Ceramic front pads for 987.2?

I'm not a racer and I tend to go pretty easy on my cars. Maybe I'm the only one in the world who didn't think HPDE was the greatest thing ever. My brain just isn't wired for it and that's okay. I'm researching pads for my 2011 Boxster S . I typically run Akebono ceramic pads on all my vehicles, because they are smooth, silent, and have essentially no brake dust. But apparently they don't make those for the front of the 987.2 - only the rear. Centric makes posi-Quiet ceramic pads, but again for the rear only. Putting ceramics only on the rear would seem like a poor choice, since now the braking balance would be affected and the front wheels are going to be filthy even if the rears are clean. Why would they make rears only? I've read about EBC Redstuff ceramics, but I'm pretty sure I don't have the patience to deal with screeching brakes for the first 1000 miles. Any other options I'm missing? EDIT 9/1/17 - DMN987S below had the right answer. Akebono ceramic pads are an option! You can use the older 986 -style spring clips (Centric part number 117.37004) with Akebono ceramic pads (part # EUR917) on the front of the 987.2 . These pads will not fit the front pad wear sensors on the 987.2 so you probably will have to run without the sensors in the front. The rear Akebono pads (part # EUR738) fit fine with no modifications necessary. The rear sensors are compatible. I am unsure if the rear sensor wires can be used for the front on a 987.2 , but that may be a workaround, or maybe 986 front sensor wires may work?

Why do you care about material? Why not to look for properties that are important to you? EBC is a sketchy brand and RED stuff is really not that great. I would stay away. I've used a lot types of pads - and if low dust is important to you i've had this with EBC Yellow and current Endless mx72.

I don't think the pads are any different on the 987 and 987.2 . I'm currently running Akebonos on my car and very happy with them. Tirerack is where I found mine. You will need the older 996 wider retaining clips.

And the reason OEM pads don't work for you is???????

Material matters because material correlates with properties. I'll look into the Endless pads you mentioned. Thanks for the suggestion. They definitely use different part numbers between 987.1 and 987.2, but I've not heard anything definite on cross-compatability. That's something I should research. Thanks for the input. Rick, the manner in which you asked that question could be perceived as quite rude, but I'll assume that was not your intention. My current pads are OE and original to the car, but noise and brake dust are both areas that I would prefer improvement.

My '08 had Textars that produce nasty black stuff that sticks to the wheels. I replaced them with Hawk HPS pads that are not ceramic but they only create a light gray dust that is not bad. Around $150 for the fronts and I will do the rears with them soon.

ENDLESS mx72 are not dust free by any means - but relatively speaking to other pads IMO they produce less dust. They very expensive - so it only make sense to go for them only for people who track or drive hard. EBC Yellows were almost dust free. They were somewhat inconsistent in pedal feel. They create and can stand a lot of heat - so if pushed hard they fry everything around them. But maybe a better brake cooling of Porsches will level this down. They're a bit aggressive on the rotors. But not too bad. For daily driver - they're more than enough. Actually they will do quite good even at HPDE. Hawk HPS i don't like - they're at best on par with stock pads so IMO don't worth the money. HP+ are better bu dust like crazy. and too expensive what what they give.

Well...for what it's worth.... Hawk "Z" ceramic street pads work. They fit a Gen 1 front and rear. You're saying you can't find Gen2 front pads. I couldn't find Gen 1 rears. I bought some Akebono for my Gen 1. I really like them but the rears didn't fit. They were too big. The insides work OK. The outsides would scrape on the e-brake drum. I tried grinding them off with a die-grinder...almost. So, I'm using stock pads on the outside and Akebono on the inside. They're working fine. A qualifier.... This is my street setup. I get a little dust on the rears. None on the front. My wheels stay cleaner and there's zero noise. IF YOU'RE EVEN THINKING ABOUT A TRACK DAY, GET SOME TRACK PADS AND CHANGE. Back to those Hawks. They fit all 4 wheels on both sides. They are essentially dustless. I got them pretty hot on a hard all day drive through Carolina and Virginia back roads. They never faded at all but they made a little noise now and then after that. Hawk is the only one I know that makes street ceramics that fit the Gen 1 Cayman...and probably the Gen2. :cheers:

So Hawk Z are dustless, stand a lot of abuse, and are not too noisy? Sounds really good. How friendly are they to the rotors? How much do they cost?

Croc: I had no issue with the rotors. These are nothing like Hawk race pads. They're only a little more "high performance" than Akebono . I'd get Akebono if they made some that fit my car, but my next set of street brakes will be these Hawks. Fine for street or touring. Just don't get them super-hot. "stand a lot of abuse" is probably not accurate. They are street only brakes, in my opinion. Repeated hard stops from speed, a la track days, are definitely NOT advised with any of these dustless ceramic pads. They look like normal Hawks, not all padded on the back like Akebono , so a shim or some duct tape or aluminum tape or some of that coating from a tube to stop brake pad vibration is advised, but aside from that, they're great. Mine started to squeal a little when they were almost gone. Could have fixed it but replaced them instead. These are OK for a panic stop. They require only slightly more pedal pressure and have a gentler feel than worn-in stock pads...but less so than Akebono . Best thing is that they give only a little light grey dust that is near invisible and they really resist making noises, even after repeated stops in traffic etc. Nice to come home from a long stop and go slog and have clean wheels! :cheers:

I am about to try Posi Quiet Semi-Metallic for street use. They are dirt cheap (about $100 for complete set), get good reviews and supposed to be very low dust, which is the main reason I bought them, as I absolutely hate the stock Texars for the amount of dust they generate! Not to mention they squeal on occasion too. For the track I use Hawk DTC-60 and they work great for that purpose.

I installed the Posi Quiet Semi-Metallics yesterday. So far so good. Good stopping power and quiet as a mouse. They seem to be well made with shims attached to the backs and with very generous thickness of pad material. They even have metal rollers on them just like genuine Porsche pads (never understood what these are for). The rear set came with a hardware kit included. Such a kit will easily cost $40 if purchased separately. There was no kit with the front set for some reason. We'll see about their dusting level with more driving ...

The "rollers" you mentioned are just weights. They reduce noise by damping out harmonic resonance.

So the consensus seems to be Hawk Z to reduce dust for one thats not going to track, but wants to reduce the break dust eating up the wheels? Comments welcome, and thanks to the OP for posting! I just want to get rid of the dust!!

Can't find the Hawk Z, just the Performance touring ceramic pads on their main site....and is that cost "per pad" or a set of 2??...I'll send email

For 987.1 cars, I just bought a full set of Akebono pads for street use. They are the "Euro" pads. They're absolutely the most "street" pads you can buy. Have a rubber-like backing on the back to reduce noise and they use a really soft ceramic compound that requires a little more pedal effort (5% more?) but they always stop me, even in emergency sorts of situations, and they make very negligible dust. The last set I bought had the wrong rears...bought from someone out west. But these are from tire rack and I checked them. They are correct sizes. So...don't know if they have 987.2 sizes...you'll have to check, but they really are the silent-dustless ultimate. Hawk is #2 only because they come pretty naked by comparison. No packing padding etc. They're good though. Both are miles better for the street than stock pads. Again, stock pads on German cars are like they are because: 1. They can't use asbestos anymore. 2. They need to be able to stop a car at cold temps AND stop repeatedly from autobahn speeds. This is a TUV requirement. Other countries, like US, Japan and S. Korea, have no autobahns with unlimited speeds and no such requirements. Cars made, especially in Japan and Korea can have ceramic pads as stock that don't like getting super hot. I've driven the Hawk ceramics cross country and on many back roads in the Carolinas. They are good pads with really good stopping power...but I use my manual gears and engine braking to slow the car if it's not a panic situation. Ceramic just will not work in a track situation where you have repeated hard stops that get the brakes really hot. Once over temperature, they're pretty awful, so don't try to use them at a track day. Stock pads will work at a track day but they go away(as in "wear out", not as in "fade") pretty quickly and make A LOT of dust and heat.

Will check into Akebono ....thanks so much for the reply

Abaco: I think Performance Touring Ceramic is the same as Z compound. If not, the performance touring ceramic will do fine if they come in the right size for your car. Just don't do track days with them and you'll love them. Akebono is approximately the same deal...fine for everyday and even very sporty street driving. Negligible dust. No noise on Akebono , very, very little on Hawk. If you mount Hawks right...use a shim, or aluminum tape or brake quieting compound on the back, they won't make any noise. Akebono is easier to keep silent. Hawk a little more sporty with more solid feel underfoot. :cheers:

Appreciate the reply...enjoying this right now....reminds me of Italy. Just want dust free brakes... https://youtu.be/GQVeJs-mCFw

The ONLY ceramic pads I can find that actually fit my 987.2 and are ready to install are the EBC Reds (not going to track) so leaning towards these to reduce OEM dust which I'm cleaning off each week! The Akebono does not fit my car. Any comments welcome. I will NOT be installing myself, rather my Euro car mechanic. https://www.carid.com/2012-porsche-boxster-brakes/?manufacturers []=EBC+Brakes

EBC are notorious to have issues. perhaps at light street use you won't have any issues. but for more hard use Yellow are the minimum.

Abaco: I just bought a new set of Akebono for 987.1 S from 301 Moved Permanently . Don't know if they have 987.2, but if you haven't tried, check them out. BTW...Just searched Tire Rack for Cayman S 2011 with standard brakes. They carry Akebono full sets and Hawk and Centric. :cheers:

After reading multiple posts and just using for street use, I think I'll just stick to cleaning my wheels once a week! lol Too much hassle for the benefit.....

A: I think you'd really like this! The more you clean wheels with brake dust on them, the more you abrade the surface. Also, washing rags after they've had brake dust on them still doesn't get the abrasive out of them. You have to save them just for brakes. Do not use rags that have been used for brake dust to dry your car. Scratch marks on the paint are guaranteed. Seriously, if you don't do track weekends, this is the hot ticket. I do them 2 times per year and it's still worth it for me. It's SO nice, especially for driving in stop and go. Your car, your call. :cheers:

Sorry if this double-posts, but I'm having some technical difficulties. Just as an update, I tried the Centric PosiQuiet semi-metallic pads. They have a good reputation for being clean and quiet. However, to me they seem just as dusty as the original Textars and they tend to squeal a bit at moderate speeds with light braking. I've spent some additional hours researching the possibility of using Akebonos even though they don't list a part number for the front of the 987.2 . Here's what my research suggests (but don't take this as gospel just yet): It seems the Akebonos listed for the 987.1 are shaped to accept the older 986 -style spring clips, which were used in some 987.1 cars. These longer spring clips were never used in the 987.2 , so that's probably why the Akebonos don't list compatability with the 987.2 . However, it seems the 987.1 could use both clips/styles of pads and the 987.2 seems to be capable of using 987.1 pads. So, it stands to reason that the 987.2 should be able to use the Akebonos, provided the old style clips are sourced. I ordered the pads and spring clips, and will try it soon. I'll share what I find.

Interesting feedback on PosiQuiet. I've had a very different experience. Some dust is there but not nearly as much as Texars. And I am yet to hear a single squeal out of them! Are you sure you installed them correctly? Are your dampers in good condition? I threw mine out and use a bit of anti-squeal paste instead.

Success! (Mostly.) DMN987S had the right answer in post #3. With the older style spring clips (Centric part number 117.37004, found on eBay for $10), the Akebono ceramic pads (part # EUR917) fit the front of the 987.2 just fine. The only small hiccup is that the pad wear sensor holes are different. These Akebono pads have the small 986 -style sensor holes, so the larger spade-shaped sensors in the front of my car didn't fit. No prob, just clipped the wires, connected the ends, added some heat-shrink tubing, and now the sensors are no longer an issue. I've never worn a set of pads down to the backing plate in my entire life, so the sensors aren't anything I will worry about. The rear sensors are compatible. I am unsure if the rear sensor wires can be used for the front on a 987.2 , but that may be a workaround in the front if someone wants to try it. Or maybe 986 front sensor wires may work? The rear Akebono pads (part # EUR738) fit fine with no modifications necessary. I bedded the pads in and they work great - well enough to set off the ABS on a dry road. So far, no noise. I'll update this thread in a week or two with observations on dust levels. Even better, it was only about $135 for all the pads (F+R) and clips together in total.

Okay, an update after a week... The Akebono pads are as silent as a tomb. Not a peep. I'm very happy with them. Dust is almost completely absent. I have attached two photos of the front wheel to show the difference in dust. I wiped my finger across the wheel at the center of each photo. The first photo is after one week with the Centric PosiQuiet Semi-metallics. Way too much dust for me. The second photo is after one week with the Akebonos. You can't even see where I wiped the wheel with my finger. Finally, I have also attached a photo comparing the newer style pads (Centric) which use the short spring clip and the older style pads (the Akebonos) which use the longer 986-style spring clip. The red stuff on the top pad is just residual brake quiet adhesive.

I use Hawk ceramic in front and Akebono in rear for my 987.2 Boxster S. They work like a charm, same braking power but virtually no dust, and what dust there is is light gray instead of black.

Rick: Nothing wrong with stock rotors if you like cleaning black dust off your wheels and car often. Porsche (and most German brand) OEM pads make a lot of black brake dust that ends up on the wheels and the sides of the car. If you clean that dust off the paint the wrong way, it'll make some pretty bad scratches in the clear-coat. That's two big minuses for a daily driven car. On the plus side, I didn't notice a lot of noise with my stock pads and they stop the car slightly better with less pedal effort than ceramic street pads, especially when cold. Additionally, you can do a DE on stock pads...Another plus. However, if you use them really hard, they can warp rotors. They seem to get pretty hot. Also, they won't last more than a couple track days, but they do survive a track day without turning to mush. Porsche sent a factory driver to a track event I attended. He drove a stock Cayman S very fast with stock pads. I asked him about his maintenance. He said "I just give it back to Porsche after a day of this. They change everything." So he starts every demo day with fresh pads and brake fluid and probably fresh oil. ...His wheels and car were covered in black dust at the end of the day. The reason OEM pads work at DE and make such dust is because German TUV tests them with 100+mph autobahn emergency stops. They also test the brakes cold....another TUV test. They make a lot of dust because the only non-asbestos compound that does all this and is at all affordable...makes a lot of dust. Dust is not tested by TUV nor is noise. They care about safety on German roads. Since Japan doesn't have any roads with unlimited speed, they do not test for 100+ stops. Most Japanese OEM pads use some sort of ceramic street compound. This is why you see black dust on Merc, BMW , Porsche and Audi and VW but not on Toyota , Nissan etc. On my 987.2 Carrera T, I couldn't find Hawk street ceramics for both front and rear, so had to use rear Akebono street ceramics and front Hawk ceramics. Neither Akebono nor Hawk listed the full 987.2 set on their chart. I had to whittle on the rears to get them to fit right...Pad size was OK but part of the metal backing plate end-shape was bigger than OEM...so I used the OEM as a pattern and just filed (Dremeled) a bit off the Akebonos. They worked fine. I've used Pagid 029 Yellow on all 3 Porsche cars I've owned and on a BMW M3 . Don't get 019 yellow. They're hard to warm up and are treacherous on a cold morning. Same price...Get 029. Both 019 and 029 give extremely long life and are easy on rotors. The 019 is really designed as an endurance race pad...Perfect for Lemans and Sebring. These Pagids don't seem to create as much heat stopping the car as OEM for some reason. They make dust but not nearly as much as stock pads on a race track. If you are any sort of track rat, these are the bomb. They give a lot of confidence when your tearing toward apexes from speed. There are many other track pads that stop the car all day, but these work and don't wreck your rotors or the paint on the side of your car and they're decently quiet for driving the car home from the track or to/from the motel on a track weekend. Some guys even think 029's are a good street pad. I don't agree. On my '18 718 CGTS, I immediately bought Hawk street ceramic front and rear. I put only 100 miles or so on my stock pads. I'll install them at trade-in time. I also bought a set of 029's for the car. If I get the urge to DE again, I've got them on my shelf. I did one easy Road America day with my fairly new GTS to get a feel for it. Barely bedded in the '029s. FWIW: Track Day Tips: 1: Clean your rotor surface , front and back sides, with Brake-Kleen or ordinary blue Windex or similar ammonia containing window cleaner when you change pad compounds. Do it when you remove the first pads before you put on the second ones. Do it again when you change back. It takes 5 minutes. If you mix certain pad compounds with certain other pad compounds, it can make a sticky goo that sticks to the rotors and you'll feel severe brake-judder on track that will make you think you have very warped rotors. ...ask me how I know! Don't waste a track day fussing around with your brakes...just do this every pad compound change. You don't need to do it if you're changing pads of the same compound. 2: Do not try a DE or open track day with ceramic street pads on your car. They will give up if they get too hot....and don't think you can avoid getting them too hot. If you're doing it right, you're going to have very hot brakes. Street ceramics are good for even very sporty street use but track days make the brakes much hotter. 3: Most track guys know this and most DE's teach this...but... fresh brake fluid is a necessity for track days. High temp fluid is better but fresh Dot 4 is absolutely needed...at least as good as OEM fluid. If you don't know why, Google it. Basically the brakes get hot enough to boil the absorbed water in your old brake fluid..in your brake calipers and lines. Unlike liquid brake fluid, steam (boiled water) is compressible and that means your pedal goes to the floor before the brakes work. Not a good feeling barreling into Turn 1. ...Pump and pray. 4: Don't use "Super Blue" . Porsche and most others will deny warranty claims on ABS units and other pricey parts if they find blue (non-stock) brake fluid in your brake system. Nothing wrong with Super Blue...except that it's blue. ATE makes a clear fluid that's the same as Super Blue without the blue dye. Use that...or any clear fluid. Porsche doesn't test fluid, but if it's a different color than stock, well, pretty easy to see it's non-Porsche. Your coverage is denied. 5: Don't use DOT 5 or DOT 6. These are silicon based fluids. They have some properties that can cause problems and they are very difficult to flush out of a brake system. Just say no. I was a BMW CCA instructor for 22 years at Putnam Park in Indiana. I did tons of open track days and schools trying lots of pads and rotors and such, mostly on a '95 M3. M3's are heavier and harder on front brakes than Caymans or 911s. Porsches are fairly easy on brakes and tires by comparison, but the lessons above work for any street car used at track days.

Update on the front hardware you will need... The Centric part is not readily available anymore. The substitute is Carlson 13615. Go Akebono !