912 rear brake sticking

[allshowauto]

Can anyone tell me where to buy calipers for this thing? Or is it difficult to rebuild them? And finally, I need longer studs in the rear, how do you change those? Thanks so much! I appreciate any help. I brought this one back from death and it just isn't cooperating. I am about to give out.

[jpamental]

Can you describe the sticking a bit - is it all the time, was it ever moving, etc? Mine sate for 10 years and it required my working the pistons in and out a bit by working the brake pedal and then prying the piston back into the calipers one at a time. A few repetitions and it was fine. There's also the question of the old rubber lines. If they haven't been replaced, the older they are the more they may swell on the inside, eventually choking off the passage of fluid. Which tends to keep too much fluid near the caliper, thus locking up the brake on that wheel.

There are lots of options before you spend a few hundred dollars on a new caliper - give us some more info and maybe we can help!

Jason

[craign]

They should be rebuildable, my suggestion is to contact Will Pringle at CSP

626-445-0108
william AT CSP DOT com (I write e-mails like this to keep the spammers at bay)

I would be hesitant to do any driving with the brakes like that. There was a guy over on bay912 that recetnly described his James Bond 912, the one that shoots flames out the wheel well when your brakes stick. Luckily he had enough fire extinguisher to minimize damage to the car.

Craig

[allshowauto]

Thanks guys, the car was bought three years ago and I don't know how long it had sat before that. It looked prety good but I quickly discovered I had been dropped in the trick bag. I took it to a Porsche mechanic and he put a rebuilt five speed in it and mentioned that the brakes sometimes were dragging but to drive it and see. He said sometimes they get better andsoetimes worse. So I have one rear that is dragging. Sometimes it seems OK, but other times not. It seems to reverse fine, but isn't having it in forward motion. I took the wheel off and it is barely movable by hand. The others move well. I had earlier spent the afternoon with the car jacked up in the nose so I could weld in some metal to repair the front pan that wasn't holding one torsion bar. Another thing I didn't realize as someone blew tons of undercoat on it. Whe I got done, I had a dinner plate of gear lube coming out of my new transmission. The mechanic said it ws probably over full and not to worry yet. So I drove it and the brake went to pot on me. I am so upside down in this car I wouldn't tell you. It looks great though! I just wonder if I am ever going o get to the bottom of the problems. The mechanic says to keep going, but I swear I am at the breaking point. This is probably why the last guy let it sit too. I really would like to save some money at this point, but if I can't where do you even get the caliper. Everywhere I call or look it is not available. I am a body man, and have no experience rebuilding them. Thank you again.
Scott.

[craign]

Have no fear we are here to help

You might try a dismantler for new (used) calipers, here are couple of them in CA

www.partsheaven.com

www.easypor.com

Easy is a new website so you might need to call them, they are great guys and if they don't have them not sure who will.

I am wondering if you don't have bad brake lines too, the originals were rubber and like a heart artery they harden from the inside out. I believe I have heard of them working fine to break but slow to release due to constricted break lines. Rubber work fine, stainless better IMHO. Stainless run about $70 per set.

I am sure there are others with much more expertise on this than I and they will probably catch up to us shortly.

Craig

[jpamental]

Scott,

If the caliper releases sometimes but not always, but you can hold the pedal down and the caliper tightens, replace the rubber line (only about $15) and check the rubber seals on that caliper's pistons (about $16 for one caliper rebuild kit). If it moves at all, this will likely get you working better.

I was able to get all four calipers working again on my car this way - it has also sat for quite some time. The calipers are really tough; I doubt you'll really need a replacement. Just be careful with the metal lines - if they are really corroded you might need a new metal line kit, which will run about $40 or so for all the metal lines on the car.

Small costs first, and some time, and I have a feeling you'll be back in business. If it's only one caliper giving you trouble, you're 3 up on me when I started...

Jason

[terry@bigbadtoy]

Scott

I bumped up "65 912 brakes" - there is a lot of info in the responses if you get to the place where you need to tear into them. So far, I have one rebuilt but not installed yet - 3 to go. I am also replacing the lines with stainless as I go. Wish I had more time to work on the poor baby - too many old cars and too little time. Good luck.

[Jones Low]

Another thing to check for is a missing disc pad retainer clip. There should be one on each caliper. It's a "H" shape spring-thingie that fits under the 2 guide pins and puts a slight pressure on the disc pads. Quite often they break and fall off and you don't notice it. Missing and it will cause your pads not to back out completely when the pistons retract and rub against the rotor. Definitely can cause premature brake wear.

[allshowauto]

Wow, what a nightmare. I found two old guys, one with teeth one without to come fix the brakes. It took them eight hours to get everything apart and repaired and replaced. But they are back and apear to be working. The calipers were so rusty. Hardly any parts were available, but they saved teh pistons and the calipers. The pedal is a little spongy on the first pump, but they couldn't get any more air out of the lines, so I am going to drive it to Les schwabs and have it power bled I guess. The fronts look and operate well, so I will do them next week and hope they come apart better. Does anyone know how you put longer studs in the rear hubs?
Thanks for all the help.
Scott.

[steve rush]

I have had both late 356's ('64-'65 with discs)and a '68 912 stick after sitting especially the right rear. Solution was a kit and drive it don't park it. Even a long winter was enough to have them glue together.