Advise for first DIY brake Job

Getting ready to order the parts needed for brake service. Have read several threads and Pelican "How To" Articles and appears to be a very straight forward process but since I do not have a manual, thought I would see if someone could help out with some questions. First, I just removed all 4 wheels and took some measurements: Right Frontt - Rotor measured 1.058" / 26.87 mm thick. Very smooth surface both sides. (Both front rotors had a raised rib at outer edge of approx .67 mm, is this normal?) Pads approx 5 mm. Left Front - Rotor measured 1.057" / 26.84 mm, also very smooth surface both sides. Pads approx 5 mm Right Rear - Rotor measured .921" / 23.39 mm. Very smooth surface both sides (Both rears had a typ rib at outer edge of approx .40 mm) Pads approx 6 mm. Left Rear - Rotor measured .922" / 23.41 mm, also very smooth surface both sides. Pads approx 6 mm. Brakes have been very smooth with no vibration. Here are my questions: 1. Are the rotors within spec? Do not want to replace if not necessary. (Do not track car) 2, Are the ribs at outer edge of rotors normal or is this due to wear? 3. Any comments on the TEXTAR pads v OEM pads? 4. Any comments on using existing Dampers v buying new? 5. Any comments on using existing Pad Sensors v buying new? Finally, anything I should be know that's not in the Pelican "How To" Article? Thanks, any comments welcome.

This is the video that I used and it guided me through the process. It was my first brake job on any car and it was very straight forward. I replaced everything with OEM parts including all bolts, clips, and dampers. I think that when I do it again I'll reuse the dampers as they added hundreds to the parts bill. If you have a pronounced ridge on the rotors you should replace them too. You Tube He has another video for the back brakes.

So the OEM or new rotors are smooth/flush through out the entire rotor? the lip at edge is due to rotor wear? If so, I will invest in new rotors. The car has 68 K miles on it and I have all the records for repairs on it (from day one) with no mention of previous rotor replacement.

Keep in mind pads will wear to the rotor so you may not have a vibration now, but its possible if you just pad slap it you will develop one. I'm not even sure is people turn rotors anymore, just buy new ones. You will get much better performance out of new rotors and pads than just doing half. If it were a 2000 Civic I would say slap some pads and move on, but its a Porsche.

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Yes, the new ones are flat to the edge. The ridge is caused by wear.

I figured that would be the case, just wanted to confirm before ordering pads and rotors. Now need to decide if I should get all new Dampers and other hardware (bots, ect) Thanks for the responses.

Sebro (German) rotors under $400, if you are on a budget Meyle (Asian) are cheap (under $200). Textar pads. If the hardware is rust free, reuse it, if not, replace. Rock auto has them for very fair prices - OEM is ~$90 per axle, I get them for ~$10 per axle. I got caliper mounting bolts from Rennpart, but you may not need them, mine had corrosion from being in the Northeast. Replacing the supension parts isn�t necessary unless you have an issue, or excess wear. My car has the pad wear sensors shorted out, but the (affermarket) replacement parts are inexpensive (I have a set on the shelf) if you need to replace them. Also, these are some of the easiest pads to replace. If you have to pull off the caliper to replace the rotors, it is a little more involved, but overall a very easy brake job. Be sure to have a torque wrench for reinstalling the caliper carrier mounting bolts, check the torque specs in the book, and observe the units.

OP, the front min is 26.8mm (new is 28mm) so your front should be replaced. The rears are optional (new 24mm, limit is 22.6mm) but they are not expensive so I would recommend replacing them too.

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Asai, Thanks for the numbers, it helps to know what the specs are. All, thanks for the input, no one wants to spend more than they need to but at the same time, I want to keep the car in good running (and stopping) condition. I have no corrosion issues and all bolts and clips look to be in good shape but what about the Dampeners? is re-using the old ones an option?

You can reuse the dampers. I've run with and without them. Noticed no difference.

You can reuse the dampers. Some people leave them out completely and report no issues. I'm in the camp of doing everything by the book so I replaced mine.

A couple of things I would suggest to speed the process: Bleed/flush the brakes after you finish changing pads/rotors (saves fluid) Remove the reservoir cap before you spread the pads If the rotor isn't lipped, I would continue using it and just put fresh pads (same compound) Resurfacing is never worth it Optional tools that idiot proof the process: Crows foot wrench - for the bleed nipple, this makes it impossible to strip the head as it will grab on almost all 6 sides flat. it also allows you to reposition easily in case you run out of space Brake Pad Spreader - Yes you can use screwdrivers, pry bars, etc, but brake pad spreaders make short work of pushing the brake pads back and retracting the pistons with out damaging rotors or calipers Amazon Amazon Fluid Tester - for $9 gives you some visibility as to whether your fluid is in need of a flush Amazon Amazon Turkey Baster or fluid syringe - draw out as much of the old fluid as possible, reduces work Allstar Bleeder Bottle - 1 way check valve, means true 1 handed operation. magnet, so you can hang the bottle locally near corner you are working on. Amazon Amazon Brake pad wear sensors: yes you can reuse the original ones, provided they weren't tripped. They are basically a fuse for the brake pads, once the pad wears to the sensor and through it, it severs the circuit and trips the pad wear light. But, I would check the pad depth and don't let it trip the sensor, by the time you trip the sensor, you'll most definitely have to replace the rotors (the most costly part) Rotors: rotors can wear to the minimum thickness

I vote for ceramic pads if it is a DD. Minimal dust. If you reuse the hardware make sure you clean clean clean it. Then clean it again. Biggest problem I have encountered doing brakes is short lifespan on new pads and rotors because of hardware reuse and the pads do not retract evenly. And you get uneven wear.

^^^ Yep, good to replace the hardware every 2 to 3 pad changes.

Again, thanks for all the input. For those that are in same situation and looking to replace brakes, here is what I found for costs (for new rotors and pads only) These costs included shipping to CA. Pelican Parts - All Porsche parts $1.004.25 Pelican Parts - After Market (OEM brand rotors, TEXTAR pads) $882.43 Sunset Porsche - All Porsche parts $948.09 Suncoast Porsche - All Porsche parts $938.26 Looks like I will be ordering from Suncoast and staying with Porsche parts.

Thanks for sharing the numbers!

Couple last questions (well maybe not my last) cds72911 mentioned that the two caliper mounting bolts are to be torqued to 85 ft/lbs. Just wanted to confirm this since these are the only bolts to be removed. Also, do you use Anti-Seize on these bolts?

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This is wrong!! The torque spec is 85 NEWTON-METERS, which is only ~63 lb-ft. Units errors like this are why NASA probes miss landing on Mars...and why innocent people end up with stripped threads in their aluminum bearing carriers!!

Not having the manual, would anyone else please comment on the torque for the caliper bolts, 85 or 63 ft lbs? I am leaning towards what dkraige said (63 ft lbs) but it does not hurt for verification.

63 ftlb (85 Nm) is correct for all 4 corners.

Sharing some experience on Porsche brake jobs here to help out to those who may be reading. 1. Be very slow and gentle removing old brake caliper bolts, it is not uncommon for these bolts to seize in the aluminum hub. Drilling the bolts is no fun and turns a hour job into 3! 2. Take note if the caliper bolt is bent as you are removing. We have noticed most older caliper bolts have a slight bend in them (we recommend replacement). 3. Make sure to clean the face of the hub before installing rotors! We had a Boxster in the shop with vibration issues at 70 MPH. After balancing the wheels/tires twice and trying a different wheel at each corner one at a time with no luck, we found the rotors were not completely flush with the hub (and the caliper bolts were bent). Lessons learned with experience.

Have you checked rock auto? Lots of quality options for a fraction of the price https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...hub,rotor,1896 Looks like you can get the job done for less than $350 with bendix and pagid

I'll correct that torque number. I was going from memory, not checking the book. I use a torque wrench, and check the book every time - the Knowledge Gruppe torque spec book is worth it's weight in gold, by the way. If you don't have it yet, please go buy it. Don't take torque settings from internet posts. Also, buying brake parts from Porsche seems like burning money. You can get all of the same quality parts aftermarket. I just did Sebro rotors for under $400, and Textar pads plus new sensors for under $180, another $20-30 for the hardware. So for under $600 you can have the same result. If you are super budget conscious, you can do it for far less - Meyle rotors and Textar pads will set you back less than $400 if you are a careful shopper. Rennpart is awesome. I got my caliper bolts from them for a great price. Two notes, they are black (oxide?) coated not the silver/blue ones like original on my car, and the fastener is Torx (T55? maybe) rather than allen head. I had to go digging for my large torx bits.

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Hyperbole aside, please don't rely on the internet for torque specs. Anybody can post anything. Use a specification manual from a reliable source. I like the one for the 996 from The Knowledge Gruppe, but have used other sources like the factory shop manuals and Bentley shop manuals. http://www.theknowledgegruppe.com/in...96-automobile/

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It's not hyperbole, it happened! Failed Mars Mission Due to Units Confusion

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Have you checked out Warehouse 33 yet for prices? -Jason

-Get a good brake dust cleaner like "Iron X" or similar. When you have everything off spray the cleaner everywhere and then scrub the old brake dust off with a brush and rinse twice! You wont believe how much brake dust accumulates inside the wheel wheel on ALL the parts. -As mentioned above, clean the hub surface... and I use a very light coating of anti seize on the hub as a protective layer between it and the new rotor. (Super light coating) -I had Sebros on my car and loved them, I just redid all four rotors recently and used the Sebro slotted again. Not one complaint at all they are great rotors! -Get some decent pads, if your just street driving almost anything will work. Get what you want and BED THEM IN CORRECTLY! Do not do the stupid panic stop crap. Your just messing up the friction layer doing that. Look up online how to properly bed your pads. -Re-torque all the hardware by spec. Look it up if you don't know! -Take some pictures and enjoy! https://www.amazon.com/CarPro-Remover-Liter-Sprayer-Cherry/dp/B004UMB7WY/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1529957394&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=carpro+iron+x+iron+remover&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/CarPro-Remover-Liter-Sprayer-Cherry/dp/B004UMB7WY/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1529957394&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=carpro+iron+x+iron+remover&psc=1

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Hey Ahsai, My Bentley manual indicates 26.7 front / 22.6 rear are the machining limits and the wear limits are 26.0 front / 22.0 rear. Would you recommend replacing them at the machining limits? That being said, the Bentley also says the limits should be stamped on the rotor hat and those should have final say.

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oohhh fallout remover, it's the new hotness i recently discovered, the secret step in detailing! here's my friends 987 that we did some weekend detailing to, BDX all over!! the picture, doesn't describe how bad the Fe particles were, it was all over the car, the whole freaking car turned purple

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Strictly speaking you don't have to but if you're already at the machine limit (before turning), that means turning the rotors is not an option and you're just fraction of an mm away from the wear limit. Also most of the time there will be uneven grooves on the rotors so may as well replace them.

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with the cost of replacement so inexpensive, I would not waste time and cost of turning rotors, especially with cross drilled and/or slotted rotors. They would have to check run out and even then, if there's too much variation between high and low spots, you may get vibration. labor and or personal time is expensive, remove and replacing rotors is quick and cheap. btw, the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen, if you ran it to the absolute minimum and beyond, is that under braking you crack the rotor surface. It's a 1 piece rotor, so it's highly highly unlikely that you could have a catastrophic failure like a 2 piece where the hat and ring separate. Even if you were to crack a 1 piece rotor, you would still be able to stop.

Thanks Ahsai. I think OP is in the same situation I was. Beyond the machine limit but no vibration. I just changed the pads and flushed the fluid. I'm wishing I changed the rotors now. I guess they'll come out next oil change.

To all, I have read and taken into consideration everyone's comments. I have decided too and ordered new Porsche rotors and pads. I chose to use the Porsche rotors since I agree with Ahsai that if your already down to turn limits, turning them would get you down to the wear limit (in my case anyways). Also most if not all the after market rotors say "for street use only". This statement makes me think that they are not built to Porsche standards (I could be wrong but why?). In my mind, the Porsche brakes last a long time (68K miles in my case) so this will probably be the last set of rotors I will need. Thanks again for all the comments and recommendations.

mrjonger, in my experience, the genuine rotors should last two sets of pads before needing replacement. I think you'll be fine as long as no vibration and no track time. Texcwa, I also love genuine rotors despite a bit more expensive. They last a long time so I don't really care about the price delta. Sometimes high quality products with less uncertainty will make the DIY jobs a lot more enjoyable. I'm sure a lot of cheap rotors are made in China so that's a bit questionable to me but that's just me. Just use some anti-seize on the two big m12 bolts (must be replaced per Porsche) on the caliper and the small set screws on the rotors and you'll be fine for many years. Also good useful tips by Rennpart above. You can use a brass brush to clean up the wheel hub, then use brake cleaner to clean it, make sure it's completely flat and smooth. Then apply a very very thin layer of anti-seize on it before you put on the rotor. This will help rotor removal next time very easy.

Just so you know (agreeing with both posts above), I went OE brake rotors as well when it came time to replace them. Yes, more expensive, but to me it is worth it given that they are MY brakes and have to function perfectly....every time.

I've been needing new brakes for two years. Reading this thread finally got me to get off my butt this morning and order the parts needed to replace the pads and rotors of my '99 C2. Fedex says they'll arrive 3rd July, so I know what I'll be doing the celebrate the 4th. Question. When replacing the rear rotors, do the rear drum parking brakes need replacing or adjusting? Thanks

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In general, yes. It's unsafe to assume the inside diameter of the new rotors will be exactly the same as the old rotors, so you should expect to adjust the parking brake. You should NOT need to replace them though, unless they've been misadjusted and dragging a lot, or you've been doing a lot of handbrake turns The most likely scenario is that you'll need to back off the shoes slightly, since the new rotor's ID is likely to be slightly smaller, since the old ones may have worn ever so slightly, and the new ones may have a thicker coating than the old ones. You should not need to adjust anything at the handbrake handle end of things, only at the rear wheel ends. The adjustment is quite easy, just search on how to do it. I'd recommend turning the adjuster wheel while you have the rotor off and have easy access to it. It may be somewhat rusted in place, so the first turn might be hard and you'll need a little extra leverage that can be hard to get when you're going through the rotor, and especially going through the wheel also. Once you break it loose, it's easy to turn from there. There's an article on it here: https://www.pelicanparts.com/techart...Adjustment.htm

Don't want to hijack the this thread, but is there any opinions on these rotors from Discount Auto parts, they are made by WBR, they are only $58 per. https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...921%7CL2*16462

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For street people, all of these rotors will make absolutely 0 difference, the only difference between them is how much lighter your wallet will be. IF you were driving the car on the track, then factors such as: how the cross drills were made, the metallurgy and the tolerances observed by the manufacturers would mean the difference between cracking a rotor and trouble free braking. Then again if you were tracking you wouldn't want a x-drilled, slotted and certainly not a x-drilled & slotted rotor. Would I buy an el cheapo eBay rotor? Absolutely not, because I have no clue where it came from, however, a rotor from Advanced Auto Parts, Autozone, parts geek or rock auto I would not be concerned about. The 911/986/987 are not heavy cars so they aren't experiencing a ton of braking force either. On something like a panamera or a cayenne, I would definitely make sure I was using a quality brand rotor. I definitely wouldn't worry about a Bosch, Pagid, Bendix rotor, those are quality manufacturers who have stricter QC than the run of the mill chinese brands.

As far as rotors go, you get what you pay for from our personal experience. We have gone down the rabbit hole of "cheap" rotors before with no luck. We find that Textar rotors are good for a street driven car and the most cost effective for that application. Next step up would be OEM, then if you need something more heavy duty for advanced track use we would recommend DBA rotors. An example of you get what you pay for are the "ATE" brand slotted (wavy) rotors. They "fit" but must be hammered onto the hub on the front due to incorrect tollerences, not an ideal situation and we will not sell them to our customers!