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Which brake pads for my Charger?

Started by Dino, September 02, 2015, 01:12:15 PM

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Dino

I decided to get the Scarebird brackets front and rear.  Up front I'll be running 11 3/4" rotors and 11 1/4" in the rear.  Calipers will be off a '99 Ram 1500 for the front and '85 Eldorado calipers in the rear.  

For my city driven, never raced, car what are good brake pads?  I have 17" rims and like the idea of keeping the dust down so I'm thinking ceramic.   Do I need to go with the higher priced pads or will the cheaper ceramics do?

I was thinking something like this maybe?  http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=3801783&cc=1352988&jnid=542&jpid=35

$21.79 for the front wheels

Oh, forgot about the rotors.  Solid or drilled/slotted?  I like the looks of the latter but I'm pretty sure they are not an actual stopping improvement for my needs and they may even wear the pads sooner.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

Mopar Nut

Ceramic ones from Autozone or O'riellys with lifetime warranty.
"Dear God, my prayer for 2024 is a fat bank account and a thin body. Please don't mix these up like you did the last ten years."

matrout76

I started using the AKEBONO ProACT Ultra Premium Ceramic Pads a few years ago.  They have worked beyond my expectations on every vehicle i have put them on.

I had a lot of problems with "warped" rotors on my 1997 Ram 3500 CTD.  I was using the performance friction carbon metallics from AutoZone and would have to replace them every 10K miles, not because of wear, but due to uneven pad depositing on the rotor.  2 years (and 20k miles ago) i put the ProActs on with new rotors and have had no problems. The rotors i used were the Raybestos R-300's http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=3107118&cc=1354148&jnid=495&jpid=26 .  Its a pain to change rotors on this truck (have to pull the unit bearings from the steering knuckle and press all the studs out :flame:) so i went with the best i could.  I don't know if the slots really help, but the combo works good. 

To date, i've put these pads on the following vehicles:

2008 Volvo S4
2004 Saab 9-3 Aero
2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2011 Chev Malibu
1997 Ram 3500
2006 Honda Pilot

I drive the 04 Saab 9-3 back and forth to work everyday, about 80 miles round-trip.  I put the pads on in November of 2010 and have put over 80K miles on the set (front and rear).  I drive it pretty hard, in rush hour traffic twice a day.  they still have plenty of life left and still have a very solid and aggressive feel.  

I've also been using the Centric premium rotors with the black e-coating on the non-friction areas.  I like that they stay clean and don't get rusty.  I bought high-quality uncoated rotors for my Saab and used the spray-can bake-on paint from the autoparts store.  it was a lot of work masking off the friction areas and looked OK for a couple years before the rust started creeping thru.  now, i can't really tell that they have been painted.

Here is a good article about performance pads and rotors:

http://automotivethinker.com/brakes-2/rotors-blank-vs-cross-drilled-vs-slotted-and-warping/

It contains decent info about brake pulsing, but doesn't talk about how to prevent it which included proper break-in of the pads and rotors, and that a single "hot-stop" event where you come to a complete stop and hold your foot on the brakes will transfer enough pad material to the rotor to cause pulsing.

As the article explains, turning the rotors won't fix them...I am previously experiencing this with our Honda Pilot.  I had the factory original rotors turned at 120K miles and put the Akebono ProAct pads on...they were smooth for about 15k miles but then started pulsing again.  I bought all new Centric coated rotors and another set of the ProAct pads, and swapped them out.  I learned my lesson on this one and will never turn rotors again.  I could visibly see the shadow of a brake pad on each of the rotors and could feel with my finger that is was "different" that area.  I believe was a hot-stop followed my holding the brakes on tight which caused the original problem, and it wasn't fixed by turning the rotors. 


Dino

That's great info.  Thanks guys!   :cheers:
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

WHITE AND RED 69

I'd at least get slotted rotors. Nothing worse than a warped rotor.  :2thumbs:
1969 Dodge Charger R/T
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee 75th edition
1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee
1972 Plymouth Duster

myk

What inspired you to use El Dorado calipers for your rears? 

Dino

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

myk

Quote from: Dino on September 07, 2015, 07:44:41 AM
Quote from: myk on September 07, 2015, 06:12:09 AM
What inspired you to use El Dorado calipers for your rears? 

That's what the Scarebird kit calls for.   :yesnod:

https://scarebird.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=64&product_id=104

Great Scott that looks like an awesome idea!  Here I am plotting to save up $1600 for Baer's brake kit when this should be enough for the rears.  What do they mean by earlier two piece axles?

Dino

On earlier mopars the hub was bolted to a splined axle before it became the one piece design we have in our cars.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.