Guys, I am collecting information about PCCBs for a forthcoming Total 911 feature.
I have lots of evidence regarding structural failures, damage and so on.
I now need to hear from people who have had to replace their PCCB discs due to wear.
I'd like to know how the wear was assessed - surface appearance, wear indicators, weight, thickness or whatever. Plus, what mileages where involved, and what sort of use had the brakes had (track, road, hot weather and so on). Also what pads were used.
High-res pictures also appreciated.
Note: PCCB fans, don't fear that this is going to be a 'PCCBs are rubbish' piece -it's not: it is intended to be as full and unbiased a feature as I can make it.
Thanks again - comments on WEAR only on this thread, please.

 

What evidence do you have on second gen PCCB failures? In comparison to the previous generation, they are few and far between.

 

I for one, will be interested to read your findings. Thanks for taking the time.

 

great info gathering thread. I have only 2,700 miles on the one I track....10 track days and haven't needed to replace pads but I will do so before next season. The rotors are fine.

 

The second generation PCCBs have three evenly spaced "wear" indicators towards the outside of the rotor. It's a visible small circle I'm told is made of the 1st gen material, when it flakes your rotors are worn. I personally have not dealt with a worn pair of PCCBs, despite dealing with +10,000mi track/street cars. I see owners opting for race spec steel brakes for extreme use over PCCBs, not sure why, would like to know.

Use of incorrect pad material has been the only cause of PCCB failure I've witnessed.
Until they annouced the facelift GT3, Porsche has avoided the use of the word "Race" to describe PCCBs.

 

See other treads with a lot of information:

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...iron-pccb.html

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...urability.html

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...on-rotors.html

I personally had to change mine for the AP steel rotors replacement option and know many others who had to do it also, including one with a 997 GT2. You can see the dots (wear indicators) on pictures of this GT2 rotors. All were using the pads supplied by a Porsche dealer as PCCB only pads.

 

Looking at the previous pictures shows exactly the damage done to rotors once the brake pads start falling in pieces by operating out of their intended temperature range. The chunks of brake pads actually damage the surface on the rotors.

The stock brake pads are not intended for track use. The dealer doesn't know about what pads work with PCCB. The SuperCup teams use the P50 pad that later on became available for us, I have not tried it yet. However, the RS19 and RS29 stay in better shape than the stock pads when used at the track with PCCB, I have been using these pads with PCCB for 5 years on the same rotors.

Stock pads and track use on the first generation GT2/GT3 brakes were the cause for early rotors failure, as early as two track days.

This is a rear rotor with 39,000 miles on it, over 60 track days, over 150 autoX. Surface is smooth. The front one shown below is not smooth anymore, it should be replaced, but it still keeps the brake pads in good shape without early wear on the pads (when PCCB are really shot they become brake pads grinders)

 

11K miles, a few track days including two pro drivers driving the hell out of it and so far a-ok. The only wear we've seen as a shop thus far is actually mostly on the 997TT side, especially in the rear. At least two people I know of had to get rears replaced....

 

Thanks for the information.

First time I hear that the stock PCCB pads are the cause of the issue and I had absolutely no advise from the dealer and even a Porsche technical specialist for Canada who looked at my rotors before refusing to do anything about it... they were saying that the configuration of our local track was the reason for the issue !

If this is true, I changed to steel rotors for no reason and my PCCB were toasted because of the lack of track usage competence from Porsche representatives... with that in mind, I will try to stay cool next time I visit the dealer.