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Break pads
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2025 9:19 pm
by Rich B
My van needs some new break pads and i’m trying to work out what i need. i don’t know/think it has the original breaks so i whipped out a pad to identify it.
The issue i have is every online finder seems to only let you search by the make model of car/van rather than the code on the pad itself.
anyone know the best way to get a match?
the code on them is FM5 F201/3
Re: Break pads
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2025 9:31 pm
by mik
Is this because you are keen to have identical replacements?
Why not just search as per your model / reg and select the brand you fancy?
Re: Break pads
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2025 9:33 pm
by Rich B
mik wrote: Mon Jun 30, 2025 9:31 pm
Is this because you are keen to have identical replacements?
Why not just search as per your model / reg and select the brand you fancy?
Because when i do, the ones it comes up with are a totally different shape. My van has quite a lot of mods and i think the brakes are not standard.
Re: Break pads
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2025 9:37 pm
by mik
Ah OK - gotcha
Re: Break pads
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2025 9:38 pm
by Mito Man
Look on your caliper for a part number for that. Then go from there.
Re: Break pads
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2025 9:47 pm
by Sundayjumper
That doesn’t even look like a part number. No manufacturer name ? Ask the person you bought it from ?
Re: Break pads
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2025 9:47 pm
by Rich B
Mito Man wrote: Mon Jun 30, 2025 9:38 pm
Look on your caliper for a part number for that. Then go from there.
good call - Ive tracked down the right brake with an OE part number, just got to find a way to translate that to the pad spec!
Re: Break pads
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2025 9:58 pm
by mik
Re: Break pads
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2025 10:04 pm
by mik
I ordered pads and discs for Mrs mik’s etron. Discs look fine (massive 375mm jobs - weight of a small moon each) but the pads (as per the website) are about 1/3 the size of the originals. So they are en-route back….
Edit - those discs are larger diameter than the wheels on the first five cars that I owned
Re: Break pads
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2025 11:24 pm
by integrale_evo
Part manufacturers often have their own codes which bare no relation to the oe manufacturers part number, or whatever any other brand might use.
Often eBay is the easiest place to search, some sellers will list the brands number as well as the oe number plus a shedload of compatible / equivalents in the item details bit.
Sometimes you then have to use one of those numbers you’ve found to search again and find a seller with an actual picture or diagram of the part instead of just a generic image.
I get much better results doing this than trying to use google.
Re: Break pads
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2025 11:53 pm
by Rich B
i think i’ve found them on ebay - nice one harry.
i’ll double check tomorrow… what a ballache!
Re: Break pads
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 12:01 am
by Rich B
Just as Harry said - that’s exactly the sort of wisdom i needed on the matter!
Re: Break pads
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 7:55 am
by Jobbo
mik wrote: Mon Jun 30, 2025 10:04 pm
I ordered pads and discs for Mrs mik’s etron. Discs look fine (massive 375mm jobs - weight of a small moon each) but the pads (as per the website) are about 1/3 the size of the originals. So they are en-route back….
Edit - those discs are larger diameter than the wheels on the first five cars that I owned
Aren't EVs supposed to use regen so much you barely need to use the brakes, and only replace them after a million miles?
Re: Break pads
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 8:36 am
by mik
Jobbo wrote: Tue Jul 01, 2025 7:55 am
Aren't EVs supposed to use regen so much you barely need to use the brakes, and only replace them after a million miles?
The car is giving a pad-sensor message approx 1/3 of the times it is driven, so a sensor is clearly
just being exposed. I've had a couple of wheels off and reckon rears are fine and there is still 3-4mm left on the front pads, so I'd estimate another couple of thousand miles will be fine. Car is 4.5years old on the original pads/discs.
It is a constant battle to hold back corrosion on the discs. I'm repeating myself, but whenever I drive the car I slip it into neutral (to disable regen) and do a heavy stop from 60-ish to walking pace to clean the discs - at least a little bit. Despite this, every recent service and MOT still mentions light surface corrosion on the discs as an advisory....
When the Lotus Drivers Club organsied a trip to the Edinburgh service centre, techs advised that more than 50% of the discs they replace are due to corrosion rather than wear.
Top tip from Harry (although my link is correct
albeit probably the most expensive option
)
Re: Break pads
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 9:18 am
by Rich B
mik wrote: Tue Jul 01, 2025 8:36 am
Top tip from Harry (although my link is correct
albeit probably the most expensive option
)
fair play Mik, i think you did have the right pads!
Re: Break pads
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 10:00 am
by Jobbo
mik wrote: Tue Jul 01, 2025 8:36 am
Jobbo wrote: Tue Jul 01, 2025 7:55 am
Aren't EVs supposed to use regen so much you barely need to use the brakes, and only replace them after a million miles?
The car is giving a pad-sensor message approx 1/3 of the times it is driven, so a sensor is clearly
just being exposed. I've had a couple of wheels off and reckon rears are fine and there is still 3-4mm left on the front pads, so I'd estimate another couple of thousand miles will be fine. Car is 4.5years old on the original pads/discs.
It is a constant battle to hold back corrosion on the discs. I'm repeating myself, but whenever I drive the car I slip it into neutral (to disable regen) and do a heavy stop from 60-ish to walking pace to clean the discs - at least a little bit. Despite this, every recent service and MOT still mentions light surface corrosion on the discs as an advisory....
When the Lotus Drivers Club organsied a trip to the Edinburgh service centre, techs advised that more than 50% of the discs they replace are due to corrosion rather than wear.
Top tip from Harry (although my link is correct
albeit probably the most expensive option
)
Watching Johnny Smith's Tesla video, he takes it to an EV specialist who apparently now skim disks regularly because of this.
Re: Break pads
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 2:30 pm
by scotta
Im sure your van has the Lotus Elise setup. i just so happen to be selling a set of these pads....Old aat yer aaand.
Re: Break pads
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 3:01 pm
by Rich B
That sounds right, i mean, they can’t be that different….
I just remembered, the seller actually gave me a set of new pads with the van - i checked them about 3-4 months back and they were totally wrong. i expect he also had the same issue, but wasn’t as patient as me!
Re: Break pads
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 11:25 pm
by integrale_evo
Rich B wrote: Tue Jul 01, 2025 12:01 am
Just as Harry said - that’s exactly the sort of wisdom i needed on the matter!
Always happy to pass on something which someone might find useful
