Brake upgrade for non-S

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by pecivil

I have done the swap to Box S brakes on my 00 box. I did it to upgrade braking to match the 3.4l 996 engine I am putting in...Hope this helps

Hi,

This is a common misconception. People often upgrade the Brakes because of Engine upgrades or mods. This makes absolutely no sense. The stock brakes are more than adequate and if they stopped the car from 60MPH before the mods, they'll do the same thing after the mods (unless the mods added 500 Lbs.). You may get to 60MPH faster after the mods, but that doesn't put any more strain on the brakes than before, it's still the same car so far as the Brakes are concerned.

As I said, the Stock Brakes are more than adequate, stopping the car from 60-0 in 115 ft. which is considered very good. The 'S' Brakes will do the same in 110ft., not a great improvement, but they are heavier adding to the unsprung weight of the car (usually undesireable). And as for the arguement that these 5 ft. may make the difference, that's a senseless arguement because you may just as easily need to stop in 109 ft. to avoid the trouble in which case neither Brake setup is gonna save your Bacon. The trick is to avoid trouble by safe, experienced, driving practices.

The Brake upgrade is a total waste of money (upwards of $2500-$3000) unless:

• A. You are regularly Tracking the car in which case they will increase the fade resistance (not an issue at all with a Street Car).
  
  B. You just like the asthetic and the Bling of it all (and for that money, you better REALLY like it), because you won't be getting any appreciable increase in performance, especially if compared on a cost/benefit analysis.

Another thing to consider, Power and Performance mods may actually hurt your resell value, or at least make the car harder to sell. I've bought more than 40 cars in my life, 30 of them sports cars. I view a heavily modded car as a heavily used and perhaps abused car and I know others who think the same way. I'm less impressed with a heavily modded car (you need to worry were the mods done right?) and have passed on every one I ever looked at, even if I intended to mod a car in a similar way.

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[pecivil]

I figured that since the factory decided larger brakes were necessary for the Box S, I'd put em in for a 3.4 engine swap....

also look at the brakes on the Cayman S with 295 hp just slightly below what the 3.4 engine puts out, also has larger brakes than the stock boxster.

so it does appear that porsche engineers deem it necessary to upgrade the brakes with increasing hp and I stand by my upgrade for the same reason.

So jim, are you just smarter than the porsche engineers, or did I miss something?

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by pecivil

I figured that since the factory decided larger brakes were necessary for the Box S, I'd put em in for a 3.4 engine swap....

also look at the brakes on the Cayman S with 295 hp just slightly below what the 3.4 engine puts out, also has larger brakes than the stock boxster.

so it does appear that porsche engineers deem it necessary to upgrade the brakes with increasing hp and I stand by my upgrade for the same reason.

So jim, are you just smarter than the porsche engineers, or did I miss something?

Hi,

I think you missed something.

The Boxster S and Cayman S are both 'S' or Sport variables. I don't concede that the factory decided they were necessary, but these are more Enthusiast minded and it's assumed will be tracked or usually driven spiritedly. Second, both these models weigh more than the Boxster, horsepower has nothing to do with it at all, it's the weight. Finally, it distinguishes the model from it's Base sibling and provides some justification for the greater Price Point.

Am I smarter than the Porsche Engineers? I don't know - I haven't met them all...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[docdyh]

thanks..both viewpoints though different are interesting and helpful.

[pecivil]

so Jim, according to that line of thinking, the reason they put even LARGER brakes on the 911 S and the 911 turbo, is because they are heavier, and it has nothing to do with horsepower? I can't imagine that the Boxster S weighs too much over the standard model. Certainly not enough to justify larger brakes.

But, Hey maybe you are right, and Porsche only puts on bigger brakes to charge more $$$ and for the "bling" factor.

But somehow, I doubt it.

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by pecivil

so Jim, according to that line of thinking, the reason they put even LARGER brakes on the 911 S and the 911 turbo, is because they are heavier, and it has nothing to do with horsepower? I can't imagine that the Boxster S weighs too much over the standard model. Certainly not enough to justify larger brakes.

But, Hey maybe you are right, and Porsche only puts on bigger brakes to charge more $$$ and for the "bling" factor.

But somehow, I doubt it.

Hi,

Yes, Horsepower has absolutely nothing to do with how a car stops. You can have 1000 Horsepower on a Boxster and assuming the weight hasn't changed, it will still stop in the same distance with the same brakes as a stock 200HP one. If you're braking from 60 MPH you're braking from 60 MPH, it's the same whether you reached that 60 MPH in 3 seconds or 10 seconds, you are still braking from 60MPH...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[pecivil]

of course hp has nothing to do with how a car stops....

but it has a LOT to do with how fast the car is going when it tries to stop, 'eh?

so as a cars TOP speed increases, the braking capacity needs to increase to be able to stop in a reasonable distance, correct?

so if my boxster, or twin turbo 911, or whatever stops from 60mph, yes the same brakes will work just dandy

However if my boxster is stopping from 150mph, BUT my 911 twin turbo is stopping from 185mph, then we need better brakes on the turbo, if it is to slow down in the same distance as the boxster. The key is stopping in the same (or lesser) distance.

Stopping DISTANCE is the key here, Jim. I could easily stop my twin turbo with my stock boxster brakes, cept it may take a bit longer to do it.

so, what we end up with is:

a higher hp car needs bigger brakes

exactly what I said in the beginning, and exactly what car makers tend to do with their sports cars.