F355, have to completely remove caliper? (rotor replace)

So I am doing the rotors, and I noticed the hardline off the back of the caliper...great. This means you can not simply place the caliper somewhere nearby as it's usually connected by steel braided hose. But not a Ferrari..

Then I saw a quick break away tab, but you still can not maneuver the damn thing. So you really remove the hard lined brake fluid tube to the caliper?!...great.

Now I will have to bleed the brakes too? barf.

 

Yep - you need to bleed the brakes. I highly suggest a pressure bleeder. Vacuum bleeders such air and it's hard to tell when you have bled properly...

 

For the brakes, this is what I use: Motive Products Power Bleeder Kits 0100 - Free Shipping on Orders Over $99 at Summit Racing

Works great, pretty inexpensive.

 

Hi

Are you the guy with the one piece flywheel to be fitted to a 355?

 

If you are going through this you might consider replacing your hard brakes lines with SS braided. I used these when I did mine:

Goodridge Ferrari F355 Braided Brake Kit Lines Hoses | eBay

 

Bob,

Great idea!!! I can't believe they aren't $500! I just bought a set. Thanks for the idea and source.

JD

 

I replaced mine on all 4 wheels without disconnecting the lines or bleeding the brakes.

I carefully unbolted the calipers, paying particular attention to the number of shims behind each bolt, and moved them just barely enough to get them just off the rotors. I had to pull the line grommets out of their clamps to do this. I Then held them hanging in place with some temporary wire hooks I made. I removed and replaced the rotors while the calipers were still hanging and then carefully re-installed the calipers and slipped the line grommets back in place. I also replaced all the pads after I had the calipers back in place.

While I was at it, since the rear rotors were off, I sanded the glaze off the parking brake shoes, adjusted the ratchet cogs at both rear wheels and tightened the cable in the LH wheel well so the lever now only needs 3 clicks to fully engage the shoes. They actually lock the car in place now like they're supposed to.

Admittedly, the lines had to be very slightly bent to do this but still well within their elasticity limits so no harm was done. Its been back together now for over a year without any problems and I don't expect there to ever be any. If you're careful, you should be able to do this.

 

I did mine this way when I first got the car. I don't recall having any trouble changing things out without unhooking and having to bleed.

 

Yes that is me. I am active duty military, so I have no time for...anything. I have not even started the car in 3 months, until today..

It's very hard to have a life, kids and go all over the damn place for the Army, nevertheless work on my F.

 

Thanks for your service.

 

Thank you for your service from another service member (myself active duty Navy - always seems to interfere with F-car maintenance).

Mark

 

Is it not necessary to bleed the brakes after removing the pads?

 

Howard, you only need to bleed system when air is introduced. If the fluid system stays intact, no bleeding is required.

 

Are you talking about the front calipers?

I recently changed the passenger side axle shaft and removed the rear caliper and rotor. I did not have to disconnect hydraulic lines. I just hung caliper out of way with a bent coat hanger.

If memory serves I also dismantled the driver side brakes to clean and adjust parking brake on that side too.

Never had to disconnect any hydraulic lines.

 

Neil,

As Jerry stated above, (and so did you), you can flex the hard pipe lines of the rear calipers out of the way. The fronts and not hard plumbing because you need to steer the car

I was not comfortable bending the rear lines out of the way...

Also, if you are doing new pads and new rotors, you need to squeeze the pistons in with a c-clamp and that was much easier on the bench. It also gave me the chance to clean the calipers very well.

Also not a bad time to flush the system and install fresh brake fluid.

For those that don't know...be sure to use flare nut wrenches when working with the brake line nuts...

 

No, the fronts are hard plumbed, from the caliper to the rear of hub (there is a bracket). After that is converts to coated-braided as you mentioned for obvious reasons.

 

And thanks all for the appreciation, I hope I can get my son to serve but his generation "me-me" and all...

 

Thanks for the tip.
Also thanks for the shocks yesterday, can not wait to get them. The other post on that was incorrect, you guys are still cheaper then Ferrari dealers (duh).

 

You are correct - my memory is not what it used to be....The rears actually have the rubber tubing... (suspension travel)

I did this job back in October and forgot some of the details...

 

Thank you for your service.
Post in the sub forum area for Florida, there are knowledgable, experienced F chat people all over just waiting to help ....
Don't feel bad after 3 generations of military in the family, none of my 3 kids want anything to do with it. I am way ok with that considering all things.

 

Reinvigorating this thread as was thankful for the written words. I did my rotors on the 97 spider today and thought I’d help with some photos of the procedure. Confirming can definitely change the rotors without bleeding the system. There’s a few persnickety small nuts up front that need removed but everything is doable in an afternoon. Also thanks to @daverocks for his amazing rim removal tools - they work excellent with the rotors too.

Rear with rims removed:

Image Unavailable, Please Login
Behind the Brembo caliper are (2) 19mm(?) bolts. Left loosey. Loosen both a bit and then the bottom one fully and pull it away and count the number of spacers that fall out and set aside. Then do same with top bolt and spacers.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

Here’s the spacers and bolts off the car. You’ll want to replace with same number:

Image Unavailable, Please Login

After much persuasion with a rubber mallet and lubricant, the old rotor is off. I can only upload 10 pix for the post so showing the key moments. My hub was a rusty and crusty mess so out came the wheel to clean up:

Image Unavailable, Please Login

Using @daverocks wheel removal tool to help, slid on the new rear rotor. Someone past already did away with the threaded screws that hold the rotor to the hub, but they aren’t needed. Can also use a lug to prop in place:

Image Unavailable, Please Login

view of cleaned hub. Caliper is held with wire to left just out of view. To reinstall the caliper with the spacers is a little tricky. I tried oil, then spray glue then little strips of duct tape on the spacers to see if could hold place. The tape ended up working. Taped to the car first leaving a gap for the bolt. Once bolt located, kept loose, then pull the strips of tape. (Did not get a picture of this…). Then tight all up.

Image Unavailable, Please Login


Moving to the fronts. A little more complicated. Given the obvious movement, a hard brake line is introduced. It couples with the sensor and some other lines and is held in place with a bracket secured with (2) 10mm nuts (yellow arrows). Put key ignition so wheel will move and rotate for easy view. Remove the 2 nuts and the whole hard line assembly comes away. They are a pita - only a 10mm wrench will fit and lots of 1/8 turns as very little room to move.

There is also a sensor held in place with an Allen connector (green arrow). Remove that too. Then loosen and do the one time each on the 19mm red arrows and count number of spacers.


Image Unavailable, Please Login


here’s a view with all removed of back of a front assembly:
Image Unavailable, Please Login


add the fresh rotor and re-install the caliper assembly Image Unavailable, Please Login

Ready for the Michelin sport 4S being mounted on the mags tomorrow… good luck!

Image Unavailable, Please Login