Macca

Hi Tim. Not a bad idea as part of a larger business plan. Millers is represent here (very poorly). Redline is represented well at a trade level (bought their oil last year for my gearbox). To be honest its such a small market here - especially for motorsports with such a wide choice of product that even larger boutiques lile Gulf are struggling here and sell most of their product to farmers for tractors etc....

Ralf G

I would be keen to become a shareholder in BB. And no problem for me to do the rotors and pads. Is it only the front or all 4 corners?
Are the parts already purchased?

John McM

Welcome on board Ralf. We'll take your money.

I'll check with Dave re parts supply. We used EBC yellow for the four corners but only the fronts need replacing. I believe that will be $200 odd, which is the cost of a shareholding. Very neat. The rotors may be usable but I think we have used the last skim and given the beating taken by the front brakes it would be good to start with a completely fresh front end. Another possibilty is to put the rear ebcs on the front and fit the spare repco pads to the rear, however that would depend on them being interchangeable.

Personally I prefer a new front end set so we can challenge Chris and Pete.

I think there is a Playday session on Saturday 16 August. Maybe a group of you could go to HD, for the pads and rotors then do a day session between you. Heck I don't care if it's just you. You can take my AIM Solo to keep the timing.

John McM

Trademe has two new front rotors for $129. I think we should definitely invest in a new set to go with the new pads.

996tnz

Just chased the sender of the transmission upgrade kit for a courier tracking number to follow since it should have arrived. Not sure why she would be on the lift but I did ask Contis to flush the radiators before reassembly so maybe they just needed to fill in some down time.

As for your rams sometimes faulting out, it could be electrical or hydraulic. Probably no need for spendy parts. Here's my suggested progression - had started this and will likely throw it up in a thread with pics soon:

1 - Clean and wipe exposed rams with CRC 5.56 or similar. Check function (bought me a few months).

2 - Open your engine cover and check the bottoms of the rams for evident seepage. The covers pull off the bottoms, so if there is only minor seepage you may want to at least tighten the banjo bolts a bit to stop it getting worse. If your spoiler is raising evenly throughout its range of motion though, the odds are that your hydraulic fluid is fine as each side has a separate reservoir and they'd be unlikely to leak at exactly the same rate - go to step 3. If lost fluid is behind your problems, go to step 4.

3 - Pull the cover off the switch assembly on the right hand ram. Gently pull out the limit detecting microswitches (be paranoid, they are small, delicate and cost about $130 each) and visually inspect them. Check the holes they slot into are free of gunge. If a switch looks dodgy, you may wish to test it with a multimeter and clean or replace if need be. Reassemble and check function.

4 - Remove the wing. Raise it normally (or force it up if you can't) and put some suitably soft blocks under the middle and each end to hold it in place.
There is a special tool to remove the rams (recommended - much easier when re-assembling) or you could use some adjustable pliers with antislip matting or similar to protect the rams from its teeth (as I did) to turn each ram to unhook the wing. Make sure you have some strong padding under the tool before releasing the ram as it may shoot down violently (if you had to force the wing up against the return springs) and you don't want to damage your engine lid. Lower the rams if they didn't already spring back down to relieve pressure in the system pending disassembly.

4 - To top up the ram's hydraulic fluid (with original Pentosin or else potentially something like Pentone Power Steering Fluid with Stop Leak if you suspect your seals are aging) you at least need to remove the plastic shroud under your engine lid so you can drop the pump. From here on, take some photos as you go to help with reassembly. Some zip ties are handy here so you can suspend the pump vertically from the lid catch with the banjo bolts upwards. Also remove the rams. I suppose they could also be suspended upside down for refilling and bleeding at the car but I just took the whole assembly to the bench.

5 - Lower the rams if you haven't already done so, by applying 12V to the pump terminals in the correct orientation (+ve to small tab is down, to large tab is up - don't overdo it though as there are no limit switches). Taking photos as you go, remove the banjo bolts holding the hydraulic lines to the pump - careful to keep the copper washers - and disassemble the pump. I started from the electric motor end and check that the plastic yoke and drive screw were undamaged. I also regreased them while there.

6. Open the hydraulic end of the pump and clean and refit the cylinders and pistons. I found sticky green Reassemble the pump.

7. I didn't clean and refit the hydraulics inside the rams themselves as I couldn't find a procedure, just warnings about those massive return springs. If you want to give it a go though, be my guest.

8. Fill and bleed cycles. Ensure pump is retracted fully and is vertical with fill holes up top and fill with clean replacement fluid per above. I used a partially cut open straw as a funnel but a syringe would ideal. Reattach rams and extend using 12V. Invert extended rams, keeping the pump higher and tap to help air rise to their banjo bolts. Gently crack those open to let air escape. Lower the rams, remove the pump's banjo bolts, fill and repeat until both rams rise evenly with no or minimal delay. Measure the extended rams, lower and extend and remeasure to ensure they match. Leave them extended to assist with re-assembly.

9. Refit everything to car in reverse order. If you don't have the Porsche tool for removing and reattaching the cylinders to the wing (or haven't made it) make sure there are no kids about as you will swear, more than once. If old enough they could assist perhaps though as it would be easier to have someone position the wing with downward force while someone else turns the ram to re-engage it. It was about 11 at night in my driveway when I got to this so muggins did it alone.

10. Test on car. Smile. Buy a set of tyres with the money saved...

If you do go this route and get stuck give me a yell.

Are they the OEM discs - anyone know the wear limit? I work just up the road from where she sits at ChrisB's so I'm happy to replace the pads after work one day if that works with him. If they're anything like doing a Porsche's it shouldn't be too hard (famous last words from a Z-grade mechanic).

996tnz

Wear limits look to be:

Front
Standard = 20.9 - 21.2 mm (0.82 - 0.83 inches)
Max Limit = 19 mm (0.75 inches)

Rear
Standard = 8.9 - 9.1 mm (0.35 - 0.36 inches)
Max Limit = 8 mm (0.31 inches)

What's she at now?

John McM

Not sure Walter. I was relying on the previous owners assertion that she had one skim left, which we have used. She has a lot of pad transfer on the rotors. I think replacement is the best option, especially as it doesn't seem expensive compared to a shortened session or even worse a safety issue.

Maxem

When I had the discs skimmed, they said that they were about at the limit now, so new discs will be needed, unless of course they look OK and the thickness is still there.
Pads are EBC yellow. Get them from EBC, 9 Akepiro st, mt eden. 09 623 1781. Ask for 2k cup discount. The full set was 320 or 380, can't remember now, but the rears will be fine so fronts only.

Maxem

Maybe just check the oil, water and brake fluid levels as well.

John McM

Dave, can you recall the exact pad size? Are they interchangeable front and rear?

Ralf G

That's just around the corner from my office. I can get them if needed.
Partnumber?
Where do i put my share for BB? Into the RSG account?

John McM

Ralf, hopefully Dave can recall the part number. Re payment - assuming the pads are less than $200, then pay for the pads and credit the difference to the normal RSG account.

It sounds like you and Walter will be able to get bb back on the track. Maybe book in on the 16th and get some sessions in?

gt38088

thinking of embarking on a new project. A cheaper one.

new and custom paint helmet. working our concepts now so stay tuned

Macca

Graeme. You simply must share how you get this done. One day i will buy a helmet work more than $500 and which is worthy of such art and Ive often wondered who provides this service and how expensive it it (let alone how to design it and what it should incorporate in the first place!).

Macca

Nik. We have some spare spots at Taupo track for Friday 12th in the RSG groups (we will run two - fast and slow) if yourself and/or Matt would like to join us in the Golf (or is you have other friends that would like to participate). It would be great for the guys on here to finally meet you (and Matt). If Matt wished to run in the Prestige group that is possible as well. Ask around. It would be great to have you out there as our "virtual" RSG members...