pads for Carrera calipers on an early car

[Shuie]

Im getting everything ready to install my brake system and Im trying to finish up my shopping. Im struggling with brake pad selection for my chosen configuration. Heres what Im going to run:

Front calipers from a '87 Carrera with slotted rotors
Rear calipers will be from an SC
19mm non boosted Master cylinder

questions:
Can I run the cheaper pads for a regular A-caliper since I wont have any of the wear sensors I keep seeing mentioned in the parts descriptions for the 84-89 pads? Or do I need to run the 84-89 pads? Will the Minitex pads work ok for a mostly street driven car? How are they different from the stock pads?

TIA

[palle7688]

The '84-'89 caliper is just a wide version of the earlier (narrow) A-caliper.
Yes, you can use the same pads if you don't use wear sensors.
mintex, I donno

[JeremyD]

Mintex (stock) worked fine for my 1987 Cabriolet for the street. I have crossdrilled rotors - for the track they wore QUICK! and I ended up toasting my calipers and rotors - so I would not recommend them for that application. after mucho searching and talking with several folks around this forum and others - I have gone with the axxxis metal masters for the street - and will probably go with the ferrodo 2500s for the track. my 02 cents

[Shuie]

I went ahead and ordered regular A Minitex pads last night with a liter of superblue. Thats good to know though. The regular A Ferrodos are considerably cheaper than the 84-89 Ferrodos. I'll go to a set of those or MetalMasters if I dont like the Minitex. This is a substantial upgrade from the stock brakes on my '72. So, Ive got a feeling they are going to feel like the proverbial 'hand of god' anyway.

[ischmitz]

My understang was that Carrera calipers have the same lateral dimensions or shape just like A-caliper pads but are thinner. The stock rotor thickness is 20mm I think and the Carrera rotor thickness is 24mm while the shim in the caliper that makes a Carrera out of an A caliper is smaller. Some maker offer different sizes for Carrera and A and some offer one-fits all pads.

I have 22mm vented slotted rotors with Carrera calipers and use Mintex in my 74. While not "the hand of good" they are an improvement over the smaller M-calipers I ran before. I am simply missing a booster.

Maybe the God of brakes can chim in here (Bill?)

Ingo

[Shuie]

Ingo, what do you have on the rear of your '74? I cant wait to step on these for the first time, how much of an improvement are they?

[Bill Verburg]

The A and Carrera A are the essentialy the same caliper. They just put a thicker spacer in the middle of the Carrera. Use the pads interchangeably but not the rotors. 20mm for old A and S, 24mm for Carrera all 282.5mm across.

Same thing happens at the rear Carrera M and old M are the same caliper w/a thicker spacer in the middle of the Carrera. but Carrera needs a 4mm thickjer 24x290mm rotor.

Use slotted not drilled rotors in these sizes.

[ischmitz]

Sherman,

I still have my stock M calipers in the rear. That way I don't have to worry about brake bias. It's the fronts that make the difference and take 70% if not more of the work.

Bill, strange I thought the disk diameter would be 24mm as well for the Carrera calipers. Yet mine are 22mm slotted disks.

Ingo

[Bill Verburg]

I thought the disk diameter would be 24mm as well for the Carrera calipers. Yet mine are 22mm slotted disks

They are form Porsche. Yours are at their wear limit for the calipers either because the they were thin to begin w/ or the are just used up. I dunno which.

Did you measure w/ a mike or calipers? It is difficult to get accurate measurements on rotors w/ calipers.

[ischmitz]

Bill I used calipers and the disks looked more or less brand new when I put then on, I think they even have the thickness to be 22mm lasermarked on the hub and the wear limit is something like 20mm. I have to take a wheel off to get a good loock at the markings. Someone mentioned there are 22mm disks for the Carrera. Maybe I am wrong.

Ingo

[Bill Verburg]

Sorry Ingo, 24mm new, 22.6mm is the minimum after being symmetrically machined.