Just thought I would pass on recent experience in changing front brake pads whoch should have been a straightforward 1 hour job but took a turn for the worse. Sorry no pictures - still trying to learn how to do that.
Front pads were down to the sensor wire hole in the outer pads although not yet lighting up the warning indicator - why not known. As usual the outer pads on each caliper were worn more than the inner pads which still had a few mm before that pad sensor kicked in.
Local brake indy obtained a set of Textar pads from Pagid (same as already on car) and were assured dampening plate (2 humped camel shape) was on the pads (they were not) but got them from same supplier that same afternoon at extra cost of course.
O/S wheel went smoothly and all pads and dampening plates replaced without incident apart from pad retaining rod was very stiff to remove.
N/S a different story. The outer dampening plate had seized into both the large and small caliper pistons. Prised it off the pad and the pad came out OK but left with dampening plate firmly seized to the pistons. Clearly copaslip had not ben used when pads were last fitted. Looked at options - getting replacement pistons not possible - had to buy caliper complete so indy looked at more sensible and cheaper alternatives.
Caliper removed and outer pistons removed. Then carefully drilled a small pilot centre hole in each dampener embedded in each piston then very carefully milled out a few thou at a time until the dampener was sufficiently thin walled to be removed from the piston. Had to repeat for the other piston of the pair. Clearly the dampener metal of diferent quality to caliper piston. Pistons OK and problem solved..
Having done all this discovered that piston seals were in poor state but getting another set not straightforward or that quick. Call to local OPC and yes they had small piston set but not large piston set which would have to be ordered from Central. Seals are not sold as complete kit for each caliper but in two sizes. Couple of days later the seals arived and as it was now the weekend the car remained in the indy on the ramps.
Finally resolved on the Monday, seals fitted, new pads all in, re-bled the brakes and back on the road after 4 days and a lot more labour and pats cost than originally planned for on the original pad change.
Final note - at one stage it looked like would have to replace the Caliper. This would not have proved cheap - Europarts wnated £109+VAT for a refurb, £160+VAT for a new one and OPC wanted around £400+Vat for an OE replacement - ouch.
My local brake indy had just bought himself a Cayman S having sold his sprint Westfield - he liked my Porsche so took the plunge. As I pointed out to him, he was now getting free instruction on fixing Porsche brakes at my expense.
Anybody else experienced this problem with the dampener plates?
Front pads were down to the sensor wire hole in the outer pads although not yet lighting up the warning indicator - why not known. As usual the outer pads on each caliper were worn more than the inner pads which still had a few mm before that pad sensor kicked in.
Local brake indy obtained a set of Textar pads from Pagid (same as already on car) and were assured dampening plate (2 humped camel shape) was on the pads (they were not) but got them from same supplier that same afternoon at extra cost of course.
O/S wheel went smoothly and all pads and dampening plates replaced without incident apart from pad retaining rod was very stiff to remove.
N/S a different story. The outer dampening plate had seized into both the large and small caliper pistons. Prised it off the pad and the pad came out OK but left with dampening plate firmly seized to the pistons. Clearly copaslip had not ben used when pads were last fitted. Looked at options - getting replacement pistons not possible - had to buy caliper complete so indy looked at more sensible and cheaper alternatives.
Caliper removed and outer pistons removed. Then carefully drilled a small pilot centre hole in each dampener embedded in each piston then very carefully milled out a few thou at a time until the dampener was sufficiently thin walled to be removed from the piston. Had to repeat for the other piston of the pair. Clearly the dampener metal of diferent quality to caliper piston. Pistons OK and problem solved..
Having done all this discovered that piston seals were in poor state but getting another set not straightforward or that quick. Call to local OPC and yes they had small piston set but not large piston set which would have to be ordered from Central. Seals are not sold as complete kit for each caliper but in two sizes. Couple of days later the seals arived and as it was now the weekend the car remained in the indy on the ramps.
Finally resolved on the Monday, seals fitted, new pads all in, re-bled the brakes and back on the road after 4 days and a lot more labour and pats cost than originally planned for on the original pad change.
Final note - at one stage it looked like would have to replace the Caliper. This would not have proved cheap - Europarts wnated £109+VAT for a refurb, £160+VAT for a new one and OPC wanted around £400+Vat for an OE replacement - ouch.
My local brake indy had just bought himself a Cayman S having sold his sprint Westfield - he liked my Porsche so took the plunge. As I pointed out to him, he was now getting free instruction on fixing Porsche brakes at my expense.
Anybody else experienced this problem with the dampener plates?
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