Popped my Centerlock Cherry
08-10-2011, 12:48 PM
#16
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helps to have a swig of beer after each wheel is done. makes it more enjoyable and the time flies. and having some classic hits (led zeppelin) on the stereo.having some good company is better yet.
08-10-2011, 01:06 PM
#20
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Well tonight for the first time, I swapped on my set of center lock track wheels. After reading here about the horrors, the pain, the tools and everything else I ever wanted to know about these wheels, I took my time and did my first change verrrryyyyyy slowwwwlllly. My initial thoughts: I am in the minority camp that thinks swapping these wheels is pretty damn easy assuming you have the right tools and either a friend or brake pedal depression tool. I used the OEM socket, the Tooltopia 3 piece torque wrench and the Porsche collapsable breaker bar (thanks to those here who recommended them; they work great!). Taking my time, the whole change over, test drive and final torque check took me maybe 45 mins. My only hitch was that I could not figure out how to separate the nut assembly to do the full greasing per the service bulletin. Can someone please tell me how to accomplish this? Luckily, I just had the recall done and all nuts appeared to have a clean coating of grease in the prescribed locations.
After putting on my OZ wheels, I am seriously considering swapping tires and making them my street wheels. I think they look really good - even with the grey bolts. Sorry for the crappy cell pix:
Thanks again to all who contributed here and made everything so much easier. Cannot wait for my first track day this weekend and getting to know this car.
After putting on my OZ wheels, I am seriously considering swapping tires and making them my street wheels. I think they look really good - even with the grey bolts. Sorry for the crappy cell pix:
Thanks again to all who contributed here and made everything so much easier. Cannot wait for my first track day this weekend and getting to know this car.
08-10-2011, 01:49 PM
#21
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Nice pics and wheels ChrisF ! 
Well, I guess the general consensus is that I should stop complaining and workout more 
. Perhaps, I should try the "beer-thing" too, it will atleast make me happier while I sweat it out!!!
Don't get me wrong though, the centerlock wheel set up is a slick piece of engineering, and certainly looks cool - I just don't think it is practical for DIY track rats.
Doug N.
Well, I guess the general consensus is that I should stop complaining and workout more . Perhaps, I should try the "beer-thing" too, it will atleast make me happier while I sweat it out!!!Don't get me wrong though, the centerlock wheel set up is a slick piece of engineering, and certainly looks cool - I just don't think it is practical for DIY track rats.
Doug N.
08-10-2011, 02:34 PM
#22
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Thread Starter
PS: I searched but did not find a good brake pad swap DIY instruction. I've done pad changes on all my other cars but am a little daunted by having to remove the calipers on this car. I'm sure it's probably no big deal as so many here do it regularly.
08-10-2011, 02:36 PM
#23
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Not too concerned about the actual DIY labor part. Practice makes the process quick and trouble-free. I do only wonder about the long term costs as far as CL fasteners though. I'm sure Porsche has used stronger metals for this higher torque application than typical 5-lug fasteners, but does anyone know what the safe service life is for CL fasteners and associated hardware? Porsche obviously doesn't have any recommendations on the manual since they don't even recommend removal of the CLs by the owner to begin with. With 5-lugs, I used to get new bolts or nuts (for studs) once every track season, but that was only $30 tops for a good set. CL fasteners and the whole assembly will cost a fortune in the long term if replaced at the same frequency or more for the track rats who torque and break them 20-30 times a year. Hopefully, this is not the case with the more robust construction of the CLs and we can use and re-use them longer? Again, the only real issue with these CLs is the potential long term cost, because the DIY labor part is cake.
08-11-2011, 12:55 AM
#25
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in the garage, either system is just fine.
take your sweet time.
when i run two run session, one DE, one race group, rotating among 3-4 sets of tires/wheels so i can prime them and use every bit of their lives, without anyone helping me (my so called crew members and RL buddies all talk too much on track and move way too slow for my taste), it's A LOT faster using 5 lugs. until i have air jacks and impact guns when someone donates me real cup car.
take your sweet time.
when i run two run session, one DE, one race group, rotating among 3-4 sets of tires/wheels so i can prime them and use every bit of their lives, without anyone helping me (my so called crew members and RL buddies all talk too much on track and move way too slow for my taste), it's A LOT faster using 5 lugs. until i have air jacks and impact guns when someone donates me real cup car.
08-11-2011, 12:57 AM
#26
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so what should i do when changing wheels?
and by the time izzone finished wheel change, i would have won the race and drove the trophy girl home and had my way with her.
08-11-2011, 12:27 PM
#27
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1) carefully prying off center caps without wrecking them
Are they these little black thingies in a ziplock bag that my mechanic put in the glove box when doing the alignment?
2) bouncing off one's 40" beaker bar to loosen wheels that have been torqued to the HUGE new 440 ftlb/600Nm spec (by me or the dealer) and heat cylced at the track - even with proper greasing, them suckers are difficult to loosen and I weigh in at 190lb and am likely fitter than most fortysomethings
a) I am a manlier man than you.
b) My tool is bigger than yours.
3) dealing with wheels that won't easily come off the hub - affectionately called "sticky wheel syndrome"
Rubber mallet
4) flicking out lock pins (or remembering you forgot to do it and need to take the center caps off again)
b) If you want to be sure (my SOP) take a 1/2" extension from your toolkit (most cheap ratchet/socket sets have them) and use it to wiggle the lock pin. Haven't failed to pop out so far.
5) carefully installing center caps so you don't lose them
The whole process takes more time than with a standard 5 lug set up.
My two cents, again!
Doug N.
My two cents, again!
Doug N.
08-11-2011, 04:30 PM
#28
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Hi amaist,
Damn! I had surrendered on this yesterday! My referenced 1 to 5 points are additional steps one must take care of when changing CL wheels. If you are skipping any of these, one is not doing it by the (Porsche) book. Doing it by the book takes longer than 5 lug, which was the point of my post.
The black thingies in a ziplock are your center caps, or more descriptively, your "dust caps". Not having them in place means you are contaminating your locking mechanisms with dust, rocks, and water etc.....so you may want to install them.
Yes, I need to get a bigger tool for the job, my 40 incher (breaker bar!) is not up to the task for breaking the new torque spec. I just noticed that may torque wrench is actually significanly longer (hence no problems torquing up!).
Cheers!
Doug N.
Damn! I had surrendered
on this yesterday! My referenced 1 to 5 points are additional steps one must take care of when changing CL wheels. If you are skipping any of these, one is not doing it by the (Porsche) book. Doing it by the book takes longer than 5 lug, which was the point of my post.The black thingies in a ziplock are your center caps, or more descriptively, your "dust caps". Not having them in place means you are contaminating your locking mechanisms with dust, rocks, and water etc.....so you may want to install them.
Yes, I need to get a bigger tool for the job, my 40 incher (breaker bar!) is not up to the task for breaking the new torque spec. I just noticed that may torque wrench is actually significanly longer (hence no problems torquing up!).
Cheers!
Doug N.
08-11-2011, 05:29 PM
#29
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According to OP:
Entire wheel change takes 45 minutes. That's about what it takes me start to finish, including applying brake depressor and getting the car up on jackstands.
On my C2S it was 20 minutes, with smaller, lighter tools. Factor in the reduced availibility of aftermarket CL wheels, and the verdict is clear.
I wonder if we had an option box to check off for 5 lug wheels, how many track rats would spec the car with CL?
Entire wheel change takes 45 minutes. That's about what it takes me start to finish, including applying brake depressor and getting the car up on jackstands.
On my C2S it was 20 minutes, with smaller, lighter tools. Factor in the reduced availibility of aftermarket CL wheels, and the verdict is clear.
I wonder if we had an option box to check off for 5 lug wheels, how many track rats would spec the car with CL?
08-11-2011, 05:38 PM
#30
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FWIW, after the initial super cautious change, I would bet I could do a swap comfortably in 25-30 mins. But, if I was spec'ing a car and the option for 5 lug wheels was available, I would probably check it. My original point was mainly that swapping CL wheels with the right tools was nowhere near as horrible a task as some prior posts had led me to believe.
An interesting side question: how long does it take the average track rat to change pads on GT3? My last several cars (including the Cayman) had retaining pin designs so all you had to do to get to the pads was pop the retaining mechanism and you could pull the pads. If I've read correctly, at least the rear caliper requires removal to do the pads on our cars. Is this correct and if so, why would Porsche implement a caliper design that would be more labor intensive? Any advantages there? It surely isn't "lighter weight"
An interesting side question: how long does it take the average track rat to change pads on GT3? My last several cars (including the Cayman) had retaining pin designs so all you had to do to get to the pads was pop the retaining mechanism and you could pull the pads. If I've read correctly, at least the rear caliper requires removal to do the pads on our cars. Is this correct and if so, why would Porsche implement a caliper design that would be more labor intensive? Any advantages there? It surely isn't "lighter weight"