Anyone had brakes done on their WS?

Fiesta God · 13-04-2011, 11:11 AM

It appears as if I drive too hard (hard not to have fun in a Fiesta).

Done 40,000kms in my WS and I need new front pads (AND discs!?).

Pads I can understand - but discs wearing so quickly?

I got a second opinion from a brake expert. Apparently the Euro-spec pads on the Ford Fiesta contain quite a high metal content, and this causes premature disc wear - basically everyime the pads are worn, so are the brake discs. Interestingly the US Fiesta has different spec pads and calipers and the pads have a far lower metal content - leading to softer feel braking (which the Yanks like).

I called Ford - they wanted $660 for a set of front pads & discs including fitting. But there are no genuine Ford ones in Australia as they are on back order from Europe.
SO I have 97% worn pads and Ford can't get them for at least a month (how useful is that ...)

Plus I'm not paying $660.

I have got prices from a couple of independent brake places, and they are all around $560-620 for fitting a set of non-standard OEM equivalent pads & discs.

The catch is that I have found a supplier in the UK who can supply EBC slotted discs and pads for around $350 including shipping to Australia. My normal mechanic will sting me about $100 bucks for fitting ... so I'm coming out at $450. It looks like this is what I am going to do (and plenty of engine braking for the next month until they arrive).

I wanted to share the experience - wondering if anyone else has had pads and/or discs changed on their Fiesta, how much it cost, and if there are any decent Australian suppliers you have found who could source pads & discs more cheaply?

deesun · 13-04-2011, 02:50 PM

Try site sponsor Race Brakes in Sydney.

Cheech · 13-04-2011, 04:40 PM

Definitely go aftermarket for pads & discs. This is one area that ford continually skimp on unless you're a top end FPV.

Racebrakes are also in Melb - not sure if same company though.

40k out of a set of discs is pretty reasonable. I'm going through a set every 6-8k on the XR6T.

kiwijohn42 · 13-04-2011, 09:53 PM

85k on my WQ pads & still going.
Due for a service soon & they may finally need replacing.

trento · 13-04-2011, 10:50 PM

57k on my WS, original pads and discs.

Cheech... you go through a set of discs and pads every 8 thousand kms?!?!?!?!?! That seems ridiculous!!!

deesun · 14-04-2011, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheech

I'm going through a set every 6-8k on the XR6T.

You are joking arent you, WTF do you do to them?

Cheech · 14-04-2011, 01:28 PM

Check the sig and add the odd track day to them. I'm running high metal semi-track pads to handle 780 degrees. Should really have a track set and a street set but been to busy to do this.

The killer is turn 1 at Wakefield - 180kph to 70kph in the space of 100-150metres.

Also being a bit noisy you tend to brake later and harder on the street to avoid pad squeal.

deesun · 14-04-2011, 01:49 PM

Well that explains it then.

ads266 · 17-04-2011, 05:20 PM

I am up to 80,000 km's in my WQ and brakes and pads are fine, just had it checked on Friday when I got new tyres. My old SB Holden Barina went through them quicker. Admittedly, I use the gears as my brakes, so if I don't need to use them I won't. Gotta love manuals!

greenfoam · 17-04-2011, 09:18 PM

The front rotors are VERY heavily worn on our WS after 94,000ks of pretty much 90% highway driving. I was pretty surprised and only checked them after reading this thread. I thought the pads must be close to wearing out but didn't expect the rotors to go before the pads :S :P?!!?@ who would have imagined.

Given the amount of straight line driving I do I doubt anyone is going to get much more km from them than I have.

Anyway they probably still have a bit of life left in them, I've already decided to import them from England when the do need replacing since it ends up much cheaper even with the 100 pounds worth of airmail ontop.

Cheech, can't you use a kevlar pad or something like that to stop you without stuffing the discs so much?

Fiesta God · 17-04-2011, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deesun

Try site sponsor Race Brakes in Sydney.

Great suggestion, they have been very helpful.

Would highly recommend dealing with them.

Looks like I can pick up a set of standard spec rotors + aftermarket pads for around $250ish from them which is great ... now looking at prices in higher spec rotors from Race Brakes.

The minimum wear on the rotors is 21mm. Mine were down to 21.68mm after 40,000kms which is too thin to (legally) machine ... the rotors are 23mm brand new.

I do a huge amount of stop-start city driving ... makes using the brakes unavoidable (even with good timing in heavy traffic).

For anyone who is interested:

fordpartsuk.com = quoted $250 (incl shipping) for a set of genuine Ford discs + genuine Ford pads
pumaspeed.co.uk = quoted $498 (incl shipping) for a set of Zero Sixty slotted discs and Mintex pads

Franco Cozzo · 17-04-2011, 10:56 PM

Tried european-parts.net?

Rev28K · 29-04-2011, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheech

Check the sig and add the odd track day to them. I'm running high metal semi-track pads to handle 780 degrees. Should really have a track set and a street set but been to busy to do it

Absolutely the right way to go, everything else is a compromise.

My race pads for my Honda are squeally, cause massive brake dust and aren't great from cold but they consistently and repeatedly help to stand it on it's nose when the disc temp gets above 600 degrees.

geelong festy · 13-05-2011, 06:53 PM

Got a quote from Race Brakes Melbourne this week and was quoted $127 a disc for DBX2100X (slotted over the shelf but a 3 week wait for slotted and groooved) DBA didn't have a listing for WS/WT pads. Was offered TRW performance pads for around $120(ish) and was assured they were the 'duck's guts'. I've done 17,000k but it gets flogged down the Ocean Road every-other-week! (take turns with a friend in his turbo nissan-something!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiesta God

It appears as if I drive too hard (hard not to have fun in a Fiesta).

Done 40,000kms in my WS and I need new front pads (AND discs!?).

Pads I can understand - but discs wearing so quickly?

I got a second opinion from a brake expert. Apparently the Euro-spec pads on the Ford Fiesta contain quite a high metal content, and this causes premature disc wear - basically everyime the pads are worn, so are the brake discs. Interestingly the US Fiesta has different spec pads and calipers and the pads have a far lower metal content - leading to softer feel braking (which the Yanks like).

I called Ford - they wanted $660 for a set of front pads & discs including fitting. But there are no genuine Ford ones in Australia as they are on back order from Europe.
SO I have 97% worn pads and Ford can't get them for at least a month (how useful is that ...)

Plus I'm not paying $660.

I have got prices from a couple of independent brake places, and they are all around $560-620 for fitting a set of non-standard OEM equivalent pads & discs.

The catch is that I have found a supplier in the UK who can supply EBC slotted discs and pads for around $350 including shipping to Australia. My normal mechanic will sting me about $100 bucks for fitting ... so I'm coming out at $450. It looks like this is what I am going to do (and plenty of engine braking for the next month until they arrive).

I wanted to share the experience - wondering if anyone else has had pads and/or discs changed on their Fiesta, how much it cost, and if there are any decent Australian suppliers you have found who could source pads & discs more cheaply?