Brake pad pin kit. Replace or not?

[Garp]

I have finished rebuilding my front calipers and also put new pads and disks on the rear. I used the old brake pad pins and retainers. Should I have used new ones. It's a pretty straightforward job but I'm just wondering if it's overkill. tx;

[James Brown]

(don't tell anyone but I reused the old ones. there pretty pricey for a pin).

[Garp]

Originally Posted by James Brown

there pretty pricey for a pin).

I'm looking at North of 100 euro for front and rear.

[yelcab1]

Clean them up with a wire brush and re-using them is just fine. Save $100 for an oil change.

[SCOTITUDE]

clean them up and reuse them. been using same ones for years.

[LostAndFound911]

I replaced or rebuilt the brakes on my 1989 Carrera 3.2. Like you just did, Garp, I saved at least $2000 dollars. Congratulations.

I put in new hardware on all brakes (springs and pins). It's worth every penny as it stops the brake pads from rattling and from dragging on the disks. If they are the original springs, metal fatigue has begun and they will be pitted from corrosion. Same with the pins, and they won't slide as easily. On your car, if those are original springs, then they have been submitted to 24 years of extreme heat and corrosion -- bare metal exposed to the elements.

On mine, the difference between new springs and pins vs. the old was amazing. With the old springs/pins the pads moved freely and didn't return to their position in the caliper. Based on subjective testing, the new springs must have had twice the return force to properly reposition the pads in the caliper, and the pads slid far smoother on the new pins.

I think you can no doubt reuse the hardware once with new pads, but from what I saw, after 20 years on my car, the springs and pins needed a replace big time. With the bundle of cash I saved by doing my brakes myself... it was no big deal.

[dshepp806]

Just did my 89 also. ditto.

At that age, it was time for new retainer HW,..keep the old stuff.

Best,

Doyle

[Garp]

In the end I bought new sets but I'm a bit surprised if not worried at how easy you can push them out again once they have been tapped-in. I would have thought that they would remain much tighter. Any comments?

[James Brown]

No, that's how they work. And they all seem to work. No reports of pins falling out and dropping brake pads.

[Garp]

Originally Posted by James Brown

No, that's how they work. And they all seem to work. No reports of pins falling out and dropping brake pads.

Tx James, I'll sleep much better now.
On a sidenote, you've got one of the best natural/organic stores that I ever visited in town. Never saw as much quality food of all sorts together, think it was called the Public Market. Went there last July during a PNW-tour.