Brakes, pads and rotors.

[rfpriddy]

Having an issue with squealing brakes. Pads and rotors on front are 4,000 miles of moderately-spirited city driving. The pads are Textar. My regular garage that made the pad/rotor change was sold, and the new owners are telling me that Textar pads are the worst and they are the reason for my squealing... Since I consider myself garage-less, I was going to do the brake work myself. I measured my rotors, and they are Front-24 mm, Rear 19 mm. So the rotors seem fine. therefore, other than Textar pads or OEM Porsche pads, any recommendations? Also, while my fronts have only 4k miles, the rears have 63k.... Measuring the pad thickness, it appears the fronts are 10 mm, while the rears are 8 mm.... Is it likely it is the rears that are making the squealing noise rather than the fronts. According to the stats I have, new pads, front and rear should be at 11 mm with replacement past 2 mm wear. It that is correct, then the rears are in desperate need of replacement.



I appreciate any recommendations. I would like a pad that is a bit less dusty.

[NickG]

Hello,
It may be as simple as putting a few dabs of anti-squeal paste (any auto store) on the back of the anti-squeal shim. I don't see what car you drive, but some brake pads have that thin shim that fits on the back of the brake pad for this very purpose; hence the name.
Nick

[blueline]

Having an issue with squealing brakes. Pads and rotors on front are 4,000 miles of moderately-spirited city driving. The pads are Textar. My regular garage that made the pad/rotor change was sold, and the new owners are telling me that Textar pads are the worst and they are the reason for my squealing... Since I consider myself garage-less, I was going to do the brake work myself. I measured my rotors, and they are Front-24 mm, Rear 19 mm. So the rotors seem fine. therefore, other than Textar pads or OEM Porsche pads, any recommendations? Also, while my fronts have only 4k miles, the rears have 63k.... Measuring the pad thickness, it appears the fronts are 10 mm, while the rears are 8 mm.... Is it likely it is the rears that are making the squealing noise rather than the fronts. According to the stats I have, new pads, front and rear should be at 11 mm with replacement past 2 mm wear. It that is correct, then the rears are in desperate need of replacement.



I appreciate any recommendations. I would like a pad that is a bit less dusty.

Hi Bob,

I'm not understanding your comment of it being replacement time for your rear pads due to them being at 8mm. The 2mm comment refers to the minimum required (safe margin) thickness, not the amount worn off from new. Rear brakes generally do far less work than fronts anyway, and at 8mm actual pad thickness (ie: not including the backing plates), your rears should have at least 6mm of wear left.

Regarding squealing, it is often a factor of several things - pad materials, pad manufacturing quality, rotor condition and quality, compatibility between rotor brand and pad brand, proper burnishing, etc.

As NickG mentioned, sometimes anti-squeal on the back sides will help. Unfortunately, more often than not it won't solve excessive squealing but it's an inexpensive and easy undertaking, plus you won't know unless you give it a shot.

Another thing to remember is that many aggressive pad compounds tend to squeal more and maybe that's the issue in your case?

Also, I know you described your car in an earlier post as a '99 986 but it really helps to include a bit of info about the vehicle - year, model, miles (at a minimum) - when it's a new thread or topic seeking answers to questions specific to your car. Readers won't know or will have forgotten (like me).

[Stormy_Monday]

On my previous 2006 S, I replaced them with OEM parts and was happy. Even with a few track days.

[blueline]

On my previous 2006 S, I replaced them with OEM parts and was happy. Even with a few track days.

I think that's the best advice. Porsche's OEM rotors and matched pads should be quiet even though they'll be more expensive than some of the cheaper aftermarket options. Porsche's stock rotors/pads work well and are quite capable for regular/normal or spirited driving routines.

[Kaybat]

Aftermarket "performance/track" pads are notorious for squeaking. I have Ferodo pads on front, and they squeak quite a bit. I've just learned to live with it.

[blueline]

Aftermarket "performance/track" pads are notorious for squeaking. I have Ferodo pads on front, and they squeak quite a bit. I've just learned to live with it.

Absolutely true.

I run Ferodo DS3.12 pads on the GT4. When I still had the OEM rotors, I changed to the Ferodos and they always emitted a loud, high-pitched squeal, especially for the last 25 feet or so of every stop. Pads and rotors need to be somewhat compatible and Porsche OEM rotors are no match for aggressive race pads like DS3.12.

The OEM rotors were still on the car when I installed the DS3.12 pads in 2021 with the odometer showing 2,250 miles. Later that year after 3,500 more miles (925 of which were track miles), the OEM rotors were fried - trash material.

Due to relatively heavy track use, I transitioned to a set of AP Racing J-hook 2-piece rotors front and back matched to new Ferodo DS3.12 pads. Essex fully burnished the rotors with DS3.12 pad material before shipping them to me. I have next to zero squeal (and then only a bit at the last 5' or so of the stop). That's after 8,300 additional miles on the odometer, 2,300 of which have been track driving. More importantly, I have amazing (and reassuring) braking performance with no fade.

To the OP @rfpriddy, OEM rotors need to be with OEM (or similarly compatible) pads. Stay away from aggressive pad material and you will likely eliminate all squeal.

I'll add that if you really want to be sure of solving the problem, you need to start with new rotors and new properly matched pads. And they need to be bedded (burnished) properly too, something easily done while driving in a proscribed manner. It's not a cheap fix to go the all-new route, but if you use the OEM setup, it will solve your squeal and you should be fine.

Since you have plenty of pad material left and assuming your rotors are good (thickness within the manufacturer's tolerances, no long or deep cracks beyond slight crazing) then you might consider living with the squealing until time to replace either the pads or the rotors. When that time comes, do them as a complete set - matched pads and rotors, front and rear.

One last thought - cheap rotors (chineseium) and cut rate pads are expensive in the long run. If unsure what you're getting, stick with Porsche OEM and you won't go wrong.

[sjfehr]

I've been running StopTech/Centric 309 polyaramid pads for years on my 986S and 987.2S, for mixed street, autocross, and track. I've largely been very happy with them for all three uses- they grip consistently well for street, autocross, and first lap in all but the coldest weather I've driven them in (and even then weren't dangerous, just required noticeably more force for a few stops). I've never felt fade on-track despite being more of a trackable street pad than a streetable track pad; my tires seem to get greasy first. And they're mercifully quiet. But I don't like the dust and am definitely interested in better options.

I actually bought a set of Hawk HPS 5.0 to run at SCCA Solo Nationals this year, only to discover HB483 is NOT the correct part# for stock Boxster/Cayman pads, but is only applicable to carbon-ceramic rotors that were converted to iron, and were nowhere close to fitting. And in the process discovered I had a new unopened box of StopTechs I'd apparently bought year(s?) before and forgotten about (lol). So I ended up returning Hawks and eating the stocking fee, but with Hawk contingency, this seems like a good option, especially with how well my wife and daughter have been doing with respect to winning Hawk contingency. Any experience with them on Boxters/Caymans?

There's not much magic sauce in Porsche rotors that isn't replicated in plenty of great aftermarket options that don't carry the Porsche tax. It's just unfortunately hard to tell which is which. I wish it was easier to see the difference in quality when shopping.

[blueline]

I've been running StopTech/Centric 309 polyaramid pads for years on my 986S and 987.2S, for mixed street, autocross, and track. I've largely been very happy with them for all three uses- they grip consistently well for street, autocross, and first lap in all but the coldest weather I've driven them in (and even then weren't dangerous, just required noticeably more force for a few stops). I've never felt fade on-track despite being more of a trackable street pad than a streetable track pad; my tires seem to get greasy first. And they're mercifully quiet. But I don't like the dust and am definitely interested in better options.

I actually bought a set of Hawk HPS 5.0 to run at SCCA Solo Nationals this year, only to discover HB483 is NOT the correct part# for stock Boxster/Cayman pads, but is only applicable to carbon-ceramic rotors that were converted to iron, and were nowhere close to fitting. And in the process discovered I had a new unopened box of StopTechs I'd apparently bought year(s?) before and forgotten about (lol). So I ended up returning Hawks and eating the stocking fee, but with Hawk contingency, this seems like a good option, especially with how well my wife and daughter have been doing with respect to winning Hawk contingency. Any experience with them on Boxters/Caymans?

There's not much magic sauce in Porsche rotors that isn't replicated in plenty of great aftermarket options that don't carry the Porsche tax. It's just unfortunately hard to tell which is which. I wish it was easier to see the difference in quality when shopping.

Great post! Thanks for the input and welcome to Carpokes!