I have about 24,000 miles on my car and I'm still running on original break pads. I've noticed some break dust and some break squeeking in the mornings and I was wondering if it was time for new break pads.

I was wondering on average when you guys replaced your break pads? I understand there are variables (driving tendicies, road conditions ect) but I just wanted a ball park.

 

I'd start here:

http://www.heeltoeauto.com/product.p...at=3547&page=1

I changed mine to the Hawk Ceramic and Racingbrake rotors close to 2 years ago. I recently changed to the Racingbrake ET500 pads and this is a great combo. You can get 4 rotors and pads for around $525

 

i have the RB rotors and ET500 pads too, and i love them!

 

 

remove the wheels and check the brake pads- there is a squeeler tab that you should hear on light braking when the pads get low
A brake shop will do an inspection for free or cheap

 

What would a brake shop look at besides the pad thickness? I need to do a tire rotation soon so I plan to look at the brakes while I do it. What all do you look for?

Also, with the RB rotors for the Brembo brakes, is the two-piece the only rotor that works? In the brake picker it gives you a choice between RB ultra and two-piece but if you go through the vehicle specific, for "w/ brembo" you only get the two-piece. Is this correct?

 

Nevermind on the rotor question. Realized I was using the non-brembo picker. Didn't realize how much more expensive the RB rotors were than other slotted rotors. I know people that have them like them, but are they really worth that much more pricewise? Why?

 

the 2 piece rotor pays off in the long term since the rotor part detaches from the hub for replacement
So far they dont have a 1 piece for the brembo,(might by now~) but are making ET500 pads for use on any rotors
Rotora makes a good 1 piece slotted
Slots are cool but not mandatory for street drivers, handy for heavy braking backroads drivers- their purpose is to give pad outgassing an escape route under extreme pad/rotor heat

 

with the wheels off look at the pad thickness- pop the pads out for a close up visual if any doubt--its too simple on brembos to lift them out- if ok drop back in

Should be a slice in the center of the pad for wear inspection- it stops 2 mm from the end, thats telling you its at minimum thickness

 

Thanks 01tl4tl - Good to know. I've never done my own brake work but plan to with this car since it sounds pretty straight forward from what I've read in the forums. I'll search for how to take the pads out so I can look at them when I do my rotation.

Seems like most people go with the ET500 pads but for a car that's not tracked or really braked hard, just turned 25k on my stock pads with no "signs" of decreased performance, would the ET300's be a better choice? Same with the rotors, I don't mind paying the extra for parts if they're worth it but no sense in buying things that I won't get the full benefit out of.

 

Disc brakes on any car are cake, for the most part. As long as you have the right tools, you'll be done in half a day.

 

If you do not plan on upgrading the rotors i would suggest the et300's based on the pad/price for your driving Email Marcus over at Heeltoe and he will set you up! marcus@heeltoeauto.com

 

What I do will depend on how the pads look when I get a chance to check them. Since this would be the first pad replacement, I shouldn't need to turn the rotors correct? Mine have a lip around the outer edge which sounds like it's normal and don't appear to have any real gouges in them. I also don't get any vibration or pulsing when applying the brakes so I am assuming the rotors are in decent shape. Anything else to look for to evaluate if the rotors are alright to reuse?

I wouldn't mind getting new rotors but no reason to yet if I don't have to. I figure if I can just replace the pads when the time comes I'll just do that and then do a full pad/rotor and maybe brake line replacement when those wear out.

Thanks again for the info guys!

 

the lip is normal- pads dont go all the way edge to edge on the rotor- if its marginal let it go- or have them resurfaced with minimal loss of metal
Should not require rotors yet

Brembos very simple to pop pads out- just be careful on pushing caliper piston in to install new thicker pads--see DIY

the ET300s are `wife drives the car`-pads as used on my gen2.
They dont need any pre-warming to work good and stop the car smooth and silent time after time- NOT good for track days at all!!!
RB advertising dept was overly optimistic in labeling them 30% track use

The ET500 have more bite- need slight warming to work best (1 or 2 corners of braking will do) then they are ready to rock
The gen3 being a heavier car and the brembos being more brake caliper- 500 seems to be the better pad option
See MrHeelToes signature on post for current discount code- was azinerocks, but check it out

Rotora makes a nice ceramic pad for the -need quiet brakes- crowd, see Excelerate for them

 

how r the et500 pads with the stock brembo rotors.....i found slotted brembo rotors for the oem brembo application but i want really good pads. the brembo pads dont do it for me anymore..... i always recommend them but the dust at this point has driven me bananas!

 

Replacing pads AND rotors should NOT take u half a day! Unless u don't have a clue to what ur doin! U should be able to get it done a lot faster then that, even if ur not too familiar! It'd pretty self explanitory!

 

I've been doing brakes for over ten years on my cars, and went after the ASE certification in high school. Plan on a half-day for brakes. If you get done faster, great. It's not a race.

BTW - half-day = 4 hours. Each wheel will take someone with experience about 10-15 minutes, assuming you already know what tools you need and already have them. That first wheel will take 30-45 minutes if you don't know what size wrenches you need.

 

ET500 are fine on brembo rotors of any type
I suggest flushing the brake fluid now and every year from now on

 

Thanks again 01tl4tl. I'm thinking that when I do need to replace the stock pads I'll go with the ET500's. Figure the money I'll save doing it myself will easily offset the extra cost. And, assuming there aren't any major issues, I'll just leave the stock rotors for the first change. Then upgrade for the next.

For a first brake pad replacement, do I need to flush/replace the brake fluid or just drop in the new pads?

 

Yes, flush the brake fluid. I use a suction deal to empty the reservoir, then refill with new fluid, then bleed out all the lines really good.

 

a $2 turkey baster to remove the old fluid, remove 90 precent of the old fluid- NOT uncovering the holes to the brake lines is critical!!
refill with new fluid and flush lf rf rr lr
brembo outer nipple then inner nipple

Yes start now even 1 year or 2 years old- especially rainy, humid, or snow areas
Book says start at year 3- I believe thats the start of year 3 you should flush the fluid- then every year forever
Its amazing what gets in there- wiki hygroscopic for details of why and then you will be out there every year- its less than an hour 1st time- and with the wheels off its that much faster

 

Track day??- flush before the day and again after- you will have cooked the fluid~
Same applies to heavy mountain driving-fun runs
Fresh fluid works better