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Brake Pad + Rotor recommendation

18K views 34 replies 13 participants last post by  noobytoogy 
#1 ·
Hi everyone!

Worn out my pads and my rotors. Any brand you'd recommend me to buy or avoid when replacing them?

This will be the first time I do this, do I need to buy new brake pad sensors as well? Anything else?

Thanks!
VD-CH
 
#2 ·
#3 ·
It is very difficult to reuse sensors. They are plastic and become brittle. Think of how hot the brake system can get sometimes. The heat stresses the plastic. Then, brake dust and dirt work around and totally surround the sensors. So, we now have brittle plastic sensors that get cemented into the metal brake system.

TLDR: The sensors tend to break apart when you remove them.
 
#5 ·
Brembo discs and Pagid pads were OEM.
 
#6 ·
#7 ·
Anyone know of Nitrided rotors? AC Delco used to advertise heat treat and Nitrided rotors. There's also a company that makes the best iron (steel) based rotors money can buy. But they are super expensive.


I've had good luck with the front rotors from ID auto parts that I put on (painted them with silver header paint). Not sure how long they will last but so far I have 18K miles on them and pretty happy.
 
#13 ·
Don't forget there is a pair of parking brake shoes inside the drum that is a part of each rear disc.

These may need replacing too.

I would order them on a sale or return basis so they are to hand if needed but it's something you can only decide upon when you have removed the old discs and can inspect the shoes.
 
#15 ·
I just got new Zimmerman rotor and pads put on my V8 TDi today.

They are a premium brake to the standard OEMs, so hopefully they will perform better than the original OEM brakes, and justify the extra cost.

FYI, I found the following site that provided part numbers for the above brakes. Just go to "My Garage" and enter your vehicle and then go to brakes and use the filters on the left.

I used their part numbers to cross check what the brake place was putting on (checked it against the 600.xxxx.xx part number) and they matched. :)

https://runautoparts.com.au
 
#21 ·
I don't want to discourage you from doing your own wrenching, but based on that question & statement, are you sure that you have all the necessary tools and knowledge to tackle this yourself? The task itself is not the most technical but it is super imperative that you do it correctly since it is what stops your vehicle...... Are you even mechanically inclined enough to figure out what needs to be disassembled and in what order to take the calipers\mounts\rotors off? Do you have service manuals that you'll be following?

I'm not really sure what you mean by immobilizing, but any time you lift any corner of a vehicle you need to ensure that it will not move..... being on flat, solid ground, choking the wheels, using jack stands, etc. are all basic and important safety factors.

You may want to educate yourself on this brake job task prior to just ripping things apart, or you may find yourself overwhelmed.
 
#22 ·
Thanks for your concern TurboABA, much appreciated.

I've done a number of mechanicals repairs on the Touareg myself, just never done a brake job.

Flat solid surface, jack stands and wheel chocks are all things that I've already thought of and done. As far as I know, from all the Touareg Tutorials I've followed on YouTube, I have all the necessary tools.

Sorry for not being clear enough though in my previous post what I meant: is, for the rear rotors, having the car in P and the wheel in chocks enough from having it move, given that you still need to apply quite a bit of torque to loosen (and tighten) some of the bolts?
 
#23 ·
Typically you break loose your lugs prior to lifting the wheels off the ground...... once you have the vehicle on jack stands it's "SOLID" so you can apply torque until you go blue in the face......
I haven't messed around with the parking brake on these yet, but I believe there's some VCDS process involved in calibrating the system or setting the shoes properly......
 
#24 ·
^^Early gen with mechanical parking brakes require no VCDS. If you have the mechanical parking brake lever, all is good.

Later Gens with the electronic parking brake (and push button switch) require the use use of VCDS to put the brakes in service position. Failure to do so risks needing a new replacement parking brake motor, which is roughly $500 per side.
 
#26 ·
VD-CH -

Too bad you are in Switzerland. I have 3 Powerstop front brake kits I'm selling from Texas.

They are for the 04-2008 V10 TDI with 18Z Calipers

Power Stop Kit K4558 Front Z23 Evolution Brake Kit with Drilled/Slotted Rotors and Ceramic Brake Pads

I love them on my Treg. Anyone else interested in a great $150 deal on great front brake setup, contact me.
 
#27 ·
Due to availability and cost I'll need to order BOSCH rotors and BREMBO pads.

How come the front rotors are not identical??

About the pads...

BREMBO

Front: P 85 065 16mm x 190mm x 106mm
Rear: P 85 070 16mm x 112mm x 73mm

Sounds about right?
 
#28 ·
The discs/rotors are ventilated so they are handed left and right to ensure at as the car is travelling forward they suck in the cooling air through what is effectively a cast iron fan.

Make sure you fit the new discs on the correct side by looking at the old discs before you remove them!

The OEM equipment is Brembo discs and Pagid pads. Pagid makes the pads for Brembo as the latter has no friction material production capability.
 
#33 ·
I have run Bosch rotors and TRW pads on many Touaregs and the braking is as good as the OEM (Not VW rebranded Pagid stuff)


The rotors are left hand and right hand (has to do with the venting inside the discs)
Interesting Brembo no don't do the LH and RH discs any more and do a single disc for both sides?



regards
Drag
 
#31 ·
On a 2.5 tonne beast like the V10 I'd stick with OEM. The saving you mention won't even fill its empty fuel tank!
 
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