Squealing 996 Brakes? Install the Dampeners.

I'm talking to people in the future here... Look, if you got to this thread, you probably have searched squealing brakes. You probably performed that search because your car has a high pitched sound when you are trying to come to a complete stop. Undoubtedly, you read the many threads and posts across several forums that say you don't need to install the dampeners and that all they do is prevent quick pad changes at the track. I'm saying you probably did all these things because I was that same guy. Instead of installing dampeners, I first changed perfectly fine front rotors and pads. It worked for a few days then the squealing returned. I then took the pads out, sanded them lightly, chamfered the edges, and applied disc brake quiet in critical spots. It worked for a few days and the squealing returned. At this point I figured 996s just have squealy brakes. But then... at a race shop while getting my car corner balanced, I asked the very Porsche expert there about my brakes and the first thing he asked me was, "Do you have the dampeners installed?" I said, "no". He said, "Install the dampeners." I said, "But people on the forums say you don't need them." He said, "Install the dampeners." So, I installed the dampeners. Squealing is gone now for over a week, but not just any week... a week of abnormally high (for me) 500-600 miles of driving. Previously the squealing had returned in about 100 miles or less. I'll edit this thread if the squealing returns. Myths: 1) Dampeners don't quiet brakes (Not true). 2) Someone else's brakes are silent without dampeners and therefore, you don't need them to have quiet brakes (Not true). 3) Dampeners are hard to install (No, they are not. They add 1 minute to the process of installing a pad). 4) You need to remove the caliper to install dampeners to pads with the adhesive backing (No, jut use some needle nose pliers to remove the paper, thus exposing the adhesive after installing the dampeners, then install the pads as normal). 5) Brembo brakes are just noisy so just deal with it because it's a performance car (Not true). I hope this helps someone save time and money in the future.

Funny you posted this, as I just experienced my first squeal the other day, since removing dampeners. Minor, but it was there, and with stock style Textar pads.

I just pried off old dampeners and transferred to new pads. They had enough adhesive left to work. Should have ordered new, but failed to do so.

My GT3 brakes squeak so bad my dogs perk up when I'm 1/2 mile from home. The plus note is it makes joggers and bicyclists GTF out of the way.

My cars breaks sound fine with my street pads. When my Ferodo race pads are on, and i'm too lazy to change them back to streets (like now), my car sounds like a dump truck coming to a stop. With or without the dampeners. But i drive it with a smile even though everyone looks at me on my way to work!

OP checking in to report that after about 2,500 miles of driving since I installed the dampeners my brakes are still squeal free. This is the fix, guys.

Recently installed new rotors, pads and sensors on my 993 C4S. Didn't use the dampers. Have driven approximately 1500 km's so far and all is quiet. No squealling at all!

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Congrats, but there are people with squealing brakes out there who need to install dampeners.

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Im glad you mentioned track pads. Many of those will squeal, no matter what folks try to do to stop that from happening. I bet your brakes don�t squeal as much on the track, as track pads are meant to have a lot of heat in them. On the street, a gentle and slow brake to a stop doesn�t generate much heat.

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Lol!! I'm just saying that I and many others have had the same experience without using the dampers. I did use an anti-squeal compound on the backing plates. Just sharing my experience!!!

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Read the thread title. This thread isn't about those who do not have squealing brakes. It's to inform people with squealing brakes that they should make sure to check for and/or install the dampeners first before spending on rotors, pads, etc... I'm somewhat annoyed by your statement, because I created this thread specifically because when I was looking for advice on my squealing brakes, most of what I found were posts by people saying that dampeners weren't needed on their car. I unwisely dismissed the dampeners and did a rotor and pad change and it didn't work. I also used disk brake quiet. I then took out the pads and chamfered them upon other internet advice, which also didn't work long term. That is a lot of wasted time and money. Installing the cheap dampeners in a few minutes solved the problem. I'm not saying that telling people that dampeners weren't needed on their particular cars rises to the level of misinformation, but it does promote a false narrative that dampeners are not needed for anybody. There is also false information out there which implies that installing the dampeners takes a lot of time and even removal of the caliper. It only takes 1 minute per dampener to install once you remove just the pads.

Sorry to upset you! Just going off my experience! I think people should attempt their pad/rotor replacement without the dampers before spending $200 ish on something they might not necessarily need. As you said, they are easy to install so if my way of adding a quality stop squeal in the proper place doesn't work then by all means add the dampers! Just because it didn't work for you doesn't mean its a myth and it didn't work for others!! Glad you were able to stop your brake squeal!! Nothing more irritating!

Dampers $200? I just pried old ones off and re-used. Works fine for me. Not sure they cost more than $10-15 each, that I’ve seen.

4 dampers per corner, $10 (using your low end) x 16 = $160 plus tax and for me exchange, more than $200!!!

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Not sure I agree with your advice, here. Dampeners are cheap, maybe $10-15 each. Unless someone likes doing work twice, or if they don't work on their own car and like paying someone twice, there is no good reason not to install the dampeners during a brake job. If they are tracking their vehicle and don't want to do it during quick pad changes, then ok, I get it. Otherwise, a street car should have the dampeners installed.

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$200 is $200. Agree to disagree. I saved $200 by not installing the dampeners and have quiet, squeal free brakes. I was prepared to spend the extra money on the dampeners should I have experienced brake squeal upon completion of the brake overhaul! Luckily I didn't have to! ****ty for you I guess!!!

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I spent about $40 total on the front. Not sure where you are getting $200 from.

C4S uses 2 per corner, on my 2002, so half of the amount dollar wise. Still my old ones seem to work well for me.

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Wait, you can install the dampeners without taking the caliper off? I did my brakes last year and have been living with the squealing, mostly because I'm too damn lazy to take calipers off again just to fix something that's only annoying.

Yes, you can. I did it very easily. Take out the pads and put in the dampeners, then take some needle nose pliers and carefully peel the backing paper off the dampener to expose the tacky adhesive side. Reinstall the pads. Simple. It fixed the squealing that was driving me nuts.

Timely post! I just replaced my rear brakes & rotors and was going to not reinstall the anti squeal pads, as I didn't buy new ones. So I reused the originals on the Akebonos, because I wasn't sure until reading this. I don't track. (were the original pads Brembo?, these were). The only thing that concerned me was that the pad contact area of the Akebonos is significantly less than the OEM. That surprised me. I still have to brake flush & bleed, then I will be able to test them after the coating wears off the ATE rotors. Also, ginchs car is a 993. Totally different brakes. Not sure why he commented on a 996 post.

I replaced my rotors and pads this spring. Left the original dampers in front pads, one of the rear ones was damaged, so I left the rear ones off. Squeal. Replaced the damaged one with a new one, replaced the rest with the old original ones...whisper quiet. Moral, new one may not be necessary, but brakes are definitely quieter with something in there, even old ones (cleaned up).

Well, I had a new set of Akebono brake pads installed w/a new set of Brembo rotors (front and back) w/o any counterweights on the front pads or dampeners on the reas (it's impossible install the fronts w/o the OE/OEM dampeners) and there has been absolutely NO squealing from my brakes. I sitll think the brakes are "too soft" but the Svc Mgr at the Porsche dealer where I took the car to have the brakes checked says/said that they are just fine. No squeal or dust which is what Akebonos are all about. So, yes, it is possible to NOT have any brake squealing if you do NOT install the pad dampeners/counterweights.

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I understand that. Read my thread title. It clearly asks, �Squealing 996 Brakes?� This thread is not for people with quiet brakes to come in here and start challenging whether dampeners need to be installed. I made this thread because there were a lot of threads and posts saying it is not necessary at all, and people might start changing other things based upon other people who are lucky.

I was having a similar issue, and as timing would have it, I replaced my rotors with Pagid and new ceramic brake pads. That was about 3 months ago, and it�s been awesome. NO brake dust, NO squeal, and NO rust on my rotors. Very happy. oh, and painted my calipers too. my lockdown therapy.

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I wasn't "challenging whether dampers need to be installed." Just relating my experience. Sorry if I offended you and posted something contrary to what you intended to discuss. That said, if "squealing" is considered a "problem," I would think that any acedotal reports of what "works" (that is, what doesn't cause sequealing) may be of use to those to those who ahve a squealing brake "problem" but if you don't want to hear from anyone with such an experience, so be it. Ciao!

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There is no good reason to tell people not to install the dampeners unless it is a track car. Some people get lucky like you and that�s fine. I want people who are squealing to find this thread and get the right solution, not more of the you don�t need dampener narrative. So in this one case, no I don�t want that kind of solution being introduced as a viable option in this thread. There are plenty of other threads like that.