Brake Overhaul

[bigmsm]

Hi all,

 

Attempting my first brake pad, lines & rotor replacement.  Hoping I could outline the main steps I plan to follow for comment (inlcuding laughs). Since I'm replacing lines with steel braided lines, thought this way may make sense:

Jack/remove tires

Cut soft line to front driver caliper and drain fluid

Remove clip and pads

Remove hard line from chasis connection and completely remove caliper

Remove rotor

Replace dampers and connect steel line to caliper (easier at the workbench)

Replace rotor, caliper, connect hard line at chasis connection

Add pads, clips

Rinse, repeat and bleed

 

Since car is old (2001 C4) and it's been a while, thought it would be easier to remove line at chasis and connect braided line at my workbench.  Am i totally off base with this approach?

 

 

[JFP in PA]

You are heading for a major headache.  If you allow the brake system to drain of fluid, you will need a Porsche specific scan tool to get everything working again.  You would be far better off to do one rubber line at a time, disconnecting and replacing with the braided lines.  Once done, the entire system will need to be flushed to get the air out.

 

If you are going to remove the calipers from the car, plan on fabricating some plugged rubber hose bits to cap off the car's hard line's while it is apart for the same reason.

[bigmsm]

Thanks JFP.  That's exactly the missing info I needed.  To change the lines at the other connection (where hard line meets soft), it would seem I will need plugs as well for the hard line, correct?

[JFP in PA]

1 hour ago, bigmsm said:

Thanks JFP.  That's exactly the missing info I needed.  To change the lines at the other connection (where hard line meets soft), it would seem I will need plugs as well for the hard line, correct?

 

Yes, but they do not have to be fancy, just some correctly sized black rubber hose with a screw in one end to stop the leak.  You need to prevent the system draining and air getting back up into the ABS/PSM control network, as this then needs the scanner to activate systems during a flush to get it back out.  A little fore thought and some fifty cent fabricated plugs/caps will prevent major headaches.

[DBJoe996]

Golf tees work well for this.

[JFP in PA]

We don't like to push hard objects like golf tees into the hard lines as they have unusual flare ends and you really do not want to deform them.  Something soft, like hose, slipped over the line end is a better bet.............

[DBJoe996]

I meant golf tees in the soft hose that one would attach to the hard line.  Sorry for the misstatement.  Agree a screw would work as well.

[JFP in PA]

If you measure the line flare, you can actually get little rubber caps for a few cents each that are supposed to be for capping off unused vacuum lines that look neat and do an excellent job as well:

 

 

But a screw in a hunk of rubber hose also does the same job....................

[bigmsm]

Thanks guys.  I've booked the project for next weekend!

[bigmsm]

Pads, rotors and fluid, Done!  Decided to skip replacing the lines after encountering some difficulity with the first nut.  Didn't want to push it so I'll will wait for next pad change.  Appreciate the Board's help.  Now I need to decide on the next project!!