RS4 Ceramic brakes

[Teutonic_Tamer]

I'm just copying the text of a post from VWAudiForum.co.uk, which never got answered. The OP posted the question, but never returneded for more details!

Here is the text:
"Anybody out there heard of problems with ceramic brakes if left stood for a week or more. I have been told that both disks and pads need replacing after only 15k of motorway driving because the car was stood outdoors for two weeks! £2800.00!
Help appreciated
Staggy"
The orginal thread: http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/show ... hp?p=23514

So, has anyone had any issues with the Ceramic Brakes option on the B7 RS4, or any other VAG Ceramic fitments?

Rgds

[Andyuk911]

never heard of that, not even in Porsche land, but the disc are £3k+ each

[Teutonic_Tamer]

OK, so it looks like the OP from the other forum could have been a red herring, especially being as he never logged in again to check for replies!

Do the Ceramic Discs and/or pads have any ferrous metalic particles in them, which could cause the corrosion issues which usually affect standard discs on cars left outside?

Rgds

[Mikeyboy]

No as I mentioned before the discs themselves are of the same construct as the Porsche ones. As far as I know (when I was looking into buying a Cayman S) these discs do suffer from corrosion/disintegration but its caused by high temperatures then rapid cooling (i.e track day then driving through puddles), or at least thats the latest theory I read. They either last forever or simply disintegrate in months but its nothing to do with leaving them standing just that you notice it then I imagine.
Caused a bit of a stir on PH's porsche pages sometime last year.

[j964]

I've done a lot of research on this, as I have a 997 GT3 currently on order. It seems that the problems with the ceramics were due almost entirely to excessive heat. It's very important to cool ceramic brakes properly. It's not sufficient to do the usual trackday thing of just not applying the handbrake after your laps. You must keep the wheels turning so the cooling vents can do their thing - a cool down lap is essential, in other words. If you can't do one, go for a drive around the paddock/car park for a good few minutes.
The other contrbutory factor (as I think someone on here has mentioned) is that they are so resistant to fading that you can get them to incredibly high temperatures without realising the abuse they're getting. If you bear in mind the need to fit in a cooling down lap at the end of each session, you should avoid overdoing it automatically (I hope...). Also, bear in mind that the brakes are now on their third generation and a lot of development work has gone on to improve their life.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

No as I mentioned before the discs themselves are of the same construct as the Porsche ones. As far as I know (when I was looking into buying a Cayman S) these discs do suffer from corrosion/disintegration but its caused by high temperatures then rapid cooling (i.e track day then driving through puddles), or at least thats the latest theory I read.

OK. That sounds perfectly feasable. The ceramic construction is unable to cope with high levels of thermal shocks, and would obviously require more careful management of gradual heat dissipation.

Did anyone ever establish weather either the pad or the disc has any ferrous metalic, or even non-ferrous metalic particles, within the overall ceramic compounds?

They either last forever or simply disintegrate in months but its nothing to do with leaving them standing just that you notice it then I imagine.

What kind of life expectancy, compared to conventional pads on iron discs, could be achieved from ceramic discs?

Caused a bit of a stir on PH's porsche pages sometime last year.

[fredfunk1975]

I'm just copying the text of a post from VWAudiForum.co.uk, which never got answered. The OP posted the question, but never returneded for more details!

Here is the text:
"Anybody out there heard of problems with ceramic brakes if left stood for a week or more.So, has anyone had any issues with the Ceramic Brakes option on the B7 RS4, or any other VAG Ceramic fitments?

Rgds

Just returned from a weeks holiday and the ceramics on mine are fine! Left it for a few weeks before christmas and they were fine.

I heard that the discs were meant to be good for about 300,000km?

They are exactly the same as the porsche ceramics, i was at west tunning and he had a porsche in with ceramics and we compared the two and they were identical.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

I'm just copying the text of a post from VWAudiForum.co.uk, which never got answered. The OP posted the question, but never returneded for more details!

Here is the text:
"Anybody out there heard of problems with ceramic brakes if left stood for a week or more.So, has anyone had any issues with the Ceramic Brakes option on the B7 RS4, or any other VAG Ceramic fitments?

Rgds

Just returned from a weeks holiday and the ceramics on mine are fine! Left it for a few weeks before christmas and they were fine.

I heard that the discs were meant to be good for about 300,000km?

They are exactly the same as the porsche ceramics, i was at west tunning and he had a porsche in with ceramics and we compared the two and they were identical.

OK, thanks for the feedback.

[Golich]

Can someone enlighten me here as I didn't know you could ACTUALLY get ceramic disks as an option for the B7 RS4. I've not seen that in any of the standard sales litterature.

How are you able to spec/buy these? Is it just the fronts or rears also?

[Andyuk911]

look at www.audi.co.uk it is there

[john1975]

Its just the fronts that are ceramics and they where a 4k option!

AKA Fred funk