Brake caliper spring plates ?

[deyoung]

When replacing brake pads on my 93 968 found that spring plate had warped due to rust between the caliper and the spring plate. I removed the caliper to clean the rust but the allen screws that hold the plate to the caliper are rusted solid, and of course since there allen screws they are in danger for becoming rounded out as I try to remove them.

Has any one else faced this problem and how did you remove the screws? I really don’t want the expense of new calipers just because of a couple of stubborn allen screws. HELP Please!!!

[hpservertech]

If you can, spray them twice a day for a week with PB Blaster. Give them a wake up with a hammer too. Should help to break the screws free.

[deyoung]

Any ideas on the rounded out allen bolts, since that is the real problem.

[JRMock]

As suggested, PB Blast should be used to soak the area. That, along with tapping with a hammer, will help greatly with breaking the rust bond.

For the rounded out allen, you will need an EZOut, basically a reverse drill bit, that bites into the rounded hole, and digs into the metal as you remove it.

I'm not familiar with the area you are working on, but if there is any part of the allen bolt exposed, get a pair of vice-grips on it to assist with the removal.

good luck,
JM

[jimholland@shaw]

I have the same problem with the Caliper spring plates in a 1989 944 S2. Is there any problem in separating the two halfs of the Caliper and using some heat on the spring plate screws?

[kdjones2000]

Those bolts are red-Loctited into the caliper - very hard to remove.

Heat should help, but you have a challenge ahead of you.

[Wellwood]

I used a dremel (or similar tool) to cut a notch in the screw head that can be used with a standard style bit. The using a ratchet with the standard size bit, I was able to remove the offending fastener after applying heat and rapping the bugger a few times with a mallet.

Best of Luck.

[jimholland@shaw]

Thoughts are appreciated. I will give it a try. Did you replace the spring plates or were you able to clean out the corrosion etc between them and the Caliper and reuse. Mine look pretty good but there is a bit of a gap between Caliper and spring plate probably due to corrosion. I've always considered red locktite a no no

[thomasryan]

if you look at the screws on Jason's Paragon pages, the OE screws come 'encapsulated' with green Loctite. green is between red and blue if you look up the specs.

imho, the coating is to prevent corrosion between the three metals involved as the heat during use would break the Loctite bond.

[jimholland@shaw]

Does anyone have a suggestion for capping off the steel gas line to avoid draining the brake fluid while the Caliper is removed for rebuilding

[jimholland@shaw]

Does anyone have a suggestion on how to plug the steel brake line to avoid loosing the brake fluid while a front caliper is off for refurbishing

[Wellwood]

My spring plates do not experience any permanent deformation so I was able to reuse them without issue.

[kdjones2000]

Spring plates are supposed to have some gap to the body.

[jimholland@shaw]

There is minimal gap between the spring plate and caliper base but it appears sufficient to make the pads quite tight sir am getting brake squeal when they warm up.