bjones211

Getting ready to do my first brake job on my '03 X50 Turbo and am wondering how important it is to buy new front brake pad dampeners and rear brake pad spiders? Can I just pry the old ones off the old pads and use them on the new pads? The shop manual says to use new everything of course (retaining pin and bracket, dampeners, etc.).

I'm already up to over $900 in parts (rotors and pads) and this would add another several hundred dollars.

Thanks

dantzig

A lot of us have discarded the vibration dampers completely with no ill effect. They are usually glued on, but if you can get them off without damaging them, there is no reason not to reuse them.

Jon

LVDell

I stopped using after my first brake pad change on every pcar. And at ~$150 a set it would get very expensive for us that go to the track a few times a year.

bjones211

Thanks guys. I think I'll put them back on and not buy new ones.

LVDell

You'll just have to figure out how you want to "attach" them since the adhesive is a one time deal.

dantzig

They should still be kind of sticky after you scrape them off. You can put the dampers into the pistons, then slide in the new pads. They can't go anywhere once the pads are in place. You can also put some of that goop they sell at autozone onto the backing plates.

LVDell

Ah, gotta love the shim goop.

Ed Burdell

Quick question: the shims have a "fat" cylinder and a "thin" cylinder attached to them. Am I correct in assuming the fat one goes into the leading piston? When I took mine out, I neglected to pay attention to how they were oriented. Thanks.

dantzig

The pistons are different sizes - you can only put the dampers/shims in one way.

LVDell

As Dantzig said, there is only one way for them to go in. You also need to put them in FIRST and then put the goop on the backing plate and then insert the pad and clamp down. In my opinion, just not worth it. I haven't run those things in almost 8 years and RARELY have a brake squeal coming to a stop.

dantzig

In the interest of full disclosure, I don't use them either. They were not installed when I bought my car in 2006, and I have never seen the need for them.

I had Boxster front brakes installed on my '87 911 and they had the dampers. Dell is right, you have to put them in before you install the pads.

Jon

Ed Burdell

Thanks, guys. It was my intention to remove them, too, but when I did I started sounding like a poorly maintained school bus. I removed them on the rears first to no ill effect, but the fronts were another story.

LVDell

With street pads?

Ed Burdell

Pagid blues...

LVDell

Ah, then that's probably your issue. That isn't backing plate against piston, that is sport pads not in their full operating temp. Street (non sport) pads would virtually eliminate that.