996 caliper pedal feel

[Dingo]

I think this is a pads issue (DS2500), I run this setup and think there pretty poor for day to day driving, but when pushed they just get better and better, they are a fast road / track pads after all,
also I completely agree with the regular servicing bit.

[mcandmar]

What brake lines are you using? I use stainless braided on mine as the pedal feel is much firmer than any car i have driven with regular rubber lines. The difference is so pronounced i cant heal and toe properly with rubber lines because the brake pedal sinks so much i cant get onto the throttle.

[Error404]

I have braided hoses all round. I have run 3 sets of pads:

The calipers came with some Pagid pads that were crap - wooden pedal feel and faded easily. Then I bought some Brembo pads that turned out to be rebranded Textars. Again, horrible wooden pedal with no bite and more pedal travel, less fade. DS2500s better pedal feel, better bite and no fade. Still a soft pedal and all pads requiring a lot of pedal effort.

I've done a bit of reading and the 996 apparently also requires a lot of pedal effort compared to the modern cars I'm probably comparing to. I don't have an issue with it per se it's just noticeable when I get in the coupe after driving the S4 or the Disco. Helen does not like driving the coupe because of this.

[AndyP]

I have RS2 hard lines and braided flexi's to the caliper. I agree with the comments about the DS2500's getting better with some heat, just need to find a road pad that feels like that all the time! When I got my calipers they had OE Textar pads and I've also tried regular Pagid pads, I've also had both Brembo and Pagid discs.

To me it feels like they are under-assisted but I'll trust Alex's maths if he says the master cylinder is correctly sized.

[mcandmar]

Alright hold on. Porsche 964/993/996 = proper brakes. Audi S4 / modern cars = over assisted artificial brakes.

Those who are used to the later drive a Porsche and are horrified at how much effort is required, and then there are those like me who get into modern cars and headbutt the dashboard the first time we go near the brake pedal. I'll let you guess which i prefer

I currently run 996/B7 calipers with DS2500 / Pagid pads on mine and its just perfect for me. My father has a 993 and the brakes in that are even more wooden feeling and require much more effort, but they are phenomenal on track.

[andy10v]

The assist level to me seems massively high in most modern cars, takes me a little while to stop braking jerkily as I think 80/90/s2 brake level is "normal".

I did panic once jumping out the A4 and into the S2 as I thought the brakes were shot as "nothing" happened compared the the A4s instant grab.

[s2driveruk]

To me it feels like they are under-assisted but I'll trust Alex's maths if he says the master cylinder is correctly sized.

spot on, they do require some leg to make them work but that's good in my book. I've just driven a 2015 passat hire car with a clutch pedal that appears to have the blancmange equivalent feel for a biting point and brake pedal that is so over-sensitive that i look like a learner driver

Kinda reassuring to need a good dig to slow and a clunk to take up drive

[Nace20]

off topic

can anyone tell me diference betwen rs2 hardline and s2?

[s2driveruk]

rs2 hardline is a pre-shaped copper line which replaces the lower S2 strut to caliper hose, s2 doesn't have the equivalent hardline, it uses a two piece traditional rubber line

[Nace20]

thank you

[Error404]

Well I have some 996TT calipers and 330s to go on the front and vented 312s to go on the rear. Should generate about more torque for the same pedal effort. Sounds like that might be just right

[Error404]

Just to update this, I spent a couple hours yesterday messing with this. I removed the calipers them from their brackets and tilting them about as I was bleeding them, I also allowed the pistons out to the majority of their stoke and back in few times, which coaxed a few small bubbles out. I also ran about 1L of fluid through each caliper. The pedal is a bit firmer now.