Brake pads won't come out

Hello, I'm trying to replace the pads on my 99 996. I have squeezed the pistons back to make room, but they are blocked from coming out by what appears to be the piston. Is it possible that the pistons can get stuck to the pads? that's what it looks like. I've read about other people with similar issues, and the anti-squeal things. however, I'm not sure if that's what I'm seeing. I included a picture showing the pistons. any help is appreciated

Take a scraper and separate that backing from the brake pads. it comes off easy then slide pads out and then install the backing in new pads

Good advice from Porschedr. I just went through this. He/she is correct.

Porschedr, thanks for the quick reply. However, what do you mean by the backing? Do you mean the backing of the brake pad? Or do you mean separating the silver piston thing from the brake pad. I tried shoving a paint scraper between the silver piston and the brake pad and it's glued on pretty tight.

Push harder with the paint scrapper. You do need to separate the anti-squeal plate (the piece that looks as though it has a pistom on it) from the back of the brake pad in order to get the pads out easily. It sticks because the anti-squeal plates come with an adhesive to make them resist vibration. It is sometimes difficult to get them unstuck, but you can do it..

that fixed it, I was able to get the pads out. Now do I need to keep the anti-squeal pistons in there or take them out? I don't have more backing adhesive for the new pads.

Quotes source post: 6434450

I would take them out. I chose to buy new ones ($$$), but if the ones that you take out are not damaged and you can clean up the surfaces that face the new brake pads, then you can probably reuse the old ones. You can buy spray cans and tubes of anti-squeal material to put on the backs of these old ones if you choose. Permatex makes such a product. If you choose to use this, be careful not to use too much and allow it to dry as the directions indicate. I installed the anti-squeal plates into the calipers first, making sure that the "piston" part went into the caliper as far as I could get it (flat side with anti-squeal sticky stuff out toward the brake pad side), and then carefully slid in the new brake pads trying not to let them touch the sticky stuff until I had everything properly positioned. Be aware that if your old pads were worn very thin and if you started the replacement with the brake fluid reservoir nearly full, after you slide in the new pads, they will displace brake fluid from the reservoir, raising the brake fluid level, maybe even overflowing it if you are not careful. Be patient and it will turn out OK. Good Luck.

88 Carrera What anti-squeal plates are you referring to? I just replaced my pads front and rear and after a month they squeal badly enough that I have to do something I see that Pelican sells some anti squeal pads for the back of the brake pads. Did you use those? Results good? Thanks Todd 99 coupe

Yes, I bought the following from our host: 996-351-088-02-M260 $20.50 4 $82.00 Front Brake Pad Vibration Damper - Rectangular, 36/40mm (4 per car, sold individually), 996 Carrera 2/4 (1999-04), Each Brand: OEM 996-352-086-00-M260 Rear Brake Pad Vibration Damper - Round, 30mm (4 per car, sold individually), 996 Carrera 2/4 (1999-04), 996 Turbo (1999-04) NOTE: Not for cars with ceramic brake discs, Each $9.75 Brand: OEM 996-352-086-02-M260 Rear Brake Pad Vibration Damper - Round, 28mm (4 per car, sold individually), 996 Carrera 2/4 (1999-04), 996 Turbo (1999-04), Each $9.75 Brand: OEM

The brake fluid reservoir can be lowered before changing brake pads via a clean turkey baster then it wont over flow as the pads are squeezed back before removing. No matter how far I pushed back the pistons, I could not remove the old pads and backing. I removed the caliper in 2 minutes. Only two bolts to take out. By removing the caliper, it gave me lots of room to remove the pads and then i could easily remove the backing (in one piece) on the work bench. I sand papered the back of the old backings and put them back without any glue. Pelican parts advised me not to put the backing back. I thought that the backings must have been there for a good reason and put them back anyway. Maybe if I was tracking my car I would have left them out as who the hell cares if the brakes squeel at a race track anyway. I have done about a thousand miles since with no squealing and the brakes are nice a crisp. BTW my brake fluid reservoir has a plastic filter net cap on it which I could not remove so I used a medical syringe to lower the fluid level. The hollow needle went through the net easily. I did not use a turkey baster. I also found it easy to replace the brake sensors when I was doing the brake job.