Jack Straw

Sure, 15" Brembo brake kits work and look great but they really are a big chunk of change. Track days are not part of my driving so I figured something pretty basic would fit my needs. I went the E-Bay route and found Brakemotive 76.

For less than $200 shipped I received a set of drilled and slotted rotors and ceramic pads for the front and rear. The parts arrived in less than a week and were of obvious high quality.

I installed the brakes in my garage. I've done similar jobs on my cars in the past but the S 197 is the first time I encountered rear pistons with a helical that requires a firm twist and push to retract the pistons enough for the new pads to clear the rotor thickness. Harbor Freight to the rescue. I found a nice kit with several adapters for different make calipers on sale for $40 so it was an easy choice. There are also simple 3/8 drive "brake cubes" available for 6 or 7 bucks which will probably get the job done in a pinch.

Front calipers don't have the helical but do have two pistons that need to be pressed in simultaneously. This is easily done with a couple of 3 or 4" c-clamps.

After a little careful bedding in around town I headed out to the mountains for a little more testing and can say with confidence that the brakes feel better. Firmer bite, little or no dust and most likely more fade resistance with the cooling holes and slots. Add in the fact that they look just a little trick sittin' behind your wheels makes this $200 mod really worthwhile in my book.

Taco Bill has a fine how-to on replacing the rotors but it doesn't cover the pad replacement. There are plenty of You Tube tutorials on that aspect of the job if you need them.

lowblustang00

Those look good.

Yea the caliper tools are a life saver and well worth the money. Especially if you work on more than one car.

Let us know how you like the rotors after they are bedded in and you get a few miles on them.

07 Boss

Just an FYI, those drilled rotors aren't going to let your brakes cool any faster. In fact the reduction of mass will cause them to actually get slighter hotter under braking. Drilled rotors, especially cheap ones, will tend to crack under many and extreme heat cycles. They are a throw back from the days of crappy pads and to let expanding gases vent away from between the pad and rotor, but we don't really have that issue now days. Slotted rotors are supposed to help clean the pad surface, but along with the holes, are more of an aesthetic thing than serving a true function. Not dissing your choice or anything, just an FYI for the future. With that said, I have EBC slotted and dimpled rotors that I got for their looks as well as my past history with that brand. But don't fool yourself into thinking they are "performance" brakes because of their pretty design. A couple more upgrades that will make a big difference in pedal feel and consistency would be some stainless lines and really good fluid.

Jack Straw

Point taken, I was not anticipating a night and day difference, merely looking for an improvement. Yesterday I took the car on a sporting run down a steep, twisty mountain road using the brakes hard and fade resistance was markedly better.
I'd say the pads probably make the biggest difference. Indeed, brake lines and better fluid will come next.

Stoenr

07 Boss hit the nail on the head. Just looks only. I ran mine on a track day, yeah, not such a good idea, lol. Wasn't until the next day washing the car I could see the hairline cracks coming from each hole on the front rotors. The company stood behind them tho, and at least suggested to go with dimpled instead and sent out 2 new ones no charge. The stock rotors go back on for track days for sure.

Now ya need to paint them calipers!!

You can see if you zoom in, the 2nd hole has a crack starting at the top.

Gigantor

I hear you guys when you say you want to upgrade but don't want to spend the big bucks. At first I went the same route as the OP and they worked great.... until one day I did something foolish and decided to race a Challenger that looked at me on the highway and gave me the "lets go" look. Before you know it a 2010 GT joined in on the fun. It was the
'10 followed by my '06 GT then the Challenger. What was he thinking. Anyway a car cut into my lane and I had to stand on the breaks to avoid hitting him cause there was nowhere to go. I felt some serious pedal fade. That convinced me to get the FRPP Big Brake kit. It set me back 1300 but was well worth it.



Now I stop on a dime. Yeah I may not need it for normal driving but when the devil comes out to play they come in handy.

Stoenr

I never felt any fade. All day even, hot weather, even rain, 3 1/2 mile 21 turn road course. In fact the brakes performed very well on the track. I did have track pads, SS brake lines and different fluid. The rotors just didnt like the heat cycle they were put through.
If you experienced brake fade, it was more than a few hard stops you were doing, or you are driving it all wrong.....

Never an issue on the 1/4 with a best of 12.83.

07 Boss

Yeah, it has to do with the manufacturing process. I believe Porsche is one of the only companies that cast their holes into the rotors. Anytime you drill/cut into metal you weaken the molecular bonds/chains that form as the metal is forged and cooled. These broken chains become weak points and start to crack with the heat cycles. When they are cast into the rotor the bonds are all intact and much stronger and will not crack like drilled ones.