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Post by oldman42 on Dec 28, 2017 15:33:52 GMT -5
Has anyone changed their brake pads to anything other than OEM BMW pads? If so, what did you choose? I'm having a hard time finding quality listings on Amazon (US). But I was able to cross reference some parts with Mini Coopers. Piggy back question; does the base Cooper and i3 share common parts? While I am a "spirited" driver, I highly doubt I *need* to change my pads at this point (33k miles, though, I haven't opened things up to check), due to the aggressive regen characteristics of this car, etc. The reason I ask is, my brakes creak a lot. When the car comes to a rest or lightly depressing the brake pedal, even releasing the brake pedal from a stop, and other scenarios will cause noise, and it bothers me  maybe it's just me, something I'm sensitive to. I've read that the rotor discs frequently develop a film of rust, again, due to the low usage with the regen, but I live in California, therefore, very little rain and no other harsh winter conditions, etc. Visually, don't seem to be much tarnish on the discs on any given day. I'm not sure what the OEM pads are made of (ceramic, semi-metallic, organic), but when I switch to ceramic pads in other cars i've owned, that greatly reduced brake noise. Anyway, just wanted to kick around the idea and get feedback from the community. |
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Post by afadeev on Dec 28, 2017 18:57:34 GMT -5
Has anyone changed their brake pads to anything other than OEM BMW pads? If so, what did you choose? I'm having a hard time finding quality listings on Amazon (US). While I have not replaced brake pads on the i3 (and probably never will), a quick search at TireRack.com shows five (5) aftermarket options to choose from: www.tirerack.com/brakes/results.jsp?autoMake=BMW&autoModel=i3+with+Range+Extender&autoYear=2014&autoModClar=Mega+WorldOf the ones listed, I have prior first-hand experience with Hawk product line, including the street HPS pads. I suspect they will be a perfect fit for the task. But I was able to cross reference some parts with Mini Coopers. Piggy back question; does the base Cooper and i3 share common parts? Perhaps, given the ownership parentage. But I doubt this extends much beyond few electronics and suspension parts. i3 brakes, in particular, are minuscule compared to that on proper BMWs and MINIs. While I am a "spirited" driver, I highly doubt I *need* to change my pads at this point (33k miles, though, I haven't opened things up to check), due to the aggressive regen characteristics of this car, etc. The reason I ask is, my brakes creak a lot. When the car comes to a rest or lightly depressing the brake pedal, even releasing the brake pedal from a stop, and other scenarios will cause noise, and it bothers me maybe it's just me, something I'm sensitive to. I've read that the rotor discs frequently develop a film of rust, again, due to the low usage with the regen, but I live in California, therefore, very little rain and no other harsh winter conditions, etc. Visually, don't seem to be much tarnish on the discs on any given day. I'm not sure what the OEM pads are made of (ceramic, semi-metallic, organic), but when I switch to ceramic pads in other cars i've owned, that greatly reduced brake noise. Anyway, just wanted to kick around the idea and get feedback from the community. Some rusting of the rotors is normal, including of the surface when the car has not been driven after sitting in the rain. The surface rust gets quickly cleared after a few brake applications. Thsi is all normal. Some creaking/squealing can also develop over time, which is nothing special. On street brake pads, this is sometimes correlated to either (1) wearing of the beveled edges on the brake pads; (2) wearing of the rotor that develops a slight lip around the outer circumstance, which introduced a new surfaces for the pad to rub against and create interesting noises, or (3). wearing off of the anti-squeal rubber compounds on the pad backing plates. You can mitigate #1 and #2 by removing the pads and filing leading/trailing/top edges of the pads with at the 45 degree angle. You can mitigate #3 by removing the pad, and applying a liberal amount of new anti-squeal coating to areas of the pad that come in contact with either caliper, the carrier, and the anti-rattle clip. I used the following goo for #3 needs, but many other similar products are on the market: www.bavauto.com/catalog/product/view/id/99953/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=NF4OZ&gclid=Cj0KCQiAyZLSBRDpARIsAH66VQIb807uOfY4y3Za1vMgrWrguECNiD5Neaq9P-rnohWgNJ6uQ4FLe_8aAnplEALw_wcBHTH, a |
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Post by oldman42 on Feb 1, 2018 16:03:23 GMT -5
afadeev, many thanks for the feedback! Oddly, I didn't get notifications about your reply to my post. So, sorry for the late response.
I picked up the Akebono EUR1308 (as referenced by Tire Rack). But according to Amazon, they don't fit the i3, but work for the Mini Cooper. But I bought them on Amazon anyway.
I pulled the passenger side and looked like the factory brake pads have less than half life left, near 34k miles on my i3. While the Akebono pads fit in place, I couldn't get the caliper back on, the pad appear to be too thick, too much meat on them (yes, I depressed the piston). I returned the Akebonos and I'm going to try Power Stop, which are compatible to the i3, according to eBay. I already have a bottle of brake lub, so I'll definitely be using that. We'll be in touch!
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Post by afadeev on Feb 5, 2018 13:47:23 GMT -5
afadeev, many thanks for the feedback! Oddly, I didn't get notifications about your reply to my post. So, sorry for the late response. I picked up the Akebono EUR1308 (as referenced by Tire Rack). But according to Amazon, they don't fit the i3, but work for the Mini Cooper. But I bought them on Amazon anyway. No worries - Amazon "fit" validation is notoriously inaccurate. I always cross-reference Amazon fitment verdicts with 3rd party sources, and then 2x - check the part #s listed on Amazon as they are, occasionally, different then what you get in the mail. Remember - Amazon does not sell many items, merely provides a marketplace for introducing buyers to third party sellers (who vary widely in knowledge and accuracy of data). TireRack, and other sellers who validate the fitment of what they sell, are usually more accurate. I pulled the passenger side and looked like the factory brake pads have less than half life left, near 34k miles on my i3. While the Akebono pads fit in place, I couldn't get the caliper back on, the pad appear to be too thick, too much meat on them (yes, I depressed the piston). This should be easy to validate - what is the thickness of the OEM pad (pad material + backing plate)? What was the thickness of the Akebono pad? Listed thickness of PowerStop pad? I returned the Akebonos and I'm going to try Power Stop, which are compatible to the i3, according to eBay. I already have a bottle of brake lub, so I'll definitely be using that. We'll be in touch! Let us know how it goes! |
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maybe it's just me, something I'm sensitive to. I've read that the rotor discs frequently develop a film of rust, again, due to the low usage with the regen, but I live in California, therefore, very little rain and no other harsh winter conditions, etc. Visually, don't seem to be much tarnish on the discs on any given day. I'm not sure what the OEM pads are made of (ceramic, semi-metallic, organic), but when I switch to ceramic pads in other cars i've owned, that greatly reduced brake noise. Anyway, just wanted to kick around the idea and get feedback from the community.
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