Hello Everyone,

I need to re-do the front brakes on the car and I am looking at Max Brakes Front Premium Brake Kit. The kit includes ceramic pads.
It is available on Amazon and the price is attractive.
Anything good or bad about this kit?

Once I did buy rotors at a FLAPS, both looked rejects to me, the casting and machining were off center from each other. I returned them.
Since then I have been buying Wagner premium rotors, and they were OK. I did buy the pads separately.

If I buy separately the rotors and pads what type of pads are suggested?
I am not concerned about brake dust, but I would like to keep the rotors shiny.

Thanks, Peter

On my GM'* I have always used premium semi-metallic pads. They seem to offer very good stopping power. My last set from ideal is still going strong years later.
If you are installing new pads might as well have new rotors. I used Raybestos rotors & I'm super happy, no warped rotors and even wear.

Thanks for the reply!
I think I always used semi-metallic pads.
On those Max Brakes rotors I am just worried that the quality matches the price...

While the car is generally OK, one of the worst features of the car is the front brakes.
The rotor and pads never lasted more than three years! Maybe because we live in the rust belt?
The first time the brakes needed attention was at 7k km (we own the car since new). The dealer was cheap, they just turned the rotors, twice.
They also turned the rear drums, obviously that did not help!

There are several things wrong with the front brakes, as far as I can see.
It is a floating caliper design, meaning there is a piston on one side, and the caliper is moving sideways on the sliding pins.
The sliding pins are galvanized steel and there is rubber bushing in the caliper as the "bearing material".
The sliding pins rust easily, I already changed them once.
Well, the caliper just does not slide adequately (for long)!
Contrast that with VW'* solution (on my '88 Jetta), it uses stainless steel sliding pins and there is teflon sheeting inside the bushing.
The rotor is still original on that car, and in good shape, though the car is kept in good shape and has low kms (105k km).

The other problem was that the early pads were tight in the carrier, when I replaced them they were "frozen" in there.
The replacement pads were tight too, I filed them down a bit to move freely. Lately, I guess they figured, the replacement pad clearances are better.
Still, the brakes only lasted two or three years.
This time I will try greasing the sliding pins and rubber bushings with silicone grease, hopefully it will help a bit.

Thanks for letting me rant,
Peter

Set a schedule for once a year where you break the calipers down, re-grease them and put back together.

Another factor that plays a roll in brake life is, how much you use them. If following distance is too close, you find yourself jamming on the brakes excessively. Which leads to premature failure.