Break Pads

[vas160s]

What is the cheapest site to get OEM break pads? Anyone know who the OEM company is ? I noticed a squeak coming from the front when I break and the front wheels have what could be break dust on them. Thanks as always!

[marklar182]

Do not buy OEM Brake Pads. They will kill your rotors as they wear down, best to upgrade.

Stoptech Street are a good choice and less dust.

[lswing]

Make sure you get brake pads:)

Hawk HPS, good price, low dust, long life, decent braking. The level up Hawk Ceramics have been liked by some I believe. People also seem to like EBC Yellow.

Been running the Hawks for years, on this and previous car. Not much grab around town, but they do fairly well when heated up...

Oh yes, the squeaking is the metal post in the OEM pad eating into your rotor.

[vas160s]

Thanks. I was told that there should be a monitoring device that goes off if the brakes need to be replaced but I will still take a look and see why the squeaking is going on.

[lswing]

Thanks. I was told that there should be a monitoring device that goes off if the brakes need to be replaced but I will still take a look and see why the squeaking is going on.

The pins that act as the monitoring device in stock pads don't work for some reason, they just dig grooves into your rotors.

[G2]

Selling front EBC Yellows, slightly worn for $100 shipped. With wear sensor leads.

-- (i currently have 3 EBC sets: 2 Yellow (1 set currently on car), 1 set BlueStuff with new Rotors, waiting for installation). And rear Yellows on order. Plus others.

My car had Ferodo. Dreadful waste of money. Textar is OEM supplier. Good for OE....but it's still relative.

[Zorb]

The pins that act as the monitoring device in stock pads don't work for some reason, they just dig grooves into your rotors.

This brings up an interesting point... how far do stock pads safely wear before there is a risk of exposing pins and grooving rotors? I have stock pads now, but rotors are in very nice shape. I have two aftermarket replacement sets, Hawk HPS, which I have run on other cars; and TRW set I got for $44 but seem like nice material. I only bought the TRWs because I ran a set on my BMW with great luck.

[marklar182]

I would not go past halfway on stock pads unless they have changed them.

With the cost of rotors I would not want to press my luck.....

[Zorb]

I would not go past halfway on stock pads unless they have changed them.

With the cost of rotors I would not want to press my luck.....

Interesting. This is ridiculous. I will take my car's brakes apart tomorrow to check their status.

I have had GMs before, where the rivets could be exposed about 50 miles after the wear indicators hit, and that was bull.

[lswing]

I had squealing when I got the car with stock pads. Looked and found grooves in my rotors, small though. Took apart and both pins were showing and contacting the rotor, not light on dash to indicate brake wear. Assume it's just a faulty system, no codes shown either, not sure anyone has ever had a worn down brake pad indicator...

[Zorb]

I had squealing when I got the car with stock pads. Looked and found grooves in my rotors, small though. Took apart and both pins were showing and contacting the rotor, not light on dash to indicate brake wear. Assume it's just a faulty system, no codes shown either, not sure anyone has ever had a worn down brake pad indicator...

How about with aftermarket brakes? Are their wear sensors garbage too? On GMs and BMWs, it's just a piece of pad material with a thin wire in it. When it wears down to that point, the wire is worn through. and it trips the message.

[lswing]

How about with aftermarket brakes? Are their wear sensors garbage too? On GMs and BMWs, it's just a piece of pad material with a thin wire in it. When it wears down to that point, the wire is worn through. and it trips the message.

From what I can tell the computer/ecu doesn't put a warning up regardless. Has anyone ever had a worn brake pad warning? The Hawk HPS has sensor plugins, I think, otherwise you can just bypass it and keep an eye on you pads.

[mik15]

i am sure the warning sensor does work, it's just that you never get to it because of the rivets which start f*****g up your rotors and obviously you'll replace the pads before the wear sensor hits in, but the sensor does work, i had it on when i put the Hawks and it does light up in the dashboard...

[Turbowned]

That's funny, I was expecting a pad wear light to come on the car, as with so many other German cars that have a light for everything. My front brakes have been squealing for some time; it's been hard to discern whether it's improper lubrication or whether they're actually due for replacement. There's still a bit of meat on the pads, but my rotors are toast so I need to replace them this time regardless. Now to decide whether to go for Frozen rotors or JHM 2pc...

[vas160s]

So the place it took it to advised that I need front rotors and pads. They quoted about $1060. Is this a fair price? Where could I source the rotors if needed and is there diff brands? Thanks guys!!!

[DHall1]

Depends on what rotors are used

[lswing]

So the place it took it to advised that I need front rotors and pads. They quoted about $1060. Is this a fair price? Where could I source the rotors if needed and is there diff brands? Thanks guys!!!

Pricing seems ok, just keep in mind you have a variety of rotors (Zimmerman, Audi, Frozen, JHM), and even greater variety of pads. I'd want to know exactly what they are using, better to research and bring your own rotors and pads.

Edit; I'd probably lean towards the Frozen company for extra long life. Not sure anyone here has confirmed if they use Zim or OE rotors, let us know if you talk with them.

Look what I found, http://www.zeckhausen.com/Audi/RS6.htm

(http://www.zeckhausen.com/Audi/RS6.htm)

[marklar182]

Look what I found, http://www.zeckhausen.com/Audi/RS6.htm

(http://www.zeckhausen.com/Audi/RS6.htm)

This should be In bold somewhere......

[Styhl]

Just to pass a bit of info along, my car had ebc reds listed as equipped to front brakes and my worn brake sensor does work. I'm about to upgrade to Yellowstuff found on amazon for about 128, rears for 85 US. My understanding is these brakes have a dongle cord that attach to a fixed sensor on the car that is not replaced. Which is why the Hawks say w/o Sensor it's only a lead cable.

What I'm personally trying to 100% is acquisition of non drilled smooth rotors in an oem look tho the jhm pair with removable hat for 750 might have to be it.

[hahnmgh63]

The EBC Yellows do have the wear sensors for the fronts and plug into the stock harness. Yea, stay away from the Reds.

[Zorb]

The EBC Yellows do have the wear sensors for the fronts and plug into the stock harness. Yea, stay away from the Reds.

What's wrong with red? I have had them on a couple of cars and they have been great.

[lswing]

What's wrong with red? I have had them on a couple of cars and they have been great.

EBC Red debate...anyhow, I couldn't find the thread, but the member 4everRS had the reds crack and ruin a rotor one time, he got it all replaced by EBC I believe.

http://www.rs6.com/showthread.php/22541-EBC-Redstuff-vs-OEM-Rotors

[Zorb]

Ouch. I will remember this.

[Styhl]

So in another thread about rotors the list an audi part number for front non drilled as 4B3 615 301 B and 4B3 615 302 on parts.audiusa.com these are found but it gives no details about them and they are like 550 bucks... I don't see how that can be right

[ryan4186]

My warning light just went off - shame on me for not paying more attention, because the 3 brass posts have already put grooves in my rotor! :( seems they've been rubbing for quite some time. heard a bit of squeaking every once in a while, but thought the sensor would trip when it was legit.

[Jimmy Joe]

Better to get rid of the OEM brake pads (Pagid), at no more than 50% of their useful life. The sensor doesn´t work with this pads and will ruin your discs which are pretty expensive. I can't understand why they stick with rivets when everybody else use bonded pads with excellent results, (EBC yellows, Hawk, ), so, be alert.