DIY - changing brakes (video tutorial)

Howdy gang, when I changed brakes a month or so ago, I took video with the intent of making video tutorials. Well, I stayed up late last night and finally got them done! Changing front brakes (2 parts): Changing rear brakes and adjusting parking brake (1 part, but it's kind of a follow-on to the front brake videos): And, I had to deal with some stripped heads on the philips screws that hold on the brake rotor - so I did a video of my method of drilling them out. Enjoy! I hope they're helpful!

Great tutorial Van! Great asset for everyone.

Damn, who put the rotor screw in???? Nice job making some vids.

Planning on a brake job this fall. Thanks for taking the time to do this video series! I'll be watching it again soon.

Thanks a bunch for taking the time for film edit and post - truly appreciated!

nice vid.... good thing they made the screws with aluminum.

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Dell, those rotors had been on the car a long time - and I drive it year round. Interesting, all 4 screws on the driver's side (2x front and back) needed to be drilled. The passenger ones came out OK.

Great video. Can you please provide the approximate cost of the rotors and pads?

Rotors from Suncoast were $750~ish. Pads are pretty fancy track pads at about $300/set. While not in the video, I also did stainless steel brake lines and an SFR fluid flush. All told it was about $2k in parts for me.

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Stock rotors Van? I need to change my rotors as well.

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Yep stock Porsche rotors from Sunset. Brake pads are Pagid Yellow (RS29s) - which I'm very happy with.

Searching around and looks like Sunset has the best pricing for rotors....even cheaper than Zimmermans (OEM Manufacturer).

Any experience with these? (seem too good to be true) http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PORSC...Q5fAccessories this seller sells fronts for 80 and rears for 140. Made by BALO? and OPTIMUM/API?

Do not skimp on rotors! They are cheap enough as it is and unless you are hard tracking, they will last a long time. Brakes is not a place to cut corners.

I agree with Dell 100%

Wow, this is awesome! I just bought new pads and rotors with the idea that this would be my first project. Thanks for the great info!

how much work was doing the SS lines? Any vid of that coming? Great vids btw, thanks for posting!

This is the reason this Forum is so great... People are willing to share their mechanical knowledge on these fantastic cars. I will keep all your videos as reference as I know I will have to tackle these jobs sooner then later. Thanks so much putting these vids together... Cheers,

When torque wrenching stop after the first click indicating the torque pressure has been reached. Don't go for a second click or you get more than you wanted torque. Multiple clicks ouch! Really nice to watch vids. Nice to get a look at how things go in there. I used to have the pads installed before sliding the calipers on. I figured it made sure the rotors wouldn't get hurt. I've even done stranger prying calipers off with the old pads still in them. It's good to get a look at what exactly is on the pistons you are compressing back into the calipers. You can do that easier with the caliper off before spraying brake cleaner to clean then compressing the pistons back in. It helps keep away from frozen pistons. Some wood pieces can help keeping pistons back while prying. Great vids. Thanks for the help.

Excellent vids!

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I didn't take any video of changing the brake lines... but that is quite straight forward with the right tools (which are an 11mm flare nut wrench and a 10mm flare nut wrench.) Next time I bleed my brakes, I'll do a video on that. I disagree with you on the torque wrench comment. I've found that if you're slow and steady with your movement, multiple clicks does not tighten down the bolt any further. The "click" is a break-away action - and as long as the wrench movement is within that break-away, the force isn't enough to turn the bolt. However, you are correct in saying that once the click is heard/felt, the operator can still over torque the bolt if he/she isn't careful. I've always been amazed at DE tech lines where people give lugnuts a good 10-15 degrees of extra rotation after the click of the wrench.

Very helpful for we neophytes concerning pads and rotors...thank you Van for your effort and information.

Van You are the insert name of a great director of p-car maintenance. Simply awesome. I will be doing my own from here on.

Van, Want to help me do a center radiator install DIY tutorial? ;-) Another masterpiece, btw. -Jon

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Everyone is too kind. Just trying to demystify what people pay $100s of for. I'm busy for the next several weekends, but I'd be happy to offer my help.

Very Informative and one heck of a professional video! Thank you Van!

Thanks for the awesome Vids. +1 for vids of the SS brake lines.

Interesting, you're using mechanic gloves. I can never stand wearing gloves. Even the thin latex ones.

Nice! Same for track pads except for the wear sensors - tie them up

After watching the vids and knowing I had to replace the rotors at all corners (had some cracks migrating from the cross drilled holes) I decided to take on the project. Ordered up the rotors from Suncoast in FLA. along with the new caliper bolts and screws that hold the rotors in place and some GT3 brake ducts (15 HP add at least) Removal of the calipers and rotors are fairly easy (got to have a impact screw driver and 10mm allen head drive for the calipers). Putting them back on were a breeze as well.....except that the new caliper bolts are a 'star' drive not allen. I don't have a 'star' drive that large. Also as I'm putting the final rotor on the car.....clunk...clunk...she ain't gonna fit. Looked a little closer and realized that I was sent a 986 rotor by mistake. It is a smaller diameter and not cross drilled. I must have been blind when I pulled it out of the wrapper. But the lessen of the day for me is...make sure the parts you ordered are what you got and thought you were getting. Should have laid all the parts out including the hardware before I put the car up on stands. Now it is 4 in the afternoon on a Sat. and I'm stuck. The wife has the other car so I will have wait for her and than get the new 'star' drive. Suncoast is my first call on Monday. That is the only bad part. I was on my way in having this done in 3 hours and I was milking it. The Vid Van made gave me a visual that I knew I could do. Saved a bunch of cash too These cars really are logical to work on......just need to get over the P-Car jitters.

Yeah, getting the wrong parts can be a bummer. I helped a friend change his GT3 rotors, and we got to the stage of bolting the calipers back on and found out they'd shipped 996 caliper bolts which are about 3/4" shorter than GT3 caliper bolts... We had to put the old bolts in so he could get home - then a few days later he got the correct ones and we changed them out. Overall, I'm glad the project is going smoothly and that my video is helping!

Awesome! My brake wear light went on a couple weeks ago and on again today! This is going to make it a lot easier!

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Had I watched Part 2 of the vid I would have known to get the T55 bit I figured Part 2 was just a reverse of Part 1.....DOH! I'll be driving the neighbors Previa van for a few days until the correct rotor appears. All in all this was fairly simple. Thanks again

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BAWAHAAHAHAAHAA ^^ A Previa....how degrading

Thanks again for posting! Made my job much easier.

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Driving the Prev today, it ain't that bad but than again I like cold toilet seats ..Should have the rotor today too.

I just watched the screwout on the stuch screws. The wife thought I was listening to Bob Ross! I hope you can bang out a nice pond in winter scene next go around! I do have to say again, excellent videos!

LOL @ Bob Ross.... "and you know... I think there is an old tree right about here... its had a hard life....maybe a branch here, and one there... where ever you like, its your tree..." I just ordered brakes today, but I wont be wathing the vids Van

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No love lost! But, while you're in there, you might want to change wheel bearings!!

I hope that's not an expensive watch!!

wheel bearing done ! but good idea!

Nice Van.... is the bearing replacement similar on the 996. You have the best DIY vids. Thanks for sharing man!

not even close Ferd... 996 is a much bigger PITA

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Well, actually, it is... but - it's a watch!! wear it and enjoy it! (kinda like: drive your Porsche and enjoy it!) Ed's right - the 996 front wheel bearings are totally different (because of the C4 design). It's actually very similar to rear wheel bearings on rear-drive cars. A special bearing press/tool is needed.

its a roller bearing, not a tapered bearing... the tapered ones have a nut that pushes the bearing until it has the right amount of clearance, a roller bearing (like the IMS) has to be pressed in and is preset distances between the races and rollers

Awesome videos Van! Just what I needed to get me to do my own pads eventually! One question. When you push the pistons back in to be able to fit the new pads, is the brake fluid reservoir open or closed?

The cap on the brake reservoir has a vent hole in it - as long as it's not full when you push the pads (pistons) back, only air will come out. Some people will open a bleeder when they push the pistons back - I'm sure that works well, but it has the potential to be a little messy. If you do this, use a little length of hose going into a cup or bottle.

86' pad swap = jack car, remove wheel, push calipers in, knock pins out, remove pads... SCREAM because you have the "other brake sensors... rant on RL, post some crap, get another beer, pet the dog, get another beer,...... I am sure there is a "put it back together step coming....................LATER!! for now I am and

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OK.... Im hoping mine lasts then.... what sucks is, once one goes, you know the other isnt to far behind.

HI had a truck that chewed up 3 wheel bearings on one side before 30k miles, but I kept replacing them every time I heard the slightest noise, (they were dirt cheap and spindles are not) then it went to 180k miles and never had anothe issue?? just wierd... and none of the other bearing ever had an issue (I hauled tons and tons and tons of very heavy loads in the truck too?)

Great Video with some great tips! Great tip on the removal of the rotor using the two other screw holes using the 13mm. One thing I would add, would be to remove the top of the brake fluid resevoir and put a cloth around the top, in case of pushing fluid out when depressing the calipers. Usually, this would not be necessary, but someone might fill the resevoir between brake changes. Again, thanks for the great video and professional way you presented it!

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Why put on brake pad sensors? I don't recommend it on cars that are tracked... You're always doing tech inspections and keeping tabs on the status of the brakes. The sensors are just an added expense and hassle.

at this point the "collective" says to just tie them off and run without.. I am tending to agree but will speak with my guys at the shop and see if they have an opinion too. Nice thing is I am still 30% pad left, so its not like a "rush job" but you are right Van

Brembo is SO nice to work on. There's a 10mm brake line strain relief mount on mine that needs to undone before removing the caliper. Otherwise the weight of the caliper goes onto the brake line. Maybe I missed that in your vid. Thx for posting well done vid.

One thing I think your video missed is that on some 996/997 brakes, there are anti-squeal shims that fit into the caliper pistons and are glued to the outer surface of the pad. These shims prevent the brake pad from being removed unless one takes a putty knife and separates the shim from the pad. On the front brakes the shims are on both inner and outer pads, and on the rears they are just on the inner pads. Also I would like to recommend EBC "Red Stuff" Ceramic pads for routine street use. They are very quiet, very grippy, and make no dust at all.

Good point on the shims. They have been removed on my car.

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Which model EBC Red Stuff pads should I get - front and rear. I only seem to find rear pads when I search. Thanks.

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For all 996/997 C2/C4 1999-2010 non-turbo non GT3 Fronts DP31515C Rears DP31208C

Cool, thanks!

Great job Van, thanks for sharing man. I just watched them all in sequence and I'm not even planing on a brake change anytime soon. I'm such a nerd...

Thanks for posting that very clear and concise video on the brake and rotor change. If i ever do it myself its a great reference tool. Very nicely done.

Thanks Van. Excellent tutorial!

Awesome videos. Thanks for putting these together!!!

This is one of the best video tutorials I've ever seen! Good job Van! Looks like I may need to change my brakes soon, and I've make it my resolution to do more work on my car, I enjoy this kind of project. How much money is saved by doing this yourself versus having a shop do it?

How much can be saved by doing your brakes yourself? What is the cost of just the materials versus having a shop do it?

I did this job a couple weeks ago...I didn't protect my calliper when using the "big jaws" and I dented the paint DOH Anyway....can anyone tell me how much brake fluid I need to change my brake lines? I have some nice SS lines to install...and I bought 2 bottles of Motul RBF 600 (totally 1 litre)...I just want to make sure it's enough fluid to completely bleed the brakes. (also, I'm using the motive power bleeder) sean

When I changed brake lines, I went through almost 2 liters... As for the savings? Worst case, you save on the labor (probably a few hundred bucks) and the inconvenience of taking your car to a shop. Best case, you save the labor, get the parts at a discount to what the shop would charge you, get to build your knowledge and have the personal satisfaction of doing the job yourself. That could be priceless!

Pad changes are really quite easy to change, it really is fun to get in there and be a part of your car. Plus, a Porsche suspension is really quite cool looking, especially the rear. Lots-o-links!

I replace all my pads back in Feb. I reused all hardware. The only thing I would do different the next time is to buy new shims. It was a pain in the a$$ to get the old shims clean before I put them back in.

It looks like a pad change is super-easy, from the video, as you don't need to remove the rotors. Is this the case?

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Only reason to remove the rotors is to replace them.

How do you know if your rotors need to be changed? Any particular signs to look for?

Measure them for thickness. You can find the spec online (I don't remember it off the top of my head) Check for excessive cracks between the holes. Some cracking is normal, but if any of the cracks spread far enough to connect to another hole, it's time to change.

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I have used one liter when I have done my changes.

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For a regular flush, yes. But you might need more when you change the lines, because you'll introduce so much air into the system.

I'm in the middle of a rotor/pad job, and I need a bit of help... 1. First of all, big thanks to Van for some terrific videos. You made my life much easier, especially the bit with the parking brake adjustment. 2. There were shims installed (adhered) to the old pads. I have cleaned them and they are in good shape. What do I use to adhere them to my new pads? 3. I will be bleeding/flushing the brake fluid. I assume I should bleed the clutch as well? I read the DIY over at Renntech, but I'm not clear on the bleed order with respect to the clutch. 4. Thanks also to Gota911 and others who contributed to the painted caliper thread . My calipers were pretty beat up, now they are looking much better.

I am unsure about your first question but read some have used "Quiet Brake" (?) or something like that. Regarding question two, I bled my entire brake system first and then did the clutch line last. I just ordered my front rotors and pads and will do my this weekend too.

I'm not positive, but I think the shims go on dry. I bet they just stuck to the paint on the back of the pads. Yes, bleed the clutch when you're done with everything else. It's a little hard to ready - use a piece of tubing over the bleeder so you don't make a mess. I believe it's a smaller wrench, too (maybe 7mm or 8mm?). Calipers look great!

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There was definately some sort of adhesive on the shims. Maybe 1mm thick black gooey stuff. Or at least it turned gooey when I sprayed it with brake cleaner. Even before the brake cleaner, I had to use a putty knife in between the back of the brake pad and the shim.

As a matter of course, i use a putty knife to separate the shims from the pad. They never go completely dry, and can always be pried apart.

As everyone has said, this is a great video. Thanks. For the phillips head retaining screws, would soaking them with WD-40 or PB Blaster be of any value?

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Perhaps... but for the few bucks to use a Harbor Freight impact screw driver, I wouldn't bother.

I'm still not clear on what to use between the back of the brake pads and the shims. I know some people choose to run without the shims, but since I have them, and they are in good shape, I prefer to use them. There definately *was* some sort of adhesive in there. Now that I've cleaned the old adhesive off, what should I use? Hopefully something I can pick up at my local auto parts store. Thanks!

I bet something like silicone would be good.

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Van, I was thinking about this as a way to help prevent having to drill them out. Or maybe I should watch the video before I ask the question?

wow didnt know you could remove the pads without removing the calipers bolts.. im anxious to install my pagid yellow for my next track event removing the shims, what does it do,,not sure to understand...

The shims are just for added dampening to reduce noise. Some believe that you can add Ti shims to incease heat transfer (really a waste of money). With many of the Race pads the shims take up to much space and can result in extra drag on the rotor... and other issues if they do not have enough room to release. Van... Great video's as always... Might I use this as part of the monthly Video Tech for the local club's website? Its about time to swap out your caliper rebuild video. Keep in mind that currently Zimmermann is not the OEM supplier for the modern car rotors... Sebro is that source... We stock Sebro for all modern P-cars as well as the 944's.

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Watch the vid 1st......the impact screw driver is the ticket. I never knew there was such a thing until I saw Van's vid. This really is a easy and fulfilling job.

Those impact drivers are (and have been) a part of my toolbox sense my dad first handed me one as a kid (to work on my Motorcross bike to take the primary cover off).... A MUST have for anyone.

Hello Van The videos are fantastic . Cannot say thank you enough

I took Van's suggestion and got an impact screwdriver at harbor freight. It was a big help for a few stuck caliper screws. However, while whacking the stuck screws, it occurred to me that it might not be a great idea to impact the wheel bearings. I worked with industrial bearings in a previous life, and hammers and bearings don't usually mix. Sharp impacts can dent bearing races and lead to premature bearing failure. Not sure if this applies here. What type of bearing is in these wheels? Any opinions on impact screwdrivers and rotors?

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Just to follow up on my post about adhesive for the brake pad shims... I ended up getting some permatex black RTV silicone (hi-temp) at PepBoys. I applied a THIN coat to the shim using a putty knife. Then I installed the shims in the caliper. (I used some masking tape on the rotor to make sure I didn't get any silicone on the rotor.) Then, I removed the masking tape and installed the pads per Van's video. I did this on all four wheels quickly, then pressed on the brake pedal to apply pressure to the pads and shims. Then, I went back to check that there was no excess squeeze-out of adhesive between the pad and shim. There was almost none, but I cleaned the tiny amount that came out in a spot or two. I've only got about 50 miles on the new pads, but everything seems to be fine.

Great DIY video! Excellent thread! This one is definitely a keeper... Printed and Bookmarked...

Great thread - and awesome videos. You have done a great public service for the Porsche 996 community! I'm just assembling all of my parts right now to do my brakes once the weather gets a little nicer. Do you recommend getting the Front or Rear Caliper Spring Repair Kit (99635195911)? How often do people find these need to be changed?

I got the Spring Repair Kit when I did all four rotors and pads. Good thing too, as one of the springs was pretty much shot: the little retainer clip for the pad sensor wire snapped off, so it made me wonder if the rest of the metal was as "fatigued". I replaced everything that Porsche recommends when you do your pads and rotors. Relatively cheap for the peace of mind.

Wow, really good real-life advice here.... I'll refer to this and direct customers to this. Good job!

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Other than the big things (rotos, pads) and little things (caliper bolts) that I know that Porsche recommends, what else does "Porsche recommend when you do your pads and rotors"?

Anti-vibration dampers, pad wear sensors if they were tripped (I had a pair just in case I needed them and sure enough, one disintegrated when I pulled it out of the pad). Here's the link to my DIY: https://rennlist.com/forums/rennlist...are-is-on.html

dame thanks for the video, cant belive i missed this thread. Need to do my Front Brakes soon, my light came on about 500kms ago will watch this on my lunch at work lols

van, have any brake squeal? is it common after changing pads & rotors for any period of time or does it represent a possible problem?

I was just looking for something like this. Great timing. Many thanks.

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Only after a track event when they get nice and hot. The Pagid RS29s (yellows) don't squeal nearly as bad as the blacks or oranges.

Thanks again, Van! Hey, with respect to having supplies on hand for drilling out the rotor screws if necessary, what are the exact specs of the "tapping bit" and the other bit you used in your video? Thanks.

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I think I used the "#2" size here: http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INPDFF?P...MITEM=990-1385 I don't remember the drill size... but I'll measure up a screw and let you know.

Thanks for the tutorial videos. Im seriously considering doing my rears. I paid over $1k to have my front brakes done, and I'd love to save the cash on my rears. A couple of questions though. 1. My mechanic told me with Pcars, you should always change the rotors when replacing the pads. Is this true? I'm willing to do it if necessary, but wanted to get some other thoughts from you guys/girls out there. 2. I am a complete noob when it comes to car stuff, but I am very handy. Am I crazy to be attempting this myself? It seems really easy, but I'm nervous because they are the brakes after all. Thanks in advance.

You only need to replace the rotors when they are worn to thin or have excessive cracking. Van, the drill size for the M6 screw is 5 mm (use #10 drill... 0.193)

Thanks. sorry for all the noob questions, but how thin is too thin? I checked out the rear rotors and they don't seem to have any cracks or anything. Is there a guide out there that might help a novice like me judge if they need to be replaced? thanks

The rear rotors would be anything below 21.5 mm thick, front wold be anything under 24 mm thick.

great! thank you!

anytime...

Well, after being inspired to take on the job by Van's excellent videos, I finally got around to changing my brakes over this past Sunday - and I have to say, it really was as easy as everyone says. Here are my take-away observations I wanted to share with you guys: 1. Get the Porsche "repair hardware" kit - it's worth it! In addition to the fact that the retaining pin is encrusted with rust/barnacles/whatever that makes it just about impossible to push back into the caliper, the retaining springs really do lose their "pop" after a few years. I compared my old ones to the new ones, and the difference was quite noticeable! 2. To remove the brake wear sensors (if your car has them), firstly run a very small screwdriver on the sides to "pop" the latches, and then use needle nose pliers to pull them out. 3. If your brakes are very worn when you replace them (and thus the brake fluid has probably been topped up), pump the brake pedal after you do each wheel to ensure that brake fluid gets forced back into the calipers to avoid a messy overflow from your brake reservoir. 4. My first corner took me a little less than an hour, but each subsequent corner was about 20 minutes (not counting wheel removal). 5. I only encountered two stuck rotor screws - and the "impact driver" worked great on them. Anyway, definitely a low-difficulty but rewarding job - I recommend you give it a try!

thanks spender. so you didn't change your rotors correct? I really want to do the pads myself and your experience just might allow me to get the courage to do this.

No, I did both - the rotors were actually easier than the pads, really. Seriously easy job. Like someone else said, I can't imagine how this could have been any simpler for a performance car like the Porsche.

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All those years of endurance racing and fast pit stops taught Porsche a thing or two!

Porsche (well...Brembo) makes THE easiest to change brakes of any automobiler mfgr - easily hands down

Damn, who put the rotor screw in???? Nice job making some vids. __________________

quick question. changing out my rear pads today, and was curious about the vibration dampeners. I have 2 different sizes, and before I get into it, was wondering how/where to put the various dampeners. In the video, there is no mention of it, and I cant seem to find any info online. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

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The damper disks fit into the caliper. When you remove the pads, you will see them. They may fall out so look for them when you remove the pads. Check the size of each as you remove them to get the right one in the right place. It is better to leave the paper covering the adhesive on until they are in place and then remove it with needle nose plyers.

I don't have the dampers on my car, hence why they're not in the video... but I believe you'll find that the pistons in the calipers are different sizes - and that's why the dampers are different sizes.

Hey guys. just did my first pad replacement. thanks Van for the videos. they really helped. All went very smoothly until my first test drive. the brakes seem to work really well (only did the rears), but as i drive, I can hear them rubbing against the rotors. Is that a normal thing until they "break in"? It doesnt seem right to me, but I'm new to this whole thing. any insight? it's a pretty loud rubbing that I hear on both sides as I drive.

I just did my front brakes following the video - a few notes - Rotor screws came out easy - 2 per rotor - I only ordered 2 new ones for some reason - but the old ones still looked fine anyway - Whoever put the spring clip in the retaining pin rotated it so it was inside the caliper body - needed to fiddle with a screwdriver to get it out - Pad sensors had not triggered yet -I reused the old ones. Need to be careful to remove the wires from the spring clip and easier to slide the ends of the sensor out from the pad after removing it. - Getting old pads out took a while - I used the pliers to push the pads back against the caliper body and protected the paint with a piece of cardboard as suggested - either way the pads did not come out easy. - The vibration shims remained stuck in the caliper - I did not try to remove them - just put the new pads back in. There wasn't any adhesive on the back of old pads - but I put some anti-squeel paste on back of new ones (not sure that is strictly necessary with the shims there - but probably can't hurt ?) - One caliper piston was stuck - needed a lot of force on the pry bar to move it back - I probably should have sprayed brake cleaner there and tried to push it back before I put the new rotors on - but everything seems to be fine now. - I'd had fluid flushed last year - so reservoir was almost fill - I did not overflow doing the fronts - but will probably have to siphon off some fluid before I do the rears ... - Took me about 3 hours total - 1.5hrs for the first side - and less than 1 hr for the other side (since I already knew what to do at that point !) - Used Sebro rotors from Pelican and Textar pads - the old pads came off were brembos - but marked with the same textar part number ... I think good discount from OEM versions (at least at Pelican) and quality should be similar.

Why do the caliper blots need to be replaced? I'ts not like they are torqued to yield. Of course Porsche uses M12x1.5 which is not a very easy size to find.

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When properly torqued, the bolts are stretched. These stretched bolts undergo cyclical loading during repeated braking which can lead to fatigue. The primary reason is a cost vs. risk calculation. These bolts are part of a CRITICAL safety system, and the cost is very low. Just replace them.

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I thought of these things you've mentioned, but here are my thoughts 1. 68 lbft should not cause yield on a M12. If you've ever torqued something sizeable to yield, you know it takes a fair bit of effort. 2. If the system is designed right, the fatigue life should be infinite. The cyclical loading needs to be under 1/2 the UTS. 3. No doubt brakes are a critical vehicle component. 4. Here is my issue, they are not actually cheap! Pelican charges $6 a bolt. That's $48 for a set! Normally, I'd get non Genuine Porsche fasteners, but M12x1.5 is not easy to find. I can deal with paying $250-$300 for a waterpump because there are not a lot of options, and that's what the price is. However, it is ridiculous to pay $6 for a bolt where they easily could have used one that cost $1-$2. 5. Maybe if there are exposed threads, corrosion maybe an issue. That's really the only reason I can think of right now.

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You may be right regarding fatigue life and the risk of failure. I still contend that even $50 as part of a DIY brake job is small change. However, I paid $2.60 per bolt from Sunset when I did the job about 15 months ago, for a total of $21. I'll skimp in some areas, but not on safety systems. YMMV.

does this rule apply to all driving conditions , such as spirited and normal street use, or is it a "worst case scenario" like high speed track use, where the brakes are really put to the test. I work in the auto industry and im not aware of any other manufacturer that recommends the replacement of the caliper bolts, atleast for the mainstream companies like honda,toyota,gm, etc... Personally, i would be more concerned with a wheel lug snapping, we dont replace those bolts everytime we take a wheel off the car to inspect or do maintenance, and this is far more frequent than removing the brake calipers. Also , ive yet to read about anyone or hear about any Pcar going off the road or crashing as a result of a caliper bolt breaking/snapping, then totally popping out of the system so the operator was unable to stop the vehicle.

On my blog for Lamborghini repairs, I have a write up for a quick pad replacement. The early Murci (used for blog) has the same Brembo GT brakes as Porsche's with 4 piston brakes. http://lambodiy.blogspot.com/p/brake-pads.html

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Yes, I'm quoting myself. I stumbled upon the reasoning for replacing the bolts, and why they are so expensive. It's discussed in this thread https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...per-bolts.html Corrosion is the reason, this makes sense given you are putting a steel bolt into an aluminum upright.

Quotes source post: 10170822

Great follow up! Thanks for the info. Now just get your new OEM bolts from somewhere cheaper than Pelican.

Van, Thank you for the great video and to everyone else for the additional tips. I'm about to do my first brake job on the 997.2 S I bought in December 2012. I have experience doing them on my 996 but it didn't have the brake pad sensors. I will be regularly swapping OEM pads for PF 08 track pads and back again. I'm pretty sure the PF pads don't have slots for the pad sensors. I don't want to remove the sensors (in case of resale) or have a constant brake alert on the display. I don't feel I need the sensors as I visually inspect them regularly. Does anyone have any tips on how to keep the sensors on the car but not on the caliper / rotor and secure them somehow so they don't get in the way or get damaged? Thanks in advance.

I use plastic zip ties. Attach them to a suspension component...there plenty of areas to tie off too.

Quotes source post: 10186466

Thanks Pete.

Great great advice here - once you've done it the first time, you will never forget. Suiper easy after time #1 :-)

Great DIY video! I just did my first solo brake job - including new rotors and pads! I have a C2S and it had OEM and original brake stuff. I bought the car CPO 3 years ago and the dealer informed me that the original pads and rotors were still fine, at only 12k miles after 4 years from original owner. I've driven is almost 36k miles in 3 years, so we're at 7 years old and 47k miles on original pads and rotors. The pads had plenty of meat, but cracking. The front rotors had a pretty good lip on the inner and outer edges, but I didn't measure the thickness. The backs were very similar - just not as bad. I replaced it all with "OEM" Zimmerman and Textar. I can't say enough how pleased and proud I am of the DIY success, and how grateful I am for the video. Thanks!!!

Another shout out to Van for the tutorial. Did all four corners a few weeks ago with no probs. And, a shout out for his graphics work as well. I just received my new track numbers and visor decal. Great job Van!

Thank you for taking the time to record, edit and post that, Van - Great Stuff!

What happened to the videos?

You Tube You Tube

AWESOME! Thanks, Does anyone clean the center hub area? Mine is all rusty. Just a wire brush?

My son and I tackled this job this weekend... Truly our first "real" DIY job. I'm not completely inept at mechanical stuff, but this was the first time doing brakes. It was an awesome little project, and as easy as everyone says! Thanks for all of the advice on the forum, great time spent with a 17 year old gear head, and saved $ in the process! (Which is good, since taking the wheels off i realized i need new rear tires!)

Thanks for posting the video. I've not brakes many times and was looking to see there was anything unique o Porsche. Looks pretty basic, especially if your not removing brake line from the caliper.

Van, not sure what I doing wrong but I can't see the videos you posted. Any suggestions? Thanks !

Disregard that last email, found the videos - Great Job, Thanks !

Quotes source post: 15806172

I am as clumsy as I am dumb, and even I did the brakes on my 2000 no problem. Hardest part is (and always be) getting the caliper bolts off, especially if you drive on the east coast like me. Porsche recommends changing these bolts with every brake job, and at $5 - $7 a piece I don't see why you wouldn't.

Thank you for the tutorial. Wouldn’t you know it....7 out of 8 rotor screws came out. Well I guess I’ll use your drilling video too. Thanks again.

Normally it's a no-no to dredge up very old posts, but not in this case. This tutorial is great. I used it a few years ago to do the brakes on my 2000 C2, not having ever done a brake job on any car before in my life. It was a piece of cake thanks to Van's videos.

Wyovino, oops, sorry noted. The stripped screw came out just as in the video. Ok. Done.

Thank you for the video showing how to drill out the stripped rotor screw. Worked like a charm it was incredibly satisfying to have the head pop right into the bit and then screw out the lodges in piece. Really clear instruction and great videos that I relied on to teach me how to change the brakes on my 997.2 (successfully!)