My rear discs and pads need changing and the company servicing my car said a Big Red upgrade is really easy for a 964 Turbo 3.3 - move fronts to back and install new fronts.

My Turbo is has the X33 or WLS factory option taking it to 355bhp, it has been slightly tuned and (before I had the cat put back on) it had 401bhp - measured on 9M's rolling road.

The 3.6 version had Big Reds as standard and 360bhp, so should I upgrade or just replace the worn ones? When will Big Reds make a difference - to brake at speed, or just when pushing it round the back lanes?

 

You have gotten some really, really bad advice. the front calipers want a 32mm wide rotor and the rear rotor is only 28mm and more importantly the caliper pistons are way too big for proper bias

to convert your car to the Big Red spec used on 964 3.6t you replace the front calipers w/ the Big Red front calipers and leave the back alone. The rotors stay the same. Alternately if you are willing to give up the parking brakes you can use 993tt or RS rear calipers on custom 2 piece 322x28 Alcon or similar rotor

I wouldn't do it.

 

I think I was maybe a little unclear, I was told to move everything to the rear (calipers, rotor, etc) - does that make a difference? More to the point am I going to notice a big difference in braking?

 

That makes it worse still.
And you would notice a difference, if it was at all doable. Straight into the ditch.

 

OK, I'm seeing the trend here - I guess I'm better off just having the calipers powder coated in red.

 

No you don't need them. If Porsche thought you needed them they would have put them on for you.

 

+1, standard brake setup is so underrated. (except for all the different dampening pad sizes )

 

Unless you're at the track on regular basis the stock system is damn near outstanding. Mash those brakes to the floor at 80mph and see what happens, if it's not strapped down it's coming forward. The brakes on the 964 were designed to work on the autobahn, the driving we do on this side of the pond doesn't compare to what they do over there, unless you track your car. Fresh fluid, good pads and quality rotors are essential for the system to operate as advertised.

 

1) OP location says "germany"

2) While it may be time for brake work, you don't mention if this is due to increased wear or simply due to time/mileage concerns.

3) how do you use the car? Larger brakes are often better at Heat Management (thermal properties) but aren't always a better answer.

4) What type of brake fluid is being used? Types of pads? How are you using the car - ie, insane autobahn driving? weekends at the track? How much cooling are the current brakes getting?

 

Apart from the technical issues raised, you don't "need" them, but you may want them 'cos they look good.

Braking effectiveness is only raised incrementally, as the originals are very good, and the big reds add weight.

I went from stock to big reds, and don't regret it.

One question to the experts - are there good quality 2 piece AL hat discs which can work with the big red calipers? Don't want to change the calipers but want to reduce weight.

 

The rears only need replacing just because they're getting worn out and it's about time.

Seeing as there is no real benefit for me using Big Reds on everyday use (I haven't yet tracked the car), I think I'm just going to paint the calipers red and replace the rear discs and pads with new ones

Thanks for the advice, I much appreciate it and now I can spend another €1000-1500 somewhere else!!

 

Just went through a similar process of decision making with brakes - end result, money is best spent on simple cheap things like making sure that tires are good, and fluid is fresh, and then suspension before bigger brakes - main reason being that the original brakes are pretty good for most driving and there is a good rationale to do sequential, cheap upgrades like pads, fluid, lines, tires, suspension before a set of uber sexy big red calipers.

On the other hand - I REALLY like the enormity of the calipers/discs on my wifes cayenne turbo and I have dreams about shoving something that big on my car just to see how cool it would look :-)

:-))))))

 

I recently added the blacks and knuckles from a 92 turbo (slightly smaller pads than a true big red) and 993 rears. My decision was based on colour, I wanted black and the look of the larger front caliper. Was able to find all the parts I needed, almost new for appx the price of powder coating/pads/discs and I was gong to be in there anyway for busings & wheel bearings. Changing the uprights/knuckles was my preference as I did not need an adapter. I prefer the feel of the new install, easier to modulate but that could be attributed to having all new components...overall very happy with the change.

 

Other thing to consider (which is not the kind of thing you want to find out at 4am on the side of the road in the pissing rain) is whether big reds would fit under your spare wheel ??