[YellowBird]

Perhaps someone can advice..

I have a 2006 Cayman S with about 13,000 miles. I have done about 7 track days and since the last one I note that the brakes give a catch and release sensation when coming to a stop. I notice this more a low speed. Any ideas what may cause this? Is that something related to the pads, maybe they need to be replaced even though they still have some meat? I have a totally stock set up but use ATE superblue. Never had this problem befpre. I am tempted to replace pads with a friend but I was wondering if this is the solution to the problem.

Thanks

 

[quick]

Perhaps someone can advice..

I have a 2006 Cayman S with about 13,000 miles. I have done about 7 track days and since the last one I note that the brakes give a catch and release sensation when coming to a stop. I notice this more a low speed. Any ideas what may cause this? Is that something related to the pads, maybe they need to be replaced even though they still have some meat? I have a totally stock set up but use ATE superblue. Never had this problem befpre. I am tempted to replace pads with a friend but I was wondering if this is the solution to the problem.

Thanks

Does this occur when first moving after being parked for a while, or does this happen during norming braking after driving for a while?

 

[extanker]

have your rotors checked

 

[Craig911]

Track pads. Swap for track days - right tool for the job.

 

[jonathan]

Track pads cost $500+ but they are worth it. They are one of the easiest mechanical jobs you could do on your car. Even as a newbie you should give it a try. Check the articles section for details on the procedure.

 

[DocCroc]

My bet is you have a warped rotor(s). This can happen when the brakes heat up with aggressive breaking during track use. There is no real danger, in fact the situation often improves after heating them up again Leave the e-brake off after coming off the track if you are in the habit of setting it. This can lead to uneven heat dissipation and warping as well.

I would ask the mechanic to check it out to put your mind at ease.

 

[Craig911]

With all due respect: It is actually/more than likely pad deposits from weak pads not intended for true track use - rotor warpage is virtually nonexistent nowadays

 

[lithium1330]

I suggest finding out what the problem is first before doing anything else. Try applying constant pressure at low speed (with windows open) to see if you feel/hear any abnormal sounds and feel the brakes pulsating. If you can someone local to swap pads, you should do that to see if it's the pads or something else.

BTW, I assume you didn't set your ebrake after getting off the track, did you? That will warp your rear discs. G'luck.

 

[sixisenuff]

Perhaps someone can advice..

I have a 2006 Cayman S with about 13,000 miles. I have done about 7 track days and since the last one I note that the brakes give a catch and release sensation when coming to a stop. I notice this more a low speed. Any ideas what may cause this? Is that something related to the pads, maybe they need to be replaced even though they still have some meat? I have a totally stock set up but use ATE superblue. Never had this problem befpre. I am tempted to replace pads with a friend but I was wondering if this is the solution to the problem.

Thanks

7 track days on street brakes is a lot. Your pads are getting down there, no doubt. If it is pad deposits from getting street pads too hot, I'd suggest removing the tires and windexing the rotors on both sides. Remove the wheels, clean the rotors off with Windex and paper towels or disposable rags and see if it helps. While you're doing that, look for cracking around the holes in the rotors. Also look for non-flat surface to the rotors. Some rotors wear more in the middle than on the edges. The pad forms to this shape. It doesn't hurt anything, but it can cause that sort of sticky pedal feeling during very light braking that you're describing.

Craig is right about buying a good set of track pads for the DEs. They're better for the rotors and the street pads last a lot longer. Your street pads will love it. You are doing enough track schools to warrant a good set of track pads. Pagid Yellows are made for endurance racing and last forever. They don't wreck your rotors. They don't have great initial bite, just press down a little harder until they warm up. They'll stop you. You'll save your street pads. Porsche brakes are among the easiest pads to change. Very simple. I'm sure there's an article on this site. Buy a nice little floor jack. Harbor Freight has an aluminum one that's very reasonably priced...nice and light for packing for the track.

When you change pads, do the Windex trick as well. Some street compounds don't mix well with other street compounds. Some track compounds don't mix with other track compounds. I just play it safe and clean the rotors each pad change.

Here's what can happen if you don't clean the rotors with the wrong combination of pads... The deposit from one compound mixes with the deposit from the next pad material and forms a tar-like substance that sticks on the rotors. You get on the track and heat the brakes up and they shudder like crazy. You'd swear you had severely warped rotors.

Make sure and break new pads in carefully, especially with used rotors. If your rotor surface is uneven, new pads will only contact the high spots of the rotors until they are broken in. You do not want to brake hard until the pad surface matches the rotor surface. This causes hot spots and burning of the rotors and pads at the high spots. I drive generally at least 200 miles to the tracks I frequent. I change my pads before I go and drive with a mind towards managing the brakes as I drive. Eventually, they start to feel firm and I use progressively more pressure on them. First session, I go easy on new brakes. By second session, they're ready.

It's a good idea to mark the position of each pad's position on the car...both the street pads and the track pads. This way, you replace them in the same spot and the contour of each rotor surface will more closely match the pad. If you do this, the break-in will not be needed each pad change...only with new brakes.

Welcome to track world...Weird science.

:cheers:

 

[YellowBird]

Thanks to all for their replies and helpful comments, which I am reading today as I have not been on the forum for several days.

In the meantime I got some help from a friend and replaced all 4 pads with original Porsche ones. The old pads were quite worn and getting close to the sensors.

The rotors do not appear warped or cracked with minimal lip at the edge. The catch and release sensation at low speed is almost if not entirely gone.

I did not know about the windex trick when we replaced the pads but the rotors look clean. However, a couple of the rotors have an area showing the shape of the pad, I suspect it must have been from having parked the car for a week after a wash a while back. I learned that the brakes get stuck if one does that, so since then I always drive it after a wash to get rid of excess water. I wonder if that will go away with windex.

I'll get a set of PAGID to use at the track, I agree it is the best solution.

Thank you again

 

[YellowBird]

I forgot to mention, I do not use the parking brake after a track session and I also bled the brakes after we replaced the pads.

 

[lithium1330]

I learned that the brakes get stuck if one does that, so since then I always drive it after a wash to get rid of excess water.

Glad to see things worked out. You'll get some rotor rust if car sits there after washing. It's normal and nothing to worry about; goes away with use of brakes.

 

[mr. wallaby]

Leave the e-brake off after coming off the track if you are in the habit of setting it. This can lead to uneven heat dissipation and warping as well.

BTW, I assume you didn't set your ebrake after getting off the track, did you? That will warp your rear discs. G'luck.

I forgot to mention, I do not use the parking brake after a track session and I also bled the brakes after we replaced the pads.

This is a myth. All Porsches since the 986 and 996 models were introduced, do not use the rear calipers and rotors for the e-brake. Integral to the rear rotor hubs is a small drum, and inside are small brake shoes - this is what's used for the parking brake. You can't warp your rotors by setting the parking brake after hard use of the brakes either on or off the track.

 

[D&D]

7 track days on street brakes is a lot. Your pads are getting down there, no doubt. If it is pad deposits from getting street pads too hot, I'd suggest removing the tires and windexing the rotors on both sides. Remove the wheels, clean the rotors off with Windex and paper towels or disposable rags and see if it helps. While you're doing that, look for cracking around the holes in the rotors. Also look for non-flat surface to the rotors. Some rotors wear more in the middle than on the edges. The pad forms to this shape. It doesn't hurt anything, but it can cause that sort of sticky pedal feeling during very light braking that you're describing.

Craig is right about buying a good set of track pads for the DEs. They're better for the rotors and the street pads last a lot longer. Your street pads will love it. You are doing enough track schools to warrant a good set of track pads. Pagid Yellows are made for endurance racing and last forever. They don't wreck your rotors. They don't have great initial bite, just press down a little harder until they warm up. They'll stop you. You'll save your street pads. Porsche brakes are among the easiest pads to change. Very simple. I'm sure there's an article on this site. Buy a nice little floor jack. Harbor Freight has an aluminum one that's very reasonably priced...nice and light for packing for the track.

When you change pads, do the Windex trick as well. Some street compounds don't mix well with other street compounds. Some track compounds don't mix with other track compounds. I just play it safe and clean the rotors each pad change.

Here's what can happen if you don't clean the rotors with the wrong combination of pads... The deposit from one compound mixes with the deposit from the next pad material and forms a tar-like substance that sticks on the rotors. You get on the track and heat the brakes up and they shudder like crazy. You'd swear you had severely warped rotors.

Make sure and break new pads in carefully, especially with used rotors. If your rotor surface is uneven, new pads will only contact the high spots of the rotors until they are broken in. You do not want to brake hard until the pad surface matches the rotor surface. This causes hot spots and burning of the rotors and pads at the high spots. I drive generally at least 200 miles to the tracks I frequent. I change my pads before I go and drive with a mind towards managing the brakes as I drive. Eventually, they start to feel firm and I use progressively more pressure on them. First session, I go easy on new brakes. By second session, they're ready.

It's a good idea to mark the position of each pad's position on the car...both the street pads and the track pads. This way, you replace them in the same spot and the contour of each rotor surface will more closely match the pad. If you do this, the break-in will not be needed each pad change...only with new brakes.

Welcome to track world...Weird science.

:cheers:

I had the same experience after swapping pads for DE's.. I took the radical step of changing rotors for my last DE, with Pagid Orange -- brakes were flawless -- again. for the heck of it, i left the Pagids in ... I don't travel that much around town and the occassional squeal isn't too bad :hilarious:

But, you say windex takes the pad build up off ?? interesting.
D