Do you need brakes for your Mercedes Benz, BMW, Volvo or Volkswagen? We’ve got great deals on the best brake pads, brake rotors, brake sensors, even calipers and parking brake shoes for your European car. Find the parts you need easily at www.alloemautoparts.com , www.oem-bmw-parts.com and www.oem-mercedez-parts.com .
The first thing to do is go through the catalog, determining the make, year, model and engine type. This will get you to the product category page where you can either type in a key word to search (like “caliper”), or you can proceed to the product category for “brake.” If you choose the product category you will get a list of all the parts related to brakes and you can choose from there. Our sister site, www.carpartsplace.com has a wonderful feature when you get to your requested part, it lists the related parts in the same part category that you might need to complete the service or repair you’re performing.
There are so many brands of brake pads and brake discs, which ones will you choose? This is a big debate, even among professional technicians. Once you get out of the bargain basement every one seems to have their preference on what works best, makes less dust and is less susceptible to squeaks. Before we do get out of the bargain brands though, I would like to point out a couple of real bargains featured at www.carpartsplace.com in the brake department. Meyle and OPparts offer great quality and value in brake discs. We have used them on our own vehicles and been pleased with the results; why pay more? The Meyle discs are especially nice as they are fully painted, so you don’t get that ugly rust on the hat the way uncoated rotors will.
Brake pads are a bit more of a puzzle. I have never cared much personally for the PBR pads. Too much pedal effort and not enough “stop” in my opinion, though they do tend to last a very long time. I prefer the premium Original Equipment type pads like Pagid, ATE, Textar and Jurid. They make the car stop like it should, though they do produce dust and they don’t last forever. I have heard good reports from many German car specialist garages that they like the Mintex brand. The Akebono pads have been making a big impression as a premium brand as well, I haven’t heard of anyone unhappy with them.
There are a few tips when replacing your brake friction materials that are worth mentioning here. First of all, keep everything clean. Don’t get any grease or dirt on the friction surface of your brake pads. Be sure the caliper piston and other pad contact points are clean. If you are changing the rotors (and you should if they are deeply grooved or they are under their minimum thickness— make sure you take the measurement) keep the rotor surface spotless and be sure to clean the crud off of the hub where the disc hat makes contact. If there is debris keeping anything from lining up squarely you are in for disappointment with pulsing or squeaking brakes. Also, it is wise to use the brake paste lube on the surfaces where the brake pad backing makes contact with the caliper. Check those caliper sliders, make sure they’re clean and move freely but without excessive play. Always inspect the pins and clips to be sure they fit correctly and are not loose. If in doubt, replace them.
When you get your parts, don’t throw any instructions away, even if you’re pretty sure you know the drill. Many brake component manufacturers send detailed and helpful instructions on installation and especially break-in. The first few miles are critical to “bedding in“ your brake discs and pads. Properly broken in you’ll get flawlessly performing brakes with no noises, if you fail to follow the procedures you may be in for squeaks or even warped rotors. If in doubt, read through a manual and see what they recommend. I think the Bentley manuals are some of the most accurate and comprehensive.
Have fun out there!
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