RF Caliper dragging/locking up, wheel spacers for phone dials

[kyle242gt]

Hi all-

For a measly sum, I acquired myself a set of 16x7/8 ET23 phone dials for my 1980 911:

The tires are 300TW, 03 datestamped, and have quite a bit of tread on them. The paint is atrocious... though they look silver in the pic, they're actually a horrid bluish silverish, applied over a thick layer of grease and grime by a blind moron.

Good enough for track duty; I'll refinish them before installing track tires.

Anyway! I noticed the RF wheel was dragging when doing the swap. And darn it all if the RF brake doesn't lock prematurely upon hard braking. No noticeable pull, and light braking is fine.

I figure the caliper needs rebuilding? Just want to be sure there's no other common cause, "oh your flautflangelerheusen needs adjusting"

Also, as I expected, I need some rear spacers. Can't find ET on my 16x7 rear Fuchs, but these are too far inboard, particularly with the wider fronts as a comparison. Can anyone supply a good source and spec for spacers? I'll probably run 225/50, though I am considering 245/45. Looks like I'm stuck with 205/55 on the front. Ride height is 24" rear, 25.5" front IIRC, PO raised it for driveway entry. I'll lower it a bit in front to get the rake proper.

[zippy_gg]

On the issue of caliper dragging, in spite of the soft lines looking fine they probably need to be replaced if they are the original ones (1980) when you rebuild the calipers.
That and fresh fluid and you should be good to go!
I cannot help you with wheel spacers as I have no experience whatsoever...

[ivangene]

sounds like a caliper rebuild is in order

while you are in there:
brake lines
brake fluid flush and replace

[kyle242gt]

Wow, thanks for the fast replies!

No service history to speak of, so sounds like I have another item to add to my first parts order. Getting longer, oh boy.

[ivangene]

nice thing is these are cheap and pretty easy for a DIY'r

the trick is getting the stuck piston free (if it is stuck in place) and then cleaning up the surface if it is rusted or ???

lots of info to help you out, lots of ideas here....if you get stuck dont reach for the bigger hammer....ASK FIRST!!

best of luck! ----

pics of car?

[kyle242gt]

Pics:





No pics with the phone dials, but trust me, it's fantastically ugly.

1980 SC, PTS Venetian Blue or so the Rennlisters suggest. Needs a heater control cable (Def/heat, not heater box), AC blower, oil change, valve adjustment, stereo update, a few other little things; nothing that prevents daily use. I've only had it two months.

[skulp]

It could be just a brake hose. They can go bad and act like a one way valve trapping pressure in th caliper.

[kyle242gt]

Any thoughts on a diagnostic routine?

for $15 or so, I can redo the calipers; but if they're okay, I'd prefer to leave them unmolested. I suppose the easiest way is to pull the caliper and see if I can easily compress the pistons.

Any problem compressing the calipers back into the master? Sometimes that's fine, sometimes it's a nono and should be done via open bleeder.

[1-ev.com]

I've have same issue with the R/F Caliper, it has locked on me while I was doing 1st test drive. I was testing brakes in "controlled" - no cars around and holding emergency brake ready, to make sure brakes are ok, but R/F locked-up, I have to use a screwdriver to release it.

To make story short i've to rebuild whole brake system, you can see it here

1-ev.com - GO GREEN Blog!!!: Porsche 912 Electric Car Conversion



-Youri