Brake pad options for heavy duty front brakes on VF Commodore.

[Ron Burgundy]

For those with police spec. heavy duty front brakes (345mm rotors and single piston 60mm Mando calipers) on their VF here are some options for brake pads. Genuine ones are very expensive so I did some research and noted some options.

Available in Australia:

1. Genuine GM 92257988 Ferodo HP1000 compound - $260
2. DB1925WB Wagner Brake Pads - $90
3. P59055 Brembo Brake Pads - $70
4. DBA - DB1925XP XP PERFORMANCE - $165
5. Remsa - 1375.12 - $80

Limited availability in Australia:


6. Bendix DB1925 - old Australian stock - Bendix Ultimate compound $80. Limited availability on eBay.

Available in the US:

7. Bendix PBD1404 - approx.$120 with postage.
8. Hawk HB638Z.702 - ceramic brake pads - approx. $150 with postage




Hope somebody finds this useful.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I am interested if anyone has used anything from the list except for genuine ones and what are you thought about them in comparison to GM ones ?

 

[Skylarking]

Since you have cop brakes, maybe the 2010 Aftermaket Brake Pad Evaluation for Mitigan Police Department may answer some of your questions, or at least provide food for thought.

It’s an old document but the info may still be a worth while read.

 

[3rspecB]

Nice find. The Caprice PPV went through similar brutal testing for the various US authorities. Would be good to find the documents that include data for the Caprice PPV 9C1/9C3 cop cars.

 

[VFSV6FORME]

I might be mad or wrong didn't the VF SS have front twin pistons on the front. If this is the case whats the advantages of going back to single piston

 

[Skylarking]

Nice find. The Caprice PPV went through similar brutal testing for the various US authorities. Would be good to find the documents that include data for the Caprice PPV 9C1/9C3 cop cars.

initially I was looking for the Caprice test results and don’t know why my google foo didn’t find those reports. Similar search found all Michigan Police reports here. Caprice is in 2017 year tests.

The brake test seems to comprises 5 repeated (60 mph?) stops with 0.3 mile spacing between them while driving along a straight, then they perform a u-turn and again repeated these 5 stops with 0.3 mile between them. Second part is to drive the length of the straight at 45mph to cool the brakes and then perform the same 10 stops are before.

The Caprice 6.0 ltr cop car (9C1) did 127.1 foot average which was only bested by both Dodge Charger 5.7 ltr cars at 125.1 & 123.2 feet. In my quick scan of the report, it does not specify disc size and type of calipers, pity...

 

[Skylarking]

I might be mad or wrong didn't the VF SS have front twin pistons on the front. If this is the case whats the advantages of going back to single piston

From what I understood, the standard twin piston setup didn’t pass the muster during ‘cop’ brake testing while the single piston bigger disc ‘cop’ setup did.

The cop brake setup was a $350 option if I recall correctly... brembo’s required an up sell to the redline as I think Holden dropped ss-v in 2017 model range.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I might be mad or wrong didn't the VF SS have front twin pistons on the front. If this is the case whats the advantages of going back to single piston

Number of pistons in this scenario does not mean much...
2 small pistons are not necessarily better than 1 large one....plus Mando caliper allowed larger front rotors to be fitted..

 

[Skylarking]

IIRC, the disc brake system on large passenger jests have multiple pistons around the complete periphery of the brake assembly, splined carbon rotors and fixed carbon rotors are pressed together by the multiple pistons. See here and brake test where flames occur here.

The theory with multiple pistons acting on the pad backing plate is that you get an even force across the plate pushing the compound evenly onto the disc. More pistons provides a more consistent force across the pad compound...

In road vehicles, all vehicles really, more brake pad area gives rise to better braking if heat can be managed which usually results in bigger discs to accomplish the heat management. With bigger pad area, more pistons are better but from cost perspective, cops were happy with single piston design as it met their stopping performance needs.

For road use, 6 piston systems for example, are complete and utter overkill and thus can only be considered an aesthetic preference. People driving to the full extend of 6 pistons brake capabilities on a public road need to be locked up...

 

[Ron Burgundy]

The rotors seem to have similar internal design to DBA

I think they are made by Rassini