I've always been impressed with the stopping power of the OEM brake set up. The dust is a pain...but I'm guessing a pad that gives off dust is a pad that is wearing down more so than a rotor that is being eaten up......

After almost 83,000 miles I'm still on the OEM pads & no indicator light yet.....but I'm contemplating replacing the pads soon.....& NOT replacing or even resurfacing the rotors.

I guess my questions are:

1. Do dusty pads actually stop the car better than pads that don't give off dust?
2. Do ceramic pads (or other pads that give off less dust) eat the rotors more that dusty ones?


I can live with dust if the stopping is actually better!!

Somewhere I read the opinion of a brake guru who stated that drilled/slotted rotors weren't all that great an idea....less surface area in contact with the pads or something was his point I think. I suppose in a real racing situation where heat dissipation is a plus....maybe....but for just street use...I think he felt a solid rotor was superior.

 

Subbed....very interested in this topic. I love the way She brakes now...but brake dust cleaning is an every day thing :-/ !

 

When I had my oil changed about a month ago, I had the dealership check the front pads and there was about 25% life remaining in them. With 28,000 miles on the OEMs, I finally got tired of cleaning them every few days and replaced both the front and back pads today with NAPA Adaptive One ceramics. I drove straight home so I can't say just yet how good their grip is.

 

Ceramic pads DO NOT stop as well as OEM pads. That being said unless you're driving hard you'll never notice it. If you're on 80k some odd miles and still using the original pads go ahead and swap. You won't notice a difference.

 

Swapped out my OEMs at 10K with ceramics. Now at 60K and still smiling. No dust and stops as good as ever.

 

Which brand did you install?

 

Has anyone ever had good luck with "Meineke"? They have an ad for $39.95 / axle "Lifetime Brake Pads" + installation .....that might compliment my "Lifetime Powertrain Warranty"....?

 

I went with ceramics on the SRT6 and on the front of the roadster. I notice no difference (other than a light squeal out of the SRT6) in stopping with the caveat that I don't usually brake hard. I'll tend to let off the gas and scrub off speed with "engine braking" as I approach lights and traffic. That said, the reduction in dust was well worth the change. See signature.

PS - I was going to put drilled/slotted on my A6 2.7T and my indie shop talked me out of it. He recommended a good solid disk. He had too many experiences with owners finding the drilled/slotted making too much noise. Gotta say that I would love the "look" of them on my SRT6 and if the opportunity ever comes up to replace the disks again (I did at 8500 miles because the PO warped them) I may go for them.

 

What does PO mean? You had warped rotors at 8500 miles?

 

just ordered cheap ebay drilled and slotted rotors with metallic pads for 165 bucks shipped for all. I think the car will stop better than brand new with the upgraded rotors and I think metallic pads will do just fine. For street driving, anything will stop the car just fine folks.

 

Well I'm sure I'm not the only one who would be interested in your take on them after a month or so.. some of us just don't see 2 grand or $500 for "normal" daily drivers.
Have a link on your vendor? Kinda on my list of things I'd like to do to her fairly soon.

 

PO = Previous Owner

 

i also would be interested in the outcome of those ebay slotted and drilled rotors.
i saw the ad and was thinking of them.
i purchased a full set of rotex gold from another member and thought i might wait.
also gonna add needswings ss brakelines.
keep us posted.
thanks

 

Those kind of deals scare me. Sort of like buy one and get the second one for shipping and handling. The other example is buying a printer for cheap and having to pay for ink cartridges.

They sell you the hardest pads they can to chew up your rotors is what I"ve heard.

 

I can't believe anyone could possibly get 83000 miles out of a set of brake pads. Tell me you drive from Butte, Montana to Fargo, North Dakota 3 times a week. Just don't know how that's possible while having a good time.

I put on DuraLast Gold from AutoZone for $75. They work fine, NO dust, no squeal and I haven't run out of brakes yet. I haven't had them long enough to comment on longevity, but I have had them long enough to say I have yet to have to clean my wheels.

To another poster; drilled rotors, especially off Ebay aren't the best idea. In a previous life I had good drilled rotors on a driven Miata and they started cracking from the drill holes. For my driving, and probably your driving, they are only good for the bling factor imho.

 

[QUOTE=red-in-la;699336

I put on DuraLast Gold from AutoZone for $75. They work fine, NO dust, no squeal and I haven't run out of brakes yet. I haven't had them long enough to comment on longevity, but I have had them long enough to say I have yet to have to clean my wheels.

[/QUOTE]

Also have the DuraLasts on my fronts....LOVE THEM!!!!!
No difference as to my normal stopping power, I drive alot like Goldwing by down coasting to lights (when possible). Mainly did it to be rid of the dust, this they do very well.
Just my two cents...
Smallfry

 

I bought my SRT6 in January 2008. The dealer drove it from the Chicago 'burbs to SW Mi in a snowstorm, and I stored it for several months. When I started to drive it, there was a noticeable vibration in the front end every time I applied the brakes. I assumed the previous owner (PO) had made some hot stops in wet weather and warped the rotors. So I ordered new rotors and pads and set up an appointment to replace them all. Funny thing is, about three days before taking it in I was caught in a violent rain storm. After several miles of driving I applied the brakes and there was no vibration!! It struck me that a pad may have seized or stuck over the winter and the water had lubed it and it released. I went through with thre brake job anyway since I had all the parts and wanted low dust pads.

In answer to another post questioning 83k on a set of pad. I went from 104k to 185k on a set of pads in my Audi A6 2.7T MT6. Mostly highway driving, lots of coasting up to lights and stops, normal downshifting, etc. And it is a heavy (3950 lb) vehicle. And my wife just replaced the pads/rotors for the first time on her Mercury Milan at 85k, and she drives mostly around town.

 

I'd happily have slotted rotors but would run a country mile these days before buying drilled ones (unless actually a good name brand such as brembo)

 

The look is quite nice, I enjoy it myself...



I agree 100%. Muscle, they may seem like a good idea, but most are made in China, the 'cooling veins' are generally not present, many times they are over drilled, causing pre-mature failure, or the steel is so high in carbon it destroys pads. There are many other ways these can go wrong, and with almost no production oversight, you never know what you are going to get. I prefer a company like centric, rotors are not flashy, but some of the most reliable out there.

On my D/S rotors and pads, I liked the look, and the better cooling, but the name brand, high quality parts are not cheap...

 

i have been looking at atlaautosports rotors on ebay, 99.8%+ feedback, top rated
since i don't know much about this info they posted, mabe someone can fill me in
1..chamfered holes to reduce stress
2..manufactored of premium quality materials that meet or exceed tuv, qs & iso standards
3..zinc plated to inhibit rust
4..made in usa
any input would be greatly appreciated.
thanks