Brake pads for -95 GT?

[Finn]

Cheers!


Sorry to start a new thread regarding brake pads but after searching for days I have not been able to find what I'm after.

So, this is a bone stock -95 GT and it is used for cruising and highway touring. But the brakes are bad.

I have a working booster and rotors are like brand new but it seems that pads need to be well heated before they start to bite. This is not ideal. They are also like new but I do not know the brand. We changed the brake fluid and there is no air in the system. All I think I need are better pads.

I have been looking at what is available at Rockauto and so far I have been looking at ceramics. Correct me if I'm wrong but I 'think' originals were ceramics.

Here is my short list for ceramics. Would you recommend any over the others or are they more or less the same in terms of operation?



Or should I forget the ceramics and consider semi-metallic pads instead?

If so what would you recommend?

 

[ttocs]

how did you go about changing the brake fluid? If you get air into the abs pump you need to have a special computer to bleed it, or get it to lock up on some dirt to move it air out, then bleed the line again. I had air in mine and I had to do it a couple of times to get a solid feel.

 

[lwarrior1016]

Cheers!


Sorry to start a new thread regarding brake pads but after searching for days I have not been able to find what I'm after.

So, this is a bone stock -95 GT and it is used for cruising and highway touring. But the brakes are bad.

I have a working booster and rotors are like brand new but it seems that pads need to be well heated before they start to bite. This is not ideal. They are also like new but I do not know the brand. We changed the brake fluid and there is no air in the system. All I think I need are better pads.

I have been looking at what is available at Rockauto and so far I have been looking at ceramics. Correct me if I'm wrong but I 'think' originals were ceramics.

Here is my short list for ceramics. Would you recommend any over the others or are they more or less the same in terms of operation?

View attachment 28800

Or should I forget the ceramics and consider semi-metallic pads instead?

If so what would you recommend?

The way I have always understood it, the ceramic pads have to heat up to work correctly. Semi metallic pads bite better, but make a bunch of brake dust.


I put new brakes on my excursion one time, used ceramic pads on new rotors. Went to stop the truck at a stop sign and the weight of the truck pushed right through the pads. I then went and got the cheapest pads they offered, which were semi metallic, and suddenly the truck stopped beautifully. I run semi metallic pads on all my vehicles since then.

 

[Finn]

how did you go about changing the brake fluid? If you get air into the abs pump you need to have a special computer to bleed it, or get it to lock up on some dirt to move it air out, then bleed the line again. I had air in mine and I had to do it a couple of times to get a solid feel.

We did it the old fashioned way ie. removed some of the fluid in reservoir and filled with fresh Brembo DOT 4. We then proceeded to pump fluid through until color of the fluid exiting calipers changed while making sure fluid level in reservoir did not get too low.

'Feel' of the brake pedal is good, just the initial bite of the braking power is somewhat missing.

 

[Finn]

In some other topic there was a suggestion that pads might be glazed or something and repeated hard heat cycles - half a dozen hard brakings from 60 to 10 mph + cooling of 10 minutes or so - might help. I think I'll try that today.

 

[Finn]

Well, I went and did the above. While having the pads and rotors really warm the barking is very strong but once the process was over brakes were the same again ie. initial bite is not there.

I'll get new master cylinder, pads, rotors, hoses and seal kits for calipers during winter. That should do the trick.

 

[Daryl]

I went to Akebono and am very happy with them. They bite (in a good way!).

 

[Finn]

I went to Akebono and am very happy with them. They bite (in a good way!).

Are those ceramic or semi-metallic?

 

[Daryl]

Are those ceramic or semi-metallic?

Their “Pro-Act Ceramic”. I purchased them thru NAPA but went online to Akebono.com to check all choices first.

In my own defense, I will say this… in my obsession to constantly upgrade stuff for the car, I’ve considered pretty much ALL the aftermarket brake kits, but I can’t convince myself that there’s a need because these bite so well. That’s one reason. The other is: I want to keep the Cobra calipers presentation.

 

[Daryl]

In some other topic there was a suggestion that pads might be glazed or something and repeated hard heat cycles - half a dozen hard brakings from 60 to 10 mph + cooling of 10 minutes or so - might help. I think I'll try that today.

If this didn’t work, they’re glazed and need to be replaced. Maybe they’re just old, hadn’t been used in a long time. or were just crappy/ poor quality pads to begin with.

 

[Finn]

Their “Pro-Act Ceramic”. I purchased them thru NAPA but went online to Akebono.com to check all choices first.

In my own defense, I will say this… in my obsession to constantly upgrade stuff for the car, I’ve considered pretty much ALL the aftermarket brake kits, but I can’t convince myself that there’s a need because these bite so well. That’s one reason. The other is: I want to keep the Cobra calipers presentation.

With new rotors and other stuff Akebonos should do more than well in my case, too.

Was tempted to consider Cobra brakes but for my use I think they would be a bit overkill.

 

[Mustang5L5]

When was the last time the brake fluid was bled? I do mine bi-annually and always notice improve pedal response. Also, you might want to check the condition of the slide-pins as if they are sticking (rear calipers) it will definite affect pedal feel.

I prefer semi-metallic pads as i feel they offer better initial bite. Downside is they dust more, and are aggressive on rotors. Still, i tend to swap out the rotors anyway when i do pads so doesn't matter to me.

You could also consider swapping your '95 brakes over to 99-04 dual piston calipers. Would require slight clearancing of the spindle, and a MC change. Techically cobra brakes also require an MC change on the '95 as well due to relationship change of caliper piston surface area to master cylinder piston surface area differences.

 

[Finn]

Fluid was changed few weeks ago and slide pins checked and lubricated. All pistons move freely and pads and rotors look very good.

While bigger dual piston caliper kit would be interesting they do not unfortunately fit my current budget.

 

[TrickVert]

It sounds loki e a good set of semi-metallic pads is in order.

The new-edge brake upgrade is a good (and cheap) idea, and the M/C doesn't really need to be changed. On my Cobra setup, I did finally upgrade to a '93 M/C and I like the new feel, but it was far from a "night and day" difference.

 

[Finn]

Yes, ceramics...semi-metallics...decisions decisions.

This Project Brakes too will take place after winter.

 

[joemomma]

Just did the Cobra brake upgrade on my '94. Stopping power is much improved over stock, truthfully. Pedal feel is fine (I did not change the MC over to the Cobra MC). I'm using the entry-level PowerStop pads and standard OE-replacement grade rotors (Raybestos if I remember correctly).

 

[r3dn3ck]

EBC Yellow Stuff. They're pretty dusty but they bite hard and resist fade better than anything else I've tried and they're no more than any mid-market premium pad. They're really mellow on rotors too. I've done most of the other mid-market to high end brand/model pads out there and nothing really did what I needed, use the same pad on the track as on the street without grinding my rotors away like they're made out of clay. I will never go back to any ceramic or semi-metallic pad. I've only experienced Akebono in a 2000 Cobra R but it's such a different car in every way I hesitate to make any comparison.