I am in need of new brake rotors and pads. The Brembos and PBRs on the car (That came with it when I bought it) are in need of replacement. The local VW shop wants an insane amount of money to put Audi stock pads and rotors on the car. I am wondering if anyone has Zimmerman, Brembo, Willwood or any other brand rotors and Hawk, PBR, Mintex or any other brand pad on their car, and what they like and don't like about them.

In addition, where can you go to get this and other service work competently done on your A8? Anywhere around NOVA or Richmond would be fine.. as would MD side of DC.

 

I've got a full set of Zimmerman F/R Drilled/Slotted rotors, along with EDC Red Stuff Ceramic pads all the way around. Gonna install S/S lines as soon as the weather breaks...

Positives - I guestimate my stopping distances are about 10-12 feet shorter from 70. And, once I get a decent set of 5-spokes and paint my calipers my Gummi's gonna be P.I.M.P. Also, Repeated, hard stops exibit MUCH LESS fade than stock. Little to none, actually.

Negatives - On HARD breaking, like from 100+, it feels like EVERYTHING is rubbing, down there... Like I got Cordoury rotors & pads. Also, the EBC pads smell like they're cooking, when you stop from racing speeds, which can unnerve certain types of passengers. Fronts stop so hard, now, that, on dry surfaces I get into anti-lock a scosh sooner than before (it's complicated, but, if you want I can explain polar moment, inertia and weight transfer, for the masses..., just ask).

Got the rotors off eBay, $275.00 for F & R set. Shopped around for the best price on the EBC's but I dont remember where I got 'em from. I DO have a set of S8 Front EBC RedStuf Ceramic pads (8-per axel) that I ordered in error as a discontinued item (so I cudn't send 'em back) that I'd be willing to sell for, say $50.00 (price includes shipping, add $10.00 if you want express), which is what I paid for them...

When it's time to replace my pads I'm gonna try Mintex or Hawk ceramic, next, to see how they feel/smell...

 

Thanks for the info. Three other questions for you.. Where did you get the brake work done? and did you like the service? Why didn't you/Couldn't you use the S8 calipers. I have a 98 (I think yours is a 99') and I probably wouldn't be able to use them either if you didn't.

 

Did the work myself. It's not that hard. If you can figure out how to get a CD out of a brand-new case (with that stoopit sticky plastic stuck to one end) without breaking NEthing, and have the proper tools, you can change ALL 4 Rotors & Pads in one afternoon; 4 hours, or less (less being if you have a BRAKE CALIPER TOOL KIT which, BTW, I got mine from Harbor Freight for about $15.00 more...). Along with a can of brake cleaner, a set of supersized metric sockets for removing the calipers, some muscles, and a bit of ingenuity... Honestly, it really not that hard.

FTR, meh, the service was OK, but I dint really like teh look of teh guy servicing my car, he looked a l'il flaky, to me

I've got an extra set of S8 PADS, not calipers. If I had the S8 calipers I could use teh pads I have (which I mistakenly ordered because I dint double check teh part # before I clicked "OK."). S8 calipers ('99-'03) would be a straight swap for A8 fronts ('97-'03), from what I'm told. As far as teh pads go, stock A8 uses 4 pads/axle, S8 uses 8 (smaller) pads/axle. If no one takes 'em off my hand I may swap some S8 calipers (painted, of course) for my regular ones when I do my Stainless-Steel line swap-in... We'll see.


You're near the Metro DC area, aren't you? Say the word and we can get together some nice weekend and I'll help you do your brakes. I've already got all of teh tools, and I have teh benefit of having already done ONE A8's brakes, already... PM me...

 

You got a deal! Unfortunately... probably won't have another nice weekend like this last one for some time. I'll shoot you a message, but for the good of everyone here, did you say the calipers used 2 pads per caliper or 4? I saw on Tire Rack that they are all but GIVING away the 4/caliper EBC ones.

 

Stock A8 uses 2/caliper. S8 uses 4/caliper.
The extra ones I have are 4/caliper.

phugkin Tire Rack.

I gota semi-decent deal on mine, but I can't beat TR's.

Guess I'll hafta hold on to mine until I can scam my way up on a pair for front S8 Calipers and use em myself, huh?

LEt me know when yu wanna do teh brake thing. Earlier is better. This weekend (4-5Feb) I'm gonna be doing some minor home-interior remodelling for both my Sis-in-Law and her neighbor, AND I promised an ex-G/F of mine I'd fix her a pan of my world-famous lasagna before she goes in for MAJOR back surgery, next week (I think she said?!?)... So, this weekend is not good for me.