You can order the correct sensor or ...

So today I started to do a brake job on my 987S -2005. Once the pad where removed I fit tested my new pad to realize that the front sensor would not fit back in. After research I found out that the sensor in place are 98761267601 and not 98661236500.

The difference is 98761267601 has a large sensor and the other one a small pin that insert in the pad.

I'm not sure but it seems that the 98761267601 are for ceramic brake but my car has standard iron discs.

The pad I bought are the Hawk Performance HB550B.634 - Brake Pads, HPS 5.0, and were confirmed to fit on the 987S iron disc.

Now I'm not sure what to do... Do I have the right pad?

Should I just order the 98661236500 ?

Suggestion welcome.

Yes!

... not use any sensor at all.
I haven't had a brake sensor in my car for over 15 years.
Just make sure to keep an eye out for pad wear when you check tire pressures.
Happy Boxstering
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Thanks Pedro,

When not using the sensor, do I just disconnect it or leave it tie wrapped in there.

clip the wires about an inch or two from the connector, and either twist them or wire-tie them. Plug int he sensor. Very neat, easy to un-do.

no false alarms.

The system works when a small voltage/current on the wire is interrupted; either:

1. because the circuit has been broken when the brake disc cuts the embedded wire, or
2. when it shorts to ground (the disc is ground), providing an alternate path (lower voltage/current)

So by shorting it you provide a perfect, uninterupted path

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

and rely upon them to do the job for which they were intended. 'bout the only situation in which it might made sense to forego the wear sensors is if one tracks his car and is at the tires for pressure checks frequently and thus can check the brakes too.

But since my usage is strictly street I do not check tire pressures all that often and when I do the brakes are usually hot so I can't stick a finger in behind the rotor to check the gap between the rotor and the caliper. Plus you have to check the leading and trailing pad wear so that is 2 checks per pad, 2 pads per wheel, 4 wheels or 16 checks. Who has time for that? And even if the car is cold one gets his hand rather dirty with brake dust so this is not something one wants to do when he's in nice clothes prior to leaving for work say.

With the brake wear sensors I don't bother to check for wear. As part of my "pre-flight" check I just give a glance at the rotor surfaces looking for any signs of rotor degradation -- very unlikely but I check because its easy and I'm looking there for any sign of a low tire or fluid leaking, etc. -- and note the thickness of the lip around the rotor. A 1mm lip is a sign the rotors are wearing out.

When I have the car in for service most often every 5K miles -- which is twice a year now as I will have put on the car just 10K miles ( no time for road trips ) in the last 12 months (4/5/2016) -- the techs note on the work invoice brake pad thickness and rotor condition thickness along with tread depth of the tires.

So when the warning light comes on I know the brakes are due but I have some time and can generally arrange to take the car in at my convenience rather than have to make a special trip to get the car in right now.

And if you do your own brake jobs, like I used to, you can order the necessary hardware and have it all gathered together and then do the brakes on a nice Saturday morning without having to worry about having to stop in the middle because you find in your haste you are missing a critical piece of hardware.

MarcW, I hear you and would rather have the sensor in place. I don't track the car, though I do occasional autocross which so far doesn't seem the be an issue.

As an update, I reach out to Hawk Performance. They are now saying I have the wrong pads and the flat sensor are the right ones. They requested picture of my old pads to make sure I would get the right replacements.

Funny thing is they are sort of blaming Porsche

Thanks for contacting us. I am showing that HB550 is not the correct pad.

Here is the thing. Looks like Porsche has changed what part is recommended for your vehicle in their part number system. Could you send me a picture of your current pad so we can make sure we are getting you the correct part number?

I think I could order a set of rear sensors and make them work, after all it's only a whole in the pad. But I'm now concerned that the pad geometry is wrong, even tho it fits perfectly in the caliper.

Anyway, I'll keep you all posted on the progress. And thanks for all the quick replies.

Won't the pads still "squeak" when it it's time to replace?

Boxsterd,

I don't think they would squeak, there is no warning tabs on the pads. They would eventually make some noise once the pad has worned off but you don't want that as this is when you start chewing the disc.