RS4 brakes : pad screw damage?

B6/7 S4/RS4
#1

I have read about the RS4 brake pads having screws or pins in them that, when the pads are worn down, will be exposed and damage the rotors, necessitating a rotor+pad replacement when a pad replacement will do.

Anyone know if these scoring lines I am seeing on my rotors is a result of that phenomenon?

Dealer mentioned that my pads were getting low and to contact them when the brake indicator goes on. Well I guess that will happen soon but in the interim I would hate to need new rotors prematurely at $700/pair.

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#2

Mine looked like that too well before the light came on. I’ll take a pic when I get home.

I drove with my pad warning on for about 50km, 70/30 highway/city before swapping them out.

Can you distinctly feel the scoring? or is it more just visual streaking?

I’ve read that if the light is on then you’re already at the point where the pins would damage the rotors.

#3

haven’t felt them because I just took the pic after driving to work. Didn’t want to melt my fingerprints off :smiley:

#4

The answer is yes. Get those stock pads off ASAP before you destroy your rotors!

I use posi-centrics for the street (less brake feel but like no dust) and EBC Yellows for the track (they work and they are cheap). Both have wear sensors so you don’t need to jumper your stock connection or anything like that.

RS calipers are the best for brake pad swaps (fronts…rears are standard). All you have to do it bang a retaining pin out (a nail set and rubber mallet work perfectly for this), pop the pad retaining hardware off, and then the pads slide out of the calipers. I use my fingers to compress the 8 pistons back. No special tool, C-clamp, etc. necessary. Takes longer to jack up the car and pop the wheel off than change the pads!

#5

I’ve heard the centric posi quiets are not ideal in cold areas…and it gets reasonably cold here in the winter.

I had hawk HPS on my B7 S4, and they were OK, but not great. Definitely worse than stock. I drove a car with Hawk Ceramics (on stock brakes, B7 S4) and they were pretty horrendous. I’m talking initial bite. The HPS were probably only half as dusty as stock.

Would like to keep stock feel with less dust if possible and NO NOISE. Squeaking brakes make me want to rear end people rather than hear the squeak.

Looking at the StopTechs and Carbotech Bobcats.

#6

Oh, and BTW when I got my car at 22K miles (3.5 years ago), the pad sensors were on and the damn front rotors were already scored. I was shocked that the RS4 rotors were so expensive, but at least you can get them a bit cheaper now (~$600USD). I think I paid like $650 but the dealer wanted $1000 just for the parts. Front pads were like $125 and rears were under $100 IIRC. You don’t need to change the rears though…it is just the front OEM pads that are problematic.

If your grooving is very light, you might be able to try and sand the rotors a bit and bed your new pads nice and hard.

#7

When I first heard the RS had brembo front brakes the first thing I thought of before the stopping power was how easy it’ll be to change the pads ;D

They were pretty grooved up but now I’m kicking myself for waiting until the light came on since it probably scored them even more.

I really like the Ferodo DS2500s I have on there. They have good initial bite which gets very good once they warm up. But I heard somewhere they wear the rotors faster than others?

#8

I don’t run my RS4 in the winter or rain so I dunno on the centrics performance in those situations. I’ve also heard they aren’t great then. But the fact they are dearly dustless is so awesome IMO.

Keep in mind that Carbotech claims their pads are incompatible with other brands. So, if you ever swap to another mfg, you are also supposed to replace the rotors.

Based on my experience with the EBC Yellows, I would be willing to try one of their street compounds as well. They are really inexpensive compared to other options and seem to work fine. But I’ve heard good things about the Stoptechs as well.

#9

my dealer quoted me $1700 for front pads/rotors/labour

I had them do my brakes on my B7 S4 (and I supplied the parts) and it was only 1.5 hrs for fronts. So at $110/hr, that’s about $165. That means they want $1500 or so for 2 front rotors and the 8 front pads for the RS4.

Called a friend at another dealer and the price he showed me for the rotors was $650. Pads were a couple hundred I believe. Maybe 300.

EDIT: $305 per rotor and $380 for the pad set. So about $1000+tax.

#10

I’ve used D2500s and they had great bite but dusted just as much as stock. If that isn’t an issue for you, have at it. They are pricey though. For me, I am too crazy about keeping things clean and was willing to sacrifice a bit of brake feel rather than having loads of dust every week.

#11

Stock pads are like $500 IIRC. So, with rotors at $500 each, that dealer figure makes sense. Not saying I agree with it, but it doesn’t sound out of line based on the MSRP for the parts.

#12

Why not get the rotors or replacement rings from JHM? They are a lot cheaper probably even with shipping.

#13

I have Hawk HPS up front and StopTech on the rears. Cold/wet/hot - bite is good. Initial bite even on cold mornings is fine. No sqealing or sqeaking ever. Doesn’t chew through rotors and the dust from the Hawks is fine. The amount of the dust from the StopTechs in the back is unreal though. I’m the only guy who drive a car with the rear wheels dirtier than the fronts.

#14

I had these but ended up going with stock instead. The rings are cheaper but I didn’t like how they didn’t match the cross-drilled rear rotors (yeah, I know, but this is how it was at the time). In addition, I became concerned they wouldn’t be as suitable for track duty, which my car sees now and then. But, the primary reason I went with stock was because, cost-wise, I was able to get stock rotors for just a tad bit more than the JHM rings at the time.

Now that they have matching rear rings I would consider them, but still have some concern over their track performance.

#15

JHM rotors are the same price as stock rotors from my Audi parts counter contact at OWASCO Audi in Oshawa Ontario (Neil Brands).

Anyway, I don’t think I need rotors yet. Just didn’t want to destroy them with the stupid metal pins on the stock pads which are wearing down.

#16

If you don’t plan on changing them yourself then give Ivan at iGarage a call. Good honest guy.

He mainly deals with Japanese imports but brake pads are very straight forward and I’m sure labour would be much cheaper.

Just be careful pulling into that plaza. It’s basically like a food court of car shops.

#17

I would likely just have it at the dealer as it is super close and convenient, including a shuttle etc. If I have to miss an hour of work to save $100 that doesn’t make sense.

there’s a place called AutoScan in Mississauga in a similar little foodcourt of autoshops. It’s a rotten little building and everyone has a single garage bay with two lifts crammed in there. It’s something crazy to see.

#18

I run the stoptechs on the street and they are great. Also not sure what TypeRx was talking about as I switch to carbotechs xp12 for track and back when I leave on same rotors with no problems!

Also IMO do it yourself. I don’t work on my car at all and I did this! Changing just pads, like others said takes way shorter than it does to jack the car and take off your wheels. Also with the rotors it’s just one star head screw and the two caliper bolts!! And like I said I do not/have not done anything else on my car and I found this easy.

Also buy replacement stock rings when your ready from Genuineaudiparts.com. Will beat dealer prices any day!!

#19

He was quoting Ferrodo I think, no?

p.s. how much are the stock rings to replace Z? I haven’t found them much cheaper than $300 anywhere.

thanks for the input

#20

yea your right… just looked at my last reciept and it was 654.88 shipped… Rotors are 299.03 each.