987.2: Rear brake replacement with NO drama

[911hillclimber]

Might be a bit boring this thread, but I think it may interest a few.
Back from a solid successful hillclimb meeting so feeling 'mechanical' today, time to fit my new rear brakes to the Boxster, and just in time too.

No lights on the dash but a chance look at the pads a few weeks ago looked like the pads were very close to finished, and so it proved.

Ahead, bought a rear brake kit from Design911, Brembo no less so I had everything to hand.

One side at a time, it all unscrewed with no issues, not bad for 86K miles and kept outside all year round. The handbrake needed easing off to get the discs off, so the 9 clicks it was set to was kept as the reference once the new discs were on.

Nice easy job so a good £150 saving in labour (I'm very very cheap though the wife does not agree...).

Will run the car round for 20 miles or so to be sure it is all OK this sunny afternoon.

 

[Motorhead]

Nice job Graham.

I assume that the handbrake linings were still serviceable?

Jeff

 

[911hillclimber]

Yes, both sides looked good so stayed there Jeff.
The handbrake shoes on my 1973 911 are the originals...

Car drives and brakes well, better than before, but just rough brake surfaces gripping maybe.

After the short drive around the rear discs felt much the same surface temperatures on either side, so I think this is Job-Done.

Just seen some fabulous views of west Scotland on the TV, said to The Boss there is a lot of fuel in the Boxster, she said what a good idea!

However, off to fly my model plane tomorrow, clean the race car and check it over, and off to the PCGB Headquarters on Sat for a lecture and lunch with a long standing PCGB friend in the old 911!

Busy when you are retired!

Cheeky shot of the Boxster's great great great gre..grandfather, 985Kg and 230 bhp, ex hillclimb car and now long retired, too slow! (like the driver)

 

[Motorhead]

The “old boy” is looking very good Graham. A credit to your attention over the years. If I remember rightly, some years back there was a PP article featuring its restoration?

Good to know that Porsche’s handbrake system is so long-lived. Although it’s more complex and expensive to produce, I like it that the two braking functions are separate. Interesting to note that Toyota use the same arrangement on my GR Yaris … great for handbrake turns!

BTW I can recommend the West Highlands for a road trip having been a regular visitor for more than 40-years, the Isle of Skye in particular.

Jeff

 

[911hillclimber]

Thanks Jeff for the comments. Yes, I did a small history article on the 911 in Porsche Post a few years back, '30 years with my 911' in 2018.
Also did a string of articles way back in the early 90's on the hillclimb and modifications I did back then.
A terrific car.
Scotland becons...just the place for a Boxster Mini Adventure.

 

[ianthow]

Yes, both sides looked good so stayed there Jeff.

Good job. It is worth checking that the parking brake linings is still securely bonded to the shoes. With age, it is common for them to begin to detach at one end. When this happens, the lining eventually breaks and the detached end will travel round and jam between the other lining and the drum, locking the wheel. On my 987.2, it happened at 14 years old and just shy of 90K miles. Reversing out of the garage, one wheel locked, could go forward OK. A friend had previously had the same on his 981.

 

[911hillclimber]

That is good to know!
Thank you.
This is why these little threads are valuable to me and others.
I've had this situation with my Brian James trailer when ALL the linings on the 4 drum brakes detached from the steel backing shoes, made new in 2006.

 

[ianthow]

Makes you wonder what was wrong with the riveted linings we had back in the 20th century??

 

[911hillclimber]

Glue is cheaper and easy to automate so nobody touches the materials too much.
Progress!

I recently restored a French Terrot motorcycle from 1949.
It's shoes had detached, linings were 3mm thick, barely used. Glue used even then.