Porsche Club of America - Upper Canada Region: 35th Anniversary September 2011

If your goal is better feel and no brake squeal, then upgrade your brake lines with DOT approved Stainless Steel brake lines. Changing to fancy red calipers will do nothing for feel or squeal.

Squeal is caused when the brake pads vibrate. This can be remedied in most cases by the installation of Porsche Anti-squeal shims that clip inside of the caliper piston bores. The addition of a top quality premium pads will also help in this area. Typically they will have a chamfer at the leading edge as well as a slot cut in the middle of the pad. If you find that your brakes are squealing a lot, have them inspected. If they are ok then perhaps look at driving style. Brakes on the street typically squeal due to long and light brake pedal applications. The lack of caliper piston pressure on the brake pad backing plate is what allows the oscillation to start and the end result is a squeal. This also results in a large amount of heat to develop as well as advanced break wear. Firm and positive application only when needed rarely results in brake squeal.

Remember, Porsche brakes are already pretty good stock. MANY cars race on the stock components! If you add larger brakes you typically get into other areas then too such as rim upgrades to allow for the larger rotor diameter and that adds a huge cost to the project. Also, bigger brakes add weight in the location you do not want it... at the wheel. The larger rotors for the Big Red's are almost 3 pounds heavier than the stock ones you use now. That will result in handling changes as well as reduced acceleration as this mass must be accelerated too!

If you are looking for increased braking at the track, you can always change pads to a more aggressive pad for track use only, and then after your track days take them out again and put in street pads.

Markus Blaszak
Blaszak Motorsports

Markus, thanks for your reply.

OK, I'll forget the Big Red's and upgrade my brake lines with DOT approved Stainless Steel brake lines.

You indicate that many cars race on stock. Would I see any benefit with porsche stock pads and Zimmermann Drilled Brake Rotors instad of the stock rotors?

I ask this question because of your last sentence: "If you are looking for increased braking at the track, you can always change pads to a more aggressive pad for track use only, and then after your track days take them out again and put in street pads". As I can't change the rotos for track days, should I still use Porsche stock rotors?

Much thanks, Greg