Defender Brakes

Trevor · May 03, 2015, 10:54 PM

The brakes on the Defender are getting due for replacement. Pads are pretty worn and the front rotors are likely due soon as well. I'm curious if anyone can recommend a good aftermarket pad that would be as good or better than LR original?

Also any experience with high quality aftermarket rotors for the Defenders as well?

Its for the Camel, so no Britpart or any Chinese/Indian made products allowed.

Trevor · May 03, 2015, 11:06 PM

One more question. I recently went to Akebono's on the D2 and am extremely happy with those pads. I notice they make pads for the NA spec Defenders up to 97. I can't find any info suggesting the braking setup was any different between a '97 and '98, or from a euro spec to an NA spec. Curious if anyone has any info on this?

Edit: nm this last question, they only make pads for the 90's, so Akebono's are not an option.

binch · May 04, 2015, 06:12 AM

Nothing wrong with the EBC stuff. Bert was impressed to see in on the disco2 and he seems to know a thing or three ;) And they do various grades of pads and they make Rotors as well. If you want to stay NA then make ask Bert for alternate sources too.

Besides....nothing wrong with a little driving by braille LOL

Red90 · May 04, 2015, 07:15 AM

The general consensus seems to be that OEM pads work the best. There are a LOT of bad reports with aftermarket pads. I think I normally buy Mintex and they work great.

OE or Brembo rotors. Nothing to be gained with any fancy crap. Have a good look at the calipers. It is quite common for pistons to be seized, although if you don't use it in the winter, that might not be a problem.

The pads should be the same NA and Euro. AFAIK, 110 pads are the same from 86 through to the end of the TD5.

Trevor · May 04, 2015, 08:46 AM

Thanks for the info guys, that gives me a few paths to look down. Much appreciated.

Regarding the calipers, I'm leaning towards getting in 4 x rebuild kits and just rebuilding them while I am at it. Its got 100k+ miles on it and from the service history info I have I can't find any reference to work being done on them. With a rebuild I will at least know where I am at.

Red90 · May 04, 2015, 08:54 AM

You can get stainless pistons, which probably makes sense if you rebuild. New Lockheed calipers are not that expensive, so you might want to check that first depending on your time/value. Do you have vented rotors? If not, you could consider changing at the time. The only difference is spacers in the caliper bodies.

Trevor · May 04, 2015, 09:14 AM

I'll check into the Lockheed calipers John, sounds like a good option.

Rotors are vented on mine, or at least the front are for sure. I don't believe the rears are but then I don't think the Defender came with vented rotors all around did they?

Red90 · May 04, 2015, 01:24 PM

Only fronts. Nothing had vented rears, AFAIK.

binch · May 04, 2015, 07:08 PM

Mintex Pads have been the favourite option I've seen so far.

Alex C · May 04, 2015, 07:54 PM

Do you have disk or drum on the rear ?

mintex OEM pads work fine, no ABS so you want something you can modulate and that stops the defender, some of the after market pads are soft and grab.

binch · May 04, 2015, 09:09 PM

He'll be disc all around.....but the floor pan is removeable incase he has to use his sandals through the floor ;D

Trevor · May 04, 2015, 09:47 PM

Disks all the way around Alex. I'll have a look at the Mintex pads as well. Thanks for the info.

Mark · May 06, 2015, 01:02 AM

I've heard excellent things about DBA rotors as well. I am going with those for the D2 and EBC pads.

Matt H · May 06, 2015, 07:07 AM

Quote from: binch on May 04, 2015, 09:09 PM
He'll be disc all around.....but the floor pan is removeable incase he has to use his sandals through the floor ;D

Lol. That's funny

Unless you have done it before, have the bore hone and the OEM seal kit its best to just replace both calipers with new units. It's not that it's a difficult job it's just the new units are so cheap.
By the time you have pulled it apart, honed the bore, cleaned up the housing, replaced the piston and seals and put it back together again you may have wished you had just replaced them.

Also take a good look at the brake lines and flex hoses. Now would be a good time to replace any suspect looking items (flex hose at minimum) and flush the entire system with new brake fluid.

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Trevor · May 06, 2015, 08:39 AM

Quote from: Matt H on May 06, 2015, 07:07 AM
Quote from: binch on May 04, 2015, 09:09 PM
He'll be disc all around.....but the floor pan is removeable incase he has to use his sandals through the floor ;D

Lol. That's funny

Unless you have done it before, have the bore hone and the OEM seal kit its best to just replace both calipers with new units. It's not that it's a difficult job it's just the new units are so cheap.
By the time you have pulled it apart, honed the bore, cleaned up the housing, replaced the piston and seals and put it back together again you may have wished you had just replaced them.

Also take a good look at the brake lines and flex hoses. Now would be a good time to replace any suspect looking items (flex hose at minimum) and flush the entire system with new brake fluid.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good info on the hoses and lines Matt, thanks. I had not planned on doing that, but I will now. And after doing some digging, I'm going the replace rather than repair route on the calipers for the vary reasons you mention.

One thing I have been wondering....what is a good test for the master cylinder condition? The braking currently isn't bad per se, but one certainly cannot lock the brakes. And the pedal is starting to feel softer than I would like aand when I do standard test like apply brake, start vehicle, wait for pedal to depress, I am not seeing much pedal movement to speak of. Gets me thinking that the master cylinder may be getting a bit worn too.