Are you planning to upgrade your Porsche’s braking system? Or perhaps your disc brakes are showing signs of wear and tear, and need replacing? If so, fear not!

Our step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of replacing disc brakes on your beloved Porsche. From gathering necessary tools to ensuring proper brake pad alignment, we've got you covered. So let's dive in and give those brakes a much-needed overhaul!

Tools and Materials Needed

Assuming you have all the necessary tools and materials, you will need:

When converting from 4 wheel drum brakes to front disc/rear drum combination, the master cylinder must be replaced. Failure to replace the master cylinder may lead to premature wear of the front disc pads and disc rotors, due to excessive residual pressure from the check valve found in drum brake master cylinders (front disc pads will continually make contact with the disc brake rotor).

Preparing the Porsche for Disc Brake Replacement

Before starting any work on your Porsche, it is important to consult the owner’s manual to see if there are any special instructions for your particular model. You must thoroughly understand them and have the correct resources to complete your installation. If you do not have the necessary means to accomplish the installation, then you must have it performed by a qualified mechanic.

Follow these instructions to avoid avoid any damages to you or your vehicle:

Step 1: To start, park your Porsche in a secure, level, hard surface, where you will have plenty of room to work. Block the rear wheels and set the emergency brake, loosen the front lug nuts while the front wheels are still on the ground, but do not remove yet.

Step 2: Elevate the complete front suspension off of the ground and use approved jack stands to support the weight of the vehicle. (DO NOT use the jack only to support the vehicle).

Step 3: You will need to remove both tires/wheels, so make sure that you have a lug wrench handy.

Step 4: Remove the existing master cylinder. When removing brake line fittings, always use an 11mm flair nut wrench to prevent ‘rounding off’ damage to the fitting. If the fittings are damaged, the metal brake line must be replaced.

Step 5: Install the newly supplied master cylinder (always bench bleed a new master cylinder). Reinstall the stop light switch and metal brake lines. Carefully thread metal lines into the new master cylinder to avoid cross threading. If fitting does not start easily by hand then the line may need a slight bend to properly line up the fitting with the master cylinder. Proper care is necessary to avoid ‘kinking’ the brake line.

Step 6: Remove the front brake drum on the driver’s or left side, making sure you remove the inner wheel bearing and the old grease seal.

Step 7: Loosen and remove the flexible brake hoses from the metal brake line at the pan.

Step 8: Remove the 3 bolts that hold the drum brake backing plate to the spindle, then remove the complete backing plate (including brake shoes and wheel cylinder with hose).

Step 9: Clean and inspect your drum spindle, ensuring that the spindle stub is in good condition. If the spindle is defective or exhibiting signs of extreme wear, then you should replace it before you install your new brake kit.

Replacing the Disc Brakes

Step 10: Clean the surface of the spindle before installing the new caliper bracket. This surface must be free from anything that will cause the bracket to bind or not sit flat on the spindle. Bolting the bracket to an uneven surface will cause it to crack or break.

Step 11: Install brackets with the 10mm bolts (10.9 grade) supplied with the kit. Use the blue threadlock compound on the threads. Install the bracket so that the caliper is the rear of the spindle. The bracket should go on easily.

DO NOT hammer or force the bracket in place. DO NOT use the bolts to “pull” the bracket in place. Doing this will cause the bracket to crack or break.

Torque the bolts to 25 ft. lbs.

Step 12: Pack the new bearings with suitable hi-temp wheel bearing grease.

Step 13: Install greased wheel bearings and the inner seal in the new rotors. The bearing races are pre-installed in the rotor.

Step 14: Install the new rotors on the existing drum brake spindle - using existing thrust washer and adjuster nut. Adjust to factory specifications. Be careful not to over tighten the adjuster nut. This will cause overheating of the bearings and damaging the spindle, bearings, and rotor. Install the grease cap and speedometer clip on the left side. 

Step 15: Install the inner and outer disc pad into the caliper. Note the inner and outer pads are different. See below.

Step 16: Install the anti rattle clips with the loops facing upward and towards each other. The clip will rest on top of the caliper bracket with the open circular loop on the inboard (piston) side of the caliper. The straight wire section will rest in the small notch in the upper ear of the pads. See below.

Finishing Up

Now that the new brake pads and discs are in place, it's time to finish up. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 17: Install the caliper over the pads. Put the blue thread locker on the caliper pin threads, and thread into the bracket and tighten. The caliper bleeder valve must be towards the top and facing the rear of the vehicle to allow proper bleeding of the system.

NOTE: There is a right and left side caliper.

Step 18: Install the new hose at the caliper then tighten. Attach the metal brake line to the pan and tighten. Install the clip into the hose, securing it to the bracket. Once installed, turn the steering right and left, lock to lock, to ensure the new brake hose does not interfere with any moving parts and the line is long enough to achieve lock to lock turns.

Step 19: You are now ready to repeat this procedure on the passenger side. Once completed, you will be ready to bleed the system.

Step 20: To bleed the complete hydraulic system, fill the brake fluid reservoir with fresh dot 3 disc brake fluid.

Step 21: Start at the master cylinder, loosening each metal brake line to bleed air there first. Recheck the fluid level.

Step 22: Bleed the passenger side caliper then the driver’s side, remembering not to allow the reservoir to run dry!

Step 23: Do the final system bleed. Start with the passenger side rear then the driver side rear. Move to the front and bleed the passenger side front, and finally, the driver front.

Do the final fill of the brake fluid.

Step 24: Rinse any spilled brake fluid off with water (brake fluid is water-soluble). Be careful not to let brake fluid get on any painted surfaces.

Step 25: If lug studs (supplied in kit) will be used, then install at this time. Be sure to use the red threadlock compound on the threads that mate to the disc rotor.

Step 26: Reinstall the front tires and wheels, remove from the jack stands, and lower the vehicle to the ground. Give the lug nuts a final tightening. 

When test driving, be sure to make a few short stops first to familiarize yourself with the vehicle’s new braking power. Make sure that everything is functioning properly.

Congratulations! You’ve just replaced the brake pads and discs on your Porsche. Now you can enjoy a safe and reliable ride, knowing that your braking system is up to the task.

Replacing your Porsche's disc brakes can be a daunting task, but following the step-by-step guide we have provided will make it much easier. We hope that this guide has been helpful in showing you how to replace disc brakes on your Porsche quickly and properly.

Remember to take all vital safety precautions when working on any vehicle, and always wear protective gear. Now that you know how to replace your Porsche's disc brakes, go out and enjoy driving safely with confidence!