Cross post from 981 thread - car in question is a 981 GTS:

I was helping a friend do brake pads on a 981 GTS yesterday. The car is tracked moderately (about 8 - 10 days a year) and had caliper bolt studs in place - supposed to be torqued to 54 ft-lb.

When removing the nuts on the front left side studs, it took minimal effort and they were clearly below recommended torque. We did the pads on that side and the caliper stud nuts re-torqued normally. We were using a well-calibrated torque wrench with the settings double-checked.

On the left side, the bottom nut was clearly loose. When we went to retorque that one, the stud backed out of the hub carrier and was clearly stripped and had no Loctite on it. I had a spare caliper bolt on hand. We put that back. As we started to get torque on it, it felt like it was not tightening any more, so we stopped before reaching the 63 ft-lb that a caliper bolt requires. The top stud and nut were secure so he could drive home OK.

I suspect that whoever put in the studs and did the brakes last didn't use correct torque and skipped the Loctite. I don't think the calipers have been off and on this car that many times for the holes be stripped from normal wear and tear. Any other thoughts as to cause?

Are there any possible fixes for this (retap, helicoil, both) or does this hub carrier likely need to be replaced?

 

The stud itself should be torqued into the wheel carrier with 20ft.lb. The nut is then torqued to 63ft.lbs. If you are using 54flt.lb to install the stud you are overtorquing it.

 

Read the post again before answering. Stud was put in previously by someone else. It backed out of the carrier in the process of torquing the nut after the caliper was reinstalled. You are wrong about the torque values. Proper torque on a caliper nut (12 mm 12 point) on the stud is 54 ft-lbs. 63 foot-lbs is for stock caliper bolt (T55) into the carrier.

 

I installed Girodisc caliper studs on my 997. I don’t have handy (and can’t find online) the installation instructions but I believe the studs should only be seated with 5-10 ft-lbs. Torque for the nuts is 54 ft-lbs (I think). But the point is that studs are installed with a nominal torque value only.

 

I agree Steve. Studs themselves are torqued at 5 with Loctite (double nut technique) and then wait at least 20 minutes for it to dry before installing calipers and torquing caliper bolts to 54 (at least for the 718 and 981 Tarett studs). Factory caliper bolts with no studs are 63. I didn't do original install on the car in question. See you at SPM in a few weeks!