Hi, all. 1st time P-car owner here w/ a new-to-me 991.1 C4S; currently living life with a lot of brake squeal. Seems like its peaked up quite a bit as the weather has gotten hotter but I've only had the car for a couple of months and am still learning what 'normal' looks like. Before I went aftermarket for pads, 'normal' for my Moupe (E86) was to squeal like a banshee as well, due to the compound, but that was only in temps below ~55F.

I've got a little left on the certified warranty so I could take it in so I can be told it's normal and fine. However, I'm contemplating digging in myself and to get better acquainted the car as I like to get my hands dirty.

Looking around on forums and YT, I'm not seeing much in the way of people putting anti-squeal on pads or using pad shims but the picture for the OE pads on Suncoast's site looks like there might already be a compound on the pad backing (it looks like there is a removable film). Is that the case?

If so, I'm wondering if the dealer and separate PPI inspections may have degraded what was there. The pads had a good amount of meat still on them so the pads have not been replaced.

The noise is slightly better after a wash (wkly or bi-wkly depending on use) but I'm inclined to think that dust build-up isn't that chronic of a problem.

 

I wasn’t used to the amount of squeak coming from the brakes as well when I picked up my GTS last year. The pads still had plenty left in them so I took it into the dealer to have them look at them. One of the things I found out was that the humidity plays a large part in the noise down in Houston. To be clear, I only hear noise when I’m lightly on the brakes at low speed.

 

my brakes are always a bit squeeky. especially if youre driving softly. Once you get some heat in them, they tend to quiet down. They are probably just a slightly heartier compound than the brakes you would find in other cars.

If you care about quiet, i believe the hawk ceramic performance are decent at stopping while being quiet and low dust.

 

Best way I've found to get rid of break squeal is to use the breaks. Find a safe road where you can get the car up to speed (100mph or so) and stand on the brakes to the point you engage the ABS. Do this 5 or 6 times until you start smelling the brake pads. This should eliminate your squeal for a couple of months.

 

I hadn't considered if humidity was a factor. I'm on the Mid Coast and humidity has climbed as the temps did. I'll keep it in mind to see if it correlates the the extracurricular soundtrack I'm hearing.

It is possible. My Moupe's OE pads were stout but only made noise when it was cold. They're short on piston count compared to the 911, though, so squeal in warm temps might just be the natural progression for me and my toys.

I've thought about going to ceramics once my warranty is over next year (unless the pads need replacing sooner) but am on the fence. I put ceramics (Akebono) on my N55 sled and, while the reduction in dust is great, I feel like the stopping power has degraded over time despite there being plenty of meat left on the pads (and rotors). I just bled the brakes earlier this year, too. I thought maybe it was just me but I've had a few co-workers have the same complaint.

I thought about re-bedding the pads. I just need to find a good (safe) place to do it around me.

 

Funny I just watched this video recently about bedding (burnishing) pads/rotors which seems to help address the noise issue.

 

Definitely a proper bed in will aid in preventing, and sometimes even solving the squeals we get.

 

I still have the Porsche factory stock pads in my 991.1 GTS with PCCB brakes, you know, the ones that are supposed to squeal from everything I have read.

In the almost 6 years that I have had it, they have never squealed at all under any condition...never as in zilch!

Maybe you have aftermarket pads?

 

thanks