Hello Everyone,

I need your input.

Car: 1999 Audi A4 Quattro 2.8L V6 30valve with 127,xxx miles

I am planning to replace my rotors. They are pretty worn. The pads still probably have about 50-70% wear on them. Now, here is the big question:

1. Can I only replace the rotors, or is it advised to replace both the pads and the rotor at the same time?
2. What kind or rotor do you advise? - I was thinking of going with standard flat surface rotors for daily driver - Maybe brembo or the ones from the ecstunning website?
3. Also, what kind of pads do most of you recommend for future times? - I was looking into Green Stuff or Hawk HPS (High Performance Street)
4. Any preference on brake fluid as well?

Also, this might be off topic, but I'm looking into doing some "control arm" and "CV boot" replacement. I found some DIY links out there. Has anyone done this themsevles and been successful? Is it recommended to do it yourself or should you let a pro mech handel this? My only concern is causing more problems and more money spending in the end by DIYing it.

Your input is greatly appreciated!

 

I would change both pads and rotors but others my disagree.
I just change my axle boots(both outers)took about 1.5 hrs super easy control arms would be even easier since you will have it all taken apart doing the axle boots. you will have no prob doing this job...
have fun

2001 A6 eibach lowering springs-ATE front,rear crossed/slotted rotors,k/n intake,MB 18" wheels

 

You can do rotors only without pads, but I probably wouldn't reccomend it. If it were me, i'd spend the extra buck and give myself that much more insurance as far as brakes go.

 

If, as you say the rotors are worn,, they will also most probably have grooves on them.. If you use the pads from these rotors on new ones, you face two problems: 1. before the pads wear off enough tohave full contact with the rotor it will take quite some time, and in the meantime the brakes don't work as well as they should and 2. while they are wearing off, they are forming grooves in your new rotors. Not really what you want, right?

 

Do both rotors and pads.

In fact if you buy Autozone pads with a lifetime warranty (not for the Audi, for the Honda - ha) anyway if you have a lifetime warranty on your pads at AZ and you change your rotors they will give you new ones even if they have 75% left, becuase you are supposed to change pads with rotors.

 

anyone who even THINKS about suggesting you can do rotors w/o doing pads should have his stones removed!

You can replace pads w/o rotors, but, rotors w/o pads is a galactically STOOPIT thing to do, for all te reasons stated in manin59's post, PLUS, we just might hunt you down and PANTS you!!!

 

Thanks for the heads up. I thought I could get by with this one, but I guess I'll have to buy some pads. I wouldn't want to spend more money in the end. I was thinking about getting the hawk pads. I believe they are the HPS hawks. I've got the ATE slotted roters, for a decent price.

I've just completed the upper control arms. What a PITA! But it's done. Tomorrow through Saturday it's going to be the lower control arms and the fuel filter (that is if I think I should touch it (fuel filter), the bolts seem pretty rusted on there and I heard some bad stories about the fuel filter thing). So, we'll see how all that goes.

 

Agreed, and since you're thinking of doing upgraded pads, why not get upgraded rotors too? Mine will be due by springtime, and at that point I'm going with the A8 rotors and TT carriers offered by ECS and a few other places. For $350, you get drilled/slotted/vented rotors that are an inch larger in diameter than stock on the A4, and the TT carriers allow you to use your stock calipers. Throw those on the car with the Hawk pads, and maybe some SS lines and Motul 600 fluid, and you could have a pretty potent brake package for the money.