himself

I did a quick search, didn't turn up anything regarding my clicking noise Part II - so you get Part I for free!

Part I:
I have been running pagid yellows for a while, but they tend to become worthless below 1/3 of a pad. I usually swap them at 1/3 to be on the safe side. I went out to MSR this weekend with just under 1/2 a pad remaining (inside and outside) on all 4 corners.

During one session, I had one front pad chunk horrbily - to the point it was literally disintegrating under braking - and was eaten away to the backing plate. It was so disintegrating/chunking so fast that under braking it caused the car to turn. Keep in mind that this was just 1 pad on the front driver's side (the outer pad), the inner pad still had about 1/3 remaining - and although it was chunking, it was not disintegrating. Both rear pads still had more than 1/3 remaining. [pics posted.] As expected, the rotor was also ruined, but they were almost to the point of being heat cracked out anyway (OEM cross drilled). But if I was running 2 piece or something else relatively expensive, I would have been really PO'd.

I was always aware of the chunking and low pad issue, but didn't realize it could fall apart like a granola bar. Word to the wise: keep an eye on your Pagid Pads - and when they start flaking, pay extra attention to them.

Part II:
So I upgraded to PFC-01 in the front / PFC-97 in the rear (on recommendation of the track support gurus - we'll see how this turns out).

However, now I have a clicking noise when I tap the brake. My guess is that when there is no pressure in the line, the pads back off the rotor just a bit, and when you tap the brakes they are pushed onto the rotor causing the clicking noise I hear. Maybe the spring clip isn't tight. Dunno.

Has anyone experienced this?

-td

Porsche917K

I have the same clicking noise with all of the PFC pads I have used on my 964 and now my GT3. It usually happens when you don't use the brakes for a while (like on the freeway) and then pull up to a light. The first time I touch the brakes, I will get a "CLACK" sound, like the front pads are seating in the caliper. Is this similar to what you are hearing?

himself

Yup, same noise. If you don't have pressure on the brakes for a little while, then tap them, you get a "click" or "clack." But after the initial "click" if you go on/off/on/off the pedal, there is no 'clicking." But if you drive another 1/4 mile, and tap the brakes again, the "clack" is back.

-td

Porsche917K

Yep. I have had the same noise with every set of PFC pads I have used in the 97 and 06 race compounds.

bgiere

when i rebuilt my calipers the new rubber boots tended to pull the pistons away from the pads and it would get a 'clack" when I used them...after awhile when the boots cured the noise went away...just a thought.

techno99

Just a guess but could it be that the PFC pads are slightly smaller then the Pagids and are moving forward and backwards slightly in the calipers.

Bob Rouleau

With respect to the Pagid pads chunking and disintegrating, were these the Pagid RS 19 or perhaps the 29? I have never seen those things disintegrate except when the rotor itself is damaged. Street pads including the so called "sport" pads will disintegrate under hard use, normally as they cool off. Of course you only find out when you next hit the brakes. Happened to me and yup I ruined the rotors because the backing plate was the only friction material left.

Best,

himself

The pads were RS29s. The rotors were not damaged, but were not new. I replaced them last night, and they looked fine, except for the grooving from the backing plate. I was not able to verify that they were not warped, but based on the fact that only the outside pad was eaten away, I'm thinking warping was not an issue.

The rotors themselves had probably 3-4K street/track miles, but they were showing signs of heat cracks due as the OEM cross drilled rotors usually do. I would guess only 1 or 2 (3 at the most) more events before they needed to be discarded anyway.

-td

todinlaw

I think they recommend changing the pay shortly after it goes past 50%. I run them down to the same thickness as the backing plate but that is the limit for sure. You could have just had a bad egg, as I have never had that happen. they will get a few stress cracks but never seen them come apart. The clicking, just make sure the retainer spring is centered between the two pads also.

Bob Rouleau

Try bending the retaining spring to give it more tension. This stopped a clacking noise on my 996 GT3 after the dealer went nuts trying to fix it. Any bumps would make the pads clatter, I noticved that it neveer happened if there was any pressure on the brake pedal. Bent the %$W#@ spring and no more rattle.

himself

I was hoping someone would have a first try solution! Thanks Bob!

I Will give bending the %$W#@ out of the spring a try. Good thing I picked up a %$W#@ bender at Harbor Freight last weekend.


-td

Driver8

The fact that you only have one pad that is doing this leads me to believe that you may have a stuck piston, and you may need to rebuild that caliper.

himself

Interesting. But, how would a stuck piston cause a pad to disintegrate? I'm going to pull the pads and check the pistons tonight anyway, but I don't see how this could be an issue. Especially when the pad was worn evenly down to the backing plate (not at an angle) and the pads were wearing evenly prior to them breaking apart [I visually inspected them the night before heading to the track and they were still "level".] I've seen stuck pistons, and they typically manifest angled pad wear - I didn't have that, although I suppose it could have stuck while driving - but I think the backing plate would show some angled wear then.

I'll check this and report back.

-td

juddtaylor

Could be a heat issue as well. Typically, the inside will run a little cooler (since the air ducting is aimed at that side), and will last longer when it is heat-induced chunking.

When I when through a set of BHP pads in 3 days (2.5, really), I lost them on one corner of the car only, and the inside pad had like 3x the material left as the outside pad (a whopping 5 mil or so). See attached pic.

I've checked the pistons, and they are not stuck.

-Judd

mdrums

Had a click or clack sound in my 997S when I used PF97's not real big deal though. Bend up the retaining clip to put more pressure on them. I do not use the clip at the track though so I get a clack when the brakes are 1st applied either going forward or backing up.