Low dust / good braking: what's your goto brand?

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by schwim

Thank you all for the help! Just a quick addon question: are the sensors considered best to replace every pad change or are they something that can be cleaned and replaced without expectation of an issue further down the road?

What AM said. No need to replace if they haven't tripped the warning light already and you can remove them from your old pads without breaking them. Sometimes they get stuck in there pretty good.

Originally Posted by richardb

Ceramic low dust pads are garbage, in my opinion. I use only BMW genuine pads and usually the Zimmerman brake rotors, both from FCP euro.

Have tried the Akebono ceramic on several cars and while they are virtually dust free, the performance is total crap. Again, my opinion.

I would rather drive around with black dusted wheels and have brakes that inspire confidence in all conditions.

Yep, opinions, we all have them. I hate cleaning wheels and have never felt a lack of confidence in the brand I use. Definitely less initial bite than OE or other metallic/semi metallic/organic... but never an issue with stopping power when needed. Maybe I'm just used to driving with this particular band. Though I do not drive in extremely cold climates... so that may have something to do with my not experiencing any "oh shit" moments with them.

Just ordered another full set today for my Mom's QX70. 4 rotors, pads, clips. On sale currently... $190 after tax...

[pshovest]

Originally Posted by Attacking Mid

If your brake pad warning light is showing up on the dash, you'll need a new sensor. If not, no sensor needed.

AM.

These are 2-stage sensors. BMW extrapolates the life of the pads based miles between reset and 1st stage sensor wear thru. There is no dash warning when 1st stage sensor wears thru. If 1st stage is worn thru, you can't reset w/o replacing sensor

[richardb]

Originally Posted by Attacking Mid

Akebono Euro's FTW. Virtually no dust, last forever, super gentle on rotors, good (not the best, but good) stopping power. What's not to like?

AM.

I'll tell em what's not to like: the lack of bite and the lack of stopping power.

You have to give up something to get something. No product is the perfect balance of everything. You can have virtually no dust (it is amazing) but the performance is terrible.

[TriX5]

I have used brakemotive in the past and no complaints. I think the front rotors on my e53 are from Brakemotive (they went on just before I removed the engine). I also used them on my e70 and they seemed fine there too.

In the end it is a trade-off between pad-wear and ultimate brake bite.

[ard]

Originally Posted by Attacking Mid

If your brake pad warning light is showing up on the dash, you'll need a new sensor. If not, no sensor needed.

AM.

Hmmm.


The newer sensors have a 'midway' contact that sets the ramp for the calculation.... so once this one is tripped- and that happens pretty quick- the sensor needs replacing.


(Old sensor was as you describe...)




Ooops..didnt see pvhovest had addressed this already.

[Attacking Mid]

Thanks for the correction. I'm still learning my way around this E70, and it's amazing how much was changed from the E53. So far, I'm spending way more time dealing with my laptop in the cabin than I am with tools under the hood!

I have the counter warning for my rear brakes, so I looked up my sensors figuring I might as well get them on order. For some reason, the LCI's use a different rear sensor (04/10+ production date). Mine is an 03/10, but has CIC, so I'll be curious if I end up needing the old or the new sensor. RealOEM thinks I need the old, so I guess I'll go with that.

AM.

[edco]

I have stuck with Akebono pads and Brembo rotors since 2000, when we converted from Lexus autos to BMW autos. The pads are dustless and have about 95% of the bite of OEM pads (at least that's been my experience). In fact, when I gave my 2011 E70 to my son, I told him to continue to use the same combo.

QUESTION! He's complaining of a squealing noise, but if the pads were worn, wouldn't the rubber on the brake wear indicator be worn away and cause a failure light on the dash, because he's got no brake wear dash light on. Could it be the side WITHOUT the indicator cable could wear down to make the rotor squeal? I'm guessing a long shot might be he hit a pothole or drove over a retread on 95 and pushed a dust shield so it's hitting a rotor but that's a stretch, I think. He's 300 miles from me but if he can get a 2x4 on the hydraulic jack, chock the rear wheels, and use jack stands for safety, he should be able to hear the noise. Any other ideas?

Even if you don't know say "Hello"! This board used to be a lot more active than it seems these days. We had some good times.....

Ed formerly of NJ, now of Hilton Head, SC and former owner of the E70 which I gave to my son when I went to the Dark Side and bought a Tesla Model Y this past April. Still have my wife's 04 325Ci Vert which just today hit 70K miles. Absolutely bullet proof.

[wfwright2]

On my 07 4.8l, squeal cam from corroded emergency brake fittings in rear. Replacing hardware corrected issue. Former Arizona, DC vehicle.
He can also go to service indicator and check on mileage left estimate for brake pads, may give an indication of potential need to actually look at pads.

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