Removing rear shocks (and brake pad options)

[James_G]

After a very enjoyable track afternoon at Brands Hatch recently and buoyed by the success of changing the discs and pads on a friend's 540i it's time once again to improve the S2, since the market dictates it's worthless whatever I do[]

Firstly rear shocks. I had a good look at them recently while doing the rear ARB bushings and I wonder how to easily extract the top bolt that holds the shocks in place. It's will into a recess and it doesn't look like you can get much leverage on it. I have had problems on my car and stubborn bolts before - is it just a case of putting a spanner up there and hoping for the best?

Secondly, the contentious issue of brake pads. I am tempted by either Pagid from Berlyn or Mintex from GSF. Anything that I should be aware of?

Thanks

 

[zcacogp]

Rear shocks - dead easy. Bolt top and bottom. I guess you could strip the thread on the trailing arm where the bottom one goes in, but you'd need to be a neanderthal to do this ... there is about nothing else to go wrong.

Pads: I have used Mintex from GSF on ATE disks from Bert. I'm not *that* blown away by the result - it's OK, but not "Hitting-A-Brick-Wall" effective.


Oli.

 

[petrolhead944]

yes dead easy two bolts.spray a leave for half an hour with wd40.has for the pads i use pagid pads.there fine for every day driving.but if i was going on track days i would use ebc greens or reds.and cross drilled disc cheers carl

 

[edh]

OE pads for the rear should be OK - it's your fronts that do the work []

what are you running on the fronts? - do you get any brake fade?

 

[zcacogp]

No fade (yet) with Mintex/ATE, but I have yet to drive it hard with them in. (I have yet to really try the new combo out, to be honest - I haven't driven the car in a spirited manner for far too long!)


Oli.

 

[944 man]

Pagid pads are usually best...

 

[Fen]

Noooooo, anything but EBC!

 

[zcacogp]

Carl,

Fen is an opinionated feller (trust me on this one ... ), and EBC's regularly split opinion on here. And quite a lot of the chaps who hang around these parts do a LOT of track days, Fen most certainly being one of them. (The lack of anything that is less than 3ft from the ground is hindering his track-day exploits at the moment, as I understand it, but it is still in his blood.)

Don't take it personally! (Just make sure you give as good as you get!)


Oli.

 

[James_G]

ORIGINAL: edh

OE pads for the rear should be OK - it's your fronts that do the work []

what are you running on the fronts? - do you get any brake fade?

I got some brake fade at Bedford, but then it is a brake killer, but none at Brands. Brand unknown currently but supplied to the previous owner by Euro Car Parts so could be anything I guess. But since they are due for replacement I thought I would go with something reputable. I am lining up to do about 4-5 track days a year.

 

[Fen]

ORIGINAL: petrolhead944

hi fen why is it when i reply to any body on here you always knock what i write.i said EBC for track days.[]....And pagid pads for everyday driving...do you do track days??

Sorry, it's nothing personal - I hadn't even realised.

My car is probably more optimised for track days than all but a very few others in the country; it underwent a rebuild of well into 5-figures to make it so throughout 2005. It doesn't get used as the engine blew and the replacement still isn't fully fitted, and you won't see me at any trackdays unless you fancy a trip to Pukekohe, Manfield or Taupo.

Lots of people here like EBC pads. Some of them have gone on to try other pads and realised what they were missing (Patrick & Ed spring to mind). I have no argument on your recommendation for road pads, but if you really mean track, where aggressive dust that will attack the paint not only of your wheels but your bodywork is acceptable, then you want Performance Friction (or I believe Porterfield though that's hearsay from my perspective). Even if that is a bit extreme (and if you clean the dust off quickly it doesn't do permanent damage, and they work well on the road also so no need to think they are) you can do a lot better than EBC.

Oli - a surfeit of ground clearance isn't really an issue (not being able to operate a gearstick is my current biggest problem) I still have this in the garage:

 

[petrolhead944]

hi oli not to worry mate.all my years fixing cars means nothing...its everything i write on here mate..never mind[]

 

[Fen]

It's quiet so I checked.. You have 27 posts in total, across something less than that in total threads. I have posted in the same thread as you only 5 times. This one we are aware of, the others:

I missed that you pointed out 2 screws that I later confirmed I was not aware of on a thread about removing the badge panel
I joined Paul S in warning you that I know of issues due to putting bigger wattage dash bulbs in a 944
I queried why Big Dave said a splitter he had for sale was better than the ESS one - coincidental you had posted in that thread
I offered that there is an arch rolling tool available for loan to OPCs and that only the passenger side arch is worth rolling as it rubs first.

So, I have disagreed with you at most twice. Hardly everything you post, is it?

 

[petrolhead944]

Sorry, it's nothing personal.not to worry fen.only helping porsche owners out..or trying??

 

[Fen]

That's cool - and what I try to do as well. Seriousy though it's nothing personal and I genuinely hadn't noticed. For everyone's info, my pet hates that will always get a comment:

Pirelli P6000 tyres
EBC brakes
Any reference to red cars in the positive (though that's totally tongue in cheek)
Any suggestion the 968 is anything other than an expensive 944S2 in an ugly frock
Any suggestion virtually anything Porsche have made since 1995 is anywhere near as good as the older stuff, especially Boxster and Cayman
Any suggestion a 911 with a radiator is truly a 911

 

[petrolhead944]

hi fen .i know what you mean.air cooled .968.and Pirelli P6000 tyres hard as nails..drove a 996 turbo the other day.go's well.but i like the 930 turbo more..less ecu's.more gutt's more glory.....carl

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: Fen
Oli - a surfeit of ground clearance isn't really an issue (not being able to operate a gearstick is my current biggest problem) I still have this in the garage:

Fen,

I'd forgotten you'd shipped the BINI out to NZ.

Sorry to say, that's not a great photo. Wide angle lens and a snout that ugly doesn't lead to a pretty picture. I'm not a great fan of the new Mini at the best of times (but I will admit that the Cooper S I drove at the launch did drive very well indeed), but that doesn't show it off to it's best.


Oli.

 

[Fen]

That's pretty much it for pics of it in this hemisphere. It's just a grey Mini with black wheels and some carbon fibre bits in any case. This is one of it just before it left and apart from the number plates and having the front windows tinted to match the rears now it looks exactly the same.

 

[NeilW]

ORIGINAL: Fen

That's cool - and what I try to do as well. Seriousy though it's nothing personal and I genuinely hadn't noticed. For everyone's info, my pet hates that will always get a comment:

Pirelli P6000 tyres
EBC brakes
Any reference to red cars in the positive (though that's totally tongue in cheek)
Any suggestion the 968 is anything other than an expensive 944S2 in an ugly frock
Any suggestion virtually anything Porsche have made since 1995 is anywhere near as good as the older stuff, especially Boxster and Cayman
Any suggestion a 911 with a radiator is truly a 911

You missed Silver Rose interior and/or exterior colouring off your list! []

 

[appletonn]

ORIGINAL: Fen

That's pretty much it for pics of it in this hemisphere. It's just a grey Mini with black wheels and some carbon fibre bits in any case. This is one of it just before it left and apart from the number plates and having the front windows tinted to match the rears now it looks exactly the same.

I like that a lot - what are the wheels Fen, as I don't think I've seen them on a 'Maxi' before....?![]

 

[wibble]

Please don't wind him up, otherwise we will all have to suffer the wrath of Fen []

I noted from his list that I am guilty of having guards red, P6000s on the rear (how do you wear out dark matter?) and a soft spot for the 968 CS...