'65 Brake Job - Commiserate

carsngolf · carsngolf's Garage

I continue to swelter both physically and mentally on a Porsche brake challenge. A typical episode goes like this: I want to remove the right rear brake caliper and replace the piston seals. All nuts and bolts are frozen with rust. I round off the fitting going into the caliper as I don't have an 11mm brake line wrench. I attempt to make one from a 7/16" SAE 12 point wrench. It's too loose. I heat and bend it smaller but it still doesn't work. I finally attack it with a Vise Grip and get it loose but the fitting is a poor facsimile of its former self. I remove the bolts holding the caliper, remove the brake pads along with sundry items. The listed procedure is to use an air hose with a cone shaped rubber tip to jam into the inlet fitting and blow the pistons out for removal. I have no cone shaped rubber tip for the air hose so I drive to the hardware store and pay $11.00 for same. Pistons are frozen in rust and refuse to move despite 110 PSI. I take caliper to local garage where kind and helpful mechanic tries with no more success than y.t. He suggests hooking it up to brake system for more power. I hook up rounded off fitting with vise-grip and pump pedal. Nothing. No fluid flows to caliper. Discover reason for brake job is a collapsed or clogged rubber brake line. Open package of pre-purchased rubber lines, bought in anticipation of such an event. Wrong hose. Go to internet and check who f*cked up. I did. Order correct hoses and pay restocking charge plus shipping. Go to driver side to disconnect caliper in order to pressurize passenger side caliper to break through rust. Forget to close bleed valve. Pump up brake system and spew one cup of brake fluid all over floor, car and caliper. Sop up fluid. Tighten bleed valve. Pump up again. One side breaks loose. One piston pops out. One cup of brake fluid all over floor, car and caliper. Replace piston, hold with C-clamp. Pump up system. Other piston finally breaks loose. Disconnect fitting. Fluid spills all over floor, car and caliper. Electric power to half of city fails. Floor fan stops. Lights go out. Afraid to open refrigerator for beer and fear of cold loss. Retire to shop with head on bench. Mosquito takes advantage. West Nile Virus: 50/50.

berettafan · 08-10-2007, 05:10 PM

i needed a chuckle, thanks!

911quest · 08-10-2007, 05:27 PM

It sounds like one of those day's a cool little trick is to use a grease gun to push the pistons out of the calipers

Porsche_monkey · 08-10-2007, 05:42 PM

Now you're ready for this car, which needs a brake job....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170138924213

EarlyPorsche · 08-10-2007, 09:39 PM

I think you should let a mechanic work on your car from now on. Its not that much more than mistakes. Actually its much cheaper. More satisfying knowing your car works perfectly too. You should trade the calipers in at Vertex Automotive for some rebuilt ones rather than rebuild them yourself, I don't know if you can handle it. Finally, get some line wrenches, its pretty cheap and a vise grip squeezes down on the fitting which makes its worse.

azasadny · azasadny's Garage

Flare nut wrenches and PBBlaster (or Gibbs lubricant) make the project much easier...

304065 · 08-11-2007, 05:46 AM

Ha ha ha! Awesome!

Don't worry about buggering the screw, a new brake line can be fabricated or purchased, they aren't NLA. I've munged up the ones on an "S" caliper using a true 11mm flare wrench and patience so don't feel so bad.

PB Blaster is the SWB owner's best friend. Spray some on and wait at least five minutes, you will be amazed at how well it works.

I second the grease gun idea. Somebody posted that the cheapo Harbor Freight gun has exactly the right threads to mate to the bleeder screw threads. You can develop a boatload of pressure that will press the pistons out, only drawback is that grease shoots everywhere so choose the venue carefully.

These cars are OLD and full of rust, but you are doing the right thing by keeping it on the road! I salute your efforts and remind you. . . good things happen when you . . .

. . . . keep the SWB FAITH!*

* With full credit to the Late, Great Harry Pellow, the "Maestro."

Rich Lambert · Rich Lambert's Garage

Good story!

Having just experienced the Porsche brake challenge myself, I feel your pain. I did have a flare nut wrench though and at some point in time God deposited the perfectly shaped rubber thingy for the air nozzle in my junk drawer. I still spent about 2 hours per caliper getting the rear pistons out. I didn't have the haz-mat spill issues, but I haven't put 'em back on the car yet. That said, been there, done that. The front calipers are sitting on the garage floor mocking me. I'm going to attack those this weekend.

The beer thing...that's so sad. I love the mental picture of you with your head on the work bench.

So, when are you going to do the other calipers?

Fritter · 09:57 AM

Jerry that was a tragic and also funny story! Hang in there.....damn old cars, what a prime example of what a love/hate relationship can be. But when you finish the job and the brakes work great, what a feeling of accomplishment you will have!