jakermc

As a shop owner, I always feel the need to continue my own education on set-up, mods, etc. as they pertain to street cars that will see spirited drives and/or track conditions. The latest test mule is a 2019 Carrera T in Miami Blue. From the factory it came with carbon buckets, a manual transmission, and the simpler, lighter 2-wheel steering. No sunroof or luxury add-ons other than the Carrera T full leather interior, which I do love! The original owner added a 91 Octane APR tune (450hp) and H&R lowering springs.

Here she is, outfitted with the Vossen wheel set that came with the car along with the factory wheels.

jakermc

From this base set-up, I initially set out to test its capabilities and see what (if anything) would be needed to turn it into a reliable and fast weekend track car without compromising it’s abilities as a daily driver.

My first answer came on the 2,850 mile drive to Ft Lauderdale, Florida (it’s new home) from Hermosa Beach, CA. The front tires went from nearly new to garbage by the time I reached Gainesville, FL. Check out the inner cords in the pic.

This is a tell-tale sign of a bad alignment, specifically toe. We pulled off the Michelin 4S tires, installed a new set of Michelin Sport Cup 2s onto the factory Sport Classic rims (which I prefer cosmetically), and made the necessary changes on our Hunter Hawkeye Elite alignment rack.

Knowing the car would be asked to perform on the track, we wanted as much camber as possible from the stock suspension. We maxed out the front, gaining a little more than most factory set-ups due to the lowering springs. We then matched the rear camber to the front. Potentially there is more negative camber available in the rear, but we wanted a more balanced set-up for initial testing. Toe up front was set to be neutral, with a little toe in for the rear to promote stability under braking. (This car will see a lot of time at Sebring).

The alignment changes were immediately apparent even on the daily commute, the front end was now behaving as a Porsche should. But could the ride be even better? And would the smaller brake package borrowed from the base Carrera really hold up to track duty? A visit to Homestead Speedway would answer those questions. A shot of the before and after is attached.

jakermc

For the brakes, we outfitted the car with Endless ME20 racing brake pads and did a complete brake fluid flush with Castrol SRF. This was my first time trying Endless pads, but we chose them as they have a reputation to be relatively quiet on the street and we were hoping to find a pad that we could leave on the car all the time and not have to make changes before and after the track. SRF is a long time favorite from my competition days and next to a good bottle of bourbon, it is my favorite fluid on the market. Seemingly impossible to boil.

For the ride, we wanted to test the DSC V3 suspension controller, which has had rave reviews but we had yet to experience its effects first hand. Our plan was to run two sessions with the stock controller, and then run 2 more with the DSC installed so that we could have back-to-back, same day driving comparisons. I’d also have the one hour drive in the morning on the stock controller and the 90 minute drive home on the DSC to test its road manners.

Testing did not go as planned. With my most recent track experience being in a Porsche GT4 outfitted with PCCB (hand of God stopping power), I cautiously explored the braking points of the Carrera T on the first couple of laps. By lap 3 I felt I understood 95% of the feel and began to push harder. Unfortunately, as I exited T12 I caught site of a black flag displayed in T13-T15 complex, which required me to immediately dive into pit entry located between T12 and T13. Sitting parked at the end of pit lane waiting to go green again, the smell of burning brakes wafted through the cockpit. I momentarily thought about the lack of a cool down for the brakes, but I’ve experienced many black and red flags over the years and it’s never presented an issue.

This time it did. Back on track under green, my first push on the brake pedal sunk softly to the floor. WTF! Everything was perfect before the black flag. I pumped up the pedal and proceeded cautiously, trying to troubleshoot, but it was evident by the time I made it to T6 that the brakes were cooked.

Sitting in the stagnant 93 degree heat without a chance to cool down caused immediate failure. Did the pads glaze, fluid boil, or a combination of the two? Would the stock brakes and Endless pads been just fine had it not been for the black flag? I’ll never know. But I do know that these events, while uncommon, do happen and I need a system that can survive the worst case scenario. A change will be needed.

Knowing the brakes were compromised and testing would be limited, I quickly swapped in the DSC controller for the next session. Heading out the brake pedal felt OK, so I went a little harder then before, but again with caution. Sure enough, 3 laps in the brakes were gone as they never fully recovered from the morning session. It was enough to form some initial impressions of the DSC though – in a word, fantastic! Most evident was how the front end dive under braking dramatically improved. With the chassis better balanced, it allowed for better trail braking towards the apex and a smoother brake release. Through the higher g turns I could also feel the firmer settings on the outside corners, reducing body roll. More confidence in the chassis resulted in more speed. It was quick test, but VERY happy with the change. This was further reinforced on the drive home, where Normal mode felt more relaxed and comfy over the congested and torn up highway connecting Homestead to Ft Lauderdale. Highly recommend mod!!

Up next …. Improving the brakes and a visit to Sebring Raceway ......

Tier1Terrier

Great write up and I'm looking forward to reading what else you've done to your T. I'm in your area so I'll be sure to look you up for any servicing needs that may arise. Glad to know you are a fellow p-car owner!

Norge911

You need GT3 front lower control arm so you can get to higher camber in front. For a combi street / track I ran 2.5 front, 2.1 rear.

you probably want 3.0 front and 2.6 / 2.5 rear.

TPC can make custom program for your DSC to reduce front squat even further.

spdracerut

I did the exact opposite drive; graduated from UF in Gainesville and got an apartment in Hermosa Beach (love playing volleyball) for a job in LA. I'm not surprised at all the stock brakes failed quickly, they are just way too small for the power the car has, especially with a tune which puts it at GTS power. Excited to see the new brakes! Any power mods planned? I recall the T does not come with the 3rd radiator?

jakermc

I'm actually subscribed to your YouTube channel! You should drop by sometime and say hello. Would love to see your car up close and in person as well.

jakermc

You are right, BUT I want to slow walk some of the improvements. I want to make sure we fully understand how far we can push the stock components before making the change. Until I've put enough seat time in to feel like I've gotten the most out of lap times with the existing set-up, I'll keep what I have. After that we will make the change and have good data to understand what lap time improvement can be achieved from the change. I want to be able to advise our customers in a way that says "don't change anything, you still have another second by working on your driving" or "you're maxing the existing set-up, spend another $X on the next change and you could lower lap times by Y. Is it worth the investment to you?".

BTW, the car was incredibly neutral during the Sebring test (write-up coming later) with equal camber front and rear. This might change as I push harder in future sessions, so curious to see how the car behaves as it's pushed closer to its limits.

jakermc

Go Gators! I graduated in '91 from the business school.

You are right, the T does not have the third radiator. The Sebring test I referenced happened on a 93 degree day and both oil and water temps showed no signs of stress. Water was sitting at its normal 194 degrees (we know that's a fake reading, but still says no issues) and I don't think oil ever got over 238 degrees. My old 981 GT4 ran much hotter!! So a question to the other base and T Carrera owners - are people adding a third radiator because they ran into an issue or was it just a preventative measure? For me, so far so good. Keep in mind, we are going to keep this car on street tires so perhaps we won't need it as the tires will ultimately restrict its level of performance? Would love to hear from others on this topic .....

jakermc

There are three general paths to improving the brakes on the base 991/992 Carrera:

1) Upgrade rotors to 350mm, preferably with a floating design

2) Source front calipers from the Carrera S, in addition to upsizing rotors

3) Get a Big Brake Kit, changing rotors and calipers on both axles

As the teaser pic indicated, we equipped the Carrera T with the AP Racing by Essex Road Kit. But in addition to the supplied Ferodo DS2500 pads that came with the kit, we also bought a set of DS1.11 pads. The former for the street, the latter for the track.

The right choice depends on a lot things, skill level and budget probably being the most important. While each rung up the ladder is more expensive, there is also an argument to be made that step 3 could be the cheapest. If you are committed to the sport and know you will keep improving, lowering lap times and stressing your equipment then it will ultimately be cheaper to equip yourself for the end game rather than upgrading 3 times.

I also have a bit of a brake fetish. IMO, it is the single most controllable variable when it comes to car set-up and performance. Sometimes you get the set-up wrong, tires can go off, your gearing might not work on a particular track, etc. but with the right equipment your brakes can and should perform exactly the same every time. Achieving repeatable events, every corner with zero fade is the goal. The only change in your braking should be due to changes in track conditions or tire wear. It’s a wonderful feeling as a driver when you don’t have to think about that variable and you can focus on other things.

The kit arrived quickly and it was impressive, even just sitting in the box. The level of quality and attention to detail is evident everywhere, and the only additional thing you’ll need to complete the install is fresh brake fluid.

Here are a couple of beauty shots, one showing a corner installed and the other a profile view of the new brakes wrapped by the factory wheels.

jakermc

We also took this time to check the total weight and corner weights of the car with the new brakes installed. Total weight came out to 3,165 with half a tank of gas. In theory, this should equate to 3,114 on an empty tank (using 6lbs per gallon). While we did not weigh the before and after of the brake package, research seems to indicate that the bigger brakes add 16lbs. Interestingly, Porsche’s published weight for the car was 3,142 lbs. Factor in my carbon bucket seats and IPE exhaust, and I’d say these figures are exactly as anticipated and probably on the lighter end of the 991.2 T spectrum without specifically going after weight saving mods.

The corner weight results were even more exciting. After the total weight was gathered up, I got in the car (street clothes, no helmet) and measured the corner weights. The rear weight was just under 62% and more importantly, the cross weight was a near perfect 49.7%! No additional corner balancing necessary!!

The excitement of testing her at Sebring is really starting to build now ….

4 Point 0

Cool write up. I just have one question. What would you say to 911 owners that 'Proclaim" that Stock brakes are more than enough for the track?

I run -4.4 Front and -3.5 rear. E-Motion control arms. GT3 OEM front anti-sway bar, rear Tarret. Tractive suspension with Manthey Racing spec springs 120 front and 170 rear. DSC of course.

Brembo GTS BBK 380 Front and rear. Endless N35S pads. Oh GTS with TiAL M800 turbos and E40 Tune.

I went for the Brembo GTS as they are anodised and not painted. Supposed to handle more heat. I've turned two sets pink. No they never started Red, they started Black.

You can never have enough brakes on these monsters.

jakermc

Welcome to the sport and listen to your instructor! LOL

In all seriousness, stock is OK when you get started. Never be afraid to take your car out with stock everything and get started in the sport. That's all I did when I did my first DE in 2004. But my brakes looked a whole lot different by the time I starting racing in 2007. That car had 930 calipers and rotors on a modest 3.2L air cooled build (1983 911 chassis) and dedicated air ducts from the front bumper.

Your car truly sounds like a montster! Have you done anything with aero or are you a wolf in sheep's clothing as you pass the winged GT cars on track?

jakermc

The final prep for Sebring included a full brake fluid flush, including the ABS module. Normally this is not necessary, but doing so allowed us to eliminate any potential issues that could be lurking in a car that was still new to us. The current factory procedure flushes the ABS module, the lines, and calipers in a single step by applying 29 psi of pressure to the fluid reservoir and using the PIWIS to activate the internal ABS pumps. It’s an interesting procedure as the car makes some really loud grinding like sounds and spits fluid out of the bleeder valves like a broken sprinkler head. While this is happening you have to manually pump the brake pedal and watch the PIWIS as it gives you a countdown timer on each corner. If I remember right, the shortest time was about 30 seconds on a corner while on the RF it called for a full 2 minutes. It was a good leg work out. You go through a ton of fluid doing this, so I do NOT recommend using SRF. Just too expensive as most of it will get wasted. Thus we made the switch to LiquiMoly Race Fluid. We are huge fans of everything LiquiMoly, so while not as good as SRF, we were confident this would get the job done for our upcoming test.

The Ferodo DS1.11 pads were installed and bedded in on the street. My initial impression was that the torque upon initial tip in on the pedal was a bit weak, but then felt strong and linear throughout the remainder of the range. There was absolutely no brake squeal on the street, a pleasant surprise for the 2 hour and 15 minute drive to Sebring. And I am pleased to say that my criticism of the initial bite went away after a proper warm-up and bedding on track. Once the rotors were properly coated and up to temp, they felt great!

Lastly, we suffered through horrible wind buffeting in the cockpit during the short test at Homestead. We remedied this by installing Blackmill Performance wind diffusers, so this would also be tested at the track. Installation just took a few minutes and the fit is decent, some small coverage gaps over the factory triangle that only I would notice since I did the install.

Track day impressions are next, I promise ….

IRunalot

Looking forward to your take on the brakes. I'm trying to decide on PFC vs Essex Competition Brake Kit. With the PFC you get the single piece caliper and 405./380 rotors but that also comes with some noise on the street per the TPC listing.

The Essex brakes can be optioned with a pad tension kit with 372/372 rotors and I'm sure will be more than up to the job but I subscribe to the a buy right buy once mentality. I buy the best and never look back or worry. This matters to me as this is my only car and I hate noise but can tolerate it a full solid bushings setup just fine.

Another consideration is weight as Essex says you save some weight, and I doubt that 405 rotors of the PFC systems will save weight. I can't find the weight of the PFC systems anywhere. I really don't want to add more unsprung weight if I can avoid it.