Boxter Front Caliper Upgrade

[kevrobert]

Here are some photos of my DIY upgrade, baulked at the cost of buying caliper conversion brackets, so some alloy bar $30 equivalent and a few hours on the drill press and we have some lightweight 4 pot calipers, half the weight of the industrial steam calipers..Will update once road tested.

[v2rocket_aka944]

industrial steam calipers...roflmao

nice!

[onZedge]

I currently have the front Wilwood caliper kit (from another seller). While there was noticeable improvement, it wasn't spectacular. Also, the pads do not wipe the inner 1/4" of the rotor surface like the stock pads/calipers do (annoying). EDIT: They grip really well when hot- no fade yet on my "test track" (3 mile winding road with lots of tight turns and elevation changes).

On the plus side, they are fixed 4-pot calipers (no slider nonsense), they weigh 4 lbs each (stock are about 12 lbs IIRC), and the braking modulation is excellent.

Your post looks interesting because I have been searching for another relatively "inexpensive" solution, but using Porsche parts - even if from another model - to "keep it all Porsche".

One good option I came across is from vDub Engineering: They have set of brackets for $120 to adapt 97-04 Boxster front calipers to 83-85 944 spindles, but they say you have to use 84-89 Carrera rotors. They don't mention it, but the 83-85 944 spindles are the same part number as the 87-88 924S spindles.

For your DIY conversion, from which year/model Boxster did the donor calipers come from, and did you use different rotors or are you able to use the stock rotors?

P.S.: Can you please add your model & year to your signature? Thanks.

[9FF]

Originally Posted by onZedge

I currently have the front Wilwood caliper kit (from another seller). While there was noticeable improvement, it wasn't spectacular. Also, the pads do not wipe the inner 1/4" of the rotor surface like the stock pads/calipers do (annoying)..

Yep, the willwoods don't provide an increase in friction area, you really need larger diameter and thicker rotors to improve braking and more importantly brake cooling. I took my Willwoods off and sold them, went back to stock as the turbo Brembos wouldn't fit under my 15" wheels. The op's rotors look like stock na to me.

[kevrobert]

FYI the Boxster callipers are from the 2.5 Boxster and the 2.7 I am sure are also the same but the Boxster S callipers are different. I have a 924s Auto 1987 which is now a long way from stock. I road tested the car today, will take a few more miles before the brakes are fully bedded but interestingly it is now already only taking minimal applied brake pressure to get the same benefit as applying hard pressure on the original callipers. I now have 965 rear callipers to fit and have already bolted them up to confirm that they are a direct fit with just 12mm spacers required. I am not sure about fitting them though without first fitting a bias valve otherwise I'm guessing I will simply have too much pressure at the rear wheels. Rotors are stock at present but will change them soon probably just for uprated drilled and grooved items rather than larger rotors as I believe I would then have to look at spacers on the hub to align the rotors centrally.

[FrenchToast]

Originally Posted by kevrobert

Here are some photos of my DIY upgrade, baulked at the cost of buying caliper conversion brackets, so some alloy bar $30 equivalent and a few hours on the drill press and we have some lightweight 4 pot calipers, half the weight of the industrial steam calipers..Will update once road tested.

Steel is typically better for a caliper adapter bracket. Aluminum fatigues quicker.

I don't think anyone really needs to upgrade the stock single pistons unless you have good amount more power than stock and track the car.

And if you track the car you should ditch those spindles, the left is hollow.

May want to replace your strut housings. Look a little brown.

Otherwise an interesting alternative.

[kevrobert]

Originally Posted by FrenchToast

Steel is typically better for a caliper adapter bracket. Aluminum fatigues quicker.

I don't think anyone really needs to upgrade the stock single pistons unless you have good amount more power than stock and track the car.

And if you track the car you should ditch those spindles, the left is hollow.

May want to replace your strut housings. Look a little brown.

Otherwise an interesting alternative.

Agreed steel would be much better but also much more difficult to work with.
I am sorry but although the old callipers function well they weigh a tonne, that's added weight on the suspension and steering, more weight to shift and to stop not to mention if you are going down the route of non power steering your want as little weight as possible on the front axles. Coil overs will be fitted once I have finished the mechanical upgrades and lightening work on the car.