Re: To add to Frogster's Response.....

I am about to replace the rear pads on my 2000 S as my dash light is on. I never did this before and read Pedro's nice writeup but..... I understand my S has anti-squeal something or other and require an additional procedure that includes removing the calipers. Is this true and where can I get the additional instructions?

I also wonder if my mechanic replaced the pads with the anti-squeal types as I have been getting squeal for the last year or so.

Another note, I am very mechanically inclined but have never done a brake job before so "See spot run" is my speed.

... are usually self-adhesive pads that stick to the back side of the pads and have two inserts that fit into the opening of the pistons.
The procedure to replace is the same, but when you spread the pads back from the rotor, if you can't easily pull them out, your car probably has the pads.
You DO NOT have to remove the calipers.
Just insert a paint scraper between the back of the pad and the anti-squeal piece and pry them apart.
You will then be able to effortlessly remove the brake pad out, then just pick the anti-squeal off the caliper pistons.
You can generally reuse them, but I hate them, so on my car I have just the pads without anti-squeal.
Brakes are about the easiest job you can do.
Take your time and I assure you that after the first caliper, you'll be an expert.
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

... DIY!
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

Can I go to an auto parts store and get the same OEM stuff or should I go to the dealer? I like OEM stuff but am OK buying the same stuff under the mfgrs name if I can be sure it really is the same thing. What are the typical savings if possible?

... an authorized dealer.
That way you will get the correct part.
You can ask your dealer to extend you a PCA (if you're a member) discount.
There are also several other alternatives online that carry semi-decent aftermarket parts.
But, on brakes, on a street Porsche I ALWAYS go with OEM.
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

For example:

Suncoast Porsche sells front rotors for a 1999 Boxster for $255 (http://www.suncoastparts.com/product//2x98635140105.html)
AutohausAz sells Zimmerman front rotors for the same car for $80 (http://www.autohausaz.com/search/product.aspx?sid=y54j1u55danpapzkemnjoi45&partnumber=98635140105)

Since the latter is less than 1/3 the cost, it is hard to justify the ones from the dealer. I have used Zimmerman (from various vendors) for years and have never had a problem. And they seem to last just as long (30k front/60k rear).

... the comparison.

Even though Zimmerman manufactures the rotors for Porsche, the ones you can buy for $100 or less will last you less than half of the life of the OEMs.
The Porsche rotors are made to Porsche specs and standards.
A few years ago we tested them to see if it was true.
Two Boxsters at Sebring. One with $90 new front Zimmermans and one with new Porsche OEMs.
Both with Pagid Orange Pads. Both driven by PCA Instructors, running in the same group.
The aftermarket Zimms were done by the end of the 2nd day at the track.
The OEMs saw many, many more miles plus a few more days at the track.

I'm not saying that you'll have problems with the aftermarket Zimms, but I can assure you that they don't last as long as the Porsche-branded ones.

On the same subject, there's another part that people also try to save money on and end up loosing money in the very long run.
I'm referring to the MAF (Mass Air Flow Sensor).
There are several companies that sell the Bosch MAF (with the Porsche Part Number stamped on it for less than half the price than the dealer).
So it must be legit, right?
Yes and no.
I spoke with a Porsche GmbH engineer not too long ago and asked him that question.
He told me that when a part has a Porsche number stamped on it it was commissioned by Porsche and manufactured and shipped to them directly from their supplier (in this case, Bosch).
But, when the part reach the factory, especially the electronic parts such as the DMEs, CLUs, MAFs, etc., they each get tested individually.
Those that pass all of the Q/C tests become inventory.
Those that don't pass get sold to the Aftermarketers.
So, you may get lucky every now and then and find a MAF that works, but it is probably defficient in some way.
I have actually purchased several aftermarket Bosch, Porsche-numbered MAFs that didn't work right out of the box.

I know it's common to say that Porsche or the dealer is ripping you off, but believe me, those OEM parts do have added value.

Happy Porsche-ing,
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

I consistently get 30k miles out of front Zimm rotors with hard street driving and OEM pads.

With factory pads, the Porsche-approved rotors do not get 90k miles (in fact the Porsche set I had got almost exactly the same mileage as the Zimms) and yet they are more than 3x as expensive.

I've gotten 60,000 from the fronts, but there's also another issue with the Aftermarket Vs the OEMs.
The Aftermarket Zimmermans are not treated with an oxidizing-inhibiting coat on the hat and inside the cooling vanes.
The OEMs are.
This makes for:
1.- a better looking hat, but more importantly ...
2.- a cooler running rotor because it gets much better air circulation
I'm sold on OEMs and won't buy the crappy aftermarkets anymore. I must have used at least a dozen of them.
Happy Porsche-ing,
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

+1.

I'm about to change out my fronts (06 Base) with 33K on them and an estimated 40 track days.

I'm down 1+mm in thickness with significant cracking around the holes, but street braking is still solid with with no pulsation.

The rears are down a1/2mm in thickness and with minor cracking around a few holes.

Getting this many track days out of a set of front rotors sold me on getting OE replacements from Suncoast ($255+freight).

I and others here have received the wrong parts from Suncoast. They are nice people and will quickly make good on any errors.

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/30/2011 11:49AM by Laz. (view changes)

Quote
Bruce In Philly (175K+)
I am about to replace the rear pads on my 2000 S as my dash light is on. I never did this before and read Pedro's nice writeup but..... I understand my S has anti-squeal something or other and require an additional procedure that includes removing the calipers. Is this true and where can I get the additional instructions?

I also wonder if my mechanic replaced the pads with the anti-squeal types as I have been getting squeal for the last year or so.

Another note, I am very mechanically inclined but have never done a brake job before so "See spot run" is my speed.

for Boxster brakes some time ago. I haven't used them in years.

When you use a putty knife to remove the pads use a sturdy putty knife.

The squeal may arise from the brake hardware being dirty. When my Boxster brakes start to squeal lightly on light use I wash/rinse the brake hardware at a DIY car wash then take the car out and use the brakes enough to thoroughly dry the brake hardware to prevent rust.

If the brake rotors have holes in them be sure to clean the holes out. In some case I've seen these holes accumulate enough dust/rust to fill some holes up.

As for how much you're saving DIY vs. having the brakes done at a dealer?... Alot. Years ago I was quoted $1000 per axle for a brake job at a dealership. The price has probably gone up some.

Be sure after the brake job you bed in the new pads to the old rotors.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

"The squeal may arise from the brake hardware being dirty."

more precisely from brake dust between the piston and the pad. most people think that it's the pad against the rotor that squeaks but that's more of a grinding, rubbing sound than the high pitched squeel that occurs under light braking. if the sound goes away when you brake heavily, then it's the dust between piston and pad.

i used to do the same as marc and wash the brakes out. it usually lasted me 3 or 4 months before i needed to do it again.

--
MY 2000 S, Ocean Blue, Metropol Blue, Savanah Beige.
Bought June 2000 - Sold May 2010

Quote
frogster
"The squeal may arise from the brake hardware being dirty."

more precisely from brake dust between the piston and the pad. most people think that it's the pad against the rotor that squeaks but that's more of a grinding, rubbing sound than the high pitched squeel that occurs under light braking. if the sound goes away when you brake heavily, then it's the dust between piston and pad.

i used to do the same as marc and wash the brakes out. it usually lasted me 3 or 4 months before i needed to do it again.

Sure, you are correct again, technically...but
Where were you at BRBS 2011.

Your presence was sorely missed...Just ask Prince Edward Island's newly crowned resident TopMeister, an attorney no less! Yuk, Yuk, Yuk..(Moe, Larry & Curly reference for you young 'uns). I believe that He earlier said that he operated that top flawlessly numerous times on his long and arduous solo journey back to PEI.

Regards, Maurice..

we were in NYC and DC. It was my wife's, uh, well let's just say "multiple of ten" birthday on the fourth of june and she wanted to go to NY.
besides, can you imagine how it would make me feel going to a gathering where all these happy people are talking about their fantastic cars while I had to leave mine behind in swissyland? it's bad enough seeing them driving around vancouver. my heart still skips a beat every time i see a OB/MB/SB one.

--
MY 2000 S, Ocean Blue, Metropol Blue, Savanah Beige.
Bought June 2000 - Sold May 2010

stop sighing and start buying.

I know very well what you're going through. There is only one cure (see sentence above.)

You just spray it on the back of the backing plates, wait a couple of minutes for it to get tacky (less if you're Gary) and then install the pads as usual. My brakes never squeal and I've reused the same can through at least 8 full brake changes.

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?

[www.ppbb.com]

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?