R36 Brakes

[patchy33]

Hi all

Need to replace rear rotors and pads on R36 wagon at 70k
Front pads are ok at present, but not too far off
Rear rotors and pads are below tolerance

Was thinking aftermarket replacement: DBA 4000 series (T3) + Remsa pads
But I'm not sure if the 4000 series is overkill for a daily driver: no track work planned, but occasional spirited forays
I would consider T2 / street series, but I note that the DBA street series are reportedly not made in Australia and don't have the same quality / reliability as T3 rotors
Also note that some posters report Remsa pads are dusty++
that said I would take dust over noise / squeal

2 questions:

1/ Can i machine the front rotors? Currently at 29mm (30mm stock)
Dealer says no, brake shop says yes...

2/ DBA setup as above is same price point as OEM replacement
I would appreciate members opinions re the benefits of aftermarket replacement

Thanks

[Umai Naa!!]

No dust or squeal, look into ATE Ceramic pads. Stop just as good as OEM, and ATE are an OEM supplier to VW. Also look into other OEM-supplier brands like Textar and Zimmermann too.

I wouldn't advise machining the discs. One set of pads is enough to wear them down close to minimum thickness in most cases. The discs are designed to wear down with the pads anyway.

I'll probably get hammered from the usual crowd on this, but I've found the Remsa/DBA combination just doesn't stop as good as the OEM-spec offerings, and are a lot dustier.

[kamold]

ATE ceramics get a thumbs up from me. ATE are part of Continental, who make OEM everything...

Brake dust on the wheels are a thing of the past for me (At least on the R36, will be putting them on the vRS when it's due for pads).

With that said the rears are FAR less of an issue than fronts when it comes to dust generation, so the difference is not going to be as marked as when you replace the fronts.

[patchy33]

Cheers m8
I see that ATE manufacture rotors as well
Other forum threads had suggested ATE as possible replacements as well
Re. aftermarket vs OEM rotors / pads - if there is no significant advantage in cost, longevity or performance then I will probably just stick with OEM
Re. machining I note that tolerances on the OEM discs are very fine: Front discs 30mm -> 27mm minimum, Rear 22mm -> 20mm min.
Do aftermarket rotors offer cost benefits with potential machining vs replacement?

[kamold]

My front rotors are ATE also.

Unless you are going to be taking the car to the track or otherwise regular 'spirited' driving the performance benefits of high performance rotors/pads/fluid are likely going to be marginal at best over OEM specs.

By not getting them done at a dealer you can easily end up ahead where your pocket is concerned by choosing either OEM or quality aftermarket parts as you see fit. Some people like the sporty aesthetics of drilled/slotted rotors. In daily driving these make little difference to performance. Obviously this is a very different story on the track where fade and heat are a major concern.

[patchy33]

Noted: That was my suspicion, especially given the high quality standard spec on this vehicle
Thanks for the advice
I'll search for ATE suppliers and see where that ends up

[Umai Naa!!]

You can get ATE pads and discs through HSY Autoparts, but they usually only wholesale to trade customers.

[patchy33]

Thx Umai

[warrick]

ATE pads can be sourced here.they are at Brendale qld. plus one for the ATE pads.have them fitted and are 100% less dust than OEM and Remsa.
cheers
warrick

Brisbane European Car Service | Bavaria Motor Tuning Service

[WazR36]

Fyi
I have dba rotors and remsa pads.
They stop better than OEM and are definitely more fade resistant even on the street.
But in my opinion I would avoid remsa as the dust is terrible - even worse than OEM pads!
I would look for a ceramic option if i were to do this again.
I can recommend dba rotors though as they have stood up well and look good too