Need to change the front break pads soon and was wondering what type of break pads are best for me. I don't race just regular street driving. Metallic pads apparently will eat through the stock rotor's fast or at least thats what i heard of. I found these Monroe (they are metallic) buy one get second half price pads so they come out to be $48.74 for a pair for both front wheels before taxes here they are:

http://canadiantire.shoplocal.com/ca...agenumber%3d23

I was also thinking to replace my rotors with these ones, they are not cross drilled but they have machined grooves to improve heat dissipation, these rotors are buy one get second 50% off (all prices in Canadian dollars) so they came out to be $53.24 EACH rotor.
http://canadiantire.shoplocal.com/ca...agenumber%3d23

My mechanic can install rotors and pads for $40 flat for the front only, do i HAVE to upgrade the rear rotors and pads as well or can i leave what i have there because the pads are still good and dont need to be replaced.
(also heard that maximas use vented rotos is that true ?)

 

From my experience Hawk HPS pads and Brembo blanks are probably the best replacements for the OEM parts. They're resonably cheap and offer good performance. And the OEM front discs are ventilated, but not the rears.

 

Buy ceramic pads, no ifs ands or buts about it. Check around, I found that AUTO PARTS PLUS had excellent prices. I have used Magnum Cross Drilled rotors with excellent results which you can easily get in Ontario.

 

dont use axxis ultimate pads, they stop spectacularly, but they dust way too much

 

i get semi-metallic.....best of both worlds...great stopping power..n won't really eat away at the rotors. If you use ceramic, doesn't eat away at the rotors, but the pad wears faster. Its basically a trade off, thats why i use semi-metallic.

Oh, this is what i've always used. Brembo blanks with PBR axxis metal master

 

im in the US and got bendix brand brakes. its 40US per set of 4 pads (for front or rear). not sure what the reputation of these are in this forum, but i think they are great brakes. i drove about 200 miles with the brake piston stuck (i didnt know, but my dad found and fixed it) so the brakes was semi engaged for most of the way. The brakes were super hot when i drove it about 10-20 miles but even after 200 miles it didnt deform one bit.

it also has great stopping power, much better than the generic brands found at ur local car shop.

 

I also used Bendix pads on mine. They are the metallics, but they come with a lifetime wear warranty. Register them online, and they send you a certificate. Keep that, and your receipt, and if the pads ever wear out you can return them for a new set. For rotors, I went with the Advance Auto house brand which is wear ever. They are pretty cheap at $25 each, but I don't beat on the brakes, and if they warp or wear out quick I can replace them for $50 a pair.

Installing the brakes isn't a terribly hard job either. If you are only replacing pads you need a wrench (think it's 14 mm) and a big C clamp, and that's about it. If you're replacing the rotors, then you need another wrench to remove the caliper bracket with, and some grease because you might as well remove the sliders and lube them while you're in there. Still even if it's your first time, you should be able to do both sides in less than two hours.

 

OEM pads, brembo blank rotors. If you feel extra saucy and want more pad bite and don't mind possible noisy or dusty brakes, try a low end performance pad.

Cheap drilled or slotted rotors are usually most prone to cracking and warpage. It's false economy, especially considering that in street use a slotted rotor makes almost no difference.

Dave

 

well both newbs are using those metallic pads but stay away from them. They are not good for OEM rotors ( I was told any metallic was bad). I use prostops from pepboys. $35 I think and they do a good job. I would upgrade to hawks tho if I got a better deal. I know cheaping out on brakes is stupid but spending that much on hawks is out of my price range. Install the damn things yourself. It's not rocket science. Just need to undo things, install pads and get the pistons back in and rebolt. Takes me 30 minutes to change both sides usually.

 

OK i guess i can sum up the following from all your responses

1) dont get metallic pads but rather ceramic (because metallic pads will eat away the stock rotors which i have)
2) dont get fancy with rotors (since i only do street driving i dont need cross drilled or slotted/which is the same as the ones with the grooves that i was looking at in my original link posted)

I am going to the mechanic to get them replaced no matter what, for the front pads he will charge me 30 dollars which is not a lot. I do have to look around a bit more for the pads though since you guys are suggesting to stay away from metallic ones, and im not going to change the rotors since mine are fine and i dont need an upgrade at the moment cause i have steelies and not rims so my car is light as air.

Thanx, anyone else is still welcome to comment plz...

 

well new rotors will still be good. i'm going to do drilled/slotted rotors later on with new pads and steel lines. Not huge upgrades but still give better braking for street driving.

 

i know id love to get some nice rotors in there since im going to get the pads replaced anyways but that will cost me money which i dont have right now

im just gona get the pads replaced and be done with it (for now HEHE)

 

i have the bendix brakes with just cheapo rotors and it works fine. not sure what the effects of better rotors are (maybe just less wear?). the next step up was like 40 bucks more per rotor from the generic ones which wasnt worth quite that much. also, from what i've read on these forums today, there are a few people that use bendix brakes and say they are good. The ones i have are ceramic or as some people claim are semi-metalic (ceramic particles in a metal brake pad)

if you have some spare cash, always opt out for better brakes. i mean 20-30 dollars per wheel is not that much, considering that it might last at least a year.

 

Cheap $20 to $30 rotors for me + the great Hawk Hps pads

 

How about these Pro Ceramic pads ? they are made by Satisfied and are 15% off until the end of wednesday

http://www.partsource.ca/_pdf/flyer.pdf

By the way, what makes people say that fully metallic pads will eat thru the stock rotors ? whats so different about stock rotors ?

 

i have raybesto quiet stops and raybesto rotors from rockauto.com they ran me 80$ shipped for 2 rotors and front pads.

they are quiet but they aren't the best in bite great for every day.

DONT CHEAP OUT. tires and brakes are the only thing that stops you. 2 most important things to a car and i hate to see people cheap out. $100 not worth your safety? i would get any random rotor and a nice set of front pads i'm going with HAWKS next set this summer.

i would also recommend you doing it yourself as its 5 lugs for tire and 4 bolts maybe 1 screw and everything is off. 1 c- clamp or big set of pilers to get it back in redo the screw and bolts and your good.

 

Found some ceramic wagner break pads for 54 can, probly gona get those over the Satisfied brand which is 49 dollars

they dont sell the brands u guys are all recomending here from what i know

 

then buy hawks online.

 

yea online... oh by the way they are known as "brakes" not "Break" that might help you in searching a little.

 

HAHA thanx i just realized that its Brakes stupid me, oh well i just got the pads installed got the Satisfied pro ceramic vs pads. one of the separator springs was missing on the passenger side caliper, but its not a big deal, they are just for noise reduction as far as i know and i dont hear any noise anyways so its all good

The pad on the inner side of the passenger side was a bit smaller then the outer pad but maybe thats jsut a manifacturing defect of the pad itself, i dont know

Thanks for the help guys

 

The more likely cause of the worn outside pad is that your caliper sliders were sticking. You should be able to move them very easily with you fingers.

 

it was the inside one not the outside but that could be it