Upgraded Brake Pads

magicroundabout

magicroundabout

magicroundabout

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Joined
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West Midlands
Hi all,
shortly before the nice weather returns I'll be wanting to change my pads and possibly discs on the A45s ready for some road trips this spring/summer/autumn.

Was after some suggestions for possible replacements from OEM with better wear and stopping power. Oh and possibly something less dusty than OEM :cry:
 
magicroundabout said:
Hi all,
shortly before the nice weather returns I'll be wanting to change my pads and possibly discs on the A45s ready for some road trips this spring/summer/autumn.

Was after some suggestions for possible replacements from OEM with better wear and stopping power. Oh and possibly something less dusty than OEM :cry:
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I don’t think you’ll get better stopping power from them - you’ll be able to overload the tyres even in perfect conditions with the standard brakes.

That tells you that the tyres are the limiting factor.


Some may produce less brake dust but honestly, it is kind of irrelevant to me personally, as I don’t wash my car because the wheels get dirty - if that makes sense?


Purpose of disks is heat management. Again bigger discs don’t necessarily mean better braking. Typically they’ll deal with repeated braking better.



Wanted to clarify these points to set expectations on what you can achieve with different discs and pads.
 
Are you doing track days?

The standard brake pads will probably brake to the point of locking the wheels up and triggering the ABS, the thing aftermarket pads give you is the ability to do that over and over without fade.

In fact you often find that 'sportier' aftermarket pads perform noticeably worse when they're cold, they need a few hard stops to 'bite' properly so they're a pretty terrible idea for the road.

If you're finding your brakes spongy and not very good then might be a good idea to get some new ones anyway and then some new brake fluid.
 
sovietspybob said:
Are you doing track days?

The standard brake pads will probably brake to the point of locking the wheels up and triggering the ABS, the thing aftermarket pads give you is the ability to do that over and over without fade.

In fact you often find that 'sportier' aftermarket pads perform noticeably worse when they're cold, they need a few hard stops to 'bite' properly so they're a pretty terrible idea for the road.

If you're finding your brakes spongy and not very good then might be a good idea to get some new ones anyway and then some new brake fluid.
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I was hoping for better heat dispersion and less fade on sportier driving but if they're not good under cold conditions then OEM I'll stick with. No track days just sporty country driving
 
Look at braided lines if the car doesn't have them already and look at better rated fluid. Motul do some good stuff with higher boiling points. You could look at EBC pads for an upgrade. I went for Tarox Discs and Strada Pads and they've been excellent for spirited road driving but it depends on how much you want to spend.
 
Logsi said:
Look at braided lines if the car doesn't have them already and look at better rated fluid. Motul do some good stuff with higher boiling points. You could look at EBC pads for an upgrade. I went for Tarox Discs and Strada Pads and they've been excellent for spirited road driving but it depends on how much you want to spend.
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would upgrading the fluid and brake lines void any warranty?
I've always lived by the rule of what will keep you on the road. Good tyres and good brakes. Don't skimp on either regardless what car you drive
 
magicroundabout said:
would upgrading the fluid and brake lines void any warranty?
I've always lived by the rule of what will keep you on the road. Good tyres and good brakes. Don't skimp on either regardless what car you drive
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Fluid wouldn't if correctly done and used the correct tools. Braided lines may do but you may already have them considering it's a A45s. Made the brake feel incredible!
 
magicroundabout said:
do they make a real difference then braided lines?
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It's been widely debated for forever and a day. I'd put fresh fluid in before considering fitting braided hoses. Fresh fluid feels good.

Based on your requirements, it sounds like OEM pads are the way to go. You won't fade them out driving on A/B roads unless you're treating the road like a track in which case you shouldn't be driving on it, anyway. If you're experiencing brake fade on the road, it's time to take that kind of driving to the track and leave the road alone. This isn't directed at you - for anyone that might be reading and find this one day. :D
 
I’ve just ordered some of the brembo hp2000, goodridge lines and motul 660. Will be going to a base cayman 987 to hopefully join my first TD in March.

I did consider the ebc yellow stuff but after reading a lot of not so good reviews decided to go for the brembos as a compromise being r90 rated and price wise.
 
Jony27 said:
I’ve just ordered some of the brembo hp2000, goodridge lines and motul 660. Will be going to a base cayman 987 to hopefully join my first TD in March.

I did consider the ebc yellow stuff but after reading a lot of not so good reviews decided to go for the brembos as a compromise being r90 rated and price wise.
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Those lines and fluid will be mega! Enjoy!
 
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aaronyuri said:
It's been widely debated for forever and a day. I'd put fresh fluid in before considering fitting braided hoses. Fresh fluid feels good.

Based on your requirements, it sounds like OEM pads are the way to go. You won't fade them out driving on A/B roads unless you're treating the road like a track in which case you shouldn't be driving on it, anyway. If you're experiencing brake fade on the road, it's time to take that kind of driving to the track and leave the road alone. This isn't directed at you - for anyone that might be reading and find this one day. :D
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Braided lines always made the brake modulation feel so much nicer on the many motorbikes I fitted them too. I guess it's a personal preference thing but I much preferred the feel. I'd expect the same in a car. Braided lines will expand very little / if at all compared to standard rubber lines. Have to be careful when choosing brake fluid too. Some Dot 4 fluids have higher boiling points than some DOT 5.1s for example. Pays to do a bit of research on that before purchasing.
 
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Logsi said:
Aren't these not legal on UK roads? ECE R90 or something?

Unlikely to ever be checked.
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I never realised DS2500 pads weren't road legal. I fitted these to my GTi-6 when I had it. They were awesome pads, though they did produce a fair bit of dust, but that could be due to the Tarox disc type I paired them with. You have to heat cycle them to bed them in if I recall. Car passed every MOT with them fitted with no issues. I did find they glazed a little if they weren't used properly now and then. Awesome on track though on the one trackday I took the PUG on :D
 
Jony27 said:
The height of my mechanical skills is changing oil and filter. So tackling this will be a lot of learning but should feel rewarding
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Yeah just take your time, it's nothing complicated at all.

One thing i would say is make sure you've got some good quality flared spanners to do the brake lines, that caught me out when my ebay set just wouldn't undo them without rounding them off, £20 for a single 8mm spanner later and it worked first time.
 
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