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Final Verdict On New Oem Brake Suppliers?


jschaefer7406

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Hello all,

Always been a fan of the OEM blue box brake pads and rotors. Working at the dealership, it was easy to tell just by driving a car whether or not it had OEM friction installed. In any case, my S70 has needed front pads and rotors (previous owner had aftermarket installed just before I purchased nearly 6 years ago), so I had the Wife pick them up today when she stopped by the dealer. As we all know, the pads and rotors are no longer made by ATE. Pads are now produced by Roulunds in India, rotors are made in China...

Have seen mixed reviews about dust and squealing, but most search results are complaints from the same one or two people here. Are the new parts bad? I am mostly concerned with stopping power. I have (as mentioned above) always been more confident in the OEM pads, because they offer so much better performance in all conditions. Is that true of the Roulunds pads, or are they "just okay"?

I can source ATE pads and rotors for the same price (or even less). Should I return them and buy ATE, or keep what I have?

No real interest in Akebono, Mintex, PBR, etc. Would like to stay OE on this, as they've always outperformed in my experience.

Please advise, thanks

Joe

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How much could it possibly cost to just try them out and see for yourself? If you don't like them buy another set. Verdict is opinions are like, er, um, well you know... everyone has one. Most people think if it comes in a magical blue box it must be the best thing since sliced bread was invented. And you know that China is now the worldwide leader in steel production, don't you. Go to Allentown, PA if you don't believe me, looks like a ghost town.

I'm happy with my Mintex pads (thus far.) They bite like crazy and produce very little dust.

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Mintex pads will dust like crazy, squeal like pigs and glaze the stuff out of rotors.

Joe, I don't have much to say that's very helpful but wanted to let you know that if you want I have all but new Genuine front brake hardware just lying around. I installed both front rebuilt Centric calipers and they came loaded with everything but the pads. I have 4 x dust boots, 4 x caps, 4 x sliding pins, all are Genuine with about 10K miles of use. I'll sell them to you for next to nothing, just want to see them used as they are practically new.

Hell, I'll throw in some free x70 switches too. :lol:

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Mintex pads will dust like crazy, squeal like pigs and glaze the stuff out of rotors.

Lets see, I could believe my own eyes and ears, or I could believe you... hmmm.

They did produce some dust initially which had me wondering, but after they were broken-in that stopped. Volvo pads had me cleaning my wheels every couple weeks. The Zimmermann rotors with anti-rust Z-coat are working nicely for me too BTW.

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How much could it possibly cost to just try them out and see for yourself?

About $150 actually. I don't know about you, but to me, that's to much to just "try them" and throw them out in a few weeks if I don't like them. Once installed, I own them. I realize everyone has an opinion on what friction is best. Being there are quite a few dealer techs here though, surely SOMEONE can comment (without bias or "opinion") on ATE vs. Roulunds OEM specifically, not Mintex or the like. BTW, The Wifes (now my Brother's) 850T had mintex pads on the front when purchased and they didn't stop worth a darn...;)

Volvo pads had me cleaning my wheels every couple weeks

Biggest thing to me is that they stop like they should and are quiet. Don't get me wrong, I don't like brake dust either (especially since I wash my car about twice a year :lol:). But I'd rather have brakes that'll put you through the windshield but produce some dust than some with worse performance, but are nice and clean :D.

Thanks for the replies,

Joe

P.S. - Aaron, sent ya a PM :)...

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newpadsin.jpg

Mintex pads, 5K old, ATE Premium One 302's were 5K old as well. Right when the transformation in braking surface appearance appeared they starting squealing something horrible. That is when they were removed from all corners and exchanged for quality ceramics.

They were extremely dirty pads the entire time they were on the car.

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The new brakes suck.I got oem brakes on both my 850 and v70r..they both produce a lot of dust. On my 850 when i brake my left front sounds like a cupped tire but its from the brakes. My v70r squeaks intermittently like hell when i brake.parts warrantied my brakes they squeak less but still do it. Old oem pads and rotors were way better less dust and noise. My shop foreman had same problem I think our volvo rep sent him a tester aftermarket pads

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[Mintex pads, 5K old, ATE Premium One 302's were 5K old as well. Right when the transformation in braking surface appearance appeared they starting squealing something horrible. That is when they were removed from all corners and exchanged for quality ceramics.

They were extremely dirty pads the entire time they were on the car.

Are those dry fitted right to the caliper? if so then that's where youre noise was from.....

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Are those dry fitted right to the caliper? if so then that's where youre noise was from.....

ORLY? Grease does not work miracles, I do not have one ounce on my braking system right now and it is perfectly quiet. Not having grease will not make pads glaze the stuff out of a rotor like what you see in that picture. :lol:

Mintex = Metallic = Noise/Dust, just a matter of when with the noise, dust is always flinging

Seriously though, I've done lots of brakes for friends/family, never use grease and never end up with noise appearing. I will however clean the bracket and contact points up good with brake cleaner. Don't have to on mine, brackets/calipers/lines/rotors/pads/hardware's all new. :lol:

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ORLY? Grease does not work miracles, I do not have one ounce on my braking system right now and it is perfectly quiet. Not having grease will not make pads glaze the stuff out of a rotor like what you see in that picture. :lol:

Mintex = Metallic = Noise/Dust, just a matter of when with the noise, dust is always flinging

Seriously though, I've done lots of brakes for friends/family, never use grease and never end up with noise appearing. I will however clean the bracket and contact points up good with brake cleaner. Don't have to on mine, brackets/calipers/lines/rotors/pads/hardware's all new. :lol:

I'm not talking about grease, I'm talking about an adhesive......

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Something about adhesive and brake pads doesn't sound so good..........

No, not completely bonding them, just enough to get them to stick to the calipers. The main reason brakes squeal is due to chatter between the pad and the caliper.

Ive never had to bother with shims, I have used all kinds of different pads, and still have not had a peep from any of my brakes.

Keep everything really clean, use a adhesive compound on the backings, bed them in real good and you should never get any noise. Although, maybe I'm just really lucky, but with the number of vehicles ive gone through I don't think that's the case.

.....How do you afford to keep your vehicle on the road? I think by now you have replaced EVERY part that wears on this thing haha :P

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No, not completely bonding them, just enough to get them to stick to the calipers. The main reason brakes squeal is due to chatter between the pad and the caliper.

Ive never had to bother with shims, I have used all kinds of different pads, and still have not had a peep from any of my brakes.

Keep everything really clean, use a adhesive compound on the backings, bed them in real good and you should never get any noise. Although, maybe I'm just really lucky, but with the number of vehicles ive gone through I don't think that's the case.

.....How do you afford to keep your vehicle on the road? I think by now you have replaced EVERY part that wears on this thing haha :P

Ah I see, interesting. Although I've never used any sort of adhesive compound I can see what you're saying.

Haha, well, whether whichever part is affordable or not isn't really my concern. I look at it like the car's pretty much my paycheck/gateway to life. I need to be able to solidly rely on it and to do so I must replace things before they break/in the early stages of failure. :lol:

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