prophoenix

To start off, I just wanted to say that I'm a middle-of-the-road driver where 80% of the time, I don't hard gas/brake but there are those days when I do. I do tend to drag my foot on the break to come to an easy stop/release at end so that I don't get the hard jerk..... with that said:

I have a 07 TL-S (brembos) and here's a list of my services @ my dealer:

7/06/07 (new)

11/07/07 (5000 miles) - visual inspection

3/12/08 (11000 miles @ B1) - told me unusually fast wear @ 3mm break lining fronts

7/29/08 (16000 miles) - 1mm break lining fronts - replaced front brembos

1/10/09 (20500 miles @ B1) - told me I had 4mm brake lining on fronts and they may need changing soon

I told the dealer/service person at my most recent service that I JUST changed my breaks at the end of last year (cost me several hundred). I asked him what's the typical life of the breaks and he claims that the first set of breaks from Acura last around 15k-20k and usually the 2nd set last longer around 20k-25k (please guys if you can verify this?).

My first breaks were down to 1mm in 11k miles .... and now they're telling me that my brakes, after another 4k miles are down to 4mm?!? Is this right? Is my dealership ripping me off (never had a problem with them and they do a good job)? Should I file for a warranty for unusually fast brake wear (if there's such a thing)?

Suggestions? Thanks guys for any help in advance!

spinxt

Welcome to Brembos my man....just replaced my pads at 6,200 miles. Now I admit, that that's a bit early , but I bought the car used at 3,200 miles. Whomever owned the vehicle was a very late braker, as they went through the OEM pads very quick. In their defense, they lived just outside of NYC in NJ where the traffic is some of the worst in the country.

At any rate, get used to replacing the Brembo pads often. I've read of folks getting 19-20K out of a set, but I'm not finding the same results.

Audioholics

I have an 07 Type S with 11k miles on it purchased used. My dealer says my brakes are like brand new but I noticed they rub a bit when keeping the foot lightly on the brake and coasing like 1-2mph. The dealer says this is normal.

They also say expect around 20k miles between front pad changes.

I heard someone on this forum using Ceramic pads from Hawk which last much longer but nobody can comment if they perform as good or better than the Brembos or if you also need to change the rotors too. I'd love to get a straight answer on this.

djbonsu

iTrader: (3)

maybe try buying the 04-06 6MT brake pads?? i hear the TLS (07-08) pads are softer than 04-06 MT's pads....just a thought

SouthernBoy

I replace the pad on my '04 manual at around 25,500 miles with a set of Rotex Gold Kevlars to reduce the dusting. The stock pads, which I still have in my garage, had about another 35,000 miles in them which would give those original units around a 60,000 mile life with my car and my driving.

01tl4tl

RacingBrake makes an ET500 compound for the brembo cars,might have the gentler et300 by now, contact MrHeelToe
and Rotora has a ceramic pad, see Excelerate for those
both are better than stock pads

My Guess:
The pad measurements differ because one tech measured the total pad depth and gave that, while another subtracted the minimum allowable thickness from the total
and the next one totally guessed
Min thickness is usually 2mm pad, and thats pushing it

In truth most techs are not measuring at all- they look at the wear marker cut into the pad and guestimate how much percentage remaining --then the service writer converts that into some other form of bs to the customer

If you didnt see them measure the pad thickness dont believe it

Dragging the brakes to slow it causes the pads to get surprisingly hot, and causes significant wear,,, commuter cars with 45-20mph type stop and go traffic kill brakes
Use them harder earlier in the stop to reduce speed smoothly, let off, then as needed at the stop as gently as you want
Letting totally off the brakes for even a few seconds allows needed cooling air to pass over the pads and thru the rotors
try dropping 20 mph per use of brakes

aquariussuperman

^^good insight.

Bearcat94

They are all the same part number now. Maybe some old stock. But, OTOH, some of the old stlye were very noisy; new pad is chamfered and comes with different grease. There was a TSB on the old pads.


OP - My first set went at ~17k. It gets driven daily and driven hard about 20% of the time.

When you say 1mm left, I assume you mean service life? i.e 1mm service life left?

prophoenix

Thanks guys for all of your comments and 01tl4tl for your insight on braking and will try that out. I guess I'm just concerned that in the long run, I'm spending a lot on brakes (although probably one of the more important elements on the car haha) but also was concerned whether or not I was taking my car to a stealership =(

I may also go get a 2nd person's opinion on the brakes or try using different brakes for the next swap-out. Would that void any warranties by switching to different kinds of brakes even if the dealership installs them?

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Best thing is to do the job youself. Quite easy and you'll save a bunch. Purchase aftermarket pads and save even more.

Majofo

Amen

bentzpuryear

I have an 07-type s with 38,000 and just changed the front pads for the first time. Put on ceramic brake pads this week. Very easy to change the pads, went out and did the bedding by runing up to 60mph and hard brake down to 10mph repeating 6 times. The brakes did not fade at all but did get very hot. I drove the car for about 10 miles after to let them cool off but even my wife noticed the brake smell the next morning. Went to the ceramic to reduce dust the stock pads put out a lot of dust. I live outside of Washington DC and do a lot of city driving so was a little surprised I got that much out of the stock pads. This is my wifes car as I have a 08 Corvette that I do my hard driving in but I do drive this back and forth to work in town offten. Do your own pad change very, very easy with the Brembo's.

Audioholics

Can someone please post a step by step procedure on changing out the Brembos on a Type S? Also which pads are recommended from Hawke or other brands? I never worked on brakes, or cars in general so this needs to be made for dummies. thanks.

nfnsquared

Look in the Garage.

nfnsquared

I had 63K on my stock Brembos before I replaced them with RB ET300's....and they still had another 5K to 10K left on them.

Sometimes I think brake pad life is directly proportional to the age of the driver, hehe!

Bearcat94

3G Garage:

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/3g-tl-garage-faq-3g-tl-newbies-553554/


From the Garage:

D-041: Brakes-front/rear caliper overhaul, front/rear pad replacement, brake bleeding, brake disc specifications, parking brake adjustment
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118283


Also:

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...428&highlight=

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-performance-parts-modifications-112/3g-garage-d-094-brembo-hawk-pad-replacement-w-pics-579140/ - With Pics

Audioholics

thanks Bearcat!

One more question, I notice an unusual amount of rust on the inner middle ring of the rotors. Is there any easy way to remove this without taking off the wheels?

audi_to_TL

iTrader: (2)

I have my original pads and rotors with over 60,000 KM's. The dealer told me almost 2 years ago that I needed new pads and rotors. They have just started squeeling now. Good thing I have slotted and drilled rotors with hawk pads waiting.

Mattgtp

Replaced my first set of pads at 58000km they still had a bit of life in them but the car was in for service so figured just get them done. Great brakes I just hate the dust after 2 days It looks like I have 2 differnt sets of wheel on my car my front wheels look like gunmetal and back are chrome.

SouthernBoy

Yes the stock pads used for the TL Brembos are very very good. But the dusting got to me as well so I replaced them almost three years ago with Rotex Gold Kevlar pads. A slight reduction in braking force but for street use they are above fine. As for dusting, it was reduced by around 80-90%.. in other words, dusting is no longer an issue with my '04 manual.

Mattgtp

Good to know I will look into those pads on my next replacement I got 40% left on my fronts right now so by the time spring rolls around and I put my summer rims on I can get rid of the dust.

Thanks,

Matt

ssmtl2nv

iTrader: (2)

try some rotora replacement pads...

Audioholics

This is what I want for my 07 Type S when the time comes. Do you think the performance of this setup will be as good or better than OEM? Will the Hawk pads last longer than the Brembos?

vinnier6

iTrader: (1)

thats crazy...i have 18k miles on my type s and my brakes look great....i bet i get 30k out of them.....

audi_to_TL

iTrader: (2)

I hope it will but I have to have them installed first....I will let you know next week.

Hi speed

iTrader: (3)

I asked him what's the typical life of the breaks and he claims that the first set of breaks from Acura last around 15k-20k and usually the 2nd set last longer around 20k-25k (please guys if you can verify this?).

I have over 50k on my 06 MT and am still on my first set of pads. I am also sitting on an extra 100 Hp so how you are running thru pads in 4k is totaly beyond me. As far as 25k for a set of pads they seems un acura like to me. New pads after 4k means either you or your car are doing something very wrong. You most likely have a bad set of bremos that are dragging the pads.

Audioholics

thanks looking forward!

audi_to_TL

iTrader: (2)

Front and rear rotora slotted and drilled rotors with hawk ceramic pads installed a couple days ago...also had stainless steel lines installed.

Feel is pretty good...stopping is improved from the previous pads...maybe cause they were all original from dec 2004.

The rotors look real good...and so far not a single squeak from the brakes.

Rafiton

I have 12k miles on my typs-S 08 and look pretty low for me. SO I expect thet will be change soon. I think i'll go with some ceramic ones.