What's your fav brake pad maker

[KennyW]

Morning,

Just a thought what type of pads have fellow members used on their cars.

In light of the MOT fail due to inefficiency of the front brakes
All front brakes should be 50% or more to pass, it is the first time this has happened to me usually they were a lot higher.

Hence my thoughts re brake pad manufacturers.

Also would the Old LHM fluid have an effect

Any thoughts and comments.

Kenny

[Deanxm]

Im really taken with EBC ultimax pads at the moment, very good pad and low dust, ive had bendix which are rubbish, too much dust and prone to squeeking, Ferodo are good too but its all personal taste really, never get budget stuff, utter rubbish.
LHM or air wont be causing your problem as you have a brake imbalance rather than brake delay or equal inefficiency. Have you checked both sides of each disk on the front? they should be clean for the whole swept area an equal amount on both sides, it really sounds like you have a seized calliper, dodgy or incorrectly fitted pads or one side is contaminated with oil or grease.

D

[KennyW]

Thanks for the reply Dean,

I'm off tomorrow and intend fixing the rear hub and looking more closely at the front calipers possibly refurbishing same.

Kenny

[citronut]

the older citroens used to use TEXTAR pads also MotorQuip are good as they are part of the PSA group,

regards malcolm

air in one side caliper can cause imbalance

regards malcolm

[addo]

Duff regulator and worn doseur together, can cause that too. Also, a flat rear centre sphere seems to compromise prolonged light braking.

[SaabC5]

Ferodo DS2500's for performance applications. Tried EBS before and had bad problem of braking friction material delamanating from the backing plate, EBS weren't in the slightest bit interested to hear about it either. It wasn't a one off occasion either, several Saab Owners Club members reported the same problem with Greenstuff/Redstuff pads.

[Peter.N.]

The cheapie brake pads stop OK but don't wear so well, I rarely use my brakes so usually get the cheapest.

Peter

[Jabo]

I usually buy Mintex for my standard cars. My old Rover turbos had Greenstuff pads.
I think I'm going to do a brake upgrade on this C5 as I have a few performance modifications about to happen

[Citroenmad]

I really hate motorquip brakes, Ive never had them on a Citroen but on my Seats they were awful. I put on one set of discs and pads and changed the pads after a few months as they were useless, virtually no bite to them and they cooked very easily. The discs also seem of rubbish quality, ive had many distort and rust badly.

I generally get top brands ones now, I find Valeo very good and I get along well with Bendix. Though now Dean has mentioned it, they do produce a lot of dust, keeping my Activas front wheels from being black is a task. Work well though, ive not had any performance issues with them.

[oscar]

EBC are total crap and wouldn't use on a kids pedal car and as been mentioned they delaminated which just about say's it all!
When i was using mintex performance ones and when went for new mintex ones they had changed them seemed softer and didnt have the cut across pad which gives you 2 leading edges so more feel.
I had these fade on me( had bedded them in) in the end after speaking to them they changed them for newer ones(they had closed leeds factory down where 1st was made)
While in Rochdale for the replacements @ Questmeads who do all the race/rally bits inc Ferodo and mintex and chatting to Tech from mintex they had a thing when EBC was squawking about Greenstuff etc and Mintex Techs asked EBC what they pad did etc and everytime they asked all EBC could come back with was you don't get any dust?.Yeah great if it has the stopping distance of a super tanker!.

There like a cheap pad in an expensive box with a nice sticker. For me Mintex/Ferodo and many other types out there from many places like brembo etc
But theres one reason you get dust and that's because they work.

My mintex made my front compomotive rims have little pock marks from burnt bit's from disc/pads mind you i did turn the disc's blue a few times as could almost peel tread up when you stood it on it's nose as you could hear it picking the grit up after you came off brakes. Used to love my sierra so much fun point and squirt car like a go cart fully poly bushed throught.
But theres no substitute for quality pad's as with good ones they give you feel and confidence esp in poor weather.

[Jabo]

EBC are total crap

You're the only person I've heard say that. All the reviews online rave about EBC pads. The green pads are sharp as hell for road use. The yellow, red etc are for track use and I haven't experienced them.

[addo]

Almost good as a "What's the best oil for my car?" or "What tyres does everyone recommend?" thread.

In a properly bled and pressured Xantia hydraulic system there is plenty of force available to lock all four wheels.

The only time I've experienced brake fade on the Xantia was towing nearly a tonne downhill on a steep grade. As brake function relies on the ability to dissipate energy as heat, once the discs were all but glowing I had significantly lost that ability of heat rejection in practical time. There is an odd side-smell to cooked Citroën brakes; it's the LHM residue.

So - I think the brake pad debate here, really should boil down to "How hot do you like your brakes before they work decently?"...

[KennyW]

Duff regulator and worn doseur together, can cause that too. Also, a flat rear centre sphere seems to compromise prolonged light braking.

I assume your talking about the rear brakes as the brake efficiencies only relate to the front brakes on British MOT.

Kenny

[addo]

Certainly the rear brakes do suffer with a flat centre rear sphere, but the reg/doseur issue - from my simplistic exposure to problem cars - seems to affect front corners.

There's always enough push in the hydraulics to press your pads against the discs (unless something is seriously wrong) but the overbearing fluid pressure required thereafter is where internal leaks combine with lack of adequate stored pressure to not really clamp the pads hard enough.

[KennyW]

Checked the front brakes today and the pads seem to have full contact with the width of the disc. Extracted some fluid from the bleed nipples and no obvious air trapped.

Just waiting on the 40mm socket for the hub nut at the rear forgot it was that size.

Kenny