Brakes Brand

beep119

Member
:
2005 Mazda 6
Hello all,
Just wondering what you are all using for brakes...rotors and pads...what brands?
I live in Canada and it is hard finding parts where I live, there is a Partsource around here, but they only have their OE brand, person on phone said they are made by Wagner Brakes and are the same as the Wagner Thermoquiet.
Any advice on what brand is best for my 2016 CX-5?
The stock brakes suck and need changing all around.
Thank you
 
Personally I'm a fan of akebono ceramic pads - but since those are likely OEM manufacturer - and in your opinion OEM sucks then you might want to try the Centric posi-quiet pro ceramic or Raybestos Element 3 hybrid pads. Both are good quality and promise a bit more of stopping power compared to the typical ceramic pad.
Key to a great brake job: Clean the caliper bracket with a file behind the shims, apply some silicone grease to the areas you filed smooth to slow down new rust and always change the shims and rotors too. The coated rotors are worth the extra money if you drive in an area that gets snow and the resulting salt covered roads.
 
I bought the cheapest 4 corner of pads/rotors I could find on Ebay. No noise so far and performance seems no different than OEM. I coated the rotors with VHT header spray paint to mitigate surface rust.. in the past when i spent more I didn't notice more.
 
I would just go with the Partsource rotors. You take a bit of a risk with eBay rotors with regard to part warranty and trying to get replacements in a timely manner, but it can also work out well like it did for Chris.

For pads, I'd spend a bit more money if I wanted better performance. In most cases, pads that offer more "bite" also spit out more brake dust, and pads that are quieter and cleaner don't offer the same kind of stopping power. Talk to the Partsource guy about your needs and he can make suggestions for you.
 
I bought the cheapest 4 corner of pads/rotors I could find on Ebay. No noise so far and performance seems no different than OEM. I coated the rotors with VHT header spray paint to mitigate surface rust.. in the past when i spent more I didn't notice more.

How does one coat the rotors with spray paint. Are you talking about the edge of the rotors? Grateful if you could describe the technique.
 
Rockauto ships from the US. Sometimes cheaper than here even with conversions and taxes (which they charge up front if you choose that shipping method) - but not always!.

Way more than just partsource though....

Napa (Discount if you have CAA)
autopartsway.ca if you want a Canadian based online store
any local smaller parts shops
Hotspot auto parts has a brick and mortar store in my town I've bought from

If you have a specific brand you're looking for (EBC / Hawk / etc) most performance or aftermarket shops can get them or you can find online vendors.

These are just the ones I have personal experience with.

As mentioned above the advantage to local brick and mortar stores is the relative ease of exchanging parts if they aren't right (Partsource / napa / etc)
 
How does one coat the rotors with spray paint. Are you talking about the edge of the rotors? Grateful if you could describe the technique.

Simply just sprayed them with VHT high temp paint.. the pad will rub the paint off the contact area and everything else remains coated, thwarting rust. In hind sight I wasted a lot of paint on the contact area lol. Just have to clean them first to get the ffactory oil off
 
If you don't want to paint the rotors yourself to avoid rust, you can look for EBC brake rotors. They are pricier but they already come coated with anti rust protection.
 
Take a look at PowerStop brand. I bought a complete set of rotors and ceramic pads for my Speed 3. I found them on Amazon for a very reasonable price....the rotors are zinc coated, almost no dust. I have had them over a year and am very impressed.
 
I wonder for how long those anti rust coatings last. Coatings are only on the surface.
 
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