# Long term FULL ceramic pad results



## Slimjimmn (Apr 8, 2006)

I have been a user of ceramic pads since I found out they are available a couple years ago. I like how they have low brake dust or no brake dust at all. I have, however, had man issues with the pads eating brake rotors. I mean, they cause the brake rotors to warp in 6-8k miles of driving. 
-I have had the issue ONLY with FULL CERAMIC pads (not metallic or semi-metallic) 
-I have had the issue with all brands of rotors (brembo, wagner, mighty, napa, brake best) 
-I tried Brembo cross drilled rotors (they actually cracked after 5k miles of driving) 
-I have tried turning BRAND NEW rotors out of the box to ensure no runout new. 
-I don't track or race my cars 
-I don't floor my brakes 

I never had the issue of this until I started using ceramic pads. I went 40-50k miles on semi-metallic pads on my honda with no issues. I went 25k miles on my corolla with no issues. 

Has anyone else noticed this from ceramic pads? I put organic pads on the back of my passat and after 20k of driving they are still straight, while I have went through one set or rotors, turned them again, and put on another new set.


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## Slimjimmn (Apr 8, 2006)

only 5 replies.... 84 views hmm...


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## KG18t (Aug 9, 2006)

gehr said:


> I think you should re-evaluate your braking technique!:sly:


x2. If you're warping rotors that quickly, it's you, not the hardware. Sounds like you're spending way too much time with your foot on the brake... either you ride them, or you're riding up on people's asses and constantly having to tap the brake to keep from running into people... either way, modify your driving.


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## DC Jetta Guy (Jul 31, 2004)

Not sure if they are full ceramic or whatever, but I have had Hawk Performance Ceramic pads and Eurospec rotors on my GLI for 20k+ miles without a single issue. I rotate my tires at every oil change and check out the brakes for any obviously signs of trouble and nothing so far.


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## Slimjimmn (Apr 8, 2006)

i am never hard on my brakes and usually do 75% highway driving. my wife on the other hand, like to slam on her brakes. But she never had an issue for5yrs 50,000 miles on her hyundai elantra warping rotors, but as soon as she started driving my passat with said brakes, they pulsate nice after 6k of driving.


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## KG18t (Aug 9, 2006)

I just noticed your signature. Your thread now worries me a great deal.

In any case, short distance hard braking does not cause warping... unless, as I said earlier, it's constant.


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## GTijoejoe (Oct 6, 2001)

keep in mind 'ceramic' is a category. Manufacturer A ceramic pad may not and probably will not be like manufacturer B ceramic pad. People's results will very depending on which pads they use, what environment they drive/life in, and there own driving habbits.

how many different types of ceramic pads have you used?
What are you currently using?


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## greyhare (Dec 24, 2003)

Are the rotors actualy warped?

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/faqs.shtml#26
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/faqs.shtml#25
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_warped_brakedisk.shtml


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## Slimjimmn (Apr 8, 2006)

I have use these pads:
EBC redstuff
Akebono full ceramic
Wagner thermoquiet ceramic
Mighty Ceramic

I know the rotors are warped as I have mic'd them and when I go to turn them they are warped.
And yes I know when you turn rotors there is less meterial to absorb the heat so they will warp faster.

I just put in a cheapo set of semi-metalic napa pads and new rotors in my jetta.. I will see what happens the next 6-8k miles.



> A WARNING: Do not leave an abrasive pad in the caliper longer than necessary to solve the problem. We have had rotors destroyed in under a week by leaving the abrasive track pads in on the street.


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## GTijoejoe (Oct 6, 2001)

:sly: thats a decent list.....

well here is some FYI, the benefit of ceramic compounds is the ability to deal with high temperatures, normally high temperature pads are more suited for track duty, track duty pads have aggressive friction compound with high mu.... High mu pads EAT brake disks, literally.

Perhaps in your case its the nature of the beast.... try comparing the mu value of some of your ceramics vs semi-metallic that you used in the past. (we are disregarding bite characteristics)


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## Slimjimmn (Apr 8, 2006)

gehr said:


> I just read his sig. too, since you mentioned it.......:screwy: and :laugh:


what, vw's dont leak oil......



on a side note I dont think I will use ceramic pads any more. They grab very nice and have 0 pedal fade, but eat rotors imo. its like I tell customers, there is no pad that will have no noise, no brake dust, and last a ling time, that is also cheap. Its not possible.


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## omegared24 (Jun 19, 2008)

I have ceramic pads (Centric premium) and relatively inexpensive rotors on my 1985 190e with no warping or issues after 10,000 miles. Stops perfectly.

I have ceramic pads (Wagner Thermo Quiet) and relatively inexpensive rotors on a 2006 Pacifica with no warping or issues after 15,000 miles. Stops perfectly.

I would certainly agree that the ceramics will eat away at the rotors but I always replace them when pads need to be replaced. It just isn't worth the money to have them resurfaced when I can just buy a new set. Ceramics respond to heat much better. That Pacifica, as big as it is, never has any fade when we are on the brakes. 

I ALWAYS torque my lugs to spec, even after I visit a shop. That may contribute to your rotors warping. 

My GTI just hit 40,000 miles and I need to replace the rears. I may just pop a set of pads on and do a full rotor and pad upgrade when the front pads are done. Will definitely go with ceramic pads and a decent set of rotors when that time comes.


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## JELLI (Feb 4, 2008)

i use ceramics up front with semi in the rear. i like the additional stopping power and quiet running. however brake dust builds like mad on the rims. ill clean all 4 and the fronts will be nasty within a week. and i baby the pads unless i need to. dont like changing pads all the time.


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## Slimjimmn (Apr 8, 2006)

i always hand torque lugs after new rotor replacement. And also clean the hub mating surface as well as the lug stud surface on applicable cars. :thumbup:


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## BassNotes (Mar 16, 2005)

How much runout do you measure on the rotors?


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## Slimjimmn (Apr 8, 2006)

Um blowing dust off threads are we?

Any runout of .002" or more will cause a pulsation


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## BassNotes (Mar 16, 2005)

Sorry, I didn't notice that it was an ancient thread. Someone perhaps voted in the poll and bumped it up. I just bought ceramic pads and then this thread popped up. Interesting.


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## jmh2002 (Jun 28, 2007)

BassNotes said:


> Sorry, I didn't notice that it was an ancient thread.


Why be sorry? I dont understand this thing about old threads. 

On the one hand, there is moaning about old threads being bumped, and on the other there is moaning about people not searching... :screwy:

To me, old threads being bumped means people are searching, and this makes use of the old info which is often very good and discussed at length and in great detail, and then updates it if necessary, keeping the forum more concise.

:thumbup: Old threads FTW!!! :thumbup::beer:


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## Slimjimmn (Apr 8, 2006)

I like to see people using the search function.


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## rich65vwbus (Mar 25, 2010)

This is alot to "chew on" I'm at 60K on my Mk4R32 Bought it with 47K and OEM Pads. Brake dust is ridiculuos. I was thinking about Hawk Ceramic all the way around. I'm Mostly Highhway driving myself, and only geting ceramics to reduce the dust. I still have plenty of pad left on Front and Rears. My instict says to go with the Hawk ceramics and will get great results. I have read plenty reviews of them and they have a HIGH customer aprroval rating.


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## Slimjimmn (Apr 8, 2006)

You will get squeel of you do a lot of hw driving and its cold out. 
If anything I would recommend akebono euro ceramic pads. 0 dust and almost no noise ever. I have had a few sets on 3 cars and like them over hawk and also ebc pads. Just get good oem rotors or Zimmerman or Bosch rotors.


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## goscha7452 (Jun 9, 2011)

Slimjimmn said:


> You will get squeel of you do a lot of hw driving and its cold out.
> If anything I would recommend ale bono euro ceramic pads. 0 dust and almost no noise ever. I have had a few sets on 3 cars and like them over hawk and also ebc pads. Just get good oem rotors or Zimmerman or Bosch rotors.


 He wont listen to you.


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## advash (Aug 27, 2002)

I have always wondered about automatic cars and warping of disks... I invision dirving hard having fun and then stopping for a light... In an auto the car allways wants to go.. so your sitting there with you foot on the brake... mashing in that really hot pad into 1 spot on the disk... do that a few times or have a panic stop I could see that causing an issue... Fact fiction Im smoking crack? Just wondering.


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

akebono euro ceramic 
centric premium rotors

had them since last october and at least 30,000 miles

no squeal
no warping
great cold bite, even first thing on a cold winter morning

But.... the bite is instant with no linear feel. the harder I press, it feels the same


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## 02GTIVR624V (Feb 26, 2013)

i run PowerStop cross-drilled and slotted rotors with the matching PowerStop Evolution ceramic pads and stock calipers on my GTI VR6 24v. i have about 8k on them and no warpage, no scoring, no nothing and i autocross my car twice a month in the spring, summer and fall.


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## 02GTIVR624V (Feb 26, 2013)

advash said:


> I have always wondered about automatic cars and warping of disks... I invision dirving hard having fun and then stopping for a light... In an auto the car allways wants to go.. so your sitting there with you foot on the brake... mashing in that really hot pad into 1 spot on the disk... do that a few times or have a panic stop I could see that causing an issue... Fact fiction Im smoking crack? Just wondering.


happened to my dad's Chrysler Pacifica, literally no problems one day and then the next after having to make a few panic stops in traffic on the freeway to where he was going and on the way back he noticed the heavy pulsating feeling from the warped rotors. thats really all it takes, you would think they could come up with some better ideas to keep things like that from happening. personally imo driving a manual is much simpler, i almost never have to touch my brakes  hooray for downshifting!


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## vwabbitman (Mar 12, 2006)

82 diesel vw rabbit pickup which i haul some decent sized loads that some people are suprised it will haul.. First three years i had it i went thru four sets of stock solid rotors and atleast six sets of stock pads. Every rotor either warped or had deep gouges and cracks. Then i replaced the rotors with a set of well used ventedgti rotors off a car in the junk yard. That was seven years ago and i just replaced the vented rotors with a newer but still used set a year or two ago. About six months ago i replaced the third set of pads since i converted to vented seven years ago.

Edit: Also i bed ever set of brakes when replacing pads and also replace pads when i replace rotors. I downshift and brake down to 10-15 mph and brakes only to a full stop from there. I have a friend that has the same setup as me but doesnt downshift and has replaced three sets to my one.


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