87 944 S Brake Upgrade

[PHillary]

As some of you may already know I have a 944 S, and I am having my engine rebuilt at N-Tech Motorsports in Winter Haven, Florida. I decided to increase the final hp a little bit over factory numbers, however I was thinking about stopping the car . I need front and rear calipers for the car as I do not have any right now (parts car turned back into daily driver). I do not want to swap out for the turbo spindles and what not (seems like too much). Is there any KITS or calipers with adapters I can buy directly from the manufacture like Brembo or Wilwood that will fit the current late 944 S setup?

[Rasta Monsta]

Why swap spindles? Didn't that car come originally with four pot Brembos?

[PHillary]

Don't think so, Car never had any front calipers at all when I picked it up and it looks like it has regular late NA rear calipers.

[v2rocket_aka944]

Porsche 944 Big Brake Kit - NA
bolt on.

944S has the same brakes/suspension as regular 8-valve NA.

[Rasta Monsta]

Well, FWIW the factory pieces are excellent (I and many others race on them) and dirt cheap. . .it's really all about pad selection.

Your money might be better spent on freshening the suspension, which would give more bang for the buck in overall driving experience.

[PHillary]

It seems like I might have to buy a big brake kit for the front because no one sells the complete (rebuilt) calipers for the front anymore. I can get the rears for a reasonable price almost anywhere but the fronts seem all most impossible to acquire. What gives? any other suggestions.

[v2rocket_aka944]

not sure if there's a piston size difference but im 99% sure the rears are identical to the fronts?

see this..if you provide the mounting hardware this might be too cheap to pass up.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/OBH3/19724/03345.oap?year=1984&make=Porsche&model=944&vi=1263541&ck=Search_brake+caliper_1263541_2666&keyword=brake+caliper

[PHillary]

So, I could buy new or used rear calipers and put them on the front?

[PHillary]

Originally Posted by v2rocket_aka944

not sure if there's a piston size difference but im 99% sure the rears are identical to the fronts?

see this..if you provide the mounting hardware this might be too cheap to pass up.
BrakeBest 19-724 - Brake Caliper | O'Reilly Auto Parts

I need the complete caliper not just the piston housing part.

[v2rocket_aka944]

check lart's porsche parts on ebay, or plyhammer/gravesjeg/kens911/dimi944 here on pelican, somebody's got to have na calipers laying around.

[Rasta Monsta]

Call 944 Ecology or PartsHeaven. . .I would guess either will send you cores for next to nothing.

Also carparts.com is a pretty good junkyard source.

P.S. No, front and rear are NOT interchangable. . .hilarious!

[kevingross]

I put the calipers from an 87 951 on my 87 944S many years ago, and they made a marked difference at the track. You do need to swap the spindles as well. Bump on 944 Ecology, George is the man.

[dp951]

It easier and less expensive to swap out spindles and rotors than most of the brake kits out there , make sure you add the bias valve if not already equipped . get that from a turbo also . ( less than 2 hours )

[Rasta Monsta]

Originally Posted by dp951

It. . .less expensive

Until rebuild time, of course.

[v2rocket_aka944]

Originally Posted by Rasta Monsta

Call ...PartsHeaven

you trying to bankrupt the guy?
PH should be the last, last, there are no-other-of-this-part-left-in-the-world resort.
PH is like those auto-title loan companies, because that's what their prices amount to.

[dp951]

There's no better fit than oem parts , the 944 turbo calipers are work horses and are every where moderately priced , and the reliability is second to none . Monies well spent

I owned and rebuilt many 944 turbos as well as the s2 and 968s ( over 20 years worth ). and the Brembos are built to last.

The ATE's are another story.

Originally Posted by dp951

It easier and less expensive to swap out spindles and rotors than most of the brake kits out there , make sure you add the bias valve . get that from a turbo also . ( less than 2 hours )

[PHillary]

So does the turbo rear calipers fit the 87 "S" 944?

[dp951]

Yes the rears are bolt on of course you be changing all 4 rotors and you need the 4 oem spacer washers .

[PHillary]

Originally Posted by dp951

Yes the rears are bolt on of course you be changing all 4 rotors and you need the 4 oem spacer washers .

Do you have turbo rotors or modified NA rotors?

[Techno Duck]

Generic 1/2 inch washers work in place of the OEM spacers.

If your looking to upgrade, i would just go with the factory Brembo's. Swapping the spindles is fairly easy also, just requires an alignment afterwards.