I know there probably are a few topics about our brake pads but i figured this was a bit of a unique situation.

Anyway, one of my co-workers bought a 4 door accord a few months ago and was itchin today to get me to drive his car. Apparently he hears a noise while driving and wanted advice, whatever the situation its besides the issue.

My first impressions was very similiar to the tsx. Nice ride, but we just putted along the area. Man, i tapped his brakes and i felt like a young kid learning to drive again. Granted his car is new with about 2000 or 3000 miles on it compared to mine with about 30,000 miles. Now when i stop my car, i have to put my foot down two or three times as far to get a simliar stopping power. Occasionaly once every week or two the abs kicks in on a hard braking. I get a bit of steering wiggle in the front, probably from the pads leaving residue on the disc (i hope thats all).

Now my question is, why is there so much of a difference between his brakes and mine? Same car (basically), so i assume same parts. Are my pads really worn out? I am quite familliar with working with tools and what not, never changed brake pads. Co-workers say its not difficult, with that said is there anything special i need to do to inspect the pads? How much pad should be left?

If i were to change my pads out, any suggestions on type, dealers, or prices?

Thanks!

 

I drove my cousins Accord which has about 12000 miles and I had the same feeling as you. My TSX is just over 6 months old with 6000 miles and I have to push the pedal quite deeper than my cousins Accord. However, I've almost always had my brakes like they are on my TSX which gives me a lot of play in the amount of braking whereas on the Accord, I set my foot on the brake pedal & its ready to come to a halt.

 

see here i think theres two qualities or ideas were talking about here. Touch and feel of the brakes and pure stopping power. I feel the accord has both of these. Granted touch and feel is probably a partial result of the stopping power, but still, Would better pads promote MUCH better pure stopping power?

I mean, it seems my abs kicks in much more often now

 

i have an 03 accord, when the car was new, the brakes did indeed bite very hard on first application.

I think some of it is the pad composition, but the flip side to this is the stock accord pads overheated very easily, thus leading to pad deposits on the rotors and brake shuddering. I later switched to hawk hps pads/brembo blanks, the initial bite is gone, but the brakes never shudder now even from hard braking from 100+ mph.

Of course check your pad level and brake fluid condition.

 

well i have to check the pad level, any suggestions to that?

brake fluid, didnt think of it, but i think that might also be part of why our cars dont bite hard compared to the accord, but what do i know.

how much did it cost for the pads and the blanks? You order them online or pick them up at pepboys or something?

 

just take off the wheel and look at the pads.

i bought the pads and rotors from tirerack.com, $180 shipped for front axle set of everything.

 

oh you only changed your front pads?

 

The TSX Brake has ONLY a single piston, maybe the Accord has 2, which results in a better brake stoppage? None the less I think the TSX should come w/ 2 piston at least.

 

I like the feeling of play in the brake pedal in my TSX (30,000kms - same feel/response as new)....my new 07 CRV has "tighter" brakes...meaning faster response; but if I really pushed either of the brake pedals hard, the TSX would not be comparably different. Feeling and reality are often different....

I drove a 4.2L Envoy 2WD with 270hp/lots of torque. Touch the gas and it goes nicely....I drove a 3.0L V6 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan, touch the gas and the van felt faster than both the Envoy, Accord V6 and TSX. But.....the Caravan is the slowest van. Feeling is different from reality for all sorts of driving inputs.

 

When I was test driving for cars, I actually hated the fact that the breaks
in the Accord were so responsive.

Maybe its safer but I like our TSX breaks

 

^^^
I hope the TSX Brakes, not breaks.... lol

 

good one!