Oddly shaped brake pad

**Adrian** · by **Adrian** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:59 pm

I bought a set of rear pads from my local Vauxhall dealer last year and just got round to opening the box...

[attachment=335:odd.jpg]

On the left are the new pads and on the right are a pair I just took off the car. What the heck is that cut-out all about? :huh:

**Rusty_CallyT** · by **Rusty_CallyT** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:26 pm

no idea but it wont make a difference to braking

**Adrian** · by **Adrian** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:54 am

Rusty_CallyT wrote:no idea but it wont make a difference to braking

Not much difference I agree, but it is less friction area. There must be some reason for going to all this trouble in manufacture. I hate mysteries

**Rusty_CallyT** · by **Rusty_CallyT** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:24 am

the disc swept area is the same and as the braking is bias to the front anyway im sticking with no difference or at least an immeasurable difference

**Fraggies Dad** · by **Fraggies Dad** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:59 pm

when I relined the pads on the rear of my V6 the other week, they gave me pads like those on the right in the pic, when I inspected those on the car they were like those on the left so they swapped them saying that the ones with the cuttout were for a turbo and the ones without are for a V6. hope this helps

**jaybv6** · by **jaybv6** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:15 pm

Fraggies Dad wrote:when I relined the pads on the rear of my V6 the other week, they gave me pads like those on the right in the pic, when I inspected those on the car they were like those on the left so they swapped them saying that the ones with the cuttout were for a turbo and the ones without are for a V6. hope this helps

The later V6 have the same rear brake setup as the Turbos. Looks like an updated part that's probably used across the range. Maybe the cutout is for a sensor of some kind.

Also it wouldn't make much difference on the rear seeing as the brakes only have an effeciency of around 10-15% on the rear. The majority of the braking is done on the front.

Never realised how rubbish the rear brake setup was on Vauxhalls until I got my Mk2 Golf. The Handbrake shoe arrangement is laughable. On the golf's the handbrake works the rear calipers and as such is more effective.

**Rusty_CallyT** · by **Rusty_CallyT** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 8:32 pm

as apposed to the disc arrangement that "i hear" isnt that great if you apply the handbrake on hot brakes and they all cool it can release a bit and that could be a problem.. allegedly

Oddly shaped brake pad

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