Do coopers have wear out sensors? Mine dont squeal when driving but when coming to a stop the brakes have started squealing. If it's time to replace, typically in all other cars I've only used oem since afterrmarkets always squeal. Does anyone have aftermarket pads that are both good and quiet and available locally ie auto zone tc

 

03 and later MINI's have wear sensors on the left front and right rear brakes.
I wouldn't suggest getting pads at your local parts store, they tend to be loud and very hard on rotors. Check out the EBC pads they are cost effective and lower dust.

 

Green or red?
Wish there was something local as car is going to my local mechanic as soon as tomorrow

 

my local autozone has duralast pads that fit

I'vem put them on for others with no complaints heard for routine street use

actually they had 3 different pads in stock

but you should be at least aware that MINI says you must replace rotors at the same time as well .... they do not recommend resurfacing their rotors.

 

Way, what would your best guess be of ETA to CT?

Capt, I think I read in another post about the Duralast at Autozone and people saying pretty good things....

 

for the record I ran EBC green on my 02 and have them on my 07 and 79

but when time is critical the Duralast are sure handy and more than adequate

 

can anyone clarify why greenstuff is better vs duralast? its justa, not an S, not racing the car, etc, just a daily driver, thanks

 

I won't even go so far as to say one is better than the other .... I started using EBC green on my 02 when they were the first aftermarket pad to hit the market. I was happy and so I've stuck with them.

When someone needed a set of new pads TODAY - the ones they had were gone... I ducked into AutoZone b4 hitting the road for an hour each way to the dealer for a set of OEM. AZ had pads and the customer wanted fast first .... and has not complained since. Theyalso cost less in addition to no shipping charges.

So far as a head to head comparison in terms of performance - by what ever metric you choose - I have not done any. The EBC stop me well and produce significantly less dust then the OEM, I have 30,000 miles on the fronts on the 07 and there is plenty of pad left, I estimate 30%, so imo they wear OK (alto the stock pads on my Miata looked better than this at 120,000 miles!)

 

I had a set of EBC green and with the exception of a bit of fade after really hard use worked quite well. They really do cut down on the dust issue. I run ferodo 2500 now but they would be overkill in your application.

Randy

Go huskies

 

I got carbotech bobcat street pads, very low dust, and they take heat well. I got them on all 4 courners. LOVE THEM. I ran the ring, they got hot but still worked.

 

On an 06' Cooper,when replacing the front brake pads, should the pad wear sensors be replaced too?

And is there one or two pad sensors on the front?

Thanks,
Scott

 

No the pad sensors don't need to replaced.

 

You'll likely break the plastic retainer when trying to swap it over to the new pad slot. Be careful! Worst case you just tie strap it out of the way to keep the dummie light off.

Jeremy

 

I got mine out no problem. Just used a small craftsman flat head. Good luck. Remember your rear calipers need to be turned to be pushed back in. Fronts are just compress.

 

I'm running EBC green stuff on the front of my MINI. I have a couple thousand miles on them & I like them better than the Hawk ceramics that I ran previously. Very good initial biet, much better than Hawks ceramics. Nice & quiet too. Today I switched the rear pads out for EBC green stuffs.

Bought mine here.

http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop...rake-pads.html

 

Thank you for the good information.

I'll be careful removing the sensor, but I have cable ties if I need them.

I plan on replacing front pads and rotors on Saturday.

Due to timing, funding and availability of the R50 Coop, I plan on using Autozone parts.

It doesn't sound like there is any special "Mini Tools" required so it should be pretty straight forward process.

Great forum.

 

The only special tools are a 7mm allen socket to remove the caliper slide bolts & a ? sized torx to remove the rotor bolt. Sorry I do not remember the size for that bolt.

 

Rotor bolt is T-50, and you can get away with just using a 7mm allen wrench, but a socket makes it easier.

 

Cool!

I have both, torx and metric allen socket sets.

The right tools make the job so much easier.

I appreciate the help.

 

hints:

- did you check autozone by you to ensure they have what you need? Mine had it but that doesn't mean they all do . . .

- if you can, jack the car up Friday PM and hit the rotor torx bolts with PB Blaster and let that soak overnight. When trying to loosen the torx ensure you keep the socket well seated...there is a tendency for the socket to slip and then things get sloppy fast. To keep the hub from turning I put two lugs back in and use a length of rebar wedged thru the lugs and against the ground to lock the hub from turning against the turn of the torx wrench. (think %) That and an 18 inch breaker bar has gotten the torx out for me every time.... Put a little anti-seize on the torx when you replace. This bolt is purely a 'holder' and adds no strength to the brake system. It just holds the rotor in place until you get the wheel in place.

- to get the front rotor off you'll need to remove the caliber hanging bracket too - no biggie, but there just isn't enuf room to wiggle off the rotor w/out at least loosening the bracket.

- clarification on the sensor: if the brake wear light did not come on, then the sensor is OK and can be re-used. If the light did come on then the sensor has been used and must be replaced (or jumpered) to get the light to go out.

 

Good experience with EBC's as a stock substitute on other German cars with a little more tolerence to heat and MUCH less dust. Mintex even less dust than EBC reds, also quiet, cheaper, but with no pretentions it is anything beyond an OEM equivalent strictly street pad.

Using EBC's on my highest HP car now, headed that way on the other (after having used Mintex red box a long time). Same on Mini w/ EBC in rear; can't currently get an EBC fitment in front w/ a JCW mod I am up to there.

 

ended up with duralast. mechanic said normally he would have preferred to put in bmw oem since bmw rotors are 'soft' but based on forum feedback, and timing to get the greenstuff i went with the duralast gold

 

So is it necessary to change rotors everytime you replace pads? MINI also says to wait until 15k miles to change oil... What do you guys all do? Replace rotors everytime the pads need replacing?

 

New pads should be here tomorrow. Ordered Carbontech X10 for the front and x8's for the rear. I had them pre bedded and slotted to accept the sensors. The first ones did not get slotted because of the distributor who ordered them had a wierd PO and it was not noted correctly. I called to verify and they are overnighting me the correct ones and a label to send the
other back. Great service by them to get them to me for next weeks Thunder Hill event.

 

I relayed what MINI's policy has been in my experience...what they told me. personally, since I do not track the car and do check the surface of the rotors for severe scoring and excessive wear I have felt comfortable going two sets of pads to a set of rotors with front pad changes happening at about 35,000 miles (which is VERY fast wear as compared to my Miata where I got 100,000 out of the original pads)

I'm comfortable enuf with this to have recommended the same for folks I've done brake work for - but with full explaination of the MINI recommendation. I have not experienced a problem nor have those I've done pads/rotors for.

OTHO, if you are doing pads you've already done the vast majority of the work to change the rotors. The extra work is minimal. My biggest problem when I change rotors is finding some way to dispose/recycle the old ones. Metal recyclers around here have no interest in steel in such small quantities...even just to take it for disposal.