CAlexio

conspiracy theories aside.. I wonder if the bridge provides additional feel which is more in keeping with Porsche expectations. I talked to a gearbox engineer once who explained to me how Ferrari used the same gearbox as Aston (I'm talking vanquish/575 maranello era) but that Ferrari asked zf (can't remember brand) to use software which pushed the envelope of the hardware's mechanical abilities. This was in keeping with ferrari's knowledge that their customers tolerated shorter component life and higher replacement coats, in exchange for a perceived "fastest in class" shift speed.

Porsche brakes are legendary.. But as they use a supplier which is common to many OEM's, they have to push the "serviceability" envelope in order to provide the customer with a continuation of their perceived brand attribute.

I don't think there is a conspiracy.. Just a calculated trade-off

DER951

These are used in Porsche's Cup Car, where quick pad changes would be a plus, so there must be a performance advantage.

911rox

Cups are using PFC which is different to the brembos on the street cars... pretty sure they'll be studded and far easier to service than street cars.

On the bright side, guys doing lots of track won't need to worry about stripping uprights because your centrelocks will require they be replaced every 14000 track kms anyways... All good Gotta love Porsche for reinventing things that work to something that doesn't!! <3

ps. previous generations of GT car have shared calipers with their cup counterparts... never seemed a need for cup cars to require the bridged calipers...

orthojoe

That is reassuring to see.

Probably gonna convert to studs and braided flexible lines when I get mine. Stupid to have to do that on a car like this, but it is what it is...

Road Racin

The calipers were talking about are called mono block. These are greatly improved over a 2 piece unit because if doesn't deflect as much during pressure. Brakes apply crazy amounts of force. I assume the "bridge would greatly increase the support to the middle of the caliper creating a more consistent force with less caliper deflection or stress. I also safely assume other companies (GM) don't have nearly the R&D time or room for the extra part cost that Porsche does....

orthojoe

You mean like the R&D time they spent to catch IMS failures, centerlock failures, and coolant line failures on the mezger?

Listen, I agree that Porsche probably had a good reason to do what they did. I'm a Porsche fan too, but let's not be the snobs that everyone makes us out to be and assume other manufacturers can't put out a good product and that Porsche is infallible.

kosmo

Dont forgot to include coolants failures in cayennes, and starter cable issues in 997.

ChrisF

When I went from the Cayman to the GT3, this pissed me off to no end. I used to swap pads every track day. With the GT3, I just leave them in. Too much of a PITA.

If you'd like another perspective (one I tend to respect because they make great products), go surf the Stoptech site. Pretty much all of their calipers (including race designs) utilize a top spring clip or bolt out cross bar design. Pretty sure there are ways to stiffen up the caliper without a permanent solid crossbar. Bastards!

GuyR

-The bridge makes calipers stronger and braking better.

-Only a tiny tiny minority of 911 owners change their own pads.

The idea that they changed the caliper design to get more service work is tinfoil-hat wearing conspiracy theory stuff.........

008

And power steering failures and grenading engines in 06-08 987S

IamSMC

And pretty sad if Porsche choose the brake systems as a profit center for dealers...

Yes, dealers' service department is typically where dealers make the majority of their profits, however, but to design a part that makes it harder for the layperson harder to do themselves...

That's not how dealers increase profits in the service department...profit is increased when a tech does a service job less then book hours stated...thus allowing the tech to start on another service job...

orthojoe

Yes, this has been said over and over, including in my OP.

True, but I'm going to guess that the proportion is much higher with a GT3 since it's designed to be a track day car and a fair amount take their car to the track. I would expect 'track rats' to understand why this would be.



I'm sorry, what was that?

Serge944

No big surprise that this style of caliper would trickle down throughout the model range...it has been this way on GT3s since 2007 (well, at least on the rear axle) and on every late model panamera and cayenne.

For the Cup cars, they have quick disconnects on the brake lines and replace the entire caliper/pad assembly.

Yeah, it's a pain in the ***, but at least unlike centerlock wheels, it actually does have a performance advantage.

GrantG

The top of the line Brembo race calipers and Club racing calipers all allow pad changes without pulling the calipers.
http://www.racetechnologies.com/page3-44/RaceSystems

orthojoe

Yup.