parking brake problem= lug bolts

[flaps10]

I'm still getting used to my boxster. A few days after I got it my girlfriend and I took a drive and we got a clicking noise followed immediately by nasty crunching from the left rear wheel.

I had the car towed home and found what I had suspected: The parking brake had come apart inside the drum. The parts were all okay except for the two springs which retain the shoes in place.

For a few days I had just removed all the components from that wheel and parked on flat ground, and then was lucky enough to obtain the two springs from a member here on 986 (huge props to him btw)

Installed them a few nights ago at the same time I replaced my clutch hydraulics. Took it for a ride thinking I was just checking clutch function but was getting a clicking sound out of the left rear hub again.

WTF. So I took it apart this morning and found a chunk of broken retainer springs still in there. How I missed that I don't know. It must have been in the rotor vents. Anyway, looked for more pieces and didn't find any so I put it back together and took it for a drive. Still had the clicking.

Again, WTF.

Jacked the car up again and spun the wheel, wanting to make sure it wasn't a bad CV or something (it wasn't). Removed the wheel and spun it again.

No clicking sound. I looked all over the inside of the wheel, the brake caliper, etc for some sign of shiny metal. Nothing. Threw the wheel back on and installed one lug bolt. Spun the wheel. No noise.

The culprit? One of the lug bolts was a mismatch and is longer than the rest. I'm guessing the car had wheel locks prior to being sold and they were swapped out for some generic chromed lug bolts. Or one was just missing and someone dug one out of a parts drawer.

Shiny metal on the end of the bolt. So not only was it what was making my clicking sound, it is likely that it was the over length bolt that took out the brake shoe retainer springs.

I put on the four good lug bolts and spun the wheel. All is good. Since all of my lug bolts look a little long in the tooth (rusty where the zinc is missing) I'm going to shop for some new ones. And no, I'm not driving the car until I get all five on there.

28mm shank length, ball seat for the stock 17" wheels unless someone here stops me.

That was my Friday morning :dance: