New wheels = no brakes? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

woodsman · 05-30-2013, 12:05 PM

I'm just finishing a brake job on my car and found the pads were within about .010 inch end to end and inner to outer-I was amazed since I'm used to single piston designs which typically have a much wider tolerance.

Auf los! · 05-31-2013, 03:07 AM

Some great ideas here, thanks, guys.

The CH-Rs were not outrageously priced, at least, compared to the cost of fully-forged BBS wheels like the LM or LM-R. My budget just wouldn't stretch that far. They have the advantage of taking OEM center caps, having a replaceable stainless rim protector, and of course, are BBS-quality. I like them a lot, although I would have gone for 18s instead of 19s if they were available.

stephen wilson · 05-31-2013, 08:42 AM

What size wheels and tires? The tires really look stretched on the rim.

The Radium King · 05-31-2013, 08:56 AM

yeah - mebbe mark the rim and tire and see if it's spinning on the rim?

Auf los! · 05-31-2013, 03:48 PM

Firstly, to answer the last couple of questions, the sizes are:

19x8.5 with 225/35R19
19x10 with 265/30R19

The tire sizes were the Tire Rack's recommendations, and the overall diameter is very close to the 17" overall diameter, so no speedo error, not that my speedo was that accurate to begin with...

And if the tires were slipping on the rims, I would think I'd be losing lots of air, and that's not the case. The Super Sports are funny-looking tires, with those rounded shoulders, I think that's what you are seeing.

I say my braking crisis is a false alarm, because I think the problem was ME. Or something boneheaded I did, anyway. I recently installed the 996 aluminum pedals, and to do this I hadda shove the seat way back. When I was finished with the job, I didn't bring the seat forward far enough, AND I also lowered the seat height. This changed my orientation to the brake pedal, and I just wasn't able to apply the same force I've been used to. Today I brought the seat forward where it should be, and whaddya know, my brakes seem to be back! I feel so stoopid about this.

But not as stupid as what ELSE I did today, which is rub one of my beautiful month-old CH-Rs against a Belgian block curb. Curse those Belgians! The stainless rim protector did it's job, and the wheel itself only took a tiny hit, but the protector is toast, in the way only stainless steel can irretrievably bend.

Now I hafta find out how to get a new protector on there. The Tire Rack told me that I could NOT buy extra protectors, since only BBS in Georgia would be able to mount a new one, but c'mon, it is just a metal ring clipped on and backed with foam tape. Shirley, they can't be serious. I guess I'm gonna find out.

If someone knows of a source for the ring (protector), please let me know.

And thanks so much for all your suggestions. If I manage to unconvince myself that the problem was just that my leg was having to stretch for the pedal, I will be following-up on them.