i have a really REALLY BAD set of Pagid pads on my front GTS big black brakes on my 968...

the problem ? they started making this horrible squeal a few days ago... now they're the loudest, screeching brakes in the western hemisphere, despite only having about 5,000 miles on the rotors and pads.

don't get me wrong i love the braking power... running dunlop 255mm on 18" rims in the front and 285mms in the back--

with this combination on such a light 50/50 car, i can go from 60 mph to zero in about 90 feet.


anyway, i brought the car to a brake specialist here in Hollywood, Florida and he says to me:

"look, i get all these customers who buy these expensive bmws and mercedes benzes they can't afford, so when it comes time to buy brake pads, they skip getting them from the dealer, and buy these PAGID pads because they are such a popular pad for use on the track... and it ends up costing them hundreds of dollars more for ME to fix the problem..."

and the first thing he does is put the stock pads back on the cars.

it looks like i'm about to suffer the same fate.


can anybody explain what the hell is going on with my bad brakes ?





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When you did the install did you use any anti squeel compound on the back side of the pads? If not I would try that first before replacing. Also out of curiosity, what bed in process did you perform?

 

I have the answer but perhaps I should start a new thread so that its easily found for future owners with the same issue.

For sure I'd change the title of this thread as its a little misleading.

 

Some brake pads just squeal, period.

Regarding bed-in, some good info here.

Even stock pads will tend to squeal a bit if used lightly. The capabilities of these cars are so far beyond the norm that if you drive in traffic much you have to make a point of using the brakes aggressively from time to time to break the glaze that forms when the brakes are used lightly most of the time.

Go out and do a couple of hard braking runs and see if that changes anything.

 

Pagid makes OEM brakes for Porsche. Pagid Blue pads are designed for more aggressive driving than OEM pads which are softer. I have used them on a Boxster S and a 993 4S with no squeal.

I suspect they were not bedded properly. In addition, harder pads need to be bedded again after being driven in normal street use. The pads are certainly not defective. If you do not track the car, you would be better off with a softer OEM style pad. Squeal seems to be rather random. Some people claim the Pagid Yellow pads - preferred by GT3 drivers squeal. On my 996GT3 and again on my 997 RS, no squeal.

I also second the suggestion that you change the title of your post

Best,

 

Pads are fine, it is that they have not been bed in properly.

Dont return to that mechanic, he is not that knowledgable!

 

thanks a lot... anyone come to mind in south florida that can do the work ?

 

You can bed your pads in yourself. Visit www.pagidusa.com for instructions.

 

You have trackday pads on your streetcar... Well, just drive faster all the time, and they won't squeal......

Your mechanic wants to sell you the OE pads and make money...

Thing is, Pagid makes excellent pads, and also make OE pads for Porsche, Mercedes, and many others..

If you want a grabby pad, they will most likely squeal at the slow around town speeds....

If you star stepping it up a bit, they will come alive and not make a peep...

My $0.02

 

My pagid orange's grinded and squealed like hell in street driving but damn did they stop my S4! When I quit going to the track so much I just switched back to a standard factory pad and guess what...the squealing stopped and the car still stops fine for street use...

 

go to the highway, and do 80 to 40mph about 6 times in a row. or if you are speed limited in your area and its not safe, do a 70mph, and floor it in a gear that gets you near max torque and left foot brake for a few seconds to keep the car from accelerating. do that a few times. get the brakes to really smell and you will solve the problem. ( you never cooked the resin out of them and thats what needs to be done with race pads.

were the rotors new when you replaced the pads?

 

thanks you all. i'm on 3 month vacation down here in florida so i got no tools down here....

oh yes... with my car weighing substancially less than you's all... the braking is ridiculous. i just hope i am able to dampen the squealing.

it's going on at all operating temperatures running the car in the Ft. Lauderdale area.

 

I have EBC yellows on my car. They squeeled the first 100 miles. Recommended break in was to drive in stop and go traffic for 200 miles and NOT do hard breaking until they had bedded in! After the break in they stopped squeeling (When all the machine marks were worn off the new rotors). Now they only squeel a little after drying out after driving in wet (dirty). A few good hard braking stops and/or a visit to the car wash stops the noise.

 

All brake pads are a compromise.....if it works for the track it probably will make lots of noise in "normal" street stop and go driving. The Porterfield pads on the very brown 1980 allow me to play a tune at every stop light....they are the loudest brakes in the hemisphere and I like it

 

you would not believe the looks i get from the sound of these brakes !! yes, Mark, stock GTS rotors, calipers and pads were all new at the same time.

thanks for the tip, i will try beating the hell out of the brakes for a few minutes and see if that helps...


and no bedding compounds were used.



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