Rennen

I've flushed out the system and I'm replacing the brake lines. I got the caliper side of the linde detached, but the car side of that line seems to be fused. Is there any trick to breaking that free? The threads don't happen to reverse or something do they? I've already partially rounded off the outside of the nut on the hard line and it won't budge. Maybe some penetrating oil will help?

I also can't seem to get the caliper bolt to loosten. That sucker is on tight! The lower caliper bolt appears to be inaccessable too. Do I need to take both caliper bolts off to change out the rotor or do I only need to take the top one off and roll the caliper out of the way?

Bill Gregory

RedRS,

Sounds like you're working on the rear calipers, which require an extended 10mm hex wrench. You can use a regular allen hex key to take it off (with the help of a pair of pliars), however, you'll need the variety with a socket on the end in order to torque it back when reinstalling it. (One person said they cut off the curved part of an allen hex key, and then used a 10mm socket on that). That's the only way to get the rear calipers off.

On the brake lines, you should be using flare nut wrenches, which Sears, amongst others, sell. That will help prevent rounding the nuts. You can try some penetrating oil. I had one hard line between the caliper and rubber line that was very obstinant, which I ended up having to replace.

Rennen

Well, I managed to get the line off with a little help from my friend, the vice grips. Now I cannot get that damned caliper bolt loose from the carrier. I'm supposed to be taking the gold one with the round outer and the hex inner off, right?

Fortunately, I happen to have a socket 10mm hex key so that should work if I can get the proper torque on the sucker.

Rennen

Allright...making progress...I got the top hex bolt out. It just needed a little persuasion with a wrench on the hex key. I also figred out that the access to the bottom hex bolt is through a hole in the trailing arm. Why didn't you guys tell me that?

So now I can't seem to get enough torque on that bottom bolt. Going to let the penetrating oil sit for a while and try again.

Oh, do I need to pull the pads out before I lift the caliper or can I pull them out after I get the caliper off? If I need to pull the pads, do I need a Porsche pad puller? I don't have one of those yet.

JasonAndreas

If a lot of brake pad crud has built-up behind the spring plates on the caliper you'll probably have better luck pulling the pads with the caliper off the rotor. If you remove the caliper with the pads still in place make sure you push the pads into the caliper a tiny bit before you lift the caliper otherwise the pads will be grabbing the disc and you'll never get past the worn-in rotor lip around the outside edge of the rotor.

Rennen

OK, well I got one corner done but I broke two new pad sensors trying to get them pushed down into the pads, so I give up on those unless someone tells me they're really important. I'll check my wear regularly anyway. Can I just run without sensors or do I need to rig a jumper?

Bill Gregory

You can run without sensors if you tie the two brake sensor wires together, at each wheel you want to bypass, which will bypass the brake pad warning system.

Rennen

OK, so I need to rig one of the sensor harnesses to do that, right? Just cut the sensors off and solder the two wires together and I'm good to go?

Ragin' Bajan

Actually, you should be able to just leave it as is ie tied off. The sensor is triggered when the plastic piece wears down and the (metal) rotor completes the circuit, thus triggering the warning light.

Rennen

See, that's the way I thought it worked and that I could just leave them unplugged. I'll try that and then jumper the sucker if that doesn't work.

Tom W

When the sensor is worn it breaks the circuit, not completes it. If you simply unplug the sensors you will get a warning light. If you don't want to use the sensors and you don't want the idiot light on all the time, you must twist the two wires together to make a complete circuit, cover them with some electrical tape and plug the "jumper" back into the socket.

Rich W

I do not believe that is correct.

I merely pulled the sensors from the pads and zip-tied them to the nearest available feature. I did not twist any wires together.

I do not have a warning light of any sort, nor have I ever regarding the brake pad wear sensor.

Rennen

I didn't see how they could maintin a circuit the whole time. The way I saw it, there was some metal part inside the pad that made contact with the rotor when the pad wore down and closed a circuit with the other sensor when you pressed on the brakes.

botoo

No.. You don't have to twist the sensor wires together if they are not damaged too much. They wear down and break the circuit. If the circuit is not broken, they don't sense a problem. If they have worn down so much that the circuit is broken, you may have to do that wire twisting. There is nothing in the pad itself that triggers the warning. Sensors are not expensive and can be bought readily.
Rich

Jeff Curtis

You do NOT have to tie the wires together, unplug them or anything, just remove them from the brake pads and tie them back...like this: