Brake Pad change virgin

[Buffettbassman]

I've changed brake pads before on other cars but never on the MINI.

 

Someone told me that I had to replace the rotors with new ones...implying that the rotors can't be cut. Is this a Yetti-esque myth?

 

If I wanted to replace the pads and rotors with after market ones without changing the calipers, what would you recommend?

 

As always, thanks

[orcadog]

I just replaced mine on my R53 with about 30k on it. I replaced the fronts (rotors and pads) because the rotors were out of spec for passing state safety inspection. I replaced the rears because I wanted them to match the front.

 

I bought ATE Premium One rotors and Hawk Ceramic pads. As a slight upgrade to stock. It cost me pretty much the same as OEM stuff.

 

Now, to answer your question about HAVING to replace the rotors with the pads - I have heard this before as well.

Here is MY take on it. If the rotors are still thick enough to last you another set of pads, then go for it. But I would use the same kind of pads as the ones you are replacing. (A more aggressive pad, may chew through the rotors faster and leave you with a reasonably healthy brake pad but a rotor that is toast. And when you replace rotors you should definitely replace pads, so you're throwing money away by having to replace a still usable pad)

A driver who is exceptionally hard on his/her brakes might find that this doesn't hold true, but for most enthusiasts I think it's a fair assessment -YMMV.

 

As a side note, I don't think the Ceramic pads are right for me, they aren't any more aggressive than stock. I've put a couple hundred miles on them and I am thinking I want to go with the HPS pads. The Ceramic's are AWESOME for lack of dust though!

 

Perhaps you would be interested in my ceramic pads? They aren't cheap, and I'd be willing to make you a deal!

 

-Ryan

[cmcveay]

I haven't seen anything that says you MUST change the rotors when you change the pads - as long as the rotors aren't warped and they are still within "spec".

 

When I put the Wilwood kit on the front of the car, I also put a set of Hawk HPS + pads on the rear and I certainly don't regret that decision. Autocross is hard on brakes but I don't have any problems with brake fade and when I ask it to stop, it responds even after 5-6 heats. So far, great performance and much lower brake dust so it's a win/win situation. The price is pretty good too so it was an easy choice for me.

 

When it's wet out and the brakes are soaked and cold, I will put some pressure on the brake pedal to warm the rotors and pads and run off some of the water but even then, they still inspire confidence.

 

Sorry, can't offer any suggestions on rotors but if you can find some that are reasonable and slotted, I'd go for them - that's what I'll be putting on the rear when it's time to change them out.

 

Don't forget to look up the instructions for resetting the brake service indicator when you do the swap, otherwise, the OBC will be telling you to get the car in for brake service.

[Buffettbassman]

Thanks for that. Forgot about resetting the brake pad sensor. Thanks

[Bigprfed22]

Putting new/different pads on older rotors is ok to do. 1 thing will happen,

 

 

1.- the pads will lose life mating to the grooves of the rotors, by that i mean that the rotors will have groves in them whether visible or not and the pads will not reach maximum stopping power until these grooves are mated to the pads.

 

It is not a bad thing but not a good thing either.

 

Change away!

[RichSperry]

Auto cross isn't hard on brakes at all...lol I doubt you really even build up any heat in them at all.

 

Any pad that works well on the street will work for autocross. That's not true for the track.

[rickyr53]

 

If I wanted to replace the pads and rotors with after market ones without changing the calipers, what would you recommend?

 

As always, thanks

 

Im wondering the same thing. ...To replace the rotors and keep the same calipers would i have to get the same size rotor? if not how much bigger could you go with the OEM rotor?

[cmcveay]

If I remember correctly, my front rotors are 12.1, I went with the Wilwood big brake kit. Everyone who I've asked has said there's not much value added to go with bigger rotors in the rear. There are a couple of kits for the front and I'm pretty sure the biggest is a little over 12". If you go that route, throw in the braided stainless brake lines.

 

As far as autocross not being hard on brakes? ya sure wouldn't think that if you were downwind of most of the turns and the stop box. I think the biggest thing is that the track is hard on the entire car and it's contents (that's the driver) for longer periods while autocross is hard on suspension and brakes to a lesser degree since it's a shorter duration and a lower speed. With the big brake kit and higher performance pad in the rear, I get much closer to the box before I have to brake - the same concept as the track.