[urq] RE: Porsche Brakes

[jeffrey.goggin at cox.net]

>I remember a few conversations from long ago about using >Porsche 944 Turbo calipers on the front of the UrQ.

Ben Howell not only brought this option to my attention many years ago, he sold me a set of used 944T calipers as well!

>Did anyone actually do this?  I have a set that Im gonna >play around with a bit this fall.

IIRC, there are two versions of 944T caliper and I believe the correct ones are for the early '86 cars.  The caliper's bolt pattern is a perfect match for the OEM UrQ caliper, but if you plan to use the stock rotor, you'll need to have small (~1/8") spacers machined to center the calipers over the rotors.  However, if you plan to install larger rotors, such as those for the A8, then you'll need to have adapters fabricated so as to space the caliper further away from the hub.  You'll also need to fabricate new brake lines (not a big deal) since the 944T calipers use a different fitting than the OEM UrQ calipers.

Hydraulic-wise, the stock master cylinder should work fine, but you may need to install a brake-balancer into the rear brake lines.  I have V8 rear calipers and vented rotors on my '85 UrQ, but as I haven't driven the car since they were installed, I don't know if there's a balance problem with the 944T calipers or not.  

While made by Brembo, the 944T calipers aren't a substitute for "Big Reds", but they are quite a bit less expensive and depending upon your purposes, may be all that you need.


Jeffrey Goggin
Chandler, AZ