I've searched and didn't find anything. I'm positive this is a failure of my search skill, since brake pad questions are probably somewhere close to discussions about "best tires" and "best oil" on every other automotive forum that I've ever been on.

My bias is that every other vehicle we've owned there is an aftermarket option that is less costly than original equipment, and work equally well (if not better). Sometimes the OEM, same part, different box.

My teenage son has a D2 that is completely stock, no modifications that impact braking (we've done the extinct cooling mod, but that's irrelevant here). It is used for going to school, activities, etc. We only recently got it on the road, and it passed a state safety inspection (that includes a check of brake pad thickness) last month.

I am really unimpressed with the braking.

Any recommendations for good replacements for stock pads and rotors for a fair price?

Note: I'll clean, lubricate and make sure all of the pistons are moving freely, as well as flush the fluid and bleed when I do the pads.

 

I use the Akebono Ceramic pads and they wear great. Front is EUR 676, rear is EUR 493.

 

I'm pretty happy with the PowerStop pads and rotors I recently installed on the D2. TO really get better stopping power though I believe the master cylinder really needs to be rebuilt or swapped out. They are starting to show their age.

 

Thanks! I hadn't thought about the master cylinder. I'll have to do some reading here about how to diagnose it. If I'b bleeding the system, this is a perfect time to rebuild the seals, or replace if affordable enough.

 

I went a little over the top on my green d2 but so far completely worth it. EBC yellows in the front with slotted ebc rotors. EBC green pads in the rear on oem rotors. That set up is so so so much better than the ferrado pads and oem rotors I put on my white one a month later. I regret not spending the extra coin to match the ebc set up on the green one.

 

Thanks for the pointers so far. I should mention that this is a relatively budget build. It is his first car and my top priorities are safety and reliability, at a reasonable cost.

Any thoughts about the base level aftermarket kits sold by Atlantic British or Rovers North?

 

I ended up getting a front and rear kit from Rover's North. They're less than 30 min from me, so I can get them locally. They have to be better than what's on there.

 

I知 surprised you are happy with the EBCs. When I was racing, they were avoided like the plague and melted very quickly as well as uneven performance across the varying colors they offered. I wondered recently if I was antiquated in that thought, and in a performance application nothing has changed as a guy with an S4 the same model as mine nuked a set of EBC Yellow pads so badly, he had to have his car towed home from the track day. In that application, Hawk Blue pads still seem to be the clear go to.

I think the Disco I got as a parts car has Akebono pads on it and I値l be swapping them to the Alveston this weekend and I値l report back my thoughts. In general, the brakes in the D2 are pathetic in my opinion, but I致e never explored any sort of performance variant.

 

The Power Stop kit has served me well. The upgraded rotors and the upgraded pads, I think ceramic? I have used it on a couple Rovers, I think it represents a good value, might as well to do the cylinder while at it, mine rusted out and needed replacement.

If I could of found the Akebono size, I might have ordered them last time, but for the money the Powerstop have been great.

I have Akebono on the Mercedes, they are great for that. with Zimmerman rotors. I had the Powerstops, but they only lasted a year or so. 6000 lb truck driven like a sports car, so I am not surprised, but I still like the Powerstop for the Rover.

I have used EBC on the track with my 911, track use often benefits from very specific pads. I also like the Pagid.

 

So far so good with the EBCs. My green truck is stock weight basically (no bumpers or skids etc) and they grab like crazy...Not sure anything short of a big brake kit would help my white one it's so loaded down lol. But yes the brakes overall are very anemic on these trucks. Which I find kind of odd as my classic brakes great on 35s and armored up..