sasportas

Oh yes....the dreaded retainer.

Two options:

1) Use a flexible drywall spatula and delicately pry the "clips" off of the pads.

2) Simply remove the entire caliper (with brake pads still inserted). This by far will be your easiest route if you can't free the pads from the retainer.

After you remove the retainers - please discard and don't use again.

Good luck.

LooseMarble

but I still have a little difficulty. I couldn't pull the pads out due to the piston retainer thingies. They are stuck to the pad apparently. SHould I have to reach in there and pry them off the pad?

LooseMarble

Discard? Are you talking about the little spider things? There are ceramic pucks too which are important, right? Do the spider things keep the pucks in place? I just need to get the damn thing apart so I can see how it works I guess and I'll forever be informed but right now it is confusing me.

dantzig

I just did this to put in my track pads, and ran into the same issue. I removed the entire caliper. Without the rotor in place, it's easy to pop the pad out of the pucks. The spider thingies are vibration dampers that fit into the ceramic pucks and are glued onto the pad. You can scrape the vibration dampers off of the pad when it's out.

Please, be extremely careful when removing and replacing the caliper bolts. I believe that the torque spec on the front in 62 ft-lbs. I use 55 ft-lbs. You can easily rip the threads out of the upright by over-torquing the bolt. Guess how I know?

Jon

4forme

I would leave the calipers on the car. compress the pistons back into the calipers by squeezing the pads afar from the disc so you don't damage the pistons and then use something hard and skinny (I used a thin chisel) to separate those heat shield shim thingies from the pads and you will be all set. They come glued to the original pads for some reason, but once you get them apart the first time your forever good to go.

NBTBRV8

The pucks on the back of the pads are self adhesive and are designed to be used once only. So every time you put new pads it you are meant to replace them.

Ur20v

Caliper removal is the way to go. Replace the bolts with Motorsport studs and nuts to avoid stripping the threads.

Jay

dantzig

I think that I am going to go this route. Here is a thread that gives the part numbers and DIY installation instructions:
https://rennlist.com/forums/997-gt2-...d-nut-kit.html

Jon

ILLCOMM

Do you have the part number for these? A source? My dealer said they could only find a part for the front calipers.

paver

M3evobr can get them for you

BlueJay73

I use a 2 inch metal putty knife. I just slip it between the pad backing plate and that "shim." Once the shim is separated from the pad backing plate, I just slide the brake pad out of the caliper.Then, remove the shim. Very easy. BTW, those caliper bolts are stretch bolts, and are meant to be replaced, not reused (which may start the "I reuse them/ you're a fool to reuse them" argument). I don't remove the caliper, so I avoid that issue.

powdrhound

I have the studs on my rear calipers. The dealer can't get these for you but most race shops like Orbit or GMG can. My front brakes use the Porsche adapter brackets for the 997.2 380mm brakes so the studs are not applicable. What I don't understand is that the regular OEM caliper bolts are supposedly one time use only while the studs, which are much smaller in diameter that the bolts, can be reused over and over. I don't get that.

dantzig

The studs are steel and threaded into the aluminum uprights one time with loctite. After that, you are putting steel nuts on steel studs, and you don't have the dissimilar metal issue to worry about afterwards. I think (but not sure) that the reason they want you to change the bolts each time is to eliminate the possibility of aluminum pickup on the bolt going back in and buggering up the threads.

powdrhound

Interesting. I was told by a mechanic at a Porsche dealership that the caliper bolts are "stretch bolts" and thus need to be replaced.

dantzig

That's possible, but it's kind of hard to see that happening with just 63 ft-lbs torque on such a large bolt. My tech says that he has measured them before and after use, and their length doesn't change.

Anyway, studs are on order for me.

Jon