Brake/rotor?
 

Has anyone tried going to brakes plus for new pads and rotors? I always see these places in Denver but not sure what kind of quality/work they do!

Can't say that I have, however I am doing my own break job soon at 55K and will replace both pads and rotors. Looking to get some cross drilled slotted rotors.

Good Luck!

Cross drilled are for ricers. OE or go home.

But seriously if you looking for performance, dont do drilled.

:iagree:

Man after my own heart!

Slotted for superior track performance, combined with longevity.

Plain if you just drive an SUV around.

What good timing, I am getting ready to replace my fronts (@65k), and I have a few questions; 1) Is my break service message based on actual wear or is it a milage based warning? Mine says I have ~600mls before replacement. 2) I am looking at mid level EBC parts, any recomendations? Thanks in advance.

Post a picture.

But, there are two, or rather three messages that will pop up.

You most likely have the "it's time" to check your break system message.
There is also an orange icon and red icon that indicate break pad ware.

A thing to know (if you are not a bmw guy, or new to bmw) is that there is one pad sensor on front axcel and one sensor on rear axle. Not like other german cars that have independent sensors for each pad.

A few thoughts
 

I have used EBC pads on several other BMWs, they were two wheelers. Having had a good experience with EBC, I bought new ATE rotors and EBC 'Red Stuff' pads, doing the fronts only at 48K. The switch to Red Stuff was to Eliminate the dusty OEM pads.

Break in procedure was my normal 'drive it using light braking' for the first few hundred miles.

I had smooth braking for about 4,000 miles and noticed in very short order, increasing juddering. The problem grew worse over the next 2,000 miles. Much worse.

My shop is well equipped and I had used very good quality digital gauging to measure lateral run-out after installing the rotors and upon measuring the rotors at 6K miles found significant wear resulting in a variation in rotor thickness. I had the local Midas shop resurface the rotors and all was good for a few thousand when the juddering returned.

I ultimately replaced the rotors with Bosch rotors and Akebono Euro pads, and 12K plus miles later no problems. A week a go I serviced the rear of the vehicle with new Zimmerman rotors and Akebono pads.

I can not state that the EBC Red Stuff was the specific cause of the accelerated wear I experienced, but there was some incompatibility between the pads and the ATE rotors.

To do the work your self, you must have an E-18 female Torx socket, and a 7MM male hex adapter for your ratchet wrench.

There is only one wear sensor on front of the vehicle, on the left hand side and they are NOT reusable, as they self destruct when prying them from the inside pad.

I have no business interest in any of the vendors mentioned.

Ciao,
DC

Great feedback
 

Thanks rcasey, I will look into the europads before I commit to buying any parts. Good heads up on the wear sensor also, I would have bought two for the front. gregg3, I wil see if I can get a picture of the service alert I am receiving, I am assuming I have about a month (600mls) before i need to do the work.

lt2mc: I failed to mention in my earlier post, the Akebono pads were essentially dust free as were the EBC Red Stuff pads, and the braking performance on both were as good as the OEM pads in normal day to day driving.

When my front brake sensor went off I was almost 2,000 miles from home, and I drove the car home.

There was still plenty of 'meat' left on the pads when I replaced them weeks later.

Please note, I am NOT RECOMMENDING that you follow in my tire tracks.

Be safe,
Dick Casey

All great information on here!

And specially LOVE the BMW purists... NO, my SUV is not a RICER nor are the mods that I choose to do. I can understand your view of drilled rotors, however I also disagree. In any case I am still shopping around and I am noticing that there aren't many options for drilled rotors. I see Zimmerman, Bosch, Brembo, & Meyle for the most part.

I have always used EBC red stuff pads and appreciate the very little brake dust... I think this time around I will going with the Akebono pads.

Just a heads up FCPEuro is having a cyber Monday sales and most these parts are on there at a discount.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/BMW-parts/X5...&m=2126&page=1

Cheers!