Yup, Brake Pads

[nodrogkam]

So i've been looking around TN, read like 20 threads, looked on google and viewed tons of sites...and i am just not happy with the conflicting information given. Hopefully no one minds that i post another thread on brake pads.

I've got a 1998 Camry V6 XLE. It came with Ceramic pads from the factory. I'd sort of like to get those back as midas had installed some Raven Ceramics that galzed over and squeeled like no other (they couldnt understand why and how that happend). Then when they should have given me toyota ceramics they gave me the regular organic ones. I'm not a happy camper with the terrible amounts of brake dust and poor braking. But no squeeling. So should i go out to the stealership and get me a pair of stock ceramics and install myself OR should I perhaps risk it and upgrade to TRD or Hawk (etc.) pads. I'm just afraid that if they end up getting glazed over or squeel that i'll have one heck of a time returning em or trying to get a warranty on em.
And i guess maybe i should ask midas to help me out again to get another set and have them install?

So i guess what im asking is, what should i get. I just want the fronts...the rears are fine...i could care less as they dont do much. A good deal would certainly be nice. Price range...anything up to about 70 for front pair.

THanks for all your help again guys. and happy new years.

[cam2Xrunner]

Get dealer pads or Akebono ProAct Ceramics(Tirerack)

Brembo, Centrix or Dealer rotor's would also be a good idea too because I'm sure your stock rotors are too thin to machine again.

[nodrogkam]

hey! wow fast responder!

Hmmm i've asked midas about my rotors and they say they are perfectly fine. THey've been resurfaced twice or 3 times within 1 month cos of their crap pads. But before that...we drove on stock ceramics for 7 years...75K miles.
My rear right rotor is warped tho. Cant explain why...it just is. I'll fix that later.

Would you personally know how much dealer ceramics would be? Akebono...hmmm heard good things about those pads. I just fear nothing but squeeling. Do they have some sort of real strict break in period and style?

Thanks for ur help.

[cam2Xrunner]

The stock pads are Akebono Ceramics. I had the Pro Act ceramics and they lasted a very long time. Athough I did have the Supra TT rotor upgrade so I'm sure that helped them last longer. But I had over 45K miles on them, all squeek and dust free. They had over 50% useable pad left when I traded in the car. You got 75k miles out of them yourselves. That prooves they were good.

Trust me, your front rotors are too thin. That's probably one of the reason why your brakes got glazed. They didn't dissipate the heat well enough and it cause the pads to heat up and glaze themselves and the rotors(hence the squeek/squeel).

The best thing you can do is invest in new rotors from the brands I listed and Dealer or Akebono Pro Act ceramics. I guarentee you will have at least 60K trouble free miles out of them.

The rear rotors should be fine to resurface.

[cam2Xrunner]

Originally Posted by nodrogkam

Would you personally know how much dealer ceramics would be? Akebono...hmmm heard good things about those pads. I just fear nothing but squeeling. Do they have some sort of real strict break in period and style?

Thanks for ur help.

With my discount they were 35-40 bucks. I think list is 55.

Email the guys from www.toyotaparts4u.com they are a vendor here, tell them you are from Toyotanation.

For Akebonos, I believe they are around 70 shipped from tirerack.

For breaking them in, what I would do is drive to 50 and brake to 5mph, not too hard though, do this about 5 times, then continue to drive and let them cool off. Try not to come to a complete stop while breaking them in for the first few miles.

[nodrogkam]

hmm alright i guess i should shell out some cash for new rotors in the front...and maybe one rear rotor. I had asked midas if my rear right rotor was warped when they were resurfacing it but they said no. The reason i say it is warped is if i pull up the handbrake lightly while the car is in motion it vibrates real bad in back. I jack up my car in the back spin the rear wheels with my hand and the rear right has resistence at one place and i can hear pad/rotor friction. Maybe they can true it for me?

And since u say the stock ones were Akebono i'll just grab those since they are a good price.
Do you recommend i do this replacement by myself or bring it to a pro? I mean brakes are kinda important...

[nodrogkam]

Originally Posted by cam2Xrunner

With my discount they were 35-40 bucks. I think list is 55.

Email the guys from www.toyotaparts4u.com they are a vendor here, tell them you are from Toyotanation.

For Akebonos, I believe they are around 70 shipped from tirerack.

For breaking them in, what I would do is drive to 50 and brake to 5mph, not too hard though, do this about 5 times, then continue to drive and let them cool off. Try not to come to a complete stop while breaking them in for the first few miles.

cool i'll do that. I just read on tire rack that they had NO break in period...haha. But i guess thats not a bad idea.

do these discs look thin?



oh and the glazed pad...haha



I kinda got fed up and sanded it down to look like this: it works better now


sorry large pics

[touringcamry]

Crap! I didn't know you could pull the calipers apart like that. Last time I did my front brakes, my first time, I pulled the entire caliper off.

What are glazed pads? Does something happen when they get shiny like that?

As for the rotors, you need a caliper or some other tool to measure the thickness of them. The minimum thickness is written somewhere on the rotor.

[cam2Xrunner]

do these discs look thin?

They look like the originals. If you have had them turned at least two times then I'm am sure they are too thin to machine again. Besides if you machine them again, they are going to be thinner, so they will dissipate heat even less now. And then they will glaze your new pads.

[nodrogkam]

hmm i just watched the guys at midas do it this way and thats how i did it. U know they never seem to bleed the brake line...is that okay?

glazed pads are when the pads get heated over their threashold of handling and well...they get this nice and hard layer over em. You loose much braking ability, especially when they are cold, and you usually get this NASTY sound once ur down to about 5mph before full stop. Its a grinding sound. No good for rotors.

Ah...well...haha a pico meter or w/e those things used in physics would help...but i dont have one.

[95WhiteCamry]

Originally Posted by touringcamry

What are glazed pads? Does something happen when they get shiny like that?

if i remember correctly, they are glazed because of taking in too much heat from the rotors causing them to overheat and cause problems.

edit : beaten to the answer, lol

[nodrogkam]

Originally Posted by cam2Xrunner

They look like the originals. If you have had them turned at least two times then I'm am sure they are too thin to machine again. Besides if you machine them again, they are going to be thinner, so they will dissipate heat even less now. And then they will glaze your new pads.

boo...i didnt know a resurface could take so much outta them. well im getting new springs/struts and at that time i'll ask em again to double check. I def want to get new pads tho, eventho the ones i have now are basically new...haha

I'll update everyone on progress. i just had my windows tinted two days ago and love it!

[Hajoca]

This reply is little late now, but if you can borrow a micrometer or a caliper (for measuring) you can check the rotor thickness and compare it to the numbers cast or stamped into the rotor's hub area for minimum thickness.

[nodrogkam]

thanks for the info. haha yeah i knew it had to be a micrometer and not a picometer...haha

[Terriyaki]

too many problems at midas, don't think i'll ever go there.