PSA: OEM brake pads do NOT have the squeaky wear indicator...

[Joe Schmoe]

Do visual checks of your pads and pay attention to how frequently you need to top off your brake fluid reservoir. You will NOT hear the squeak of a wear indicator with the OEM "sporty" pads. At about 18K miles the brake fluid reservoir was down enough to trigger the dash light. With so little mileage on the car it didn't occur to me that this was the result of pad wear..., but I couldn't understand where the fluid was going. I thought perhaps it was low from the factory. Not long after I had one instance of rumbling during exceptionally hard braking, but no noise otherwise. It STILL didn't occur to me that it was pad wear. Then @ 20K miles when the rumbling occurred much more frequently I finally put 2 and 2 together. Amazingly quick wear for what is my wife's gently-driven daily driver. So, not only do the OEM "sporty" pads dust and are a little noisy even when new, gentle driving does nothing to extend their life. One plus is that at least the rotors do not have those PITA retention screws that are always seized to the hubs. Front pads and rotors was a 3-hour job and required no special instructions - typical disc brake change.

Summary:

- Check your brake fluid reservoir and add to proper level, keeping in mind that more fluid needed equates to pad and rotor wear.
- Visually inspect pads thickness. Expect 20K miles on a daily driver

 

[milkman42]

Good info, thanks

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[Bretley]

Great info! Had to top off my reservoir at around 25k too because of those oem pads too. Usually I'm a stickler for getting oem parts, but these brake pads I'll never get again. Gonna try the ones from Mountune (rs-r) in a couple months.

 

[gronktired]

You shouldn't ever have to top off your brake reservoir. If it's low enough the light is on, your pads should be replaced.

 

[Bretley]

The reservoir is connected to the clutch as well. As they wear, the fluid will go down. My brakes nor clutch need to be replaced yet. I drive like a grandpa. I totally understand your point though. The brakes should at least be looked at to see if they need replacing if your reservoir gets too low.

 

[CarefreeAZ]

For reference purposes, I replaced my original (2014 Fiesta) OEM "S" pads and rotors at 53500 miles with Mountune RS-R pads and Ford/Motorcraft rotors. Presently, I'm at 104500 miles (51000 miles on this set). Driving is approximately 50/50 highway/city(low speed, stop-n-go).

 

[AnimalMother]

For reference purposes, I replaced my original (2014 Fiesta) OEM "S" pads and rotors at 53500 miles with Mountune RS-R pads and Ford/Motorcraft rotors. Presently, I have 104500 miles on this set. Driving is approximately 50/50 highway/city(low speed, stop-n-go).

158,000 miles, holy crap.
How do those RS-R pads bite? The stock pads seems great... but always interested in improved braking

 

[Bretley]

For reference purposes, I replaced my original (2014 Fiesta) OEM "S" pads and rotors at 53500 miles with Mountune RS-R pads and Ford/Motorcraft rotors. Presently, I have 104500 miles on this set. Driving is approximately 50/50 highway/city(low speed, stop-n-go).

I think you are setting some kind of record lol! That's amazing!

 

[CanadianGuy]

Nope. Antarctica has him beat by almost double. Original clutch.

As for squealers on own brake pads most cars do not have them anymore.

 

[TyphoonFiST]

For reference purposes, I replaced my original (2014 Fiesta) OEM "S" pads and rotors at 53500 miles with Mountune RS-R pads and Ford/Motorcraft rotors. Presently, I have 104500 miles on this set. Driving is approximately 50/50 highway/city(low speed, stop-n-go).

I too am also curious of your thoughts on the mountune pads and the stopping power from the stock pads....

 

[CarefreeAZ]

158,000 miles, holy crap.
How do those RS-R pads bite? The stock pads seems great... but always interested in improved braking

Hey, that's what I thought when I read your post..."158,000 miles ? holy crap!" Actually, the odometer is now at 104,500 miles so I actually have 51,000 on the Mountune pads. That said, following a 7 to 10 day period after installing them to get use to the more linear feel, I feel they are fairly close to the OEM pads in braking ability. They certainly don't grab like the OEMs but seem to wear better (my Ford tech measured them at 7/8 mm at my 103,000 mile oil change or 49,500 pad miles). Of course, I don't track the car and although at least half my driving is in stop-n-go commuter traffic, I try to go easy on the brakes whenever I can. Finally, the lack of brake dust is a welcome benefit of the Mountune pads over the stockers.

 

[CanadianGuy]

How are they for dust compared to OE?

 

[CarefreeAZ]

How are they for dust compared to OE?

Ten times less. Really, I feel like I have as much brake dust in six months with the Mountune pads as in a week with the Ford OEMs. Now, the new OEM pads come in at least two formulations as I understand it so maybe the dust "problem" has been somewhat alleviated.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Thank you. Wanted more real world info on brake feel and dust.

 

[re-rx7]

Ordering pads! Less dust ftw!