not to mention when off road your traction control is done by using your brakes, so cheap pads to not pay off.

 

I got my Akebono pads through amazon and I had Atlantic British price match the EBC Rotors from the best price I could find on the web. They matched the price and I ordered a bunch of other parts to make up for the savings and I got free shipping.
Search the part numbers from Atlantic British for the EBC rotors from Summit, Rock Auto etc and see who is cheaper; email customer service at Atlantic British and they will ask for the link to make sure the price is correct.
I justified getting these rotors as they were cheaper (after price match) than some of the stock components Atlantic and Rovers North were selling - the Akebonos were a no brainer for me.

 

Akebono pads are great

 

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Ok, Ok, I may be wrong, due to my inexperience with ceramic pads. You talked me into at least keeping an open mind regarding such pads, and the next time I need pads, I will put on ceramic, use them, and see what I think about them, over time. After using them, I will decide if they are better than soft non ceramic pads that I have used and liked, in the past. Interesting, though, that ceramic pads use copper alloyed in to conduct heat, etc., and we know that copper will be limited in its use the more that time goes on, due to its harm to environment, etc., according to sources you quoted me, so future of your ceramic pads may change dramatically over time..

 

Everybody seems to have a different opinion on pads but the best preforming pads from a stopping standpoint, like ones for high performance cars and track day use on modified street cars aren't ceramic. However for the street, it seems like they have a good rep. Semi metallics are good but they tend to make more visible dust.

 

Copper is a naturally occurring element, how is it bad for the environment?

 

So is lead. The issue is with concentrations. The threshold for copper is pretty high, though and it does break down and disperse pretty readily.


I worked on my front brakes yesterday to try and improve my stopping distance. My rotors looked way too smooth to me so I pulled them off and hit them with 80 grit on a DA. I also sanded the pads with 80 grit on a flat surface. The pads scuffed up surprisingly easily by the way, much easier than some semi-metallic I've dealt with in the past. I sprayed everything down with brake cleaner and put it back together and the went out and bedded them in. Akebono says it's not necessary as their ceramic pads are manufactured in a way that this step isn't required but I figured it couldn't hurt.


The braking was much improved. With moderate pedal effort I could feel the brakes really going to work and the truck stopped very well in a progressive but strong fashion. But when I stomp on the pedal as hard as I can there still isn't any dramatic bite. In fact, it may be just a perception thing but it almost feels like the brakes are more effective with less pedal effort. These brakes are driving me nuts. They work pretty well overall but they just don't make that strong initial grab like I'm used to.

 

04duxlr: "These brakes are driving me nuts. They work pretty well overall but they just don't make that strong initial grab like I'm used to"
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I felt the same way about my DII, 2004, low mileage vehicle, with brake system I hadn't yet worked on, so I did brake bleed the way Falconworks land Rover of Arizona said it had to be done, electronically bleeding the modulator after doing traditional manual bleed, and finally, after the electronic bleeding of the modulator, doing a final manual bleed once again, and "bingo," the brake system came to life as it hadn't done since I owned it, though brakes were reasonably good, or as you said "pretty good overall." I learned that the modulator can and does hold air pockets, and all that air must be eliminated from the modulator and from all the brake lines, for the system to work the way it was designed to work.

 

It must be air in the modulator. I had a local Indy shop bleed them and he said there's definitely no air but I wasn't there when they were done so I can't be sure they cycled the modulator. I've read that using HDC will get the air into the lines so that it can be bled so I'll give that a shot. I have a pressure bleeder I made from a sprayer so I can try to flush everything again.

 

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Wabco, the maker of the land R. modulator, has a website; it tells specifically how to bleed whole brake system, including the Wabco modulator, and Falconworks Land Rover repair of Arizona tells that same bleed process must be done, or you end up with air pockets in the modulator, with resulting spongy brakes, etc. I followed exactly what they said to bleed system, and it worked extremely well for me. My brakes are now better than ever, since I bought vehicle. Again, it works for me!