Rotors and pads for 2006 Camry LE

[Built_Well]

Hi again, car experts of the universe

So it's time for new front disc pads. My 2006 Camry has 61,500 miles and the disc pads in front are down to 3 and 4 millimeters, according to the dealer's safety inspection. I want to try ceramic pads for the first time, so I'll probably skip the Toyota dealer's OEM pads. I'll also be replacing the rotors, instead of having my originals machine-turned.

My main reason for going with ceramic is I'm hoping they'll last longer than 61,000 miles--hopefully 100,000 miles. My reason for getting new rotors instead of having the originals machined is I read a couple places on the internet that new rotors is the better quality option when switching to ceramic pads from the OEM semi-metallic. Well, I suppose the OEMs are semi-metallic and not organic.

So I'll be buying on Amazon the Akebono ProACT 908 ceramic pads for my Japan-VIN Camry (VIN starts with a "J"). But I'm having a hard time choosing among front rotors. My '06 Camry uses drums and shoes in the back, and they're apparently still fine.

Should I buy the

"Centric Parts 120.44079 Premium Brake Rotor with E-Coating" OR the

"Brembo 25856 Front Disc Brake Rotor" OR even the

"Raybestos 96217 Advanced Technology Disc Brake Rotor"

My inclination would be to go with the big-name Brembo or Raybestos, but neither rotor has any reviews on Amazon, whereas the Centric has 8 very good reviews on Amazon. One reviewer said the Centric comes from China, which I want to avoid for quality purposes, but another reviewer says the Centric comes from Japan, which I want to embrace for quality purposes. So I think the Centric rotors probably come from Japan, not China.

Link for Centric Parts rotor on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Centric-Parts-120-...K1T17Z5W5X91ATA

Link for Brembo rotor on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Brembo-25856-Front-Brake-Rotor/dp/B000EPXIF0/ref=au_pf_ss_9?ie=UTF8&Make=Toyota|76&Model=Camry|1011&Year=2006|2006&carId=001&n=15684181&s=automotive

Lind for Raybestos front rotor on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Raybestos-96217-Ad...Raybestos+96217

Thanks!

 

[lizpat]

You don't need to replace the rotors as a matter routine maintenance. Toyota OEM rotors are quite good, you should stick to it.

 

[Astro14]

I would go new on the rotors. I've got Akebono Ceramic pads on both Volvos and the 300E. So far, they've been great. I've got about 70K on them on both Volvos and they're about 50% of orginal thickness...no noise, no dust...slightly less friction than OE in cold temps, but much better than OE at high temps...

Since this is a long-term proposition, do it right, new rotors, so you don't have to worry about starting out with these pads with a set of rotors near minimum thickness, flush fluid, lube calipers and make certain they're in good shape and enjoy the super quiet braking, not having to do your brakes again for a long time as well as not having to clean your wheels every week...

Which rotors? Well...I've had great luck with Brembos. Doesn't mean that the other choices are bad, just don't know them...

 

[zzyzzx]

I also think you should not replace the rotors. I still have the originals on my 1995 Ford Escort at over 219K miles.

 

[Dan55]

I have 2007 Fit and I went with the Akebono pads and Raybestos rotors, they have both performed flawlessly for 40K.

 

[Donald]

You picked the right pads. I would have the rotors machined or replaced. The Centrics you mention will be fine. I have them on my Jeep. The critical thing is pads, not rotors.

 

[theKman]

I've used Raybestos AT parts in two Toyota applications and they have worked flawlessly. You could probably get quite a bit more life out of the rotors if you had them machined, but I've got no problem with you replacing them. Definitely flush the fluid while you're at it, and pull the rear drums off and clean things up back there.

 

[gofast182]

I'd go with the Centric. I use Centric on my S2000 which sees track time (I've got glowing rotor pics to prove it) and they have been holding up fine. I think with Brembo you're paying extra for the name even if they are a decent product.

 

[The Critic]

If the Centric 125 series are available, I would go with those. They have the same high-carbon composition that most OEMs spec for their rotors.

Be sure to check the runout – a lot of these aftermarket rotors have spotty quality in this area.

From what I’ve seen, the Centric rotors do not have the entire hub region painted. They always leave a small unpainted area that will result in a “rust ring.”

You’re better off keeping the original rotors and resurfacing them if needed.

60k is not a bad life from pads. Brakes are so inexpensive to replace that I could care less whether they last 60k or 100k. The OEM pad with new Toyota shim and hardware kits will always be your best option. No aftermarket pad that I've seen, contains the correct two-piece shim kit that Toyota requires.

Don’t fall for the aftermarket ceramic pad propaganda. The aftermarket has turned “ceramic” into a buzz word – there is no consistency between brands as to how much ceramic material is contained in the brake pad. Ceramic is really just another variation of NAO material, also known as non-asbestos organic.

Keep in mind that the OEM pad material has been tested on YOUR vehicle’s platform and has seen extensive validation testing. The aftermarket cannot have the same resources for every vehicle platform. Just because the performance seems “adequate” is not a good excuse.

In fact, recently, a major brake pad mfg for a national store brand admitted that they only use several formulations to cover the entire vehicle market – which shows you how committed they are to making platform-specific parts.

 

[motts]

I am using the Centrics on my 02 v6 Camry(relabeled PepBoys Proline) with the Acobonos. .been 10, 000 miles and seems fine, but still leaves much dust. Had all four corners done at PB for $715 including new fluid.

 

[rshaw125]

I would stick with the OEM pads.60,000 miles and still life left is excellent. Ceramics may last longer but they'll chew the rotors up.
Ceramics offer longer life(?),less dust. Semi-metallic more dust better stopping.
I put ceramics on my Taurus. OEM was semi-metallic. Achieved nothing except a little less dust.
I also think ceramic is more of a marketing term.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: lizpat
You don't need to replace the rotors as a matter routine maintenance. Toyota OEM rotors are quite good, you should stick to it.


+1 I get 150-200,000 miles out of the factory Toyota rotors. I would resurface those rotors and stick with the OE pads. 60k is fine.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
If the Centric 125 series are available, I would go with those. They have the same high-carbon composition that most OEMs spec for their rotors.

Be sure to check the runout – a lot of these aftermarket rotors have spotty quality in this area.

From what I’ve seen, the Centric rotors do not have the entire hub region painted. They always leave a small unpainted area that will result in a “rust ring.”

You’re better off keeping the original rotors and resurfacing them if needed.

60k is not a bad life from pads. Brakes are so inexpensive to replace that I could care less whether they last 60k or 100k. The OEM pad with new Toyota shim and hardware kits will always be your best option. No aftermarket pad that I've seen, contains the correct two-piece shim kit that Toyota requires.

Don’t fall for the aftermarket ceramic pad propaganda. The aftermarket has turned “ceramic” into a buzz word – there is no consistency between brands as to how much ceramic material is contained in the brake pad. Ceramic is really just another variation of NAO material, also known as non-asbestos organic.

Keep in mind that the OEM pad material has been tested on YOUR vehicle’s platform and has seen extensive validation testing. The aftermarket cannot have the same resources for every vehicle platform. Just because the performance seems “adequate” is not a good excuse.

In fact, recently, a major brake pad mfg for a national store brand admitted that they only use several formulations to cover the entire vehicle market – which shows you how committed they are to making platform-specific parts.




^^^ This is really good advice.

 

[Wolf359]

The real question is how much will it cost to get the rotors resurfaced? Even if it's just $10-$20 each, I'd rather just get new rotors even if the old ones were ok. There's a chance that with the old rotors if they're close to being too thin, they will warp and you'll end up having to do it again. Also when doing the job, that means stopping, taking the rotors to a shop, waiting for them to do and who knows how long the wait will be and then going back and continuing. With new rotors, you just take off the old ones and slap on the new ones. You're not really saving that much money having them turned, you're just spending time waiting for them to be done. The rotors for my car are about $25 each so for me it's a no brainer. Plus I only have one car so that means I'd have to get a ride to the store to get rotors turned.

 

[Built_Well]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
No aftermarket pad that I've seen, contains the correct two-piece shim kit that Toyota requires.

Thanks everyone for your great responses, which have helped me narrow the 4 choices down to 2:

(1) Either the Centric rotors (combined with the Akebono ceramics)

OR

(2) The Toyota dealer's OEM pads combined with my original rotors after machining.

Keeping the original OEM rotors and having them machined would be kinder to our mother earth, so I haven't eliminated Option Number 2 yet, and The Critic does make some compelling points.

But I'd like to use the longer-lasting Akebono ceramics because I don't like bringing my car to the shop, so a 100,000-mile run is preferrable to a 62,000-mile run. Even doctors sometimes operate on the wrong body part (like the left arm instead of the right arm--oops. LOL.) So I do my own oil & filter changes, dnf the transmission fluid, dnf the coolant, and rotate the tires (but rotation is an inconvenience so I have let the shop do the rotations the past few times). Also replacing brakes just once in 8 years doesn't make me want to learn the procedure. If it were a yearly thing (or every other year), I would take the time to learn to do the brake job right.

Critic, thanks for the intriguing statement. My I ask why Toyota "requires" its unique two-piece shim? I've read several testimonials (on this site and others) complimenting the Akebono ceramic pads on a Camry. So I'm kind of wondering why the unique 2-piece Toyota shim would be necessary.

 

[Mykl]

Have you measured the rotors to see if they're within spec? That'll answer the question about keeping the rotors or not.

For street use I tend to lean towards using OEM compound pads. Track use is a different story.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: Built_Well
Originally Posted By: The Critic
No aftermarket pad that I've seen, contains the correct two-piece shim kit that Toyota requires.

Thanks everyone for your great responses, which have helped me narrow the 4 choices down to 2:

(1) Either the Centric rotors (combined with the Akebono ceramics)

OR

(2) The Toyota dealer's OEM pads combined with my original rotors after machining.

Keeping the original OEM rotors and having them machined would be kinder to our mother earth, so I haven't eliminated Option Number 2 yet, and The Critic does make some compelling points.

But I'd like to use the longer-lasting Akebono ceramics because I don't like bringing my car to the shop, so a 100,000-mile run is preferrable to a 62,000-mile run. Even doctors sometimes operate on the wrong body part (like the left arm instead of the right arm--oops. LOL.) So I do my own oil & filter changes, dnf the transmission fluid, dnf the coolant, and rotate the tires (but rotation is an inconvenience so I have let the shop do the rotations the past few times). Also replacing brakes just once in 8 years doesn't make me want to learn the procedure. If it were a yearly thing (or every other year), I would take the time to learn to do the brake job right.

Critic, thanks for the intriguing statement. My I ask why Toyota "requires" its unique two-piece shim? I've read several testimonials (on this site and others) complimenting the Akebono ceramic pads on a Camry. So I'm kind of wondering why the unique 2-piece Toyota shim would be necessary.


Oh, I didn't realize you were having the dealer do it. You should check with them to see if they will allow you to bring your own parts. Most of them don't because they like to make money on their markups. Only if you do the job yourself or find your own mechanic which allows you to bring you own parts will you be able to use the parts you buy or do it yourself.

 

[Built_Well]

I called a few dealerships yesterday. They said I could bring my own rotors and pads

And they'll mark down the job by about $60 or $50.

The St. Peter's dealership is even charging $50 less on brake jobs right now until the end of March--if anyone in the St. Louis area needs brake work.

 

[SatinSilver]

What's the dealer quoting for the brake job using oem pads? I need to have the brakes done on the Matrix with 75k miles.

 

[Built_Well]

Prices for the 2006 Camry were about $230 or 240 with OEM pads and rotor machine-turning, but at St. Peter's $180 until the end of March, since they're runninng the $50 discount special.