Pagid brake pads

[Munkul]

Brake pads are such a commodity, that, like so many other things, it's a race to the bottom, via a circuitous route of brand acquisitions and outsourced manufacturing.

 

[premmington]

Brake pads are such a commodity, that, like so many other things, it's a race to the bottom, via a circuitous route of brand acquisitions and outsourced manufacturing.

+1 for the above.

Sad but true - but your quote of "it's a race to the bottom, via a circuitous route of brand acquisitions and outsourced manufacturing."

Is just so accurate...

 

[Munkul]

+1 for the above.

Sad but true - but your quote of "it's a race to the bottom, via a circuitous route of brand acquisitions and outsourced manufacturing."

Is just so accurate...

I listen to a few business podcasts. The guys that are lamenting the death of manufacturing in the UK, are the same guys who are giving advice out to other businesses, to start importing from China in order to grow their business to the next level.
The incentives there are for China to make stuff and export it, are unbelievable.

 

[Craig-SM]

In tried EBC stuff in my first integrale and when they fell apart I never bothered again - that would be over 20 yrs ago.
Used Mintex as a mate worked for them and they were okay - and as BBA (as it was then) used some of our machines

But for the last 20 years, Ferodo have been excellent. Less sure about Brembo disks as I they did not not like all year round use. Current set seem okay though.

Unless you were a local, 20 plus years ago, you wouldnt have known there was a Mintex pad making factory in Birstall, West Yorkshire. We used to do a lot of their machinery other than the actual forming presses - and we returned them on occasion. If I recall correctly, entire plant was dismantled and shipped off to Spain - we used to get occasional calls for assistance.

I assume they are still off the M62 at Cleckheaton. As a callow design engineer, I turned up there with an experienced fitter to don some work . . . Fitter brought a drill to use . . . Fliippin' hammer drill! For drilling holes in metal!

Never taken anyone's word that they have everything needed since!

My neck o& the woods and didn’t know Mintex had a factory around here.

 

[octo0072000]

last lot of discs & pads i fitted to my little fiesta were from Partco seem ok up to press not over priced at £56 ford wanted £100 plus

 

[Bobupndown]

Used a different brand tonight on my own car, Allied Nippon rear discs and pads on my Freelander 2. I have used these before and they seem like decent quality. Once again these use stainless pad guides clipped into the caliper carrier. Unfortunately new ones not supplied with the pads. Cleaned up the old ones OK and re attached them. Two of the pads were a little too tight and needed a light tickle with the angle grinder so that I had nicely moving pads on both sides. Not to the same extent of the previous Pagid ones in my initial post though. I've no doubt most garages would just bang them in and not worry about it but hopefully spending a little time and effort will ensure they continue to function properly.

 

[Ubique]

I've found that the cause of binding brake pads is more often corrosion under the mounting shims, rather than oversized brake pad backings.
The shims you describe have a 'slippy' coating and often a plastic conformal coating on the carrier side, the idea is to reduce 'chatter' and allow the brake pads to withdraw from the disc sufficiently to prevent brake squeal. As you know, the mounting shims should be changed with the brake pads to renew the 'slippy' properties - in most cases, the application of metal-loaded grease will just attract brake dust, causing friction and therefore binding of the brake pads.

Before the copperslip fans get involved, there are no car manufacturers that apply metal-loaded grease to the moving parts of braking systems.... with good reason. I've lost count of the number of adhesive brake pad backings I've seen slathered with copperslip!

 

[JOEPRO]

Used a different brand tonight on my own car, Allied Nippon rear discs and pads on my Freelander 2. I have used these before and they seem like decent quality. Once again these use stainless pad guides clipped into the caliper carrier. Unfortunately new ones not supplied with the pads. Cleaned up the old ones OK and re attached them. Two of the pads were a little too tight and needed a light tickle with the angle grinder so that I had nicely moving pads on both sides. Not to the same extent of the previous Pagid ones in my initial post though. I've no doubt most garages would just bang them in and not worry about it but hopefully spending a little time and effort will ensure they continue to function properly.

Do you have a brake caliper file? It's a special file for removing rust and debris from inside calipers. You shouldn't require grinding new pads, I suspect it's not cleaning the calipers thoroughly enough. Having fitted possibly hundreds of sets of brake pads, I have never once had to grind a new pad.....

 

[premmington]

I've found that the cause of binding brake pads is more often corrosion under the mounting shims, rather than oversized brake pad backings.
The shims you describe have a 'slippy' coating and often a plastic conformal coating on the carrier side, the idea is to reduce 'chatter' and allow the brake pads to withdraw from the disc sufficiently to prevent brake squeal. As you know, the mounting shims should be changed with the brake pads to renew the 'slippy' properties - in most cases, the application of metal-loaded grease will just attract brake dust, causing friction and therefore binding of the brake pads.

Before the copperslip fans get involved, there are no car manufacturers that apply metal-loaded grease to the moving parts of braking systems.... with good reason. I've lost count of the number of adhesive brake pad backings I've seen slathered with copperslip!

+1

I too "go in dry" - no copper slip on brake pads (or wheel fixings).

What I do is - clean everything up with rotary wire brush - or fit new shims if they come with pads (and only good pads come with the new shims and caliper mount bolts)

 

[premmington]

Do you have a brake caliper file? It's a special file for removing rust and debris from inside calipers. You shouldn't require grinding new pads, I suspect it's not cleaning the calipers thoroughly enough. Having fitted possibly hundreds of sets of brake pads, I have never once had to grind a new pad.....

Oh I been fitting brake pads for 42 years and yes I have had to "dress up" some awful fitting brake pads in my time.

 

[Mikes]

All slightly better than having pads that are too loose in the calipers. there was a spate a while back of Land Rover replacement pads that were made fractionally too small and caused a very annoying rattle.

 

[JOEPRO]

Oh I been fitting brake pads for 42 years and yes I have had to "dress up" some awful fitting brake pads in my time.

It's rare though you have to admit no?

If you find this is needed often then I suggest you buy your parts somewhere else!

 

[JOEPRO]

Each to their own guys but I can tell you I will never be taking a grinder to brake pads and fitting them in any car.

Period.

If the pads don't fit properly they go back and i get another set that does fit properly. Grinding brake pads to fit is a clear sign something is wrong.

 

[brightspark]

i did my brake pads on my pug van and they were ok had to do our lasses on her pug that had only done ten thousand miles and had to take a bit off the pads as they were a bit tight

 

[Kram]

Wish I saw this thread a few weeks ago, I didnt know Pagid were a ECP brand, tho I did know they are supplied by them to Halfords. Halfords were cheaper.

I had to use a file as they were oversize plus the paint lumps. Yes I should have inspected before leaving the shop.

ECP seem to supply all of the local mechanic business here, so thats a good reason to do the work myself and buy elsewhere! I shall avoid ECP.

 

[premmington]

It's rare though you have to admit no?

If you find this is needed often then I suggest you buy your parts somewhere else!

It is rare...

Customers get offered - OE parts - economy parts - they make the choice - not me.

 

[premmington]

Wish I saw this thread a few weeks ago, I didnt know Pagid were a ECP brand, tho I did know they are supplied by them to Halfords. Halfords were cheaper.

I had to use a file as they were oversize plus the paint lumps. Yes I should have inspected before leaving the shop.

ECP seem to supply all of the local mechanic business here, so thats a good reason to do the work myself and buy elsewhere! I shall avoid ECP.

I run a garage and I buy very little from ECP now. They not cheap anymore - not cheap at all.

 

[brightspark]

and its always the cheapest they want same as my job they buy crap but it takes me longer to fit them

 

[Kram]

Which supplier do you use?

Perhaps I should go to Mazda but the local ones dont really have a parts department. They can get parts but its a pain.

 

[m_c]

I run a garage and I buy very little from ECP now. They not cheap anymore - not cheap at all.

I think the ECP empire may be struggling.
They've just lost what must have been one of their biggest national contracts, to the UKPA.

So much for their posturing in Scotland, after Dingbro refused to sell out to them, and ECP saying they would make sure they wouldn't exist in a couple years as they'd undercut them.
Lots of garages did try ECP for a few months, but soon switched back when the warranty claims started coming back