Rusty caliper "bolts" - Warranty item?

[DJMC]

Would you think these should be replaced under my Porsche warranty? Car is May 2014, 20k miles. Warranty to Dec 2016.

OPC, where it's going for 1st service tomorrow, have seen photo and say they're not covered and don't come separately from the caliper.

This is O/S front. Nearside front is fine, no rust. What are they for anyhow, the bolts?...

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 7, 2016 by DJMC

[twopointnine]

I noticed that you didn't get much sympathy on PH, I visit that site to see but rarely to speak.

 

Those bolts do spoil the look of your car, they look cheap. My car is older than yours so I have accepted whatever rusty bolts it has, especially on the wheel nuts and exhaust system, but I have to admit to being disappointed that such a prestigious and expensive brand puts so little importance on the quality of those fittings. Even my TVR had much better bolts as a 20 year old car.

 

If you can persuade Porsche to give you new bolts perhaps you could get them quality plated yourself? Otherwise replacement bolts from Porsche are quite likely to be as rusty again in a year or two.

 

[Beanoir™]

I looked at having many of the bolts on my XR2 zinc plated, I'll try and dig out the link to their website for you David if I can still find it.

[DJMC]

These bolts are non serviceable items, fitted at manufacturing stage, and hold the calliper halves together, according to the OPC technician this morning.

I guess a caliper specialist would think nothing of breaking down the caliper for a full rebuild, but to the OPC it's a no no.

 

Yes, the attitude on PH of some to just "roll over" amazes me. Have they no balls to at least explore a remedy from the people who make the car and put shoddy metalwork on it (and a shoddy warranty too)? 

 

Even in the 80's when I worked in the automotive industry, poorly plated hardware would get rejected by the likes of JLR. Supposedly the "Germans" are better?

[Beanoir™]

You could also try Bigg Red, they're a brake caliper refurb specialist.  I had my brake calipers done by them, really helpful friendly and good quality work.  

 

http://www.biggred.co.uk

 

They might be able to advise?

[DJMC]

cmoose on PH came to the rescue with a photo...

 

 

The bolts have nothing to do with holding the caliper together, they're just locating lugs for the pads...

 

 

Collected car from OPC. The bolts/lugs are not available as a part on their own. 

 

moose also found the relevant warranty page:

 

Section 3, point B. under "What is not covered."

"Optical and acoustic defects with no impact on functionality."

 

OPC do not have a warranty booklet, nor a copy of such, and have asked Porsche GB for one. How do they know what's covered?

 

So, wire brush and Smoothrite I guess?

 

On the plus side, 1st service and brake fluid change was 1/2 price. Ask me why on Sunday!

[twopointnine]

As I understand it from the earlier description of the function on these 'bolts' they are actually non-removeable pad locating pins. Why would Porsche have designed them to look like a type torx head bolt other than for cosmetic/styling purposes? If that is the case then for something which is part of the cars visual styling then it's not unreasonable to expect them to be plated in a corrosion resistant material, or they could even have been painted.

 

Other than my rusty wheel nuts I can't think of anything else that is so visible on my car which is rusty/corroded.

 

 

[DJMC]

Porsche GB are offering a goodwill gesture toward a £500 repair but haven't specified what that repair would be. Any ideas?

 

I suggested they ask Brembo if they'd replace the calipers due to the rusty bolts and loss of finish. Brembo Italy suggested I contact the manufacturer when I emailed them.

 

If needs be I'll take a wire brush to the bolts. 

 

Meaanwhile, PH "haters" are having a field day. Makes me chuckle. 

[twopointnine]

I've been following the thread on PH, so many experts there!

 

When I visited the Portsmouth OPC recently they had a Cayman 981 (or may have been a Boxster, I didn't pay much attention) and I specifically looked at the calipers to see if the bolts were rusty. Well the calipers looked like the same design as yours but they were red, as were the torx headed bolts - I wondered whether perhaps the dealer had painted them to cover the rusty bolts. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that the Porsche GB goodwill gesture will be to pay for your calipers & bolts to be painted.

 

It's a shame when new they didn't just fit a black plastic cap over the bolts, like some manufacturers do with wheel bolts.

[DJMC]

20 hours ago, twopointnine said:

I've been following the thread on PH, so many experts there!

 

When I visited the Portsmouth OPC recently they had a Cayman 981 (or may have been a Boxster, I didn't pay much attention) and I specifically looked at the calipers to see if the bolts were rusty. Well the calipers looked like the same design as yours but they were red, as were the torx headed bolts - I wondered whether perhaps the dealer had painted them to cover the rusty bolts. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that the Porsche GB goodwill gesture will be to pay for your calipers & bolts to be painted.

 

It's a shame when new they didn't just fit a black plastic cap over the bolts, like some manufacturers do with wheel bolts.

 

OPC device manager phoned today to ask if service was OK. Chatted about the bolt heads and he said painting was not an option as the calipers would have to be heated and this can destroy internal seals. Not a Porsche remedy, so the ones you saw were probably on an "S" where they're red as standard. He said wire brushing "will not work" either and the only solution is to replace the calipers. After a good humoured chat he added he'd be happy to assist with the cost of the remedy and this, along with PGB's goodwill offer, may cover the majority of the cost to replace the calipers - the only Porsche remedy. We'll see...

[PhilCS]

Seems a bit overkill to replace a bolt, but hey if they're offering to pretty much pay for new calipers then why not!  Will be nice and new looking too without being all faded - I assume replacing both sides?

 

Those bolts are normally painted the same colour as the caliper on other models, strange they're not on yours

Edited April 22, 2016 by PhilCS

[twopointnine]

Good to hear the OPC's view on painting either the bolt or the whole caliper. I'll guess that Porsche will provide new calipers free of charge and the OPC will contribute half the labour charge.

 

I'll watch and wait.

[DJMC]

4 hours ago, PhilCS said:

Seems a bit overkill to replace a bolt, but hey if they're offering to pretty much pay for new calipers then why not!  Will be nice and new looking too without being all faded - I assume replacing both sides?

 

Those bolts are normally painted the same colour as the caliper on other models, strange they're not on yours

 

Bolts are not removable. The calipers used to be black, now they're silver. No idea what colour the bolts used to be!?

[Chris_in_the_UK]

On 22 April 2016 at 23:23, DJMC said:

 

Bolts are not removable. The calipers used to be black, now they're silver. No idea what colour the bolts used to be!?

I suspect they are but they will not come as a Porsche spare part.

 

The PH thread was pathetic TBH - partisan clowns does not come close!!

 

You are correct in your course of action - I would do the same if my circumstances were the same.

 

Best of luck!

[DJMC]

Porsche GB have offered to go halves on replacing just the right o/s caliper. So it'll cost me £250 to deal with the bolts. Hmmm.... wire brush time again!?

[Beanoir™]

Clowns just about covers it, I gave up with PH a while ago.  

 

@DJMC have you worked out the cost of getting it sorted? 

 

Edit: ignore me, overlapped post!  

 

Wire brush and a bit of polish should be fine! 

Edited April 28, 2016 by Beanoir

[magic8080]

I've got the same on mine, so may be a quality issue with 2014 981's

 

They look unsightly.

 

When I have the wheels off soon I'll give them the wire brush treatment and a spot of polish

[DJMC]

I fine-wire brushed them, wheels on, than applied some rust converter: http://www.halfords.com/motoring/paints-body-repair/rust-removal-treatment/hammerite-kurust-12-5ml-pencil

 

Then considered using some grey touch up paint I have, but did some research and stumbled across permanent marker. Yes, the one you have in the drawer. Easy to apply all round the bolt in situ, wheels on, without it dripping or running everywhere.

 

That was 7 months ago and still looking perfect. Gives a bluey-black shiny finish. I'll see how they do over winter with salt on them, but I'd just redo next spring if the rust comes back. Around an hour's work all in.

[magic8080]

Good tip Dave, I'll try the same on mine

 

[Bushman]

if you wanted a permanent but cheaper solution, I might have an idea. most paint or powder coat finishes will not handle the heat range that a calliper goes through, mainly due to expansion rates. made worse by ramming a socket on it to retighten on refit. how about removing the bolts, poking them through a piece of cardboard and gritblast just the heads the immediately dip the heads into Trustan 23 or Jenolite. these acid based liquids turn ferrous metals black including rust. similar to gun barrels. as it reacts with the top few microns of the parent metal and is not a coat, it wont get chipped off or ever go rusty. only works well if spotlessly clean and grease free. hence blasting. refit all bolts with Copperslip to prevent galvanic corrosion.  hope this helps.  Steve.