jeeper31

Changed pads yesterday and it was a total bitch to get the 2 inner rear pads out. I broke a screwdriver and a pair of needle nose pliers trying to remove them. Took me almost a half hour to get each pad out. The outer pads came out no problem. Is this normal?

Wormhole

No, just your method Use a channel lock on them next time..
See you at Pocono.

jeeper31

I did. Compressed the pistons first but the bap wold not come out. Was able to move it from side to side but the top and bottom were stuck. Put track pads on but want to change to street pads when not on the track. This has turned me off to that. Took about 2 hours to do my half hour brake job.

Wormhole

Well, it's not normal whatever it was hanging on. Once you move the pistons they should come right out. What pads you using?

jerome951

Certainly not normal. If the pistons are retracted they should lift out easily with your fingers.

Be sure to clean the surfaces in the caliper that the pad rides on (also clean the edges of the backing plates if you reinstall). Can get covered in brake dust junk and cause some sticking.

Are the anti-squeel shims still in place? When I bought my car, someone had put goop between the shim and backing plate. Took forever to get the pads out.

951sickness

Are the rotors lipped? Could be time for new rotors.

Van

I've seen ill fitting pads rust on the edges and can be a challenge to remove. Sounds like this could be the problem.

BTW, how did you make out on your front wheels/brakes?

Musche

I change mine between events as well. Total time to change pads is about half an hour including jacking up the car and removing the wheels. I always put a thin coat of Permatex anti-sieze on the edge of the metal part of the pad and about the first quarter inch on the bottom lip (only the part that makes contact) They do fit snug but a pair of right angle needle nose pliers makes getting them out easy. I also took a piece of aluminum flashing and made a strip to put between the anti-squeal shim and the pad when reinstalling them. I then pull it back out after the pad is seated. It keeps the shim from getting bent.

jeeper31

I think that might have been the case however, one side went right back in easily, the other side didn't. I had to hammer to get it in. The rotors are fine.


As far as the front wheel/brakes, it still seems to be happening however, I think the brake travel is less thaan before. Hard to tell if I am just being picky now and it is ok or it is still happening.

Where are the anti-squeal shims? ARe they part of the caliper. I only have pads to remove.

Van

I took mine out to save weight!

anders44

they are inserted into the pistons, so they sit between piston & pad.

clean the caliper well inside so all old residue and small blocks of pads are removed.

jeeper31

I shoud do that. I dread taking the pads out again. They are new. The old ones didn't look too good after I finished with them.

Van

In hind sight, it was probably a bad idea to hammer in the new pads... I've tight fitting pads before on other cars, and I've taken the edge of the pad baking plate to the bench grinder to make it fit properly. One of those ounce of prevention things...

I don't have anti-squeal plates on my rear calipers -- just the fronts. That's the way I got my car. (I just looked in PET, and there are no anti-squeal plate pictured on the rear calipers... just the fronts.)

sm

Sounds like crud has gotten in between the spring plates and the calipers. It happens quite often on these brakes, it seems.

ausgeflippt951

Sorry to hijack a bit, but I'm looking for a high performance brake pad. My '86 951 is my DD but it will also see autox and track days. Any suggestions?

The PO just had new brakes installed before I bought the car, but I think he opted for the cheapy pads and whatnot because the car takes longer to stop than my former '05 cavalier (which has drums on the rear). And Porsche is known for their fantastic brakes...