front brake pad recommendations

[norwichphoto]

My plan of measuring the thickness of the original brake bells has been scuppered as they were put out in the outside scrap bin for recycling and the mysterious recycling fairies have removed them.

[Shoppinit]

I’ll be able to measure my old ones in a couple of weeks I think.

[norwichphoto]

Thanks. I'd like to get to the bottom of this.

[Shoppinit]

Actually, I think I modelled the original disks on CAD when I was coming up with a C6 brake conversion. I'll see if I can find it.

[Shoppinit]

7mm according to my CAD model. No reason to think I would have made a measurement error when I measured them but I'll measure them again when I am able to.

I don't think 0.5mm would make any significant difference to the tracking. Certainly not to the point where it wears your tyres down to the metal on one side. You'd have been fighting with the steering if the tracking was that far out.

What camber are you running? Are you significantly lowered?

Also what tyre pressure?

[Shoppinit]

Look at the position of the rubbing on the first photo in this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=89329

Looks exactly like the position of your damage.

[Shoppinit]

And here:

viewtopic.php?p=449445#p449445

[norwichphoto]

When I recommissioned the car, starting in 2021, I switched from the DRC system to Koni dampers. Both front coil springs were replaced with new ones from Audi. No deliberate intent to lower, although spring platform height may have differed slightly to Audi damper. Wheels were refurbished and fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S's. Brake discs and pads had sufficient life in them to leave at that point, so were cleaned and de-rusted. The knobbly bit was noted and there was clearance.

All hunky-dory until received brake warning light message wihch was alerting me to pads reaching the end of their lives at circa 68,000 miles. Given that the discs had given their best, it seemed a sensible time to replace those, so Zimmermann discs and Brembo sport pads were fitted. Whilst the front wheels were off, both were given a good clean to get rid of the build up of brake dust and other muck on the inside face (Wurth alloy wheel cleaner is pretty good) and I would have noticed tyres failing at that point. I noted at the time that the tyres were getting to the point of changing them according to the tread indicator, but they were wearing evenly.

My thought was that the front track could be slightly narrower if the disc bells were thinner, which then puts the tyre closer to the knobbly bit. Front track is, of couse, referring to a different dimension to steering tracking.

What has changed that has caused significant tyre damage in the most recent 6 weeks / 2000 miles and not the preceeding 2 and a bit years / 20,000 miles.

[Shoppinit]

Pressure?

[norwichphoto]

3 bar all round.

[Shoppinit]

Same. It’s a mystery.

[Felix2566]

Have you checked that all the ball joints are in good order, if one is heavily worn it might be able to change the camber enough to cause the wear?

[norwichphoto]

Not yet. Will do.

[Shoppinit]

Made any progress on this?

[norwichphoto]

No progress. Last weekend was busy.

Continuing with the brake suction pump valve. Some of those hoses and connectors are blummin difficult to get at...