89magic98

Well, all 8 caliper pins are pretty well frozen in place. The springs that go through the pins removed OK. I removed the springs that press them in place (between the pads) with a pliers (just bent them to get them out, I have new hardware).

Hitting them with a hammer is not getting them to budge.

I'm soaking them with PB blaster.

I read the archives...

1. Cutting the pins off is one option, but how do you get the part of the pins in the caliper frame out? Drill them?

2. Turning them from the head end with a vice grips is another option to break them loose.

Any other ideas? I'm trying to get them disassembled so I can drop them off for sandblasting tomorrow.

Thanks!

--------------------

UPDATE: I've gotten 6 of the 8 pins out. Now I have two to go - they will have to be hammered/drilled out. I cut the pins in half and broke them clean off trying to rock them back and forth to get them out.

Now I am having trouble removing the springs that hold the piston assembly to the frame. These springs to into little holes on the frame assembly. The hole goes clear through to the other side, so I can get a punch in there.

Is my only option some PB blaster and a punch? I cannot damage this spring, as I need to reuse it.

Thanks!

83na944

Give the blaster some time to work and try hitting them again. Maybe you could press them out with a large vice. Can you get them to a machine shop that has a press?

Dave

Hit 'em again, they'll come out. Forget vise-grips, if the hammer didn't move 'em you'll never get a grip on the round heads.

89magic98

OK, on one caliper, I cut the pins in half, took a vice grips, twisted the pieces with the head on them, then removed the side with the head of the pin. Then removed the pads.

Now, I twisted and tapped the other two pieces. One came out pretty easy. The second one won't be as easy, I can already tell. May have to drill it out.

I think this technique will work on the other calipers.

I will post again when I'm done (or ruin everything).

89magic98

Bump. (Read the update in the first post of this thread.)

Scott at Team Harco

The springs are a pain in the ****! It was a few years ago when I did mine so the details are not fresh. I seem to recall a reasonably large diameter spring that maintained the housing to anchor orientation (not visible in picture).

I hate to say this - but you may have only two options if it is as difficult to remove as you say.
1) Heat. Careful application of the blue wrench (acetylene torch) should be enough to free up the siezure. Be very careful not to over heat the spring or it will lose its springyness.
2) Beat it out and buy replacement parts.

Keep trying the PB Blaster and persuasion method for a while. Hopefully, that will get it.

89magic98

The springs are totally seized.

I bent a punch trying to hammer them out from the other side. It does not seem that either the springs or the pins can be drilled out.

Maybe I'll try the torch.

I have two new springs on order.

83na944

HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE THESE BRAKES WERE SERVICED?

944_S_TYPE

Sorry if I missed something. Have you thake these calipers off the car yet. I suggest you take them off and work on them on a workbench. you may need to spend some time cleaning before they are ready to go back on the car.... I just changed my front rotors, and pads in about 45 min this afternoon. I am very surprised you are having so much trouble. Try performance products. www.performanceproducts.com They sell a brake pin kit. Evertyhing you need to change them.....

944_S_TYPE

I meant taken......

Sam Lin

Nearly as long as it's been since you hit Caps Lock.

Sam

89magic98

83na944...

Well, metalmaster pads are pretty good - other than the uneven wear on the right rear, there was _plenty_ of life left in the pads. I decided to do the full service because of the problem with the right rear. Braking performance was still OK, but I am trying to get the car back to "as new" in the brakes department.

The front and rear were changed at 90,000 miles, the original hardware was used. I think we made the mistake of not using any lubricant on the pins - 2 of 8 were seized.

The car was not always in San Diego. Orginally in Atlanta, spent a lot of time in upstate New York (road salt heaven), has been in San Diego for the last 7 years.

Also, the spring that is stuck would not be removed in a normal brake service, only when the piston is being separated from the frame. The brakes have never been rebuilt.

Compare this to my Mercedes, which needed new front pads at 22,000 miles. Better design on that car though, very little in the way of pins or hardware that can get seized.

On the porsche caliper, there was no reason for the hole for that spring to be soo small that a little corrosion would fill the hole entirely.

89magic98

Oh, the calipers came off the car very easily.

The pins were original, and were not reassembled with lube the last time the pads were changed (to my recollection).

I have brand-new caliper rebuild kits and brake hardware ready to go back in the calipers when re-assembly begins.

This wasn't a California car - as my old mechanic pointed out - so some of the hardware is bound to be in worse condition.

89magic98

UPDATE:

I went to a couple of machine shops. After impressing several people with how f*cked things looked, I was referred to someone who puts "easy-out removal" on his business card. He was completely unphased by what I showed him. He stated it may cost $75 to remove the 6 seized pieces from the two front calipers. (I was making no progress with a drill).

And he does sandblasting for $20 less an hour than the place I was going to use. He took all my stuff, I'll get it back on Friday.

Chris_924s

Kevin- my rear calipers were the same way. Remove the calipers and work on a bench to get them out. MUUUCH easier.. It was easier to replace the calipers and take time later on your new "spare" set.