Q5 front brakes

DanB36

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2003
Location
Savannah, GA
TDI
2014 Q5 Prestige TDI, Monsoon Gray
At 63k miles, it's about time to do the front brakes on my Q5 TDI. The rotors look to be in fine shape, though I haven't measured them for thickness as yet. Dealer wants $1300 to do the job (new rotors, of course), which isn't going to happen. Best set of pads at Autozone is about $100, and new rotors there brings the total to about $250. From what I can see, the job doesn't look like it should be much different from any other set of front disc brakes.

Should I be looking at better parts? Any particular suggestions?
 

Windex

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Location
Cambridge
TDI
05 B5V 01E FRF
If you are not experiencing any vibration or pulsation when braking, no steering wheel shake, then I would just replace the pads.

Not a bad idea to clean any rust off of mating surfaces, but since you are a fair ways south, that shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Make sure the pads fit the carrier sliding surfaces snug, but are able to slide freely.

I have had issues with name brand suppliers (looking at you TRW) where the pad sliding surfaces needed to be modified quite a bit for the pads to slide freely and not hang.
 

KITEWAGON

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Location
Seacoast, NH
TDI
2014 Touareg Exec, 2014 JSW
Should I be looking at better parts? Any particular suggestions?
No suggestion on parts, but if it was me, I'd be buying at least OEM parts from one of the forum vendors. You've got a pretty high end vehicle there and I think it deserves quality parts. I wouldn't skimp on brake pads for fear that I'd be doing the job again prematurely, bad performance or excess dust.

Although I don't really shop Autozone when I can help it. $100 seems like the right price point for quality front pads so maybe they have some good ones.
 

DanB36

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2003
Location
Savannah, GA
TDI
2014 Q5 Prestige TDI, Monsoon Gray
I'm kind of torn on the question of whether to do pads only or rotors too. On the one hand, if the rotors are in good shape, it seems a waste to throw them out. On the other hand, the additional work to change them when I'm already in there is pretty minimal, and (depending on which ones I get) they aren't that expensive...

I definitely want to put decent parts on there, but don't want to spend a fortune. Time for some looking around, I guess.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I would for sure replace the rotors, and I would never even consider anything from Autozone, LOL.

Get some good German parts from one of our trusted parts sources. Lots of good quality stuff available at less than dealer prices although sometimes the dealer is not all that bad parts price wise on consumables like brakes.

You will need to know which brakes yours has, as there are several choices.
 

DanB36

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2003
Location
Savannah, GA
TDI
2014 Q5 Prestige TDI, Monsoon Gray
The dealer's quote was $1k in parts, though it didn't itemize. And yes, there seem to be several options--how do I determine which I have?
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Measure the rotors, get any brand names off of the calipers. Bosch, TRW, Brembo, etc.

I think there are 320mm and 345mm front rotors on those. I would think the TDI gets the smaller ones, but I never depend on that alone, I always measure.
 

DanB36

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2003
Location
Savannah, GA
TDI
2014 Q5 Prestige TDI, Monsoon Gray
Don't see branding on the calipers (though I've just looked through the wheel so far), but per the manual, the caliper design for the 320mm rotors is significantly different from that for the 345s--and the calipers match the illustration for the 320s. I'll pull a wheel in the morning and measure to be sure.
 

DanB36

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2003
Location
Savannah, GA
TDI
2014 Q5 Prestige TDI, Monsoon Gray
OK, pulled a wheel and measured a rotor, and they're 320s, all right. Also measured thickness with a caliper (yes, avoiding the slight ridge at the edge)--29.75mm. Per the manual, new is 30, wear limit is 28. That's making it hard to justify new rotors to myself, though I'll probably do them anyway.

Looking at a set of Zimmermann pads/ATE rotors from Impex.
 
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