ATE Powerdisc - excellent in the rain - no more scary moments

Hello,

I already mentioned that I upgraded to the Powerdisk. Now I've put the first 2000 km on it, including several trips in the rain.

The jump scare is gone! So, it's definitely due to the standard glass panels. It seems like this is a similar case to the LMM.

AUDI simply isn't interested in making improvements through product refinement that can't also be marketed as a 'facelift' in their brochures.

It's difficult for me to explain why Audi drivers have been complaining about the brakes for 10 years, without Audi taking any action, which is something that has been proven to be possible!

By the way, the brake pads are from JURID, not even ATE.

I can fully confirm that.
It was quite exciting with that sudden scare during the heavy rain.

Hello,
I've heard a lot of good things about the Power Disks. However, I've also heard that they significantly increase brake pad wear. Is that correct?

Hi,
Until recently, I was also a fan of the Powerdisk. I can definitely confirm the lack of braking power in wet conditions. I couldn't detect any abnormal brake pad wear. The set of rotors and pads lasted approximately 110,000 km on my car. However, that was mostly highway driving, often in the evenings and at night, with correspondingly few braking instances.
I then removed the replacement power disc after 10,000 km because it was running very unevenly. Either the material wasn't right, or the discs had warped. I then installed "normal" windshields of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) quality, and since then (after another 20,000 km), things have been quiet (although with a moment of fright).
I once read somewhere that the power disc has a tendency to warp under stress (like during a full stop from 200 km/h or so).
I've always wanted to measure the lenses on a lathe, but I haven't had the chance yet.

Best regards from Berlin.
Olli.

Hi,

If the brake pads only last for 3 years instead of the advertised 4 years, and as a result, the feeling of increased braking power (the 'adrenaline rush') is lost, is that a clever business strategy or what?

All windshields tend to warp to some extent when they are left standing in the heat. The glowing disc then cools down, but not in the area where the pads are making contact – and that's it – a single event is enough.

hm....

I'm having a hard time deciding... the original brake discs on my Octavia show a fair amount of wear, but the pads hardly show any wear at all... do you think power discs would make a difference?

'I have a different, more alarming experience: if I've been driving for 50 kilometers or more in heavy rain without braking, and I even just touch the brake pedal, my dentures come out of my mouth. It looks like there's a lot of rust buildup.'
My mechanic, who works on golf carts, reports the same thing.

That's very mysterious...

Sure, here is the translation of the text from German to English:

'Cu Gremlin'

Hi.
@garth
I can absolutely rule out a sudden braking event followed by a complete stop; therefore, I suspect the problem lies with the materials (both were ATE).
I once read an article about uneven wear on brake discs caused by minor cracks or imperfections resulting from uneven pressure on the hub or something similar; the material of the brake disc was said to play a significant role in this. I can almost rule out disc warping, as I always check with a dial gauge during installation. However, due to the diagonally split brake circuits, any warping in the rear discs might also have an effect.

@gremlin
The wear and tear on discs and pads likely always depends on how well they are matched.
When the first brake pads on my car started to lose their friction material, the rotors were still far from needing to be replaced.
"It is likely that relatively soft materials will need to be installed (e.g.,..." (Legal), so that the coating is ready before the disc itself.

Regards,

Olli.

Hello!

The dreaded "shudder" on the A6 also drove my brother to me. I then installed a complete set of slotted Zimmermann brake discs and new pads for him. This also helps to combat the shudder. Moreover, these parts don't cost a fortune (I even think they're cheaper than the Powerdisc). The result is pleasing, although I can't comment on the wear yet, as the brakes haven't been used for long. I also recently upgraded the brakes on my T4. The brakes are no longer so "spongy," are easier to modulate, and subjectively provide a better braking feel. It doesn't matter to me if the pads last for a shorter time (the old rotors and pads had 80,000 km on them). If I achieve better braking performance, I don't mind buying new pads, as they don't cost much anyway.

Greetings, Peter.

P.S.: I've only heard that the power disc's grooves can become clogged with brake dust, which can lead to negative performance issues. Does anyone have any experience with that?

Hello,
I have previously shared my experiences with ATE Powerdisc brakes here.

/viewtopic.php?t=4088&highlight=ate+powerdisk

Nothing much has changed since then, after just under a year. The loud noise I described back then when braking from higher speeds (similar to the noise with worn-out brake pads) is now bothering me more and more , so I've already considered contacting my parts dealer about an exchange.
To get it out of the way: I broke in the new brake discs and pads last summer with more caution than was strictly necessary.

Can anyone who drives a Powerdisk confirm my observations?

Regards,

Andy.

I can confirm what Olly experienced.
My first set of Powerdiscs lasted about 40,000 km without any issues, but then the grooves wore away and they started to make a humming noise. The coatings still had approximately one-third of their original thickness remaining.
Unfortunately, I had to brake quite abruptly (emergency braking after about 100 km), which caused the suspension to start rattling. Perhaps it was also due to the material?
I'm going to install some new ones now and try to return the last ones.

@McGiver
I was unable to observe any added grooves.

Hi,
Today, I put the disassembled power disks on the lathe and measured a runout of 0.15 mm. However, these are not distributed consistently, but rather very unevenly.
I've now shaven off 0.3 mm on both sides, and I'll reinstall the discs this weekend (of course, with the planned shims). I'm curious to see if there will be any noticeable changes in their behavior over the long term. I'm also going to replace the rear brake discs, apparently they, along with the front ones, have already seen 250,000 kilometers.

Visually, the grooves in the old discs were slightly filled with dust and wear, but the braking performance in wet conditions had not deteriorated. I can confirm that there is initially a slightly louder brake noise (compared to standard discs).

Best regards from Berlin.

Olli.

I can only recommend perforated discs from brands like Zimmermann. Silent, excellent braking performance, and of course, everything has the required E-mark and ABE approval.

Greetings, Peter.

Hi Andi,

I can confirm that the power disc is louder when braking from higher speeds. However, I attribute this to the heating up of the disc. Also, the braking performance increases. When braking from 160 km/h with constant pedal pressure while entering a driveway, the brakes will make a noise that increases in proportion to the braking power.
It can get so loud that you think something is rubbing or that something is broken. But once they cool down again, it's gone.

It doesn't bother me - just eat it like that.

Actually, it's the complete opposite of my old brake discs, where I always had to brake harder to compensate for the brake fade. I'm not sure whether this is typical or if it was due to my pre-made toppings.

Hello.
I've been using Powerdiscs for about a year, and I was initially thrilled that the squealing noise when braking in wet conditions was gone. However, recently, during a full stop from 220 km/h, I realized that the braking performance at high speeds is simply poor. Despite applying maximum force, I couldn't get the ABS to engage. Even so, I feel like the performance has decreased, even though there's hardly any visible wear and tear.
Does anyone have experience with Powerdisk and other brake pads, such as sport brake pads?
Regards,
Martin.

I'll just say this:
a) VW-NBL solution for the wet brake problem (e.g., as seen in the Passat 3B/BG).
b) Slotted Zimmermann brake pads for increased braking performance.
There are no limits to what you can achieve. So, BREMBO, MOVIT, etc.

Greetings.

Take a look and see if the holes or grooves (I'm not sure what the power disk has now) in the discs are sealed.