Changing Brake Pads - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Burg Boxster · 03-27-2008, 11:59 AM

It's one of the easiest brake jobs there is.
Here's a link to DIY for pad change (along w/ links for rotor change and bleeding if you're so inclined)....

Can't beat DIY. Don't forget to reward yourself accordingly when finished

Trygve Brake DIY Link

dcporsche99 · 03-27-2008, 05:17 PM

Definitely a DIY! The least expensive brake pads for street use are probably Mintex (in the red box)...w/c you can purchase on Ebay for roughly $120 for both front and rear brakes.

IMHO, I don't think you'll need to change out your rotors unless there's something wrong with them (re: warped), you have close to 100K, and/or you track your car often.

As for the brake fluid, as racer_d mentioned, you can purchase a Motive Bleeder (<$70 from Performance Products or elsewhere---do a quick search on the forum) that will allow you to bleed the brakes yourself.

Good luck and enjoy learning about your car!!

Keep us posted

Lil bastard · 03-27-2008, 06:01 PM

You should definitely check the rotors. Rule of thumb is every other pad change. Pads go 35k mi. maybe, so at 70k mi. you're definitely due.

Or you can be precise and check them with a micrometer or a vernier caliper. For Boxster S, you have a minimum thickness of 22.6mm (0.89") Fr and 18.6mm (0.73") Rr.

Wearing the rotors below this minimum thickness will drastically reduce your braking efficiency and can cause a premature rebuild or replacement of the calipers.

Also, if sticking with the existing rotors, be sure to at least sand them down with #40 paper and a block. This will remove the previous pad material and allow a layer of fresh pad material to build-up on the rotor face - a necessity for reaching max braking efficiency.

Rareair · 03-27-2008, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil bastard

Also, if sticking with the existing rotors, be sure to at least sand them down with #40 paper and a block. This will remove the previous pad material and allow a layer of fresh pad material to build-up on the rotor face - a necessity for reaching max braking efficiency.

Is that 40grit? Or do you mean 400grit?

Lil bastard · 03-27-2008, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rareair

Is that 40grit? Or do you mean 400grit?

Yep 40 Grit. Just a light twice around with the paper on a block will do it. This will also create enough roughness for the new pads to wear-in properly. May seem agressive, but it's not.

If you used 400 Grit, you'd likely cause the rotor/pad to glaze

shaman1204 · 03-27-2008, 07:39 PM

I bought my brake pads (Mintex Red Box), motive bleeder and 2 ltrs (?) of ATE brake fluid from Pelican Parts. Got free shipping for the whole lot. Just check your master cylinder under the front boot to see what color brake fluid you currently have and buy the opposite, i.e. if it's blue buy gold, if it's gold buy blue and you can easily tell when you have bled all the old fluid out of the brake system. I didn't check what I had and used the same color, so it was kind of a pain to tell when all the old stuff was bled out.

If you are flushing the brake system I used a flavor syringe I bought from the cooking section of Target for $1.99 and siliconed a section of tubing on the end to extract all the old fluid out of the reservoir. Also, be sure to buy a roll of tubing from Home Depot so you have a long enough piece to set the container that catches the old fluid on the ground, the one the power bleeder supplies you with is pretty short.

It took me about 2 hrs to do all this and I have never replaced brakes before in my life. Another tip if you order the Mintex pads, before you try to push the wear sensors back into the pads you might want to pre-drill them slightly, I broke two of mine trying to get them back in.

Lil bastard · 03-27-2008, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaman1204

I bought my brake pads (Mintex Red Box), motive bleeder and 2 ltrs (?) of ATE brake fluid from Pelican Parts. Got free shipping for the whole lot. Just check your master cylinder under the front boot to see what color brake fluid you currently have and buy the opposite, i.e. if it's blue buy gold, if it's gold buy blue and you can easily tell when you have bled all the old fluid out of the brake system. I didn't check what I had and used the same color, so it was kind of a pain to tell when all the old stuff was bled out.

If you are flushing the brake system I used a flavor syringe I bought from the cooking section of Target for $1.99 and siliconed a section of tubing on the end to extract all the old fluid out of the reservoir. Also, be sure to buy a roll of tubing from Home Depot so you have a long enough piece to set the container that catches the old fluid on the ground, the one the power bleeder supplies you with is pretty short.

It took me about 2 hrs to do all this and I have never replaced brakes before in my life. Another tip if you order the Mintex pads, before you try to push the wear sensors back into the pads you might want to pre-drill them slightly, I broke two of mine trying to get them back in.

Good advice! But, if you get pads w/o the groove for the wear indicators, you can leave them connected to the harness and cable-tie them out of the way. That will keep the Brake Wear Warning from lighting on the dash. It's really not at all necessary for anyone who is diligent with their car's maintenance, kind of a toy accessory.

My pads are always changed before the wear indicator comes on anyway. IMHO, anyone who relies on these wear sensors is either a little lax when it comes to maintenance, or a little lazy. If you don't service your own car, a dedicated mechanic should warn of the upcoming need, again long before the Wear Indicator lights.