brake pad recommendations?
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,783
Likes: 2
From: Latham NY
Re: brake pad recommendations? (1987C4)
I had the Autozone Albany pads on my 85. They're okay if you like black brake dust. Early Vettes have fewer choices on pads. I went with Stillen Pads. www.stillen.com
Dust is much less and is grey which matches my rims. Price was a few $ less by calling them.
Dust is much less and is grey which matches my rims. Price was a few $ less by calling them.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
From: 1987- L98, auto OH
Re: brake pad recommendations? (Bluevette85)
Thanks for all the replies and information. For now, I am going with the regular Albany pads just to get the car back on the road. I am going to check out the ceramic and Stillen pads as the long-term approach. I checked and Hawk doesn't have a rear pad for the 1987. I like to keep the front and rear from the same manufacturer. Again, thanks! Brad
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 240
Likes: 0
From: St. Louis MO
Re: brake pad recommendations? (1987C4)
I think whoever posted about the Bendix pad got a defective pair, or something else is wrong with your car.
At my shop, Bendix is the ONLY pad we use. We used to be a Raybestos kind of shop, but Raybestos pads suck. They squeak and chatter, and they make 5 different grades of pads for one application. That's no good.
I've used Bendix on my 'Vette, resurfaced the rotors and have had no problems. In my 4 years since switching to Bendix, I have had 1, that's right, 1 customer complaint. The pad got a hairline crack in it and caused a slight squeal. But since I've switched to Bendix, I've cut down on my labor costs because I don't have customers coming back every month going, my pads are squeaking, (like with Raybestos), and they seem to fit every need.
I'm a Bendix man, I've been converted. Performance and sound wise they rock. The dust is medium.
Here's my opinions:
Albany: Junk
Raybestos: Junk except for the Superstops and Quiet Stops.
Wagner: Alright, Thermoquiets are the best
Wereaver: Junk
Vipar: Junk
I've had no experience with the Hawks or the PFC pads from Autozone.
Good luck and choose wisely!
At my shop, Bendix is the ONLY pad we use. We used to be a Raybestos kind of shop, but Raybestos pads suck. They squeak and chatter, and they make 5 different grades of pads for one application. That's no good.
I've used Bendix on my 'Vette, resurfaced the rotors and have had no problems. In my 4 years since switching to Bendix, I have had 1, that's right, 1 customer complaint. The pad got a hairline crack in it and caused a slight squeal. But since I've switched to Bendix, I've cut down on my labor costs because I don't have customers coming back every month going, my pads are squeaking, (like with Raybestos), and they seem to fit every need.
I'm a Bendix man, I've been converted. Performance and sound wise they rock. The dust is medium.
Here's my opinions:
Albany: Junk
Raybestos: Junk except for the Superstops and Quiet Stops.
Wagner: Alright, Thermoquiets are the best
Wereaver: Junk
Vipar: Junk
I've had no experience with the Hawks or the PFC pads from Autozone.
Good luck and choose wisely!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
From: 1987- L98, auto OH
Re: brake pad recommendations? (1996blklt4)
Thanks to everyone for all the great input. For the moment, I swapped out the pads with the generic Albany units to get her back on the road. Even with these pads the results were great... at least the first impression. I found out that the previous owner's brother... a "professional mechanic" swapped out the brake pads last time and ended up swapping the inner and outer pads around... on every wheel (this is the same guy that put in the wrong spark plugs and I found that he didn't torque the caliper bolts on the passenger rear-- you could hand-turn them easily)! There is a difference in the pad design and swapping them back to the correct positions made a HUGE difference. This car has had a noise that I can't describe or diagnose since I bought it. The noise is gone and the brakes actually don't stick or make hideous noises when you hit the pedal. At least it was worth it to swap them out. I will be checking into the ceramics and I am now wondering about even the Bendix brakes. I've run into a number of people that have had the Bendix ones and didn't like them. I'm going to check out the other types. The swap was so simple that I wouldn't mind doing it again... very easy. Again, thanks!
Brad
Brad
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 7,080
Likes: 0
From: Corvette valley Georgia
St. Jude Donor '06
Re: brake pad recommendations? (code5coupe)
The GM service manual for my '96 says when replacing pads to NOT turn the rotors unless there is a problem with pulsing.
Seems odd to me, but what the hey....?
Larry
Seems odd to me, but what the hey....?
Larry
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
From: 1987- L98, auto OH
Re: brake pad recommendations? (grapeknutz)
Thanks for the reply. I just sanded the rotors and they work great. Glad I didn't go to the extent of having them turned. Everything went really well just with the sanding.
Brad
Brad
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 3
From: Clearwater FL
St. Jude Donor '06
Re: brake pad recommendations? (1987C4)
I have the PFC Z-rated from autozone with a lifetime warranty and they work great when warm, but they do need to get hot once in a while or they squeak pretty bad with easy stops. They do dust quite a bit as well.
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Instructor
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 155
Likes: 0
From: SF Bay Area CA
I know this is not related to C4, but I'd appreciate if you could
give me some inputs.
I posted questions about availability of ceramic pad for C3
in C3 discussion and did not get any response in there.
I looked for ceramic pads on internet, but nothing was found for C3.
If you have any idea that it is available or not, it greatly helps
me.
thanks
give me some inputs.
I posted questions about availability of ceramic pad for C3
in C3 discussion and did not get any response in there.
I looked for ceramic pads on internet, but nothing was found for C3.
If you have any idea that it is available or not, it greatly helps
me.
thanks
Safety Car
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,789
Likes: 0
From: [Quote=WOEII] Is dried brown doodie powders man! [/Quote]
I agree with the general concensus that the Bendix pads are noisy as all get out. I don't have them on the vette but I do on the S/O's Intrigue and all they do is squeek. Before I went to get the car inspected I pulled one of the front tires because the squeeking was so bad and I thought they needed replacement. Had plenty of pad life left but a lot of noise and dust. I am going to try out the greestuff pads on the vette because I am sick of wondering whether or not I'll be able to stop at the end of the track.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,700
Likes: 298
From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
Hate the old, love the new
Some months ago I purchased from AutoZone PFCs Z rated. They work with heat, very low if any dusting and have a lifetime guarantee and have a great price. Try them.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
Put ceramics on the wife's Gran Prix as a test - no dust - no noise. 5000 miles later, new rotors (at least they're only 20 bucks a piece - cheaper than the pads!) Still debating on the Vette.