Mike in Chi

I used to swap street and track brake pads on a 951 frequently.

I'm about to change the pads on my coupe, as a little 4th of July weekend project. I'm going to stay with the streets because of the noise factor.

I've studied the piece on p-car.com (thank you Robin & Ray), as well as a 996 how-to I came across (which looks like the same calipers)

My questions:

If I leave the anti-squeel stuff off the street pad, how likely are they to subsequently squeek?

Can I merely tie back the sensor leads without getting a light on my dash (which is what I did on the old 951?)

Are there any "look-outs" not covered in Ray's piece?

How many mm's of pad thickness would you say would be adequate on a 993 for a one day track event. (I use them hard)?

thanks in advance for any and all advice.

And happy fourth everyone.

Mike in Chi

Robin 993DX

Mike,

My street pads (factory pads) don't have any anti-squeal shims, they only squeal slightly when the rotors have a lot of brake dust build up.

The brake pad wear sensors are a close loop circuit, which means the wires needs to be connected. You can either leave the plug with the pad wear sensor wire connected on there, or you will have to manually short the wires together and tie them off to the side.

Edward

Mike,

As far as the squeal, I followed Robin's and Ray Calvo's advice and ditched the round discs and flat shims...I get no squeals.

As far as what thickness pad you can get away with, I've gotten away with 50% front pads (about 7mm or so) and had lots left over at the end of a weekend, but this also will vary on how tight or open the track is. If you're near 7mm at the fronts, and you say you use them hard, I'd keep close tabs on them after each session, or just swap them out and be safe.

Edward

Mike in Chi

Robin and Edward

thanks for the responses.

I'll let the stuff off, but reconnect the sensors, hopefully w/o breaking them.

It looks like I'm under 6 mm, so I'll just go ahead and do the change.

I appreciate the advice

M in C

STLPCA

Mike
I reused the anti-squeal disks sprayed w/a sticky blue anti-squeal Permatex product. No squeal, but maybe it wouldn't have squealed anyway??

Here's a link to some thoughts I posted in March:
<a href="http://forums.rennlist.com/cgi-bin/rennforums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=3&t=002621&p=" target="_blank">How to remove brake pad sensor wire? </a>

I'd add:
- chances of removing the sensors w/o breakage improve if you unplug them at the connector on the strut & take the pads w/sensors attached to a workbench for careful removal.

- take an old large slotted screwdriver & grind/cut a groove in the end to help in manipulating the pad retaining springs. Made the job much easier for me.

Or you can drive down here & try out my new 35# Intercomp racing jack - almost too beautiful to use

Mike in Chi

Hi Dan

Thanks for the reply. And thanks for the tip about the sensors. I'll do that.

I'll also rummage thru my toolchest for an old screwdriver.

Which is more humid right now - the gateway city or chi -- we want to do a brake job whereever it's hot and sticky.

Now as to your jack - is that riviera blue or ocean blue matallic?

rcwelch

Dan,
Where might I get one of those jacks or at least order one.

STLPCA

[quote]Originally posted by rcwelch:
<strong>Where might I get one of those jacks or at least order one.</strong><hr></blockquote>

rc
Can't really help you. I have a friend/client who is an Intercomp dealer (although not for their jacks). I had told him I was looking for a good quality, reasonably priced, low clearance jack to fit my now lowered car. Next thing I knew he gave me this jack. I was pretty overwhelmed, but my wife's comment was, "does it have to sit so prominently in the garage?" I told her, "yes - it's art."

I think these retail for about $650, but it is definitely a jack befitting a Porsche.

Allen

Maybe a dumb question: If you leave the brake wear sensors off, how do you know when the pads are worn out? I know you could take the wheel off and check, but is there any audible noise (grinding/squealing) that takes place when the pads reach the point of needing replacement? Seems like I heard somewhere that all brake pads are made with a piece of metal embedded at the very end in order that this bar eventually makes contact with the rotor and squeals to indicate time to change...is that correct? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

STLPCA

Allen
You don't want to wear the pads down to the point you hear the metal backing plates grinding into your rotors. Apart from damaging the rotors, your braking will really suck. Remaining brake pad material can easily be seen through the wheel openings, at least for the outside pads. For many (me included) our wheels are off regularly enough that monitoring is easy. For others, who swap street/track pads, the sensors are a pita. I've left the sensors on for that extra measure of protection they afford. There is no backup wear warning feature in our cars.

Ray Calvo

[quote]If you leave the brake wear sensors off, how do you know when the pads are worn out? <hr></blockquote>

a) turn off the computer
b) grab a flashlight
c) look in between the wheel spokes towards the inner radius/edge of the caliper. You can see the pad thickness there of the outside pads.

They wear evenly inside and out in my experience. So so long as you have OE wheels with good cutout/open area between the 5 spokes you should be fine with this method. Check them before each driving session if you arrive with less than 1/2 thickness; I have never run my 993 on the track wiht stock pads so can't say how they wear.

Go down in the garage and practice.