10 GT3

Now over 13K miles and 18 track days with CLs. I just had my front brake pads (set 2) and tires (set 3) flipped for wear. After 4 track days on the new stock front rotors (with the nubs reused from my first set), they are starting to show cracks. I am going to be test fitting PF floating rotors in a week as a potential replacement for the fronts.

I have hit my first issue with CLs, but it is not any of the BS listed throughout this thread. I have recently noticed that my CLs have been shifting color from light Gray to light Purple. It looks like the finish is sensitive to brake heat.

No problem getting parts from them. Just don't send one in for repair. You will be lucky if you can get it back in 6 weeks. Been through it twice previously with some of their 2-piece welded wheels where the welds cracked and had to be repaired.

For comparison, I had a tire lose air and pop off a rim in a corner grind down the outside on one of my 3 piece CCWs about a year and a half ago. I shipped it on Monday from TX to CCW in FL. It arrived on Wednesday. John rebuilt the wheel and shipped it back to me the same day as it arrived back in my hands on Friday the same week (out and back in 4 days). He replace both rim halves and the total cost was just $345 with shipping. When it comes to servicing wheels, no one is better than John. It is just taking him forever to make CL wheels.

mooty

second that. i hsould have tempted him by ordering 400 wheels so he would be more interested. then i'll just sell them on RL.

for track use, it's really hard to beat CCW. and he always get them to me so i dont miss my DE or races.

mooty

well, i HAD two sets for sale, you only took one!
now, good luck matching my prices ;=)

911SLOW

BS?

They are just sharing their experiences and opinions.. just like you do.
Try to respect that, even if you disagree..

Carrera GT

You're having problems that I haven't encountered -- whatever the root cause, I don't think these problems are representative of the average experience with someone using the centerlocks for a track car and making frequent wheel changes. I've made numerous wheel changes between two factory sets of wheels with no issues (the spline extends into the wheel correctly without coaxing, the alignment pins are scuffed, but not scratched, let alone galled, I've not had a wheel bind or come loose.)

I'm a fan of the centerlock idea, but a critic of this "version 1.0" implementation. I think it needs a steel nut that can take an impact tool. It's also preposterously expensive. And the "Dosey Doe" torquing procedure along with lathering grease makes for an obvious "this needs more thought" situation for Porsche to resolve in future versions. The "mystery" recall that's going on in some parts of the world is also disconcerting. Not what I expect from Porsche. Still, as ever with Porsche, by about version 1.5 or 2.0, these things will be great. They need to replace the cheap metal dust caps with some sort of carbon fiber "cool and light" cap that's held in place with a mechanical device, not a rubber o-ring friction/suction idea ... and a way to quickly and easily remove it without it being damaged at all.

But for now, the centerlock is functionally reliable and trouble free in my experience given 18 months of track use and now three sets of wheels on the car with no drama.

The 3R products have turned out the be pretty weak. The alignment pin isn't durable (it scratches and looks cheap after light use, now their breaker bar isn't strong enough.)

The Porsche telescopic breaker is great and convenient. The Armstrong torque multiplier is a "swiss watch precision" device that I enjoy using just because I really appreciate "no compromise" engineering and a device that simply does what it promises to do -- it turns a gymnastics routine of a "giant" breaker bars and bulky torque wrenches into a rapid procedure that I can do precisely to the factory instructions, in the paddock, no sweat, no drama, torquing the wheels with the car off the ground (pedal depressor is ample for 600nm at the centerlock) and a wheel swap is something I can do during a regular track day without power tools. Not bad.

24Chromium

Jeez, after reading all these threads, I keep asking "why me?"

And speaking of bad luck, I've had really bad luck with my one-man-brake-tool from Lisle. It worked O.K. (not great) for the first few tries. Now, it doesn't want to hold its spot (extension) any longer. I assume that the spring loaded tab near the union is no longer sharp and not biting into the extension shaft. Can I simply tear it apart and resharpen it?

Has anyone found a better tool for this purpose? I'm a one-man show at home and at the track. I really need a good, reliable tool for this purpose.

Carrera GT

Driving on the track invites any number of "why me?" experiences.

The tool -- do you mean this:
http://www.lislecorp.com/divisions/products/?product=91

... or this:
http://www.lislecorp.com/divisions/p...s/?product=404


I use the pedal depressor, but they can wear out.

I bought one of these because there's a Home Depot on the way to Laguna and I needed it for a wheel swap ... and it's ideal:
http://www.irwin.com/tools/clamps/xp...amps-spreaders


And for brake flush and bleed, I think just about everyone uses a PowerBleeder now:
http://store.motiveproducts.com/blac...-0109-p21.aspx

Izzone

My cl is turning purple too

I have seen johns cl wheel

He needs a car for test fit, couple of days

Send me beer and can use mine

Carrera GT

There's been other posts/threads about CCW wheels turning purple. I have a set of purple "tie died" CCWs. Sadly, their response was to ask to be paid to have them refinished as if these wheels were abnormal.

24Chromium

Yes! Exactly the one I bought. It sucks. I've had it approximately 6 months and it's already toast. I've had to punt and get a neighbor to help me the past 3 or 4 times I've used it, as it wouldn't hold all the way thru the job. It usually is good for the take-off, but then fails me when I bolt the wheels back on. I've tried re-positioning the damn thing dozens of times, but it slips.

I never thought about using a trigger-grip bar clamp. Great idea! I suppose you just flip the clamp parts to face outwards and you're good to go.

Thanks, Carrera GT!

savyboy

See pic below. Happened to mine 2 weeks ago. They sent me a replacement but I think it needs to be beefed up.

Are you using the Armstron tq multiplier with tires just barely off the ground and the reaction arm retsing against the ground (pavement/garage floor)? I find the end of the arm is gouging out divots in the concrete garage floor and am inclined to have a longer reaction arm made for less of an acute angle. That doesn't affect the tq multiplication formula does it?

I'll show it to Lar this weekend too since he is a mechanical engineer.

savyboy

Last year I converted a trigger grip clamp and it was a bit of a PITA to "flip" it. Have to dissasemble the mechanism which is fussy to reassemble and grind off the tit on the I-beam. So possible but not easy. At least for me.

TRAKCAR

I don't remember 2 sets being available, but then I don't remember much ;-)
Nobody beats your prices. Call me I'll send you a deposit for the 4.0 now.

TRAKCAR

I whish some of my wheels or wheel nuts would turn purple so I wouldn't look like such a poser...
The best I can do is not wash the BBS and bend the caps..

TRAKCAR

That Grip thing looks like it might be better, but my regular as above brake tool works fine.
Maybe you pedal is not grippy enough?