email me at chrispetron@teamvanguard.com. Thanks for offering.

[scottb]

Chris: Are you talking about the clip that holds the pad retention pin in place?

[Tim Walsh]

Just pay me for shipping. I certainly won't use them. PM or email me the shipping address and I'll send them right out. How many do you need?

[makaio]

I buy mine at the hardware store, as recommended by Jerry Woods & Bruce Anderson. About 25 cents each.

[chrisp]

Yes. It's basically a very small hitch pin clip (jesus clip) that, at about half way up, is bent over 90 degrees. It is made from a single piece of wire and I could probably hold 50 of them in the palm of my hand.

[chrisp]

I'll hit Ace ont he way home and see what they have. When I was writing my earlier response about the hitch pin clip bent halfway I realized that I should just go buy some hitch pin clips and bend them.

[Neilk]

You could always use a thick paper clip. Just bend and cut as necessary.
The clip is only there to prevent the rod from moving out of place. Replace the paper clip when you get a proper clip.

[Rot 911]

Did the Carreras have these clips? I changed the pads out on my '86 last month and none of the pins had these clips. But now that you mention it, my '72 had small holes in the pins for the clips. The '86 rods do not. All I have holding the pins in place are the flat springs which just provide friction on the pins. Now you guys have me worried.

[n8marx]

The Carrera pins do not have these clips. Instead the Carrera pins have a ring of metal, similar to a roll pin, wrapped around the pin. When the pin is tapped into place the ring is pushed into a bore in the caliper causing an interference fit which holds the pins in place until they are tapped back out.

[chrisp]

Just like my SC fronts.

[Mike Feinstein]

Kurt,

The pins on the Carrera are different. There's an expandable flex-ring on the end of the pin that helps the pin stay put. Also, the spring plates that press against the pads also help hold the pins securely. No worries.

[911pcars]

Temporary: Small cotter key or equivalent
Permanent: proper spring clip

Sherwood Lee
http://members.rennlist.org/911pcars