[Dr Acula]

I'm not a racer and I tend to go pretty easy on my cars. Maybe I'm the only one in the world who didn't think HPDE was the greatest thing ever. My brain just isn't wired for it and that's okay.

I'm researching pads for my 2011 Boxster S.

I typically run Akebono ceramic pads on all my vehicles, because they are smooth, silent, and have essentially no brake dust. But apparently they don't make those for the front of the 987.2 - only the rear. Centric makes posi-Quiet ceramic pads, but again for the rear only. Putting ceramics only on the rear would seem like a poor choice, since now the braking balance would be affected and the front wheels are going to be filthy even if the rears are clean. Why would they make rears only?

I've read about EBC Redstuff ceramics, but I'm pretty sure I don't have the patience to deal with screeching brakes for the first 1000 miles.

Any other options I'm missing?

EDIT 9/1/17 - DMN987S below had the right answer. Akebono ceramic pads are an option! You can use the older 986-style spring clips (Centric part number 117.37004) with Akebono ceramic pads (part # EUR917) on the front of the 987.2. These pads will not fit the front pad wear sensors on the 987.2 so you probably will have to run without the sensors in the front. The rear Akebono pads (part # EUR738) fit fine with no modifications necessary. The rear sensors are compatible. I am unsure if the rear sensor wires can be used for the front on a 987.2, but that may be a workaround, or maybe 986 front sensor wires may work?

 

[Croc999]

Why do you care about material?
Why not to look for properties that are important to you?

EBC is a sketchy brand and RED stuff is really not that great.
I would stay away.

I've used a lot types of pads - and if low dust is important to you i've had this with EBC Yellow and current Endless mx72.

 

[DMN987S]

I don't think the pads are any different on the 987 and 987.2. I'm currently running Akebonos on my car and very happy with them. Tirerack is where I found mine. You will need the older 996 wider retaining clips.

 

[RickH]

And the reason OEM pads don't work for you is???????

 

[Dr Acula]

Why do you care about material?
Why not to look for properties that are important to you?

EBC is a sketchy brand and RED stuff is really not that great.
I would stay away.

I've used a lot types of pads - and if low dust is important to you i've had this with EBC Yellow and current Endless mx72.

Material matters because material correlates with properties. I'll look into the Endless pads you mentioned. Thanks for the suggestion.

I don't think the pads are any different on the 987 and 987.2. I'm currently running Akebonos on my car and very happy with them. Tirerack is where I found mine. You will need the older 996 wider retaining clips.

They definitely use different part numbers between 987.1 and 987.2, but I've not heard anything definite on cross-compatability. That's something I should research. Thanks for the input.

And the reason OEM pads don't work for you is???????

Rick, the manner in which you asked that question could be perceived as quite rude, but I'll assume that was not your intention. My current pads are OE and original to the car, but noise and brake dust are both areas that I would prefer improvement.

 

[Poorsche x]

My '08 had Textars that produce nasty black stuff that sticks to the wheels. I replaced them with Hawk HPS pads that are not ceramic but they only create a light gray dust that is not bad. Around $150 for the fronts and I will do the rears with them soon.

 

[Croc999]

ENDLESS mx72 are not dust free by any means - but relatively speaking to other pads IMO they produce less dust.
They very expensive - so it only make sense to go for them only for people who track or drive hard.

EBC Yellows were almost dust free.
They were somewhat inconsistent in pedal feel. They create and can stand a lot of heat - so if pushed hard they fry everything around them.
But maybe a better brake cooling of Porsches will level this down.
They're a bit aggressive on the rotors. But not too bad.

For daily driver - they're more than enough.
Actually they will do quite good even at HPDE.

Hawk HPS i don't like - they're at best on par with stock pads so IMO don't worth the money.
HP+ are better bu dust like crazy. and too expensive what what they give.

 

[sixisenuff]

I'm not a racer and I tend to go pretty easy on my cars. Maybe I'm the only one in the world who didn't think HPDE was the greatest thing ever. My brain just isn't wired for it and that's okay.

I'm researching pads for my 2011 Boxster S.

I typically run Akebono ceramic pads on all my vehicles, because they are smooth, silent, and have essentially no brake dust. But apparently they don't make those for the front of the 987.2 - only the rear. Centric makes posi-Quiet ceramic pads, but again for the rear only. Putting ceramics only on the rear would seem like a poor choice, since now the braking balance would be affected and the front wheels are going to be filthy even if the rears are clean. Why would they make rears only?

I've read about EBC Redstuff ceramics, but I'm pretty sure I don't have the patience to deal with screeching brakes for the first 1000 miles.

Any other options I'm missing?

(Gah, found my answer in other posts. I should have searched better. I don't see a way to delete this post, so mods can delete if needed)

Well...for what it's worth....

Hawk "Z" ceramic street pads work. They fit a Gen 1 front and rear. You're saying you can't find Gen2 front pads. I couldn't find Gen 1 rears.

I bought some Akebono for my Gen 1. I really like them but the rears didn't fit. They were too big. The insides work OK. The outsides would scrape on the e-brake drum. I tried grinding them off with a die-grinder...almost. So, I'm using stock pads on the outside and Akebono on the inside. They're working fine.

A qualifier.... This is my street setup. I get a little dust on the rears. None on the front. My wheels stay cleaner and there's zero noise. IF YOU'RE EVEN THINKING ABOUT A TRACK DAY, GET SOME TRACK PADS AND CHANGE.

Back to those Hawks. They fit all 4 wheels on both sides. They are essentially dustless. I got them pretty hot on a hard all day drive through Carolina and Virginia back roads. They never faded at all but they made a little noise now and then after that. Hawk is the only one I know that makes street ceramics that fit the Gen 1 Cayman...and probably the Gen2.

:cheers:

 

[Croc999]

So Hawk Z are dustless, stand a lot of abuse, and are not too noisy? Sounds really good.

How friendly are they to the rotors?
How much do they cost?

 

[sixisenuff]

So Hawk Z are dustless, stand a lot of abuse, and are not too noisy? Sounds really good.

How friendly are they to the rotors?
How much do they cost?

Croc:

I had no issue with the rotors. These are nothing like Hawk race pads. They're only a little more "high performance" than Akebono.

I'd get Akebono if they made some that fit my car, but my next set of street brakes will be these Hawks. Fine for street or touring. Just don't get them super-hot. "stand a lot of abuse" is probably not accurate. They are street only brakes, in my opinion. Repeated hard stops from speed, a la track days, are definitely NOT advised with any of these dustless ceramic pads.

They look like normal Hawks, not all padded on the back like Akebono, so a shim or some duct tape or aluminum tape or some of that coating from a tube to stop brake pad vibration is advised, but aside from that, they're great.

Mine started to squeal a little when they were almost gone. Could have fixed it but replaced them instead.

These are OK for a panic stop. They require only slightly more pedal pressure and have a gentler feel than worn-in stock pads...but less so than Akebono. Best thing is that they give only a little light grey dust that is near invisible and they really resist making noises, even after repeated stops in traffic etc.

Nice to come home from a long stop and go slog and have clean wheels!

:cheers:

 

[olegd]

I am about to try Posi Quiet Semi-Metallic for street use. They are dirt cheap (about $100 for complete set), get good reviews and supposed to be very low dust, which is the main reason I bought them, as I absolutely hate the stock Texars for the amount of dust they generate! Not to mention they squeal on occasion too. For the track I use Hawk DTC-60 and they work great for that purpose.

 

[olegd]

I installed the Posi Quiet Semi-Metallics yesterday. So far so good. Good stopping power and quiet as a mouse.
They seem to be well made with shims attached to the backs and with very generous thickness of pad material. They even have metal rollers on them just like genuine Porsche pads (never understood what these are for). The rear set came with a hardware kit included. Such a kit will easily cost $40 if purchased separately. There was no kit with the front set for some reason.
We'll see about their dusting level with more driving ...

 

[racergreg]

The "rollers" you mentioned are just weights. They reduce noise by damping out harmonic resonance.

 

[Abaco24]

So the consensus seems to be Hawk Z to reduce dust for one thats not going to track, but wants to reduce the break dust eating up the wheels? Comments welcome, and thanks to the OP for posting! I just want to get rid of the dust!!

 

[Abaco24]

Can't find the Hawk Z, just the Performance touring ceramic pads on their main site....and is that cost "per pad" or a set of 2??...I'll send email

 

[sixisenuff]

So the consensus seems to be Hawk Z to reduce dust for one thats not going to track, but wants to reduce the break dust eating up the wheels? Comments welcome, and thanks to the OP for posting! I just want to get rid of the dust!!

For 987.1 cars, I just bought a full set of Akebono pads for street use. They are the "Euro" pads. They're absolutely the most "street" pads you can buy. Have a rubber-like backing on the back to reduce noise and they use a really soft ceramic compound that requires a little more pedal effort (5% more?) but they always stop me, even in emergency sorts of situations, and they make very negligible dust. The last set I bought had the wrong rears...bought from someone out west. But these are from tire rack and I checked them. They are correct sizes.

So...don't know if they have 987.2 sizes...you'll have to check, but they really are the silent-dustless ultimate. Hawk is #2 only because they come pretty naked by comparison. No packing padding etc. They're good though.

Both are miles better for the street than stock pads.

Again, stock pads on German cars are like they are because: 1. They can't use asbestos anymore. 2. They need to be able to stop a car at cold temps AND stop repeatedly from autobahn speeds. This is a TUV requirement. Other countries, like US, Japan and S. Korea, have no autobahns with unlimited speeds and no such requirements. Cars made, especially in Japan and Korea can have ceramic pads as stock that don't like getting super hot.

I've driven the Hawk ceramics cross country and on many back roads in the Carolinas. They are good pads with really good stopping power...but I use my manual gears and engine braking to slow the car if it's not a panic situation. Ceramic just will not work in a track situation where you have repeated hard stops that get the brakes really hot. Once over temperature, they're pretty awful, so don't try to use them at a track day. Stock pads will work at a track day but they go away(as in "wear out", not as in "fade") pretty quickly and make A LOT of dust and heat.

 

[Abaco24]

Will check into Akebono....thanks so much for the reply

 

[sixisenuff]

Can't find the Hawk Z, just the Performance touring ceramic pads on their main site....and is that cost "per pad" or a set of 2??...I'll send email

Abaco:

I think Performance Touring Ceramic is the same as Z compound. If not, the performance touring ceramic will do fine if they come in the right size for your car. Just don't do track days with them and you'll love them. Akebono is approximately the same deal...fine for everyday and even very sporty street driving. Negligible dust. No noise on Akebono, very, very little on Hawk. If you mount Hawks right...use a shim, or aluminum tape or brake quieting compound on the back, they won't make any noise. Akebono is easier to keep silent. Hawk a little more sporty with more solid feel underfoot.

:cheers:

 

[Abaco24]

I am about to try Posi Quiet Semi-Metallic for street use. They are dirt cheap (about $100 for complete set), get good reviews and supposed to be very low dust, which is the main reason I bought them, as I absolutely hate the stock Texars for the amount of dust they generate! Not to mention they squeal on occasion too. For the track I use Hawk DTC-60 and they
work great for that purpose.

Appreciate the reply...enjoying this right now....reminds me of Italy.
Just want dust free brakes...
https://youtu.be/GQVeJs-mCFw

 

[Abaco24]

The ONLY ceramic pads I can find that actually fit my 987.2 and are ready to install are the EBC Reds (not going to track) so leaning towards these to reduce OEM dust which I'm cleaning off each week! The Akebono does not fit my car. Any comments welcome. I will NOT be installing myself, rather my Euro car mechanic.
https://www.carid.com/2012-porsche-boxster-brakes/?manufacturers[]=EBC+Brakes