Front Brakes Disc And Pads Replacement

[Lexykid]

Fellow forum members,

I'm in need of replacing my front brake pads and discs and was wondering where is the best place to go for good service and price??

Just after a straight forward brake discs and pads (dustless if possible).

Also tossing up whether it would it be cheaper if I buy the parts and have a mechanic fit them??

Located in Sydney (inner west)

Cheers

[kyo]

DBA T2 Slotted Rotors

http://www.dba.com.au/products/street-performance/

EBC Greenstuff or Redstuff Brake Pads

http://ebcbrakes.com/products/brake-pads/

This combo will give you superior braking performance than OEM and generate significantly less brake dust.

You can order them from Repco and get a mechanic to put them on for you.

[LEX51S]

I have EBC black stuff and they are far more superior the oem and dustless.

Initial bite awesome first time evry time cold or hot!!

[kyo]

Actually all the EBC pads will give you better braking and less dust over the OEM one.

Just depends on your driving style.

[sliq]

Actually all the EBC pads will give you better braking and less dust over the OEM one.

Just depends on your driving style.

i read somewhere, by not using OEM pads, it will chew through the rotors quicker. is this true or is it baloney?

[LEX51S]

Was it at a lexus service centre trying to get you to buy OEM.

It all depends what you buy. hard, soft, intermediate, race. Generally an OEM equivalent will not accelerate disc wear any more then an OEM pad

[E910]

If you put something like EBC Red Stuff in & drive exactly the same way you do with OE pads then they should last just as long. The problem arises when people put better pads in & change their driving style. They start braking later & harder etc but this puts more stress on the pads & rotors and they wear out quicker, hence where all the stories come from sliq.

To the OP, I can do you genuine front pads for approx A$85 + freight. Rotors are best sourced locally due to the weight vs. freight cost. Depending on the mileage you've done you might get away with skimming/machining the rotors & new pads. No point throwing away good rotors if they're not under size.

[sliq]

If you put something like EBC Red Stuff in & drive exactly the same way you do with OE pads then they should last just as long. The problem arises when people put better pads in & change their driving style. They start braking later & harder etc but this puts more stress on the pads & rotors and they wear out quicker, hence where all the stories come from sliq.

thanks for clearing that up. might change to ebc greenstuff at the end of the year. i've only had my is250 for about a month and the brakedust on the front is phenomenal!

[E910]

I'd go with Redstuff. I've got Greenstuff in my Altezza & they're more dusty than Redstuff. Got them for free so can't complain

[Lexykid]

Hi All,

Just an update, today I have had my brakes replaced on my car.

After reading you posts and taking in your suggestions, I booked it in with my local mechanic who installed for me 2 brand new Brembo standard front discs and EBC pads.

I was suprised that he used Brembo discs as i didn't think they made them. He said he has been using them for a while and so far so good and no complaints have been received as yet.

Thank you to all who posted towards this topic, your suggestions were greatly appreciated.

Now for my next mod....... Adjusting the height of the rear rear end.

[PRV]

Hi All, I have just installed DBA T2 Slotted Discs front and rear with Remsa pads all round. So far they are quiet, cleaner and stop very well. Only done approx 500 km so far but I am very happy with this combination.

[Iggy]

i had RDA rotors and bendix pads and the setup was to grabby and not progressive. It was good for confidence, less dust but bad for smooth driving. I changed back to OEM pads and the pedal feel is a lot better but the dust is back...

[Bowen Yong]

Just had mine done today, got the DBA slotted rotor with the Bendix General CT pads. And i was surprised to the fact that these pads are pretty *BLEEP* compare to OEM, the whole braking experience feels more softer and not sharp like the OEM brake pads and i am definitely not happy with this. I was really going for the Bendix ultimate but the mechanic guy said it was too dusty, now i am in remorse. next time maybe

[PRV]

I am finding the Remsa pads pretty good. I have had a few hard stops and seem just as good as the OEM pedal feel (I have not noticed any lack of at least).

[Bluey]

Just had mine done today, got the DBA slotted rotor with the Bendix General CT pads. And i was surprised to the fact that these pads are pretty *BLEEP* compare to OEM, the whole braking experience feels more softer and not sharp like the OEM brake pads and i am definitely not happy with this. I was really going for the Bendix ultimate but the mechanic guy said it was too dusty, now i am in remorse. next time maybe

They won't have had a chance bed in this quickly. I have the same pads with the DBA non slotted rotors and found them to be just as good as the OEM's once they had a short period of bedding in.

[Bowen Yong]

The general CT pads does not require to be bedded (from Bendix Website) and the mechanic guy told me that he already bedded it anyway thats why it almost took all day to get it done. The feel of the brake pedal is very different, if you suddenly brake, these pads does not give you the instant stopping power like what the OEM pads does rather, you need to pump the brake really really hard for that sort of braking power. And theres a significant difference in braking distance, you can feel it! It take much further to come to a complete stop with some hard pumping. The car's brake feels so soft after the change. Maybe it does require more time to adjust? I will update this in the future. These pads are not all negative though, it does offer much much quieter and smooth braking, theres no hard grinding or squeal at all but whatever it is i should have gotten the Bendix Ultimate or something better. It was just a bad decision in going for convenience and lack of research that lead to all these frustration.

[BigDenis]

...i should have gotten the Bendix Ultimate or something better. It was just a bad decision in going for convenience and lack of research that lead to all these frustration.

Bendix Ultimate are known to be extremely dusty.

[ZoKy]

Hey all!

Apparently my rotors and pads need replacing soon (lexus said) so Im slowly looking into it.

Sounds like DBA + EBC pads are the way to go? Where would be the best please to get these? Repco?

[Bowen Yong]

Hey all!

Apparently my rotors and pads need replacing soon (lexus said) so Im slowly looking into it.

Sounds like DBA + EBC pads are the way to go? Where would be the best please to get these? Repco?

I went to Repco and Supercheap Auto and Autobuhn, they only sell Bendix CT or Ultimate, for EBC pads you gotta go brake and clutch specialist places, be sure to know your stuff and make sure that they install the right product cos sometimes shifty mechanics can switch the pads. @bigdenis: so ultimate is also no good as well? which pads would you suggest? (less squeal and less dusty, and performs)

[BigDenis]

@bigdenis: so ultimate is also no good as well? which pads would you suggest? (less squeal and less dusty, and performs)

Bowen Yong, I have no idea on which pads are good. It's just generally well known that the Bendix Ultimates are dusty - a Bendix rep had said this in a Ford forum: http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?p=3943692

Are Bendix brake pads dusty? Is Bendix heavy duty a better option, for member who requires less dust?

As a whole, Bendix brake pads are very specifically NOT dusty. That is, we have our mainstream product line, General CT, which is not dusty. I think it's really important to squash any talk of "Bendix is dusty", because our core product absolutely isn't. On the other hand, Ultimate is dusty. Brake dust is mostly made up of rotor iron.

I should add that I just bought the Bendix General CT yesterday and will have them installed on Tuesday. I'm a pretty sedate driver, so the Ultimates were just overkill for me. The General CTs were inexpensive, and besides, I hate the how dusty the OEM pads are.

Overall, I purchased the following:

2x DBA2726S (DBA Slotted Rotors) $330.00

DB1852GCT (Bendix Front General CT Brake Pads) $82.00

DB1854GCT (Bendix Rear General CT Brake Pads) $82.00

Total: $494.00

[GT1]

Has anybody tried Akebono pads?

If you have what do you think of them?

[PRV]

Hi, I am using DBA T2 slotted rotors all round with Remsa Pads. My brakes are working very well with great pedal feel and stopping. It is working for me. Bought the Slotted rotors from MRT and pads from Chatswood Brakes.

[Bluey]

The general CT pads does not require to be bedded (from Bendix Website) and the mechanic guy told me that he already bedded it anyway thats why it almost took all day to get it done. The feel of the brake pedal is very different, if you suddenly brake, these pads does not give you the instant stopping power like what the OEM pads does rather, you need to pump the brake really really hard for that sort of braking power. And theres a significant difference in braking distance, you can feel it! It take much further to come to a complete stop with some hard pumping. The car's brake feels so soft after the change. Maybe it does require more time to adjust? I will update this in the future. These pads are not all negative though, it does offer much much quieter and smooth braking, theres no hard grinding or squeal at all but whatever it is i should have gotten the Bendix Ultimate or something better. It was just a bad decision in going for convenience and lack of research that lead to all these frustration.

Hi Bowen

I certainly did not have this experience. I changed the rotors and pads myself, and even when first installed did not have to pump the brakes at any stage, let alone after they were 'bedded in', and that is also using the standard DBA rotor, not slotted or drilled. The brakes have not felt any different under foot, or in stopping distance, to the OEM. I hope yours have settled down and your need to pump the brake has gone.

[Bowen Yong]

@bigdenis: so ultimate is also no good as well? which pads would you suggest? (less squeal and less dusty, and performs)

Bowen Yong, I have no idea on which pads are good. It's just generally well known that the Bendix Ultimates are dusty - a Bendix rep had said this in a Ford forum: http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?p=3943692

Are Bendix brake pads dusty? Is Bendix heavy duty a better option, for member who requires less dust?

As a whole, Bendix brake pads are very specifically NOT dusty. That is, we have our mainstream product line, General CT, which is not dusty. I think it's really important to squash any talk of "Bendix is dusty", because our core product absolutely isn't. On the other hand, Ultimate is dusty. Brake dust is mostly made up of rotor iron.

I should add that I just bought the Bendix General CT yesterday and will have them installed on Tuesday. I'm a pretty sedate driver, so the Ultimates were just overkill for me. The General CTs were inexpensive, and besides, I hate the how dusty the OEM pads are.

Overall, I purchased the following:

2x DBA2726S (DBA Slotted Rotors) $330.00

DB1852GCT (Bendix Front General CT Brake Pads) $82.00

DB1854GCT (Bendix Rear General CT Brake Pads) $82.00

Total: $494.00

You've got yourself a pretty sweet deal! The place i went they charged me $630 in total, that includes the slotted front rotors, front pads and labour fees. Anyways let me know what you think after you install the CT pads. Because unlike Bluey's experience, i've got really bad feel with these pads, pretty much soft brake feeling. Now i kinda suspect that the mechanic did something shifty, maybe installed a cheaper pads who knows. I guess lesson to be learnt here is that dont trust people too easy

[fearfulmaster]

Bowen,

Did they change the brake fluid or just the pads / rotors? If they changed the fluid, perhaps there is a bit of air in the lines?

As for trusting people, one has to trust but verify when dealing with mechanics. For example, if they supplied the pads / rotors, ask for the empty box and verify the part number on the box so that they didn't just give you any empty box lying around.

They could always ignore your request, but the point is to let them know you are vigilant. Shifty people tends to pick their targets carefully to avoid detection.

If you supplied the pads / rotors, tag it (if practical) and verify after install.

I always tag my oil filter and where practical, other parts that are supposed to be replaced during a service.

Ken