Stripped the thread when removing front calliper - expensive!

[ictguy]

Thought I'd share my experience to help stop anybody making the same mistake I made -

Bought new discs and pads and had a good friend help me fit them. That was the first mistake, should have got a garage to do it....

Both my friend and I have changed pads on many cars and motorbikes and thought nothing of removing the callipers.

Started with the front right side, removed the two M16 bolts holding the calliper to the hub arm. The bolts were very corroded and as a result, the thread was stripped on one of the bolts and the hub arm (not sure if that's what's called, maybe a knuckle thing).

I did read about helicoiling or time-serting to get a new thread but decided to get the car to a garage instead. They basically said that the calliper doesn't need to be removed to put pads in. Oh my God, wish I had known that first. Anyway, they wouldn't repair the thread, too safety critical they said. The loading is too much and they were only prepared to purchase a new hub arm thing from Porsche, plus therefore needed a new wheel bearing aswell.

So the mistake cost in excess of £550 to fix. Lesson learned!!

Moral of the story - don't remove the calliper to change the pads OR, better still, leave it to the professional mechanics.

Edited May 31, 2015 by ictguy

[ciaka]

Sorry to hear on your loss.  Does sound very expensive.

Indeed, replacing of pads themselves does not require one to remove calipers from the car.

Only think one needs to do is remove the sensor cables and remove a bolt that allows the caliper to be tilted on way to remove/insert new pads.

 

IMO, pad replacement is still a very easy thing to do.  These cars cost enough, no need to keep giving the dealers more and more money.

I think the key thing here is knowing exactly what one has to do, before they start doing it.  

Then, once process is known before work starts, it will be much easier to execute.

On wheel area bolts, nuts, it always helps to add penetrating lubricant to help remove the hardware.

 

Again, really sorry to hear this.  Please use this community forum in case of questions, or if you have doubt of any kind.

 

Take care.

Edited June 12, 2015 by ciaka