Brake pads, wont fit? What the heck!
11-26-2005, 05:15 PM
#16
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
Im really not sure what the problem i had yesterday was, it must have been me going delierious due to the cold. I stuck both pads into the caliper and the caliper slid right on this morning.
Started the passenger side, compressed the piston, which was about 100x easier than the drivers side, expanded the caliper (again, super easy compared to the other side) got the pads in....25 minutes later i was done. Really, it must not have been my day yesterday!
Thanks to everyone for the help.
Started the passenger side, compressed the piston, which was about 100x easier than the drivers side, expanded the caliper (again, super easy compared to the other side) got the pads in....25 minutes later i was done. Really, it must not have been my day yesterday!
Thanks to everyone for the help.
11-26-2005, 07:06 PM
#18
Rennlist Member
It really is one of those things that you just have to do to "get it", then it's quite easy. I was fortunate enough to have experienced hands trackside at a DE the first time I changed pads on the 944. you have survived doing it solo, congratulations.
Observe a good break-in procedure and you should be all set.
Observe a good break-in procedure and you should be all set.
10-06-2008, 02:22 AM
#19
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OK, this is a great thread as I have experienced this same nightmare this evening. We are replacing the front rotors and pads, and we could not get the new pads to fit. I tried everything (I thought), and eventually ripped out the caliper and took it apart. Now I have to order a rebuild kit. If I had just checked here, I think I would have been able to get it. Now I'll have to wait for the kit to arrive in the mail. I should have come in to check these forums earlier, but I was so dirty I didn't want to get cleaned up only to go out and get into the dirt again.
My main problem is that I didn't know that the tab has to fit inside the outside pad. I couldn't get it to line up with the retaining pins, so figured that it must not need to fit in the hole. I will also have to chip some of the paint away to get it to fit.
What if the pads are in so tight that the hub won't turn? Will this loosen up after I get done and drive it a little?
My main problem is that I didn't know that the tab has to fit inside the outside pad. I couldn't get it to line up with the retaining pins, so figured that it must not need to fit in the hole. I will also have to chip some of the paint away to get it to fit.
What if the pads are in so tight that the hub won't turn? Will this loosen up after I get done and drive it a little?
10-06-2008, 02:33 AM
#20
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Alright, i am just about at the end of my patience with this car for another week. I just cannot get the brake pads to squeeze over the rotor. I am switching over to Hawk HPS. Side by side, they are exactly the same size as the old pads i had in.
So i took the caliper off the hub and took out the old pads. I slid the caliper as far open as possible by hand / with a c-clamp (i am pretty sure its at its full extension.). I compressed the piston as far as i could using the c-clamp and the old brake padover it to avoid any damage. Here are a few questions,
1. The backside of the brake pads has a somewhat rectangular cutout that fits a notch on the outside portion of the caliper. Is the notch supposed to go into the pads cutout flush? With it sitting flush, the holes for the retaining pins do not line up with the calipers holes for the pins. The picture below shows how far off it is.
2. When i line the holes up with the retaining pins in the caliper and the pads, the pad rests on the notch on the caliper side. Is that acceptable? Or better yet, is it supposed to be like that?
3. The inside pad will not squeeze inbetween the caliper and rotor. Nor am i able to squeze the caliper on with the pad already secured in the caliper. I have compressed the piston as far as i can (with the bleed screw open) without it feeling like im about to break something. You can see in the below picture just how far off it is from fitting with the pad inplace.
4. I know its hard to tell from the pictures, but is that piston compressed all the way? What is the best method of doing this? Can anyone tell me exactly where to push, pry, place the c-clamp, rig explosives to that will get the caliper piston compressed and the caliper itself expanded as much as possible?
Its funny, i was so worried about those retaining pins getting stuck, they were the easiest part of the entire job so far!
To think, the only reason i was out earlier and smacked the front end up was to get brake cleaner so i could change these damn pads, and i cant even change them! This car has some bad karma right now.
So i took the caliper off the hub and took out the old pads. I slid the caliper as far open as possible by hand / with a c-clamp (i am pretty sure its at its full extension.). I compressed the piston as far as i could using the c-clamp and the old brake padover it to avoid any damage. Here are a few questions,
1. The backside of the brake pads has a somewhat rectangular cutout that fits a notch on the outside portion of the caliper. Is the notch supposed to go into the pads cutout flush? With it sitting flush, the holes for the retaining pins do not line up with the calipers holes for the pins. The picture below shows how far off it is.
2. When i line the holes up with the retaining pins in the caliper and the pads, the pad rests on the notch on the caliper side. Is that acceptable? Or better yet, is it supposed to be like that?
3. The inside pad will not squeeze inbetween the caliper and rotor. Nor am i able to squeze the caliper on with the pad already secured in the caliper. I have compressed the piston as far as i can (with the bleed screw open) without it feeling like im about to break something. You can see in the below picture just how far off it is from fitting with the pad inplace.
4. I know its hard to tell from the pictures, but is that piston compressed all the way? What is the best method of doing this? Can anyone tell me exactly where to push, pry, place the c-clamp, rig explosives to that will get the caliper piston compressed and the caliper itself expanded as much as possible?
Its funny, i was so worried about those retaining pins getting stuck, they were the easiest part of the entire job so far!
To think, the only reason i was out earlier and smacked the front end up was to get brake cleaner so i could change these damn pads, and i cant even change them! This car has some bad karma right now.
That Guy
excuse me but i thought this was a 26 sec job.
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Long Island, New York
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..26 seconds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpGMRZcEhzw
From the good old Danno days on Rennlist.
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1987 Zermatt Silver 924S...'The Kraut Burner'..Sold in Nov. '04
1987 Guards Red 944...'The Bratwurst Burner' .. Low and Slow..Sold in Jan. '08
1988 Guards Red 944 Turbo...'Das Boost'..DE, Auto-X, Daily Driver
Check out my 951 build page.
09-17-2008, 04:48 AM
10-06-2008, 02:57 AM
#21
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
bearone, still looking for an argument 
.. Single piston sliding calipers vs 4 piston fixed..
nuszmd, my memory is (foggy this was 3 years ago for me!) but i notched the cutout in the back with a dremel to get the pads seated right. The tightness on the rotor is normal and will go away as the pads 'wear' into the rotor.
.. Single piston sliding calipers vs 4 piston fixed..nuszmd, my memory is (foggy this was 3 years ago for me!) but i notched the cutout in the back with a dremel to get the pads seated right. The tightness on the rotor is normal and will go away as the pads 'wear' into the rotor.
10-06-2008, 01:28 PM
#24
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bearone, still looking for an argument .. Single piston sliding calipers vs 4 piston fixed..
nuszmd, my memory is (foggy this was 3 years ago for me!) but i notched the cutout in the back with a dremel to get the pads seated right. The tightness on the rotor is normal and will go away as the pads 'wear' into the rotor.
.. Single piston sliding calipers vs 4 piston fixed..nuszmd, my memory is (foggy this was 3 years ago for me!) but i notched the cutout in the back with a dremel to get the pads seated right. The tightness on the rotor is normal and will go away as the pads 'wear' into the rotor.
you posted the link making it appear that replacing pads is a quick no-brainer but can actually get a little more involved and was the point i was making, when you posted the 26 sec link.
the pistons have to be collapsed enuff to fit the new pads, in any system, nothing new there.
87961
95sl320 dd
10-07-2008, 04:47 AM
#25
Drifting
what I did when I replaced pads is remove the caliper then with the old pads still on I stuck a wooden handle of a hammer in between them then pryed on teh handle to push in teh piston. that works pretty good.
those holes also did not line up because you have to move the metal bracket (hard to explain it).
I've never tried a c-clamp or brake pad spreader.
those holes also did not line up because you have to move the metal bracket (hard to explain it).
I've never tried a c-clamp or brake pad spreader.
10-07-2008, 02:30 PM
#26
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We went out last night and used the advice from this thread....worked perfectly! The keys for us were that the outer pad has to go in first, and the hole in the back of the pad must be mated to the notch on the caliper. We removed some of the paint on the new pad to make room for the notch to fit in. Don't worry about alignment to the pin holes until both pads are in place.
To get the inner pad in, we needed to make sure that the caliper floating frame was pushed all the way in - makes more room for the inner pad. Also, we left the bolts attaching the caliper to the car loose until we finished getting the pads in and aligned. The last thing we did was to lift the caliper floating frame upward (spring-loaded) while slipping the inner pad into place. This opens the angle of the caliper piston allowing the pad to get in over the piston.
From here, it was easy to move the pads around by hand or with a screwdriver used to pry in order to get the pads and holes aligned for the pins. We also cleaned the pins up really well before we put them back in - used sand paper and caliper cleaner.
Last thing was to make sure the caliper bolts were tightened up.
Again, I commend the folks that created and have added to this thread....very helpful to us!
To get the inner pad in, we needed to make sure that the caliper floating frame was pushed all the way in - makes more room for the inner pad. Also, we left the bolts attaching the caliper to the car loose until we finished getting the pads in and aligned. The last thing we did was to lift the caliper floating frame upward (spring-loaded) while slipping the inner pad into place. This opens the angle of the caliper piston allowing the pad to get in over the piston.
From here, it was easy to move the pads around by hand or with a screwdriver used to pry in order to get the pads and holes aligned for the pins. We also cleaned the pins up really well before we put them back in - used sand paper and caliper cleaner.
Last thing was to make sure the caliper bolts were tightened up.
Again, I commend the folks that created and have added to this thread....very helpful to us!
