Replacement and upgrade

Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives

Well after 9 months I've worn out the pads that came on my tour. So now its time for something new. Every one talks about the front brakes but I'd like to know about the rear! I have 98 SE with the 9 inch drum(pretty sure 9 inch, I'll check on that). But shoes do people put on the back? I know its front bias by alot but the rear break it just as important! haha I'm looking at the Bendix shoes from Advanced but not sure what to get as there really isn't info on them...So someone much wiser can chime in at this time!

I'm looking at getting Bendix D648CT Brake Pads: CT-3 (ceramic pads) for the front, Bendix MKD801 Brake Pads: TitaniuMetallic, or the Bendix Titaniums(are these same as the Titaniumetallic??), I PMed Stazi about price and such. I'm not sure of the difference on these if someone could let me know some info it would be much appricated as well.

I don't know where you got the 801 part number from as it's not correct.

The number is from Advance Auto website...

Originally posted by ZeroHour:
The number is from Advance Auto website...

Figures..

oh 801 isn't the wrong number, 801 is with sensor and Bendix MKD648 is without sensor.

Edit:

wait do I need a sensor with the pads??? Now i'm getting myself confused

Why do some have and other have not sensors? Forgive me lord i'm stupid!

Edit again:

Some times I think we're all just a bunch of ants on god's ant farm. haha Stazi is right(of course hahaha) Cougars have brake wear sensors, Contours do not. Well not its on the forums because I searched and couldn't find anything on it.

Stazi = Da man who puts up with slow people(me)

Contours don't use brake wear sensors. Some Mondeos and Cougars do. The wear sensor is a coil of wire with an electrical connection that ties into a brake wear light on the dash (or upper consol) to tell you that the brake pads are worn. The light is triggered when the wire in the brake pads wears through interupting the circuit.

Contours do not have the rest of the system to support the brake wear sensors. The pads are otherwise interchangable so the wear sensor pads can be used. You would probably want to clip off the sensor wiring that dangles off the pad though. If the pads with sensors cost more (they often do) then you would want to avoid them.

I ordered and pickup(yes in one day, new track record) a set of the Bendix TitaniumMetallic pads. I ordered them from advanced auto and they actually had a delivery coming in this afternoon so it took all of 5 hours to get them.

So tomorrow I need to go find a 7mm allen wrench socket and then I can change my brakes.

oh and the price $34.95.

very affordable. I'm sure they'll be better then what I have now, but I'll find that out tomorrow.

If anyone wants to give me a heads up on anything that is easily broken when changing the front pads a goods heads up would be nice. I read the how-to and I have the haynes manual. Seems pretty easy. Let you know how it turns out.

Instead of making a new post I just brought up this one. I went to do my pads this morning and I found what the problem is. The rotor on the passenger side has a feelable(with finger, poor terminology I know) wave worn into it. The driver side isn't as bad, but the inside is worn just about the same. So I guess its off to buy new rotors...

Here's the question:
Should I even bother getting the rotors redone or should I buy a new set and just get it the hell over with?

And I have a question on the Raybestos Rotors(sold at Advance) They have regular Raybestos and then a Raybestos Aimco-Gs...Whats the difference in these rotors? Or should I opt for the much more expensive Bendix Rotors to match the TitaniumMetallic pads? Looking for some opinions on this one as well, preferrable someone thats used them and how they wore/are wearing.

Thanks!

If you are saying that one of the rotors has deep score marks then it most certainly beyond saving by machining.

I personally have had good luck with Raybestos rotors in the past with many different cars. I would avoid the Raymold rotors though unless price is critical and you would not be keeping the car. Bendix makes excellent rotors. In my mind it would be a toss up between Raybestos and Bendix with Bendix having a very slight edge. I'm not familiar with Rabestos -- Amico. Amico, as far as I know, is still a different brand. I suspect that the parts store changed over from Amico to Raybestos and that they have been relabeled to show the Raybestos part number to make it easier to keep track of the inventory. Overall, I don't have a favorable impression about Amico, but no hard fast facts to back it up.

Or, if for some reason you are talking about warpage, getting them turned won't fix the problem as it will come back.

This are the Raybestos Aimco-Gs
Raybestos (eco rotors)
Raybestos PG Plus
Bendix Rotors

I know a bunch of people shop at advance, which do you think? The eco rotors at half the price seem like a good deal, but do you think the higher price ones are worth it?

I'll wait to see what you guys have to say. I only have enough money for one rotor(friday is payday) unless I get the eco ones.

The economy rotors will probably warp real easy. I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole!

Actually, minuse the packaging they look identical. I have bought my share of WEAREVER (which is the Bendix off brand IIRC) and they have been just fine for normal everyday driving (on my 90 SHO, which are notorious for warping rotors).

with that said, I don't know the exact differences between the two rotors (meaning how they are made and with what materials) minus the real world experience I have had with them. I have seem the huge prices differences (depending on the vehicle) between the two categories (Bendix & Wearever), and for hte normal driver the Wearever will do fine.

take it for what its worth.

Originally posted by Stazi:
The economy rotors will probably warp real easy. I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole!

haha What would we do without Stazi

I think I'm going to buy the Raybestos PG Plus

The Bendix isn't listed as a higher quality rotor. So I would guess to say it isn't. (If you have ever looked at bendix brakes descripts you'll know why). Raybestos Is "Labeled" a high quality, not to mention still cheaper then the Bendix. Unless anyone else something to say about them. The PG Plus is going to get my bid.

I haven't looked at the PA website for brakes...

however, when I worked at the store, the in stock rotors were two grades. Wearever being the 'economy' rotor and Bendix being the 'top of the line'. However, the PA website has alot more choices than you can get at the store....

So Stazi, are the rotors you sell well balanced? Do they set on the hubs with very little play?
The mysterious vibration I've had turned out to be my rotors. I used a piece of aluminum foil on my hubs to take up the clearance, I wrapped it on like to take to make up several thousandths, then stuck the rotors on. Made a night and day difference right off the bat.

All of this after I replaced a hub AND a rim!

I need really need a new set of all four rotors but my pads are actually pretty thick and they are the Bendix Titaniums.

Yes the rotors are balanced. They grind off meterial between the friction surfaces to compensate for unbalance.