Hi Guys,

Just recently installed some bendix heavy duty pads in the front of the magna and wanted to advise anyone who is thinking of getting these pads to steer well clear. :shock:

Previously had Bendix Performax on all four wheels and found these were brilliant. Never once had the slightest brake fade, but the other day after going down a frequently travelled road which is steep and twisty, I had almost completely ran out of brakes by the time I got to the bottom...I was rather shocked as on paper, the Heavy Duty pads should probably be better than the performax which are now superseded. I assumed that the heavy duty pads were probably a replacement for the performax given their specs, but in reality, they are not even close. :disgusted

So if anyone is tossing up wether to go ultimates or heavy duty, go the ultimates. Having said that, never tried ultimates myself, so I cant really say how they perform, however, I would think that it cant be worse than the Heavy Duty pads. :cool:

dude its best to steer clear from Bendix all up. i have or had bendix ultimate on my car and it chew the disc's away. im not the only one who has experianced this. DVS has also had this happen to him and his got them slotted discs. go and have a feel of ur disc and near the end u will feel a lip which will prove how much of the disc has been eaten away. so overall Bendix sucks

Ok.....will check that later....

What would you recommend?

I cant recomend Bendix Ultimates enough. I run them on all my Veradas and they are the best thing i have ever come accross. Unless you track race the car, you will never get any fade or disc warping. Yeah they chew the discs a little quicker than normal but you still get a good 60,000 out of a set of discs and considering you can pick up 4 discs for your car for less than $200 these days, who really cares.
I have heard that the slotted discs dont like ultimates but as i said, i run all my Verada's on DBA normal discs and Ultimates.
Just love them.
If you go to the right place, you can pick up a complete brake setup being ultimate pads all round and 4 new DBA discs for under $400. They make the very undersized magna brake system work more than well enough.
Just remember, its a trade off for having good brakes that they wear out a little quicker. Just like all european cars which have great brakes(best in the world) they chew their pads and discs just as quick.
I have a mate with a brand new M3 and a 330 and he replaces discs and pads in the 330 every second service which cost him close to $1500 and thats with just normal driving, not hard driving. I think we do ok in comparison.

Thinking of changing all my brake pads, I am more into normal driving and some country driving. Are there any other brands to recommend besides the above mentioned?

You could try EBC - greenstuff? or the colour they recommend for your particular driving style, they are linked to RDA and supposed to be pretty good. Worth checking out anyway.

I have bought some Bendix CT's they are below the Advance pads but according to the brake guy work better than the advance. I will report back when I get them on, pads weren't as worn as I thought so it will be a little while. I was intending to go straight for the Ultimates as they are a pretty good pad, never experienced any fade in my R32 at trackdays - but they were dusty and they used to squeak on gentle braking( silent under heavy braking), so if these ones don't work out I will get the Ulitmates. I don't plan on driving my TJ anywhere as near as hard as my Skyline though especially without a rear swaybar!

Stephen

iv heard that BOSH pads are pretty good. but alot of dust. might give them a go next service and see if they work good in the twisties :badgrin: but ye bendix are good pads but dun like the idea of changin my discs every now and then

You could try EBC - greenstuff? or the colour they recommend for your particular driving style, they are linked to RDA and supposed to be pretty good. Worth checking out anyway.
Good idea. Mark, if you get them just make sure you get rotors that are suited to them like RDA or EBC, DBA will just be destroyed by them.

Good idea. Mark, if you get them just make sure you get rotors that are suited to them like RDA or EBC, DBA will just be destroyed by them.
Yeah, I have heard this. I have no immediate plans to replace my rotors again, the slotted ones work quite well for me when mated to a suitable pad.
I reckon next time I'm gonna give ultimates a go as they seem to be a proven product, just have'nt heard enough about other brands to be confident I'm not going to be wasting my money on them.
Ashneel, just went outside and felt the rotor, cant feel any particular lip that has been created through the use of the performax pads anyway, so I can confidently say the rotor ate the pads and not the other way around :D

i have bendix ultimates on the front of my car (advanced on the back) with all 4 new stocko PBR rotors, the pads wore before they wore anything into the rotors.

the ultimates are pretty good... they can take quite alot of crap before they even start to fade the slightest.

Thinking of changing all my brake pads, I am more into normal driving and some country driving. Are there any other brands to recommend besides the above mentioned?


i have ferrodo on my 1st gen , best ive used yet

when you say brake fade what do you mean

did the peddel hit the floor or did they just not pull up?

when you say brake fade what do you mean

did the peddel hit the floor or did they just not pull up?
Nah, had plenty of pedal, only problem was I was practically standing on it and I was'nt stopping LOL lol

Yeah, I have heard this. I have no immediate plans to replace my rotors again, the slotted ones work quite well for me when mated to a suitable pad.
I reckon next time I'm gonna give ultimates a go as they seem to be a proven product, just have'nt heard enough about other brands to be confident I'm not going to be wasting my money on them.
Ashneel, just went outside and felt the rotor, cant feel any particular lip that has been created through the use of the performax pads anyway, so I can confidently say the rotor ate the pads and not the other way around :D


mmm i think i ride my brakes hard so maybe thats why mine are eating the rotors. next service ill be gettin the cross drilled rotors and will see wat pads will go best. or maybe upgrade front braking systems and get bigger ones for an instant stop so i can ride up ppls arse and fly round the twisties :badgrin:

Nah, had plenty of pedal, only problem was I was practically standing on it and I was'nt stopping LOL lol

you may want to check the temp rating of these new pads compared to your old ones, as it seems that it may be lower. and at the same time check the type of brake fluid you use as well.

i have used bendix ultimates, Ferodo, and a couple of other crappy brands....... but i've found the best ones are Lucas pads. shyteloads of brake dust, but the best pedal feel and stopping power by far! and i think they're temp rated to some ridiculously high number too!

Greenstuff you cannot get for the single piston calibers for magnas. Unless you have the twin piston, then its cool.

I just recently upgraded from stock breaks to the RDA slotted rotors front and back and am using the cheap $30 RDA pads. Best upgrade i did on the car. I stops so damn well now. However, a little noisy under light breaking, but damn they are good.

Oh, and whoever wanted to try BOSCH, dont. I used them before the upgrade, and damn they are dusty. My chrome rims looked like titanium alloy after a week. Was rediculous.

[/B]
so i can ride up ppls arse


errr.... u dont want to be pullin an artichoke.......

I've been unimpressed with Bendix also...

I've switched to LUCAS brake pads. They have had more experience than any other manufacturer with non-asbestos brake pads, and I have found them to be the best that I've tried yet. (Non-asbestos that is)

I was recommended them over the Bendix ("Bee dix") ultimates, and was told that they are the best you can get.

Well, its been nearly 12 mnths and they are still going strong!!!

They made a lot of brake dust when I first put them on (I also machined the discs at the same time) and took forever to bed in, but once they did, they made absolutely NO squeaks (after bedding in) , and also made very little brake dust in comparison to bee dix. I frequently use a heavy trailer and needed a pad that wouldn't fade under use, and these have fit the bill nicely. In fact, it's the first set of pads that has allowed my wife to be able to lock all 4 wheels up (with a camper trailer on) doing 60km/hr, cause she missed the turnoff for Macdonalds.
:roll: Bless her sweet soul......

dude its best to steer clear from Bendix all up. i have or had bendix ultimate on my car and it chew the disc's away. im not the only one who has experianced this. DVS has also had this happen to him and his got them slotted discs. go and have a feel of ur disc and near the end u will feel a lip which will prove how much of the disc has been eaten away. so overall Bendix sucks
You need the right pad for the application. You bought a agressive pad and then ***** about it chewing your rotor? Ultimates arn't performance pads, they are towing pads, which chew rotors so that once affected by heat they still clamp up okay.

Ive used a handful of different pad combos on my car, even ultimates, and by far the best I have used are a European brand called Lucas. They are a passive pad so that the rotor lasts a while, and they are a great pad for the average car. Cheap too, around the 75 dollars a end.

Best brake mod you will do though is get good fluid. I have budget hardware, stock callipers with solid rotors and drum rears, but with good pads and fluid my brakes rarely get soft and it pulls up smooth and responcive.

Another thing, slotted/drilled rotors are wank.

errr.... u dont want to be pullin an artichoke.......


hahahahahahahahahahaha :bowrofl: quote of the year. ah john u crack me up

thanks guys, your feedback has definately helped. May I know what auto shops carry those Lucas brands and do they also install them?

Bendix Ultimate ARE performance pads. :nuts:



Bendix Ultimate is a high performance brake pad that offers the highest level of braking performance in terms of reduced stopping distances, excellent pedal feel and resistance to high temperature fade. Developed originally for use as Original Equipment (O.E.) on high performance vehicles, Ultimate is ideal for driving at freeway speeds and hard braking. Pre-conditioned during manufacture so there is no bedding-in required, Ultimate is recommended for sports, performance and prestige vehicles. At freeway speeds and beyond, Ultimate is unmatched for sheer stopping power. Ultimate should be fitted front and rear to maintain balanced driving between all four wheels.

I still dislike them though, I just like to get facts for people, not made up ideas. Ferodo are the way to go and with nowhere near as much dust. Though expensive.

Also slotted rotors do work.

dude its best to steer clear from Bendix all up. i have or had bendix ultimate on my car and it chew the disc's away. im not the only one who has experianced this. DVS has also had this happen to him and his got them slotted discs. go and have a feel of ur disc and near the end u will feel a lip which will prove how much of the disc has been eaten away. so overall Bendix sucks

you mean 1 set of ultimates and it stuffed your rotors when was the last time you chnged the rotors how many ks?

Bendix Ultimate ARE performance pads. :nuts:



I still dislike them though, I just like to get facts for people, not made up ideas. Ferodo are the way to go and with nowhere near as much dust. Though expensive.

Also slotted rotors do work.

A non passive performance pad ay... they say its a performance pad, but its no different to the old name for it "bendix metal king" which were towing pads which people with a budget could use to race with because of their limit to heat fade. They changed their name to lure in the avg red light racer with his pod and cat back system who wanted performance pads.

Hi-clones are performance parts too, do you have any of them.. um actualy dont answer that.

you mean 1 set of ultimates and it stuffed your rotors when was the last time you chnged the rotors how many ks?


havent changed the rotors since iv had the car (mid may last year). but then again the previous owner could have stuffed the rotors up.

Forget all those cheezeeee pad if you want the best, why not get the best. I suggest in getting "Green Stuff" They are the best pads on the markek but it will set you back a bit. Or for the tight budget I suggest "black stuff". They both work very well. They don't screw your rotors and the braking power is unbelievable.

organic passive pads are propper high performance pads ;) Metal pads may work, but at the cost of not disapating heat well and chewing up your rotors. Because they dont disapate heat (they just chew in instead of using friction) they heat your rotors, callipers and more importantly the brake fluid to extreme levels, which damages hardware and boils the fluid.

dude its best to steer clear from Bendix all up. i have or had bendix ultimate on my car and it chew the disc's away. im not the only one who has experianced this. DVS has also had this happen to him and his got them slotted discs. go and have a feel of ur disc and near the end u will feel a lip which will prove how much of the disc has been eaten away. so overall Bendix sucks

So your saying Bendix (or anyone really) suck because you put a metalic compound pad on your car and it ate your stock discks away (tend to use softer grade metals for daily driving)?

thanks guys, your feedback has definately helped. May I know what auto shops carry those Lucas brands and do they also install them?

cruisin auto spares in brisbane stock them, any mechanic can fit them for you for around an hours labour.

cant go wrong i reckon.

PM anthony from philcom.

i got mine thru him.

Greenstuff are fairly dear thoug arnt they?
I have found that i replace the discs with around every 4th set of ultimate pads. Discs will last you the life of your car with stock pads but we all know they are ****. It will take you years to go through 4 sets of pads so a disc change every 3 or so years isnt that bad. For value for money i just think you cant go thas the Ultimates. You can buy a whole set for your car for round $150. Damm cheap for high performance pads i recon.

I would definately recommend the Lucas pads. I have been involved in racing and performance cars for many years now and we have tried many different pad compounds. Bendix are crap and chew rotors. This side of Pagids which are mega expensive, the best value for money street pads are the Lucas pads. They stop well and you can give them absolute s**t and they will not fade. These are a Euro Spec pad and were developed during the super tourer days.
The only negative is the brake dust is pretty bad.
Stepping up from there you go to your ceramic pads which are more than double the price and most compounds arent available for the single piston magna front calipers.
Go the Lucas pads

I had Bendix ultimate pads on my old commodore and they ate 3mm into my discs in about 2 months!

They disn't work once or twice aswell, I was coming up to a corner one night and they just didn't work at all!

-Daniel

Well after reading this thread i decided to go and price some lucas and bendix ultimates.

Bendix Ultimates $119 for fronts only at Bursons

Lucas $69 for fronts at ABS.

So i have bought the Lucas.

Can't wait to see how they go, not looking forward to black wheels, but if they perform then i guess its a fair trade off.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to put them in this weekend. My brakes are pretty ordinary in my TL wagon, especially with the LPG and a wagon load of work gear.

Yep VR wagon, you wont regret the change.

Just hose the wheel once a week and its not too bad, and put PBR gold fluid in if you plan on sporty sort of driving, or otherwise any fluid will do.

Well after reading this thread i decided to go and price some lucas and bendix ultimates.

Bendix Ultimates $119 for fronts only at Bursons

Lucas $69 for fronts at ABS.

So i have bought the Lucas.

Can't wait to see how they go, not looking forward to black wheels, but if they perform then i guess its a fair trade off.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to put them in this weekend. My brakes are pretty ordinary in my TL wagon, especially with the LPG and a wagon load of work gear.

trust me man, once you go with the lucas, you'll never look back..... just means u have to clean ur wheels more often