Brake brand options

[Kev0607]

Hi,

Approximately 18 months ago, I fitted Pagid brake discs & pads to my car (front & rear). I haven't used the car much due to lockdowns & I didn't slam on the brakes (they were bedded in properly).

To my surprise, when braking from 40mph or above, the steering shakes (not the brake pedal). At lower speeds, you can't feel this shaking. Its nothing to do with balancing or a bulge in the tyres, as these are all fine. Wheels are also torqued properly & the suspension is tight.

The brakes were done properly, all the correct parts were lubricated & the hub face was cleaned so the disc sat flush. I've done enough brake jobs to know how to do them.

My dad took the car to a local indy on my behalf earlier this week, explained the symptoms & he said the front discs are likely warped.

I used to think Pagid were great, but my opinion has changed. Not so long ago, a set were fitted to a Citroen van & they're already lipped! My local indy also said Pagid are junk. I'm not impressed having to do this job twice & the expenditure of doing so, but it is what it is now.

I can get a set of genuine Volvo front discs & pads for £195 delivered (not changing the rears, as they're fine). Are there any other options, apart from genuine Volvo that you'd recommend? Obviously, I'm not wanting to skimp on the brakes, but I'd like to save what I can all the same (if possible).

Thanks.

*PS. I've used copper grease on the rear of the pads for many years, but is there any other stuff I can use? I lubricate the caliper slide pins with silicone to protect the rubber boots. Copper grease works well, but it gets all over the place with heat!

[grubby mits]

Well.......

I have used Pagid on all my Volvos for years and never had a problem with them. On the occasions I have had brake judder it has been due to poor maintenance/fitting or lack of use such as no lube on the sliding pins, rust on the disc surfaces, seized or sticky caliper pistons etc. I just hesitate when folk say "warped discs" - sometimes its true but more often that not its just the glib and easy response.

Before you shell out on another set of brakes check the disc run out with a dial gauge and compare it with the specs. There are plenty of stories of guys who have changed the discs twice and not solved the problem.

GM

[Tannaton]

I've two contributions...

- It could be corrosion, if the car has been sat and there has been some surface corrosion (but not between the pads) and that's polished. I'd take the car for a drive, remove the wheel and caliper and if there is any discoloration on the surface that you can see that looks like a brake pad - that's likely it. A light skim will cure that - this disc won't be warped but you have a surface with difference friction properties.

- There was a similar thread in the XC90 forum recently which got a bit heated, and if I've interpreted it correctly another member said I was anal about using only genuine Volvo parts. I absolutely get why they said that, but I'm not anal about genuine Volvo parts - I am anal about doing the job properly and getting it right first time, with a predictable result - especially is someone else is paying me to work on their car. And I've found time and time again, with consumable parts that "wear" - you have a significantly higher chance of success with genuine Volvo brake parts. I am surprised though as if I was ever going to fit non-gen brakes, pagid would have probably been near the top of the list.

[Ian21401]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

*PS. I've used copper grease on the rear of the pads for many years, but is there any other stuff I can use? I lubricate the caliper slide pins with silicone to protect the rubber boots. Copper grease works well, but it gets all over the place with heat!

I’ve used Volvo discs and pads.
I use silicone grease on the slide pins and the rubber boots. I’ve used copper grease for years on the back of the pads and the contact areas of the pads and calipers but have very recently been advised to use ceramic brake grease, sometimes called white grease. There was a very good logical reason for this but at present I cannot remember what it was.

[Bashy]

I am fairly sure i have pagid discs on mine, fronts but with Volvo pads, the rears i think i ended up with both pads and discs being Volvo as i got a good deal i think....

I have no issues so far, other than a balancing issue, still not got around to sorting that lol

[grubby mits]

Originally Posted by Ian21401

There was a very good logical reason for this but at present I cannot remember what it was.

Thanks Ian - you've given me the first laugh of the day!!!!

GM

[Ian21401]

I think it has something to do with the copper within the copper grease being an electrical conductor, a galvanic reaction between metals in contact and when it becomes hot ( as in brakes) it dries out leaving the copper behind. This doesn’t happen with ceramic grease.

[Bashy]

Ive found this re copper grease, not sure what to make of it myself...

https://greaseexpert.com/brake-grease-vs-anti-seize/

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

Hi,

Approximately 18 months ago, I fitted Pagid brake discs & pads to my car (front & rear). I haven't used the car much due to lockdowns & I didn't slam on the brakes (they were bedded in properly).

To my surprise, when braking from 40mph or above, the steering shakes (not the brake pedal). At lower speeds, you can't feel this shaking. Its nothing to do with balancing or a bulge in the tyres, as these are all fine. Wheels are also torqued properly & the suspension is tight.

The brakes were done properly, all the correct parts were lubricated & the hub face was cleaned so the disc sat flush. I've done enough brake jobs to know how to do them.

My dad took the car to a local indy on my behalf earlier this week, explained the symptoms & he said the front discs are likely warped.

I used to think Pagid were great, but my opinion has changed. Not so long ago, a set were fitted to a Citroen van & they're already lipped! My local indy also said Pagid are junk. I'm not impressed having to do this job twice & the expenditure of doing so, but it is what it is now.

I can get a set of genuine Volvo front discs & pads for £195 delivered (not changing the rears, as they're fine). Are there any other options, apart from genuine Volvo that you'd recommend? Obviously, I'm not wanting to skimp on the brakes, but I'd like to save what I can all the same (if possible).

Thanks.

*PS. I've used copper grease on the rear of the pads for many years, but is there any other stuff I can use? I lubricate the caliper slide pins with silicone to protect the rubber boots. Copper grease works well, but it gets all over the place with heat!

Try swapping the rear wheels onto the front. I suspect the fronts may have gained flat spots from sitting and this will sometimes show up as a balance problem during braking but not as a balance problem on a wheel balance machine. Logic says if the front tyres have "flat-spotted" the rears will too but there is more weight on the front of the car so the flat spots would be potentially worse.

I've used Pagid many times over the years and never had a problem, like many others have commented. Some have mentioned the possibility that where the car hasn't been used, an "imprint" of the pad could be on the discs causing a difference in friction on that spot. An easy way to clear this is to drive at 25-30mph for about half a mile with the brakes lightly applied using your left foot. Try to let the brakes cool down before using them properly after as this will warm them up a bit! Also don't do more than about half a mile at any one time doing this as the heat could glaze the pads, you may feel more comfortable doing two stints of 1/4 mile each and letting the brakes cool in between.



As for copper grease, it's what i've always used on brakes but ONLY a smear. You don't need (and shouldn't!) slap it on like maple syrup on your pancakes!

Originally Posted by Bashy

Ive found this re copper grease, not sure what to make of it myself...

https://greaseexpert.com/brake-grease-vs-anti-seize/

Reading between the lines, he seems to be making a case for selling the products he's listed. He'll no doubt get a kick-back from Amazon or whoever the actual supplier is. Wouldn't mind betting he also has a similar article on copper grease selling that as well!

[XC90Mk1]

Volvo Eastbourne are on EBay and offer substantial discounts as standard. If you speak to Eastbourne Volvo (Chris or Ashley), or ask your local dealer for a discount (it’s not a 3yo car) then the brakes will not cost much more than pattern parts anyway.

I will make clear the entire argument below.

If you pay a fraction more at Volvo you will get the correct parts for your car (they take you plate number etc to confirm) to original specification.

If you buy pattern parts then they probably will be ok, but they may not be ok and you may do the job again.

I have just changed my front pads (as always the old were Volvo). I managed over 40,000 miles on them and to be fair they did still have life on them (the slide pins had dried out and squeezed after not driving for so long and I didn’t want to put the old pads back on after cleaning - could have got 50k from them).

People are so quick to point out that you can save money buying pattern but they don’t point out that the Volvo pads are good for 40-50k and many patterns you are lucky to get more than 20-25k.

Just buy the proper brakes, buy the proper battery, then Wisdom
would be to buy Mann filters etc.