Which brake pads do you use?

[fourwheeler]

Just wondering which brake pads you use. I need to do a brake job on my 98 XLS and of all the brake jobs I have done in the past on various cars, have not found a set of pads I love. I am looking for a set of pads which have a good bite and will stop the car very quickly. Anyone have an opinion on this?

Thanks, Russ

[The Digital MagE]

yeah, i have an opinion... on almost everything - rofl !!

if you want grab you'll need netallic pads. it came with those. there are, however, many formulas of metallic brake pad. some are mild, like the original avalon pads (but still wear amazingly well!) and some are wild, like beck-arnly racing pads.

but look - your avvy has anti-lock brakes. it's NOT gonna let one wheel turn at a different speed than the other, on the same end of the car. the anti-lock will effectively obviate any radical brake pads you install and those pads make driving miserable because they amplify any small imperfection (rotor out of round). so if you do this you'll get the negative and the anti-lock will remove the positive...

i used the standard pads available for $20/axle at o'riley's. they work great. they are not overly touchy (is that what you want?) but if you put your foot down they haul it to a stop, right now!

[robcam13]

i use ceramic. no brake dust and no brake fade when you use them a lot.cheap pads will squeak. make sure you use brake grease when installing your new pads.

[eeryee]

EBC Redstuff

[American Pie]

If you aren't concerned about brake dust then I'd use the factory pads (or as close to factory-spec as you can get in the aftermarket). They'll probably be well matched with the metallurgy of the rotors on your car, and provide good braking performance while preventing premature rotor wear.

However, on my cars with alloy wheels I prefer low-dust brake pads that still provide good road performance. For example I have an '85 BMW with BBS wheels and run PBR (aka Repco) Deluxe pads. Previously I used Pagid pads which were quite soft and gave nice pedal feel but dusted like crazy; the wheels would be coated with gray dust after a 30 minute drive. I'm very happy with the PBR Deluxes, as the braking performance is about the same as with the Pagids but with one-tenth the dust. (note: PBR also makes metallic pads called "Metal Masters" which are more suited for track cars and are rough on rotors; DON'T use them for a street car).

My '96 Avy also has alloy wheels: the factory 6-spoke style made in Italy by OZ. Whatever pads are on the car now are pretty messy; the spaces between the wheel spokes have old, caked-on dust I'll probably never get off. I do plan on switching to a low-dust pad at the next brake job....probably PBR Deluxe's if they're available for the 1st-gen Avalon.

[miflox]

I just called the local toyota dealer on pads for my '98 XLS (just like yours). The stock pads are semi-metallic the parts guy told me, and the cost is $55. I am also looking into what I used to call premium braking pads + rotors made by the old-time quality american brake suppliers. I am talking about Wagner, Raybestos, and Bendix. I can feel the rotors out of round when I brake, and since OEM rotors (and aftermarket) are so thin now, you are basically forced to buy new rotors too. A nice, old lady I know whose husband just died a while back went to Tire Kingdom the other day to get front brakes done. They put on new rotors and pads and charged her like $525! I am in process of getting her info and receipt and bring her over to Tire Kingdom with me and have them explain how a damn front brake job can cost over $500, especially since they just use cheap pads and rotors (think they get them from Advance Auto as they deliver to local shops).

[sonic2wb]

Originally Posted by miflox

I just called the local toyota dealer on pads for my '98 XLS (just like yours). The stock pads are semi-metallic the parts guy told me, and the cost is $55. I am also looking into what I used to call premium braking pads + rotors made by the old-time quality american brake suppliers. I am talking about Wagner, Raybestos, and Bendix. I can feel the rotors out of round when I brake, and since OEM rotors (and aftermarket) are so thin now, you are basically forced to buy new rotors too. A nice, old lady I know whose husband just died a while back went to Tire Kingdom the other day to get front brakes done. They put on new rotors and pads and charged her like $525! I am in process of getting her info and receipt and bring her over to Tire Kingdom with me and have them explain how a damn front brake job can cost over $500, especially since they just use cheap pads and rotors (think they get them from Advance Auto as they deliver to local shops).

Good luck with that. my father inlaw just paid $785 for a front brake job in Boca Raton fl at tire kingdom <-- evil place and to beat it all rotors for his mits elicpse are like $20 per rotor. I just shook my head and walked away when he told me the price lol

[fourwheeler]

Thanks miflox for the input. I too have been considering EBC green stuff, OEM, or Raybestos PG, just haven't decided yet which direction I will go.

I have tried Autozone Gold, Wagner and haven't found anything to really grab the brakes to make them stop. Both pads seemed to be too hard to grab adequately.

[virotek]

I went with Akebono ProACT Ceramics (ACT707 Front, ACT672 Rear) and Brembo OE Brake Rotors (BRE-25358 Front, BRE-25196 Rear). Brake dust is very low. Pedal feel has been firm and controlled, but does require some getting used to. The initial bite is not strong, but depressing it further will brake the car normally. I feel like there is a greater degree of brake throttling with these pads.

*Note: On the Brembo OE Rear Rotors, I had to have them ship me another set as the initial set I received were spec'd too thick (11mm min. thickness vs 8mm min. thickness required). Apparently all model #'s and specs matched except thickness (mfg'd China were 11mm, ones mfg in Italy was 8mm).