General Brake Pads & Rotors Discussion

[dolbydj]

Just got these from: http://www.maxrotors.com in Toronto. $350 installed, I was getting quoted $700 at Autozone just for parts. Feels great out of the box! My old ones were starting to warp. They have been getting good feedback locally. We'll see about longevity.

[big_c]

So, it looks like my wife's rogue with 110k miles is about due for rear brakes.

Can someone recommend me a good set of pads? Initial bite and low noise is key here- she is not a street racer.

My options that I am looking at:

1) EBC Ulti Max

2) OEM Nissan

3) Akebono pro ceramic

If anyone can comment on the performance and or make a recommendation, it would be appreciated. thanks

[Yev]

Big_C - I would simply go with the OEM Nissan/Infiniti brakes based on my experience dealing with non-OEM parts. Three months ago, I installed Hawk Performance Ceramic brake pads on the front and rear of my 2008 Nissan Rogue S. My original rotors were machined to save some money. ONE PROBLEM - the original rotors were not made for such braking punishment. What I am left with now is 50% of ceramic compound on my rear pads and rotors that have seen better days. On top of that, the performance brakes have to warm up in order to get a good bite. When cold, the pads are worse than OEM! If you do decide to go with non-OEM parts, make sure to change your rotors, too. Don't even think about installing drilled rotors, those are garbage. You'll regret buying them...slotted are a great alternative! You may be wondering, how am I left with 50% of ceramic compound after only three months of driving? First off, I do not drive regularly nor for long distances and I most certainly do not brake hard. The rear brakes on the Nissan Rogue and Infiniti vehicles (g35/37) have a brake setup which wears out prematurely. Many articles written about this issue online...

[ImStricken06]

i've always used EBC brake pads for HH Sintered racing brake pads on my bike. they make great products. id certainly buy their car products

[Silverfrogs01]

New to the forum but need some good advice ASAP please.Had break pads and rotors replaced approx 3k mi ago after taking it in due to car vibrating. Was told nothing wrong with calipers (we thought there was) and that front should be replaced (couldnt be resurfaced) and needed new pads. This was approx 40k mi. I do break somewhat hard compared to most I suppose but I've never had to replace pads/rotors in other cars I've had this early.

Now car has started vibrating again we took it back in and now--magically, caliper on front right has seized and ruined the rotor/pad I just replaced (now at 43k mi). Of course the 36k warranty is up and didn't get extended since it is Nissan and should hold up fine.

1. Should I attempt to ask Nissan to cover since this should not be happening at such low mileage? Would they just refuse since it is out of warranty anyway?

2. If I suck it up and fix it (which I pretty much have to because it needs to be fixed and we share this car)...can you recommend what to get for calipers rotors and pads (better quality than original which obviously have issues) and where is good to buy from?!

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[ImStricken06]

New to the forum but need some good advice ASAP please.Had break pads and rotors replaced approx 3k mi ago after taking it in due to car vibrating. Was told nothing wrong with calipers (we thought there was) and that front should be replaced (couldnt be resurfaced) and needed new pads. This was approx 40k mi. I do break somewhat hard compared to most I suppose but I've never had to replace pads/rotors in other cars I've had this early.

Now car has started vibrating again we took it back in and now--magically, caliper on front right has seized and ruined the rotor/pad I just replaced (now at 43k mi). Of course the 36k warranty is up and didn't get extended since it is Nissan and should hold up fine.

1. Should I attempt to ask Nissan to cover since this should not be happening at such low mileage? Would they just refuse since it is out of warranty anyway?

2. If I suck it up and fix it (which I pretty much have to because it needs to be fixed and we share this car)...can you recommend what to get for calipers rotors and pads (better quality than original which obviously have issues) and where is good to buy from?!

Thanks in advance for your advice.

WELCOME TO THE FORUM MATE! glad to have you aboard.

just to start off, if your caliper is shot, you cant drive in the car. so if its at the dealer, your kinda stuck. i would highly advise NOT driving that car. stuck/seized or leaking calipers will cause zero brake pressure.

anyway: the brakes in this car are kinda known for causing the stock rotors to wave. idk what it is, but it happen often to folks.
what you felt from the get-go was rotors. when they warp, they get wavy. when they are wavy and spin = vibration. if the caliper was broken back then, they would have known. they probably wouldn't have been able to even install the new pads since it would have been seized shut. so i believe they are being honest when they stated that last time it wasnt the calipers at fault.

if your car was drivable: i wouldn't go to the dealer for this. you can easily get a new caliper & set of rotors from your local chain-owned auto parts store, for less than $200 and have it installed by a local shop. i have done it, and the calipers from pep-boys came with a life-time warranty to boot! you can also get the rotors there too. i have NEVER on any of my cars gone to the dealer for this work. i always do it myself (in my driveway) and use pep-boys / autozone / advance auto parts for the supplies and they last me just fine.

i would certainly try to get nissan to cover it. if not, dont feel to bad. worse things can happen.

next time: you can grab all the parts you need, and drive into any local shop and get a quote. (tell them you were gonna do the work yourself, but realized it out of your realm)

[Silverfrogs01]

Car is not at the dealer. We were looking at parts online possibly but weren't sure about alternate brands/styles besides oem. Just wary of putting the oem on since this happened so early on and if we buy the parts ourselves we could get "better quality" and replace both rotors pads and calipers for the same cost of one caliper one rotor and 2 pads (left rotor and caliper are technically fine as only 3k mi on them) . Guess I will have to get a rental for a few days.

[ImStricken06]

silverfrog, funny but today i fine this issue in my car: fail-went-to-replace-my-brake-pads-bad- ... 77487.html

[Silverfrogs01]

I just saw your other posts too, this is absolute bs. On top of the caliper issues now we were told that tires plus f'd up the alignment we just had done and had we not taken it in it would have ruined the suspension. PLUS Firestone apparently didn't install pads correctly. Tech showed my significant other while the breaks were pulled apart so it wasn't bs. I had vw's before this car and purposely got this car cause I was sick of the bs be problems. I expect this crap with a used car someone didn't take care of, not a brand new car that has been completely maintained.

[ImStricken06]

I just saw your other posts too, this is absolute bs. On top of the caliper issues now we were told that tires plus f'd up the alignment we just had done and had we not taken it in it would have ruined the suspension. PLUS Firestone apparently didn't install pads correctly. Tech showed my significant other while the breaks were pulled apart so it wasn't bs. I had vw's before this car and purposely got this car cause I was sick of the bs be problems. I expect this crap with a used car someone didn't take care of, not a brand new car that has been completely maintained.

it sounds like the dealership is yanking your chain.

• TiresPlus messed up your alignment? how!?
  a bad alignment ruin the suspension!? unless we are talking about a miss-alignment like someone hit a curb, i doubt it.
  someone installed the pads wrong? its either right, or wrong. if its wrong you'd know FAST, LOUD, and wouldnt stop.

[lgeetx1]

I'm in the same boat. I have a 2010 Nissan Rogue and I'm ready for my 3rd or 4th set of rotors. This last set was put on at 35K and they are shot at 45K. After going back to the dealership almost 10 times for this, I'm tired of it. Time to buy another vehicle!!!

[ImStricken06]

you are better off buying aftermarket rotors like i did. they should last longer.

[zakmartin]

BTT: Time for a follow-up. 1,500 miles ago, I performed another brake job on my wife's 2009 SL-AWD Rogue (this is the third set, including what came with the car from the factory.) The odometer was at 44,000 miles when I did the work, which means I got 26,000 miles on my OEM brakes (realistically, 22,000 GOOD miles) and only 18,000 miles on my aftermarket brakes. My observations on the last set-up were as follows:

The Hawk Performance Ceramic bake pads were nice and agressive. Braking was very good and the pads had a lot of bite, but they ATE through the rotors. The Centric rotors were gouged like a cornfield on harvest day.

The Centric rotors were very good while they lasted. Braking was nice and linear and they were quiet. These were the base (i.e., cheapest) set. Don't expect to get a lot of life out of these, especially if you use an agressive pad like the Hawk Performance Ceramics.

I replaced all of the rotors with Centric Premium Cryo-Treated. The pads are the manufacturer's product-matching Centric Ceramics. I read a trade magazine article that said brake manufacturers are creating systems where pads, shoes, rotors and drums are matched to get the most out of them. So far, I've been a lot happier with my new manufacturer-matched setup than I was with the Hawk/Centric one. There's not as much sudden bite when you press the brake pedal; they are exceptionally linear, quiet and progressive, which instills confidence. I also replaced the parking brakes with a Centric system. Everything got a good cleaning and the caliper pins got high-temp silicone grease. The fluids were replaced with DOT3 Prestone synthetic. I also tested the ABS system with a scope and a scan tool and everything checked out fine.

My bottom-line observation is that the Rogue's braking system was built using off-the-shelf Sentra-R parts, which are not up to the task given the weight difference between the two vehicles. The entire brake system (calipers, rotors, pads, etc.) is under-sized for the requirements of the Rogue. Short of upgrading to a big brake system, which would require a lot of fabrication, I don't expect to get longevity with these brakes. Therefore I'm not inclined to spend the extra cash on anything performance-related. I think the system I recently purchased is about as premium as our Rogue will ever go. When the brakes are ready to be replaced again, I'll do another write-up.

[Scooter71]

you are better off buying aftermarket rotors like i did. they should last longer.

i've always used EBC brake pads for HH Sintered racing brake pads on my bike. they make great products. id certainly buy their car products

Agreed to both of these. If your going to upgrade your pads to non OEM I would deff recommend after market rotors as well. IMO it's been best to match the pads to the rotors, soon as this snow stops I have a set of Power Stop drilled and slotted rotors and Power Stops Z16 ceramic scorched pads thats going on all 4 corners. IMS I love the EBC HH Sintered pads on the bike. Never tried them on my cars. Was not a fan of the Hawk pads, had some really good experiences with Ebay ones (Sellers from Cali), but I always ordered the pads from them as well and never had an issue.
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinf ... cc=1443164

[bigbank_A]

Ok i really dont like using ebay for car parts but can someone check this out for me and tell me if there ok to buy.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/400374540777?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

[ImStricken06]

Ok i really dont like using ebay for car parts but can someone check this out for me and tell me if there ok to buy.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/400374540777?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

i moved your post where it belongs. please search next time.

to answer your question: if it looks to good to be true = it probably is. do you want to do a job that you will end up having to re-do in 15k? i know i wouldnt! brakes are a nasty time: dirt, dust, stuck bolts, etc. and you do understand that dangers of drilled rotors right? if not visit: Brake Rotors 101

[Scooter71]

Ok i really dont like using ebay for car parts but can someone check this out for me and tell me if there ok to buy.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/400374540777?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

I've actually used their brake rotors and pads before. They're very good, good communication fast shipping, and if I can recall correctly their rotors are also labeled (meaning what rotor goes on what hub). Never had an issue in all my years dealing with Ebay rotors, for both foreign and domestic vehicles.

[bigbank_A]

Ok i really dont like using ebay for car parts but can someone check this out for me and tell me if there ok to buy.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/400374540777?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

i moved your post where it belongs. please search next time.

to answer your question: if it looks to good to be true = it probably is. do you want to do a job that you will end up having to re-do in 15k? i know i wouldnt! brakes are a nasty time: dirt, dust, stuck bolts, etc. and you do understand that dangers of drilled rotors right? if not visit: Brake Rotors 101

Thanks

[bigbank_A]

Ok i really dont like using ebay for car parts but can someone check this out for me and tell me if there ok to buy.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/400374540777?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

I've actually used their brake rotors and pads before. They're very good, good communication fast shipping, and if I can recall correctly their rotors are also labeled (meaning what rotor goes on what hub). Never had an issue in all my years dealing with Ebay rotors, for both foreign and domestic vehicles.

How long until you had to replace them

[Scooter71]

Until they were pretty much done, to thin to use safely. I would have to say normal rotor wear with proper DYI maintenance. About 60,000 miles or so. I've pretty much put them on every car I've ever worked on (side job not professionally. But I've studied the mechanics of the breaking system and read everything I could on them, when I do a brake job it takes me a few hours, I'm super anal when it comes to procedure. Again I'm no expert, but in my experience I've used everything from Bear and EBC to Ebay ones, and I've never had a problem with the Ebay ones. Last set I installed on a 2004 Nissan Sentra SER Spec-V (non brembo) was form Ebay and they looked and felt amazing. Replaced both rear calipers, upgraded to steel lines, and flushed the old fluid out and filled with freshy fresh. The Vehicle had just about 120K on her, and it was my second set of Ebay rotors I had done it (replacing pads as needed). These are the ones I used last put them on my old 2003 Grand Prix GTP also.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FRONT-REAR-KIT- ... 6b&vxp=mtr

[ImStricken06]

i think this super cold weather is giving me a spongy pedal in the morning, and while driving long distances between stops. after a few seconds warm up, the pedal is firm again. idk if its crappy pads, air in the line, or the cold temps.

[bigbank_A]

i think this super cold weather is giving me a spongy pedal in the morning, and while driving long distances between stops. after a few seconds warm up, the pedal is firm again. idk if its crappy pads, air in the line, or the cold temps.

i think its the cold i hate it

[ImStricken06]

i think its the cold as well. but i'm bleeding the brakes this spring and checking the status of the pads, and cleaning out the air channel within the brake pad surface.

[Scooter71]

After months of waiting to install these I finally found the time Sunday. I've been talking about this "upgrade" for a while now. Install went smooth, nothing out of the ordinary. It was a normal rotor, pad replacement. First time doing this on my 09, was pleased with everything. Power Stop Rotors, and Z16 Scorched Ceramic Pads.

Fronts

Rear

On the Rogue

[ImStricken06]

After months of waiting to install these I finally found the time Sunday. I've been talking about this "upgrade" for a while now. Install went smooth, nothing out of the ordinary. It was a normal rotor, pad replacement. First time doing this on my 09, was pleased with everything. Power Stop Rotors, and Z16 Scorched Ceramic Pads.

Fronts

Rear

On the Rogue

all that work and you didnt at least paint the calipers a neutral color(blcak, silver, etc)!~!!???? lmfao / jk

good work bro. lookin good.

[DTASFAB]

all that work and you didnt at least paint the calipers a neutral color(blcak, silver, etc)!~!!???? lmfao / jk

good work bro. lookin good.

How many hot chicks are going to notice calipers on a Rogue and be like, damn, I don't care if that guy is ugly and driving a tubby little boxy truck with a matching physique, his powder-coated calipers make me want to hump his brains out!?

Nobody care but you, bro!

[ImStricken06]

lololol so true.
idk man, i dont do things on my rogue for chicks; but for myself. glossy calipers look really nice along with some sporty rotors. some caliper spray paint and they look much-much better

[DTASFAB]

lololol so true.
idk man, i dont do things on my rogue for chicks; but for myself. glossy calipers look really nice along with some sporty rotors. some caliper spray paint and they look much-much better

Next time, make them highly reflective chrome!

[Scooter71]

I had painted my calipers on my GTP for the longest time, and all I can remember is that they were a PITA to maintain. Between rock chips and the NY seasons it sucked. And I certainly didn't get any hot chicks looking at me or my car when I had all that work done....must be me. Seriously, I had no desire to maintain them and worry about them. Plus I never removed the caliper so I would have had to paint them on the vehicle, and I didn't want to waste the whole day painting when the weather was decent and there was riding to be done. This is how I spent my afternoon.. IMS thanks for the props.



You can follow me on instagram @ Scooter1928

[ImStricken06]

I had painted my calipers on my GTP for the longest time, and all I can remember is that they were a PITA to maintain. Between rock chips and the NY seasons it sucked. And I certainly didn't get any hot chicks looking at me or my car when I had all that work done....must be me. Seriously, I had no desire to maintain them and worry about them. Plus I never removed the caliper so I would have had to paint them on the vehicle, and I didn't want to waste the whole day painting when the weather was decent and there was riding to be done. This is how I spent my afternoon.. IMS thanks for the props.



You can follow me on instagram @ Scooter1928

oh god, stop! you are making me miss my track beast