I'm getting ready to change my own brake pads out on the 997, and I'm trying to figure something out. It's pretty basic, but what pulls the pads back off the rotors after the braking action of the pistons?

Obviously, the pistons push the pads against the rotor, but when the pistons retract, what pulls the pad away from the rotor? The pistons aren't mechanically attached to the pads. I don't get it.

I watched my instructor change his pads at the track, and I'm pretty confident that I can handle it.

Just for context, I had a local shop take the shims out and put on RS29s for the track, now I will probably switch back to the OEM pads until the next DE in 5 weeks.

Thanks!

 

Here is a good read, should tell you everything you wanted to know about brakes (and a few things you didn't)

http://www.carbibles.com/brake_bible.html

 

If you have thicker pads in at the track, most of the time if you work quickly the OEM pads will slide right back in. If not, open your bleeder on top and push your pistons back enough to slide the pad through. You will not lose that much fluid either. Also, remember to put the dampers back in if you were using your track pads without them.

 

Um... don't have the dampers anymore. I saw them at the shop and they had lost pretty much all of their adhesion, so we chucked them.

Are they necessary? I imagine that without them my OEM brakes will be noisier.